"To convince the heads of Sonic Team, the designer [Yasushi Yamaguchi ] used a mythical creature from Japanese tales and legends called a 'kitsune'. A kitsune is a giant fox that can have anywhere from one to nine tails, depending on its power. Since Sonic came off as some kind of rebel hero, Yamaguchi decided to give him a sidekick with two tails, as a sign of the newcomer's youth and lack of experience. The fox -- which was not a squirrel, like many people thought at the time -- was named Miles Prower
, an obvious pun on 'miles per hour'" (Pétronille & Audureau, 46).
Pétronille, M., & Audureau, W. (2012). The History of Sonic the Hedgehog. UDON Entertainment Group.
"[Yasushi] Yamaguchi submitted an orange fox with stylish bangs and a distinct pair of tails, inspired by a mythical creature from Japanese folklore. According to legend, certain Japanese red foxes, or kitsune, magically grow an additional tail for every thousand years they have lived. Each tail provides unique powers, like the ability to create illusions, manifest in dreams, or rub two tails together and create fire. Though legend implies that kitsune are notorious tricksters, Yamaguchi's creation was much more domesticated" (Harris, 244).
Harris, B. J. (2014). Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle That Defined a Generation. HarperCollins Publishers. 39
Name:
Anonymous2026-09-14 3:13
I do appreciate that you sight some actual sources but it should be remembered that something being the "inspiration" doesn't make the new creation the same as its inspiration.
Like Sonic certainly is nether Santa Clause, Michael Jackson nor Bill Clinton (and yes I do know that AoStH ends with Sonic literally becoming Santa)
So while Tails was inspired by the mystical foxes of legends so is he certainly not just that (its even directly pointed out in how a 2 Tails fox should be a 1000 years old not 8 and how there should be tricksters and not domesticated and through and through nice like Tails. Also I can't recall Tails ever using fire magic the closest to that is thunder shoot which all fly types in Heroes had)
So while Tails is clearly based on the Kitsune isn't just just literal that.
Name:
Anonymous2026-09-14 3:17
Anonymous Thu 27 Jul 2023 21:33:18 No.138533402 Report Quoted By: >>138533459>>138533979 Tails is the most submissive character in history
