He is magical! In Japan, he’s called a Tanuki, or if you’re a Mario fan, a “Tanooki.” In Japanese folklore, they’re believed to have trans-formative powers! There’s a legend of one transforming into a tea pot to fool a monk, and a legend of one transforming into tree branches to fool a hunter–you get the idea.
Squee! Spotter: Unknown
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Too bad he doesn’t have clever little raccoon hands. A dog with hands would be pawsome!
its almost a beavcoon maybe a dogcoon
…and they are generally depicted in traditional Japanese art with verrrry larrrrge…testicles!
Also in the feature-length anime POM POKO (mentioned by Shelly in another comment), where tanuki are depicted with the magical ability to stretch their testicles into various shapes if needed. I believe that ability — along with general shape-shifting — is traditionally attributed to tanuki in Japanese mythology.
Depicted that way for good reason. Their testes are indeed very large for their body size. A bit frightening, really.
Like male hamsters… eek!
I KNOW THAT MAGIC CREATURE!!! I even know that story about the teapot! Because I’m a Gaia voyeur!
…No, really! The Furugasa majig has a tanuki option. Better still, the tanuki evolved from a teapot!
I’ll just be in my little nerd corner now. ^^;;;
if u like tanuki, pom poko is a great anime about their struggle to keep their homes in tama hills. they use their famous magic in it!
Shelly, I second your recommendation — POM POKO is a delightful film! Both tanuki and kitsune (fox) have long been considered magical shape-shifters in Japanese mythology, and have been featured in several other anime series…. including INUYASHA, which features a funny shape-shifting tanuki (Miroku’s companion Hachi) and an adorable shape-shifting kitsune (Shippou the little fox-demon).
and bred and slaughtered for their fur which is sold to unwitting consumers…..
Did not know that. Sad. Thank you.
He is just beautiful!!!!!!!
I had never seen this animal before, so I looked it up, my search led me to some upsetting information and an even more upsetting video. I would like to post the links, but must warn you the video in question is graphic heart breaking and sickening. http://www.peta.org/feat/chineseFurFarms/index.asp and http://animalblawg.wordpress.com/2009/05/13/live-skinning-raccoon-dogs-and-other-tales-from-the-fur-farm/ Such an adorable animal should not face such a terrible fate. :’(
:’(
So the not-so-squee-worthy animals deserve such a fate?
What an awesome animal! I love it when this site shows me something entirely new (to me) and entirely squee!
Pompoko
(presses down button)
(turns to stone and becomes invincible)
(later jumps into kuribo’s shoe (most kickass powerup in all of mariodom))
(is a huge dork)
my boyfriend likes to frustrate me by saying Tanukis aren’t real
Don’t forget turning into a statue to fool giant turtles.
Just search ‘raccoon dog cruelty’ – not for the weak amongst us, there are some horribly cruel people in the world.
Oh my god! I played Mario 3 a lot when I was a kid and I always wondered where the hell they got ‘Tanooki suit’ from lol. I love Japanese folklore.
He reminds me of Oy the Billy Bumbler from Stephen Kings Dark Tower series *squee*tastic!!!
!!! I just posted that here myself before I saw your post!! I love that I have a real image for Oy now!!
Are there any of these dogs in the US as pets?
In Japanese folklore these are often simply referred to as Foxes even if they aren’t the same family and are the equivalent to Coyote in native American lore as The sacred trickster or lord of chaos. These however are also known for changing into beautiful women to trick men and devour there life energy, But this one is too cute for that.
Rafael, I think you are confusing tanuki with kitsune. Both species are considered tricksters in Japanese folklore, both may turn into beautiful women, but only the tanuki can do magical things with their testicles. Kitsune is the Japanese word for fox, and tanuki is the Japanese word for…. well, tanuki (what we call “raccoon dog” in English). While they both are said to have supernatural powers, they are distinct species and the Japanese do not use the terms “tanuki” and “kitsune” interchangeably. Just sayin’….
Tom Nook = Tanuki
AHA! NOW I know why the tailed suit available in Mario 3 that transforms you into stone is called a Tanuki Suit! Lifelong Mystery: SOLVED
Nooo! Not a nerd! (at least not in a negative way) I have a Grimm Brothers fairy tale book that has that story with the teapot in it. I loved that story! Now I know what the animal really looks like!
The tanuki I’ve seen are all generally fluffier, so I was really confused by this picture at first.
[...] Raccoon Dog, I'm Fairly Certain You Are Magic – Daily Squee – Cute … Raccoon Dog, I'm Fairly Certain You Are Magic. cute baby animals – Raccoon Dog, I'm Fairly Certain You Are Magic. He is magical! In Japan, he's called a Tanuki or if you're a Mario fan, a “Tanooki.” In Japanese folklore, they're . [...]
It’s Hachi!
You do realize that this must by Oy in the flesh? From the Dark Tower series by Stephen King.