Kori Kombat

File:Origins of Tom Nook and Redds Rivalry in Animal Crossing! — Gaijin Goombah-0

Why can't they be friends?

The trope depicts a rivalry or conflict between the yokai of kitsune and tanuki. These two creatures from Japanese folklore have similarities, such as shapeshifting, casting illusions, and being tricksters. They are however differences, such as their physical form with tanuki being chubby and well-endowed while kitsune are slender, have squinted eyes, and sometimes multiple tails.

Their shared trait of being shapeshifters with a tricky streak, but there are more differences with their tactics. Tanuki can be playful with their trickery often using illusions to prank humans. Kitsune are more wicked with their deception involving possessing people, seduction, and even bringing down countries by corrupting their rulers.

There is a name for these events for when these two tricksters fight called Kori no Tatakai (translates to Battle of Tanuki and Kitsune). The name of kori comes from the kanji of kitsune (狐) and tanuki (狸) put together to make the word, kori (狐狸). Different from a battle of violence, they have a showdown with their shapeshifting powers as a demonstration of their magic. When comparing the two, kitsune usually overpower tanuki through their power, but tanuki are better tricksters.

The trope in media doesn’t usually have a battle but more so a rivalry between two magical beasts. Characters with the trait of these yokai tend to act as foils against each other. A typical example would be a rivalry between two characters who are one of the respective yokai. Others may involve actual combat between the characters while some may have them on opposite sides of a conflict.

Compare to Fur Against Fang in fiction derived from European folklore.

Examples of Kori Kombat include:

Anime and Manga

• The fight between Naruto and Gaara seems to be a reference to this rivalry as both Jinchuriki for the Kitsune and Tanuki Tailed Beasts, respectively.
• Averted with Ponchi and Konchi, from Shaman King, most likely due to being Guardian Ghosts to their Shaman.
• Pom Poko has an example of how the kitsune have hidden amongst humans while using their transformation abilities to make money. While the tanukis rather live in the forest despite the threat of urbanization.
• Subverted in BNA with Michiru Tanuki and Nazuna Kitsune. The two girls have been human until recently and transform into Beastmen. Both of them have similar shapeshifting powers while also showing similarities to the yokai of their surnames. They start with a rocky relationship when they meet each other in Anima City, but eventually spend time together and rekindle their friendship.
• In Ugokie-Ko-Ri-No-Tatehiki (translates to Moving Picture — Fox vs. Tanuki, Pulling Pranks), a tanuki father and son plague a samurai but was a kitsune in disguise.
• In Gugure! Kokkuri-san, Kokkuri-san (a kitsune) acts as a legal guardian for Kohina. He has a strained relationship with the tanuki, Shigaraki, who is quite troublesome as he often gets drunk, gambles, or causes trouble in other ways.
• In The Rising of the Shield Hero, there is a race called Demi-Humans, humans with bestial traits. The two races of Demi-Humans of the Kitsune and the Tanuki, both specialize in illusion magic. In the past, the Tanuki managed to seal the Kitsune's great Yokai through deception and sorcery.
• Kitsune no Yomeiri has an event between tanuki and kitsune as a prank war every year where two representatives prank random people, and a winner is determined by who punked the most people. The main heroine, a kitsune, is chosen as the representative to compete with the tanuki's representative.
• Tanuki and Kitsune do not get along in Kemono Jihen while their interactions with humans differ. Kitsune use their powers to manipulate humans while Tanuki coexist with human while both hide their existence.

Oral Tradition, Folklore, Myths and Legends

• In Japanese mythology, Tanuki and Kitsune are ancient rivals where they have duels with their magic power to outwit and maybe outdo each other.
  • One prime example is Danzaburō Danuki, who has made Sado Island into a paradise, kingdom, and sanctuary for tanuki. He always found a way to make sure that kitsune never step foot on the island.

Video Games

• Referenced in Samurai Warriors with Ieyasu Tokugawa associated with tanuki and his rival, Mitsunari Ishida, related to kitsune.
• As seen in the video above, Tom Nook and Redd, from the Animal Crossing series, are both based on a tanuki and kitsune. They were once business partners, but their methods contrast each other. Tom Nook often may trick others with fast talk into paying for products and houses but are functional wares. Redd, on the other hand, lies to sells his wares while grifting them when he gets the chance.
• The tanuki-like Mamizou Ftatsuiwa and the kitsune-based Ran Yakumo from Touhou have an intense hatred for each other. Thy even play on the old Japanese myth where Mamizou acts for Danzaburou who is responsible for keeping out foxes from Sado.
• Pon and Con from Kirby's Dream Land 3, are a taunki and kitsune respectively. They act as a Dual Boss for Kirby rather than fighting with each other. Their boss battle is similar to Mr. Shine and Mr. Bright from other games.
• In Super Mario 3D Land, when Mario uses a Super Leaf, he gets a Tanooki suit but Luigi gets a kitsune. They both function the same where their tails wag, they descend slowing to the ground for longer jumps. The two are brothers who love each other and help out one another when needed, but in some games show they have a healthy form of Sibling Rivalry.