Bando Mitsugoro II as Tennen no Mansaku-kitsune and Ichikawa Monnosuke III as Nikaido Shinanonosuke and Iwai Hanshiro IV as Okura no Kojoro-kitsune in the scene from the drama Moto Mishi Yuki Sakae Hachi-no-ki (Nidaime Bando Mitsugoro no Tennen no mansaku-kitsune, nidaime Ichikawa Monnosuke no Nikaido Shinanonosuke, yondaime Iwai Hanshiro no Okura no kojyoro-kitsune) 1778

This vibrant woodblock print, created by Torii Kiyonaga, captures actors in a scene from a popular drama. Immediately, our eyes are drawn to the elaborate costumes and stylized poses, rich with symbolic weight. Note the figure dressed as a fox spirit—the *kitsune*—a motif deeply embedded in Japanese folklore, often associated with intelligence, trickery, and shapeshifting. This spirit, like the Greek Proteus, embodies a transformative power that unsettles the boundary between human and animal. Across cultures, we find similar figures; consider the medieval European legends of werewolves or the shamanistic traditions where humans merge with animal spirits. These recurring figures reveal our enduring fascination with the fluid boundaries of identity. They tap into a primal fear and awe, reminding us of the hidden, instinctual aspects of our own nature. The *kitsune*, then, is more than just a character; it's a mirror reflecting the complex interplay of culture, memory, and the subconscious.