Ninetales is a quadrupedal caninePokémon covered in thick, luxurious golden-white fur. It has a small mane of thicker fur around its neck and a long, fluffy crest atop its head. It has slender legs with three-toed paws and nine long tails with pale orange tips. It has red eyes, pointed ears, and a triangular black nose.
A legend claims that Ninetales is the reincarnation of 9 united noble saints. While intelligent enough to easily understand human speech, Ninetales is a vengeful Pokémon known to curse those who mistreat it. Ninetales will also curse anyone who wakes it up by grabbing one of its many tails. The curse can last up to 1,000 years. As mentioned in Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team, once a Ninetales casts its curse, it cannot be removed even by Ninetales itself. It can live for 1,000 years due to the energy within its nine tails, each of which is said to have a different mystical power. Flames spewed from its mouth can hypnotize an opponent and its gleaming red eyes are said to give it the ability to control minds. As mentioned in the Sleep Style Dex, Ninetales is known to sleep while wrapped inside its tails, giving it a mystical appearance.[1] In the first Pokémon movie, it's shown that it can swim. Pokémon-Amie shows that Ninetales lick their paws to clean themselves. Being the result of an Evolution via Evolution stone, Ninetales are rarely found in the wild, though they can be found in grasslands.
In the Alola region, Ninetales have a different appearance. Its coat is pale blue, and its fur is more flowing and wispier. The tips of its tails and crest and the lower halves of its legs are white. The crest on its head is longer, and its nine tails are less distinct. Additionally, it has larger blue eyes and small tufts of fur in front of its ears.
Alolan Ninetales lives on Alola's snow-capped Mount Lanakila, which some consider holy ground. As such, it is revered as a sacred messenger or deity. Alolan Ninetales has a gentle and calm temperament and is known to aid lost humans in distress, though this is primarily done to keep them out of its territory. It will punish any threat to its pack of Vulpix. Those who anger it will be frozen stiff in an instant. It can produce ice crystals from its fur, which it can use for both offense and defense. The ice crystals can act as a shield or form balls that can be fired like bullets with enough force to shatter rock.[2] They can also be found in the Polar Biome of Blueberry Academy's Terarium, where Alola's island life is simulated.
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Ninetales cast a curse on a human that would turn it into a Pokémon, bringing on many natural disasters. The player is blamed for this and travels to the home of Ninetales at the top of Mt. Freeze to learn the truth. Ninetales appears again when Gengar wishes to make right what he did to Gardevoir. He gives Gengar the 9-Tail Crest and sends him and the player to Murky Cave.
Pokémon Super Mystery Dungeon: Ninetales returns, asking the player to visit its hideout. Upon arrival, the player will connect with both Ninetales and Absol.
Some legends claim that each of its nine tails has its own unique type of special mystical power. (Pokémon Red, Silver, or Crystal inserted) Its nine beautiful tails are filled with a wondrous energy that could keep it alive for 1,000 years. (Pokémon Blue, Gold, or Yellow inserted)
Ninetales casts a sinister light from its bright red eyes to gain total control over its foe's mind. This Pokémon is said to live for a thousand years.
Legend has it that Ninetales came into being when nine wizards possessing sacred powers merged into one. This Pokémon is highly intelligent -it can understand human speech.
Ninetales casts a sinister light from its bright red eyes to gain total control over its foe's mind. This Pokémon is said to live for a thousand years.
Legend has it that Ninetales came into being when nine wizards possessing sacred powers merged into one. This Pokémon is highly intelligent—it can understand human speech.
Dwells on sacred peaks perpetually covered in snow. Said to appear to virtuous people who have lost their way on mountain paths—it then guides them back down to the mountain's base.
This mystical Pokémon is the subject of numerous legends. It’s highly intelligent and extremely curious, so it closely studies others to try to learn all it can about them.
Restores 14 Energy to one random Pokémon on your team
Its nine gorgeous tails are said to be imbued with supernatural power. When it sleeps wrapped in its tails, this Pokémon has a mystical appearance, but grabbing one of its many tails to wake it up for fun could result in a 1,000-year curse.
In Just Waiting On A Friend, a very old Ninetales befriended Brock, who bore a resemblance to her long-lost master. This Ninetales created all sorts of illusions, including one of a woman through which she spoke.
In Lucario and the Mystery of Mew, a Ninetales was seen during the opening intro of the movie, while the other was under the ownership of a Trainer participating in the Rota tournament.
Ninetales in its Alola form is playable through obtaining a Unite License. It is a ranged attacker that starts as Alolan Vulpix, which evolves into Alolan Ninetales at level 4.
In Japanese, the hiragana category "きつねポケモン" (Fox Pokémon) is shared by the evolutionary lines of Vulpix and Nickit, while the katakana version "キツネポケモン" (Fox Pokémon) is shared by Fennekin and its evolutions.
Alolan Ninetales was featured in the sixth episode of Beyond the Pokédex series.
Origin
Ninetales may be based on a red fox and the 狐 kitsune of Japanese legend, which are said to have many tails, extremely long lifespans, and supernatural powers such as the ability to breathe fire. After reaching an advanced age, kitsune take on spirit forms, which may explain why Ninetales can learn various Ghost-type and Psychic-type moves. Specifically, it may be based on the kyūbi no kitsune, whose fur turns white-gold after it has lived for 1,000 years and gains its ninth tail.
Alolan Ninetales may be based on an Arctic fox, which grows a white coat of fur in the winter to camouflage in the snow. Its mountain habitat and lore as a deity incarnation may be a reference to Poliʻahu, the Hawaiian goddess of snow who is said to reside on Mauna Kea. It could also be inspired by tulikettu, a mythical fox creature of Finnish lore whose radiant fur is said to be responsible for the creation of the northern lights. The Finnish word for aurora, revontulet, also literally translates to "fox fires" which could be intentional as Ninetales' original form is a Fire-type.
Name origin
Ninetales may be a combination of nine and tales, referring to fairy tales (alluding to it being based on a mythical creature) as well as being a homophone to tails. It may also reference the cat o' nine tails whip (due to its tendency to punish anyone who grabs its tails).
Kyukon may be a combination of 九 kyū (nine) or 九尾狐 kyūbiko (nine-tailed fox) and こん kon (onomatopoetic sound of a fox's cry). It may also involve 旧恨 kyūkon (old grudge) and 焜炉 konro (gas stove).
In other languages
Language
Title
Meaning
Japanese
キュウコン Kyukon
From 九 kyū, 九尾狐 kyūbiko, こん kon, and possibly 焜炉 konro and 旧恨 kyūkon
↑Sleep Style Dex entry: "Its nine gorgeous tails are said to be imbued with supernatural power. When it sleeps wrapped in its tails, this Pokémon has a mystical appearance, but grabbing one of its many tails to wake it up for fun could result in a 1,000-year curse."
This Pokémon article is part of Project Pokédex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each Pokémon species, as well as Pokémon groups and forms.
Gold Leaf (100%)
Rawst Berry (100%)
Charcoal (5%)
For other sprites and images, please see Ninetales images on the Bulbagarden Archives.
