This fox-like Pokémon is covered with white fur. It has nine tails with light brown coloring at the tips. It also has a large crest behind its head. Ninetales has red eyes, and can live a very long time.
Gender differences
None.
Special abilities
Being based on a kitsune, its special abilities include placing thousand-year-long curses on humans and Pokémon, as well as performing Ghost-type moves. It is said that its life span is also very long. It can also trick humans and create illusions.
Behavior
This Pokémon's extreme intelligence lends to what most consider Template:Type2 characteristics, though Ninetales has never officially been described as anything other than a Template:Type2. It also seems to hold grudges very easily and will curse humans and Pokémon alike if they touch one of its tails.
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 in which it spoke human through.
In Pokémon Special, Red and Green both tried catching the same Ninetales. In the scuffle for its Poké Ball, Green managed to grab it first. Magma Admin Courtney uses a Ninetales as her main battler.
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.
Pokédex entries
This Pokémon was unavailable prior to Generation I.
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's name was originally spelled as "Nine Tales".
Origin
Ninetales, like Vulpix, are based on foxes. However, in Japan there are certain legends concerning foxes, or kitsune, as they are known there. One such legend which relates to Ninetales the most is how many-tailed foxes can breathe fire, create illusions, and have extremely long lifespans. After living a long time, these creatures take on spirit forms, which may be the reason why these two related Pokémon can learn Ghost-type moves.
In particular, Ninetales is based on the 九尾の狐, the nine-tailed fox, which is a fox of advanced age whose fur has turned silver-gold. It is said to have the power of infinite vision.
Name origin
Its name simply refers to the nine tails it has. Kyūkon can be taken to mean 旧恨, old grudge, although it is worth noting that the first syllable spells out 九 kyū, nine and kon from the Japanese onomatopoeia konkon - the sound that foxes make. Furthermore, a コンロ konko is a gas burner stove.