Kitsune are
japanese fox spirits out of ancient
lore (although there is some speculation that they were integrated from
chinese and
korean mythologies and then rewritten much more deeply into japanese
legend.) They are for the most part wholly
foxlike in appearance, always appearing as the small
redbrown canoids and never as anthropomorphic or bipedal
foxes. There is really no gender
differentiation although the kitsune species as a whole is more
feminine than male. Most fox-bodied
kitsune have only the one tail, but sometimes they are shown with more--this is a mark of
honor and
prestige and
wisdom. It's generally accepted they either gain them in
old age or through
noble and
wise acts. A nine-tailed
kitsune is of the highest rank.
What exactly they are is up for debate. Some theories say they're highly sentient and intelligent true foxes with magical and spiritual gifts. Some say they're a specific race of otherworld spirits (or kami, nature spirits, in japanese mythology). There are also theories that they are human souls choosing to take a fox form and continue to walk the earth rather than passing elsewhere. In almost all of these cases, it is believed they can assume either a wholly spirit form or a physical fox body as the fancy strikes them. There are also legends that they will posess a human while in their spirit form. They are, however, all "mortal" in a form, and rarely live beyond 900 years, after which they pass beyond, although to exactly what no one is sure.
One subset of the Kitsune are called the "myobu" and are good-luck and guardian spirits, instead of the normal trickster nature spirits which most kistune are called. These kitsune have sworn fealty to the godde Inari--god of rice, grain, and fields, and his shrines. The bond was forged, when, in legend, a pair sought shelter in her temple and in exchange for his protection, and swore vows to him in return. These kitsune are often prayed to when non-Inari kitsune ("nogitsune") cause trouble among the people. Kitsune also are classified by region, "holy" and "wild", the natural elemental each one draws from, and by interally regulated clan systems. Like the foxes they resemble, they value family and honor above most all else.
Kitsune as a race rarely interact with humans, as both kami and forest creatures keep mostly to themselves. People would pray to them and in return they would bestow blessing and order, but this was the extent of most interaction. However, being fox spirits, they are also tricksters and are known to randomly annoy and trick people just on a whim. None of this, however, is considered "meddling" on a grand scale, and affects the balance of things very little. However, very rarely, a kitsune would be called upon very strongly to influence something important, and they would actively manifest and appear to humankind. However, this was a huge drain on the kitsune spirit, and catastrophe such as famine would often sweep the land, as the kitsune needed to leech that energy to sustain its manifestation.
There are some legends that kitsune can shapeshift into beautiful women to secude unwary travelers. It is unclear if both male and female kitsune can shift into women, but there are no instances recorded of a kitsune taking a human male form. However, kitsune can also shapeshift into nearly anything of nature, rocks, trees, rivers, just about anything. This shapeshifting is one important part of kitsune magic, weaving in with their affinity for illusion--they can warp and shape reality into being what they want, creating as they choose. Along with shapeshifting they are rumored to have mind control abilities, which is why they are so excellent at seducing their targets. They can also create "fox-fire" as they choose. It's exactly what it sounds like, small orbs of fire. However, those of true and practicing faith--any faith--can see through and disarm a kitsune's magic, shattering the illusion.
http://www.comnet.ca/~foxtrot/kitsune/kitsune1.htm
http://pweb.cc.sophia.ac.jp/~britto/deekid/task17/yoshi17.html
http://www.coyotes.org/kitsune/kitsune.html