Multiple Tails

Japanese yokai folklore inspired the multiple tails tag. The number of tails on an anime character indicates their age, strength, and intelligence. Japanese audiences understand it immediately, creating some of the most interesting anime character silhouettes.

The most famous is the kitsune, or fox spirit. The most famous of these creatures, the nine-tailed fox (kyubi no kitsune), has god-like power, can change shape perfectly, and knows everything. This is common in anime, from Naruto's nine-tailed beast to fantasy and harem shows' fox-girl (kitsunemimi) characters. These tails are usually big, fluffy mantles that look great on the character. Besides foxes, the nekomata, a monster cat (bakeneko), splits its tail as it ages and gains magical powers. Girls with two tails are common in supernatural slice-of-life and fantasy series.

Most wallpapers in this tag are detailed. Artists use tails to make large, round shapes around characters because they take up so much space on the canvas. The shrine maiden (miko) outfits, traditional Japanese clothes, and magical fox-fire (kitsunebi) illuminate these scenes. This tag has amazing supernatural designs, from a scary nine-tailed demon beast to a cute two-tailed cat girl relaxing on a porch.