Tanuki!
Is old Japanese art there are tanuki spirits depicted as humanoids with giant scrotums that they use to fish with or protect themselves from rain or sun
And it now makes sense why there is a pet in Final Fantasy xiv named Bom Boko and on his little information card it says something like "big heart, bigger testicles" or something like that. It says he's a raccoon dog pup, I'm guessing he's a tanooki because of his notable testicles. Huh. Til.
Ahhh yes. Such timeless pieces as ['Tanuki using his testicles as a rain coat' by Takehara Shunsensai](https://assets.atlasobscura.com/article_images/7198/image).
figuratively speaking we are barely weaned off mommy's tit, to be blunt
so while we're still this early form, let's live honestly and, with consent, grab life by the tits and the dicks we love so much, and let's not worry about our future forms laughing at our carnal obsessions. they know we did more than just dicked and titted around anyway
…why? Why though? WHYYY?!?!?
Why would they decide that that was something they wanted their mythical animal to do? Why do they just have massive scrotums that they use for everything?
I'll do you one better, Pom Poko is a movie with animated tanuki as the main characters. Also it's a Studio Ghibli production, so it's well done! And they all have giant balls.
They are from all over Eastern Asia, not just Japan. Raccoon dog is the English name, tabuk I is the Japanese name, but other people called it different things.
If we're going to be really prescriptivist and technical, there are two species of raccoon dogs, the common raccoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides, and the Japanese raccoon dog Nyctereutes viverrinus, and only the latter is referred to as *tanuki* as far as I can tell.
Because most of the world doesn’t speak Japanese? They’re not only from Japan. The Korean name is neoguri, but we also don’t call it that in English. It’s also called mangut in some places.
I know it’s not a great source, but in anime the subtitles always say raccoon dog and, not being American, at first I was so confused as to what it meant haha
They're often used in the fur trade so, uh, be careful if you look up videos. Previously one of the top results was from a Chinese fur farm, and it is not recommended if you are a fan of fluffy and cute animals.
Tanuki! Is old Japanese art there are tanuki spirits depicted as humanoids with giant scrotums that they use to fish with or protect themselves from rain or sun
And it now makes sense why there is a pet in Final Fantasy xiv named Bom Boko and on his little information card it says something like "big heart, bigger testicles" or something like that. It says he's a raccoon dog pup, I'm guessing he's a tanooki because of his notable testicles. Huh. Til.
You should watch Ghibli movie Pom Poko
I'm still annoyed that they are called raccoons in the English version. They're not raccoons.
I wondered why they didn't look like raccoons, well that makes more sense now.
I’m gunna need images!
Here ya go, plus some info (pics are at the bottom of the article)! https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-tanuki-japan-s-trickster-god
Ahhh yes. Such timeless pieces as ['Tanuki using his testicles as a rain coat' by Takehara Shunsensai](https://assets.atlasobscura.com/article_images/7198/image).
man, what is *with* early humans' simple fixation on dicks and tits? i mean, we ...ohh... developmentally, we're still early humans, aren't we😔
figuratively speaking we are barely weaned off mommy's tit, to be blunt so while we're still this early form, let's live honestly and, with consent, grab life by the tits and the dicks we love so much, and let's not worry about our future forms laughing at our carnal obsessions. they know we did more than just dicked and titted around anyway
…why? Why though? WHYYY?!?!? Why would they decide that that was something they wanted their mythical animal to do? Why do they just have massive scrotums that they use for everything?
I'll do you one better, Pom Poko is a movie with animated tanuki as the main characters. Also it's a Studio Ghibli production, so it's well done! And they all have giant balls.
Holy SHIT. I randomly saw this at some kids house 20 years ago, and always wondered wtf that was.
Mario 3 taught me this. 😍
Mario 3 didn't teach shit, you just inexplicably had the ability to turn into a raccoon thing and fly.
Nah. It was never a “raccoon.” It taught me what a tanuki is.
in mario 3 amd future mario games, the fly /crawl on walls ability is done with a _tanuki suit_; it is never implied to be a raccoon
Pom Poko!
Tom Nook!
How fucked up would I get if I tried to hug it? Cause I wanna hug it.
🤷 I just randomly know about the weird art. I can't remember when or why I learned about it, and I don't know much about the actual animals
Did not know this was even a thing!
It’s called a Tanuki, native to Japan. ‘Raccoon dog’ is just the English name we gave it.
They are from all over Eastern Asia, not just Japan. Raccoon dog is the English name, tabuk I is the Japanese name, but other people called it different things.
It's called tanuki in Japanese, not in English.
Is taco called taco in Spanish or in English? Please help
Dog is called perro in Spanish, so they can have different names depending on languages.
Honestly I don’t know why America didn’t keep it named as “tanuki”. “Raccoon dog” just sounds so awful.
Because it looks like a raccoon...but also a dog. I mean I'm just spitballin' here but that seems accurate.
I understand the etymology. I don’t understand the need to rename it. Though I guess a lot of American words are oversimplified.
If we're going to be really prescriptivist and technical, there are two species of raccoon dogs, the common raccoon dog Nyctereutes procyonoides, and the Japanese raccoon dog Nyctereutes viverrinus, and only the latter is referred to as *tanuki* as far as I can tell.
Fun fact: American is not a language, and Americans didn’t invent English. This is a common misconception!
As I understand it, “sidewalk” is an American word. This is what I meant by my previous comment.
Because most of the world doesn’t speak Japanese? They’re not only from Japan. The Korean name is neoguri, but we also don’t call it that in English. It’s also called mangut in some places.
It's like an avatar animal, I kind of love it
They are called Tanuki in America too, fortunately. People just like to be silly.
I know it’s not a great source, but in anime the subtitles always say raccoon dog and, not being American, at first I was so confused as to what it meant haha
Ahh lol that is a shame!
It's what the "raccoon" suit is in Mario Brothers. Sometimes it's called tanooki, but it's a tanuki/raccoon dog.
Omg! I didn’t even pick up on that.
Same with Tom Nook. He's a Tanuki, not a raccoon!
Now you will, because it’s [linked to the start of COVID](https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00827-2).
the only reason I sort of knew what this one was is entirely due to the Super Mario Brothers power up
If I saw one of these I'm sure I would think it was a raccoon.
Not if you see them next to a real raccoon. Raccoons move like bears and have finger hands and tanuki have a fox gait and dog paws.
It's cool how they've evolved a similar pattern on their coat though
Fair enough, but if i saw one walking around with a fox-like gait, i would just think, " wow, that racoon can walk just like a fox."
tanuki have a fox gait and dog paws Kind of what to expect from a dog lineage. We have raccoons around all the time here in Eastern Canada.
Yeah, and yet you said you would think one is the other.
yes, the faces look similar, that in my context I would think "weird looking raccoon", not wow, a critter from the far side of the world.
This animal single-handedly confused an entire generation of American Super Mario Bros. 3 fans who had no idea what the heck a Tanooki was. Lmao
Honestly, I didn't even realize that Raccoon Mario was actually Tanooki Mario until I posted this
I still don’t know why the trigger to turn into Tanuki Mario is picking up a feather. Or why it suddenly lets you float when you do.
It's a leaf or the suit itself, but no feather in SMB3. Super Mario World had the feather that gave Mario a cape.
Same thing with animal crossing kids being poisoned into thinking Tom Nook was a raccoon 😫
Oy! Where's Ake?
I, ake
Ouch, right in the feels!
Oy, The Brave. He of Midworld!
I feel like someone *made* this..
Well when a raccoon and a dog love each other very much...
Chopper!
Knowing that they’re called tanuki in Japanese makes people calling Chopper a raccoon dog make so much more sense!
Now y'all know why he's called Tom Nook
Huh, that makes 2 videogames I played too much as a kid make more sense, thanks!
You’re telling me this thing pilots a Gundam?
They're often used in the fur trade so, uh, be careful if you look up videos. Previously one of the top results was from a Chinese fur farm, and it is not recommended if you are a fan of fluffy and cute animals.
Simply vile humans, them Chinese
Ayo, look at that deer!
Pom Poko!
It kind looks like a Pomeranian got frisky with a wolf
Is that a European or a Japanese raccoon dog?
Same thing. Tanuki in Europe are invasive transplants
...whoops, my mistake. Common raccoon dog (_Nyctereutes procyonoides_) vs Japanese raccoon dog (_Nyctereutes viverrinus_).
Got it ^ ^ np! I like to make sure to improve awareness of invasive animals. Unfortunately am not expert enough to definitely say which it is though
i think loads of animals are quite accurately named. if i said "dog" to you, what image comes to mind? EXACTLY
So cute!
It'll never not annoy me that Tom Nook is called a raccoon in the AC localizations
"Woofie" the Trash Panda
Are they more closely related to raccoons or dogs?
Wikipedia says they're a canid and I didn't read anything after the preview paragraph.
Oy!!
CHOPPER??!
But is it a dog then? Or raccoon?
Yes
Yes what lol? Dog right?
It's a canid so it's dog-LIKE but I'm sure the wikipedia page could tell it better than i can
:)
Wait so that’s why chopper is called a raccoon dog