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Tanuki

Tanuki from the ninja village. From left: Half, Kage, Majiri, Buchi, Blue, Cool, Narudo, Kyu, Don-chan, Ran Ran, Senseh, Gusu, Kuma, Kaku, Maru, and Scar

Tanuki (狸, タヌキ or たぬき [tänɯᵝki]?), also known as the Japanese raccoon dog, is a puzzling animal species in the order Carnivora (ネコ目 Neko-moku?), family Canidae (イヌ科 Inu-ka?), genus Nyctereutes (タヌキ属 Tanuki-zoku?) that has been significant in Japanese folklore since ancient times. The legendary tanuki is reputed to be mischievous and jolly, a master of disguise and shapeshifting, but somewhat gullible and absentminded.

In the Street Fighter series, tanuki are common near Ibuki's ninja village, and she has a pet tanuki named Don-chan. The village has a tanuki population of 256.[1]

In Super Gem Fighter Mini Mix, Ibuki throws tanuki statues when using Kasumi Suzaku.

Ibuki tends to have many Tanuki themed aesthetics. Some of these include, Raccoon tails on outfits, Raccoon faces on her weapons (EG Smoke Bomb), and even a scrapped Raccoon outfit.

The most notable of Ibuki's Ninja Village Tanuki[]

  • Half (ハーフ Hāfu?) - A Canadian born tanuki, who is likely half raccoon and half tanuki.
  • Kage (カゲ?) - A full black furred tanuki.
  • Majiri (マジリ?) - A fox that likes to think it's a tanuki.
  • Buchi (ブチ?) - Quick tempered, with flared eye fur.
  • Blue (ブルー Burū?) - Timid tanuki, shy of strangers.
  • Cool (クール Kūru?) - Always levelheaded and calm.
  • Narudo (ナルド?) - Is never calm, with a wily smile and spazzy eyes.
  • Kyu (キュー Kyū?) - Always looking at the sky.
  • Ran Ran (ランラン?) - Tanuki who looks like a panda.
  • Senseh (センセー Sensē?) - Genius of the tanuki.
  • Gusu (グースー Gūsū?) - A tanuki who is always sleeping.
  • Kuma (クマ?) - The biggest of the tanuki.
  • Kaku (カク?) and Maru (マル?) - Tanuki brothers that look nothing alike.
  • Scar (スカー Sukā?) - Tanuki with a surly, menacing appearance, but is kind.

Don-chan[]

Don-chan (どんちゃん?) is Ibuki's pet tanuki that has been with her since its birth. Don-chan is the only tanuki from the ninja village able to use Ninjutsu. It can be told apart from other tanuki by the cloth wrapped on its tail.

In Ibuki's Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection profile, Don-chan is said to follow her around just about everywhere. Even appearing in the background in some stages in Street Fighter III: New Generation when Ibuki is fighting.

While Don-chan isn't shown following Ibuki in more recent games, it is highly implied Don-chan is still with Ibuki, as he is referenced to by many characters, such as Cammy and Jack X talking about Don as if he was on the area after they defeat Ibuki.

In Capcom's web game, Neco Drop, Ibuki's cat is known as Ms. Donka. Despite supposed to be a cat, Ms. Donka looks more like a tanuki and has Don-chan's tail ribbon. One of Ms. Donka's quotes suggest that she is actually a tanuki pretending to be a cat.

Trivia[]

  • Don-chan is the only pet in Street Fighter who constantly appears alongside it's owner in character artwork.
  • Ibuki's "Wild Animal" costume is a tribute to Don-chan.
  • Ibuki's Swap Costume in Street Fighter X Tekken is said to have an added tanuki tail as a reminder of Don-chan.
  • Don-chan's tail ribbon is misplaced in his early appearances during the Street Fighter III series, as it is shown with it's tail ribbon at the base of it's tail, while it is shown with it's tail ribbon tied to the end of it's tail in game while Ibuki is battling.
  • A recurring joke from the Tekken cast in Street Fighter X Tekken is their intention to eat Don-chan, as seen on their win quotes against Ibuki (in Kuma's case, his intention of eating Don-chan is only seen on Ibuki's win qoute against him).
  • Many characters' win quotes against Ibuki refer to Don-chan as a "raccoon" which is technically incorrect as raccoons are native to North America and tanuki (AKA "Raccoon Dogs") are native to East Asia. Furthermore tanuki are a completely different family of species known as "Canidae".
    • The only time Don was correctly called a tanuki was in Ibuki's battle against C. Viper in the UDON Street Fighter comic on Free Comic Book Day where C. Viper refereed to Don as a "rodent" and Ibuki corrects her saying "Don-chan is a genuine tanuki".
  • Though Don-Chan is shown accompanying Ibuki to the Karin's estate and returning home alongside Ibuki herself it is not known what Don-Chan was up to or where he was during the events of A Shadow Falls.
  • Don-Chan is the inspiration for a theme for Ibuki starting for Street Fighter V that her weapons have Tanuki faces drawn on them, However a similar trend could have potentially happened first in Street Fighter X Tekken as many of her unused outfits shown in an artbook of said game had a recurring theme of a Tanuki paw print on them. None of the outfits released for the game had it, but notably a version of what became her Alternate Costume (not to be confused with Swap Costume) had said paw print. The released version has a floral pattern and a Tanuki in the back of the kimono.
  • In every comic Don-Chan has appeared in he has been colored differently in every appearance.

Gallery[]

Sprites[]

Pocket Fighter

References[]

  1. Secret File #10: Street Fighter III: New Generation
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Street Fighter V Character Encyclopedia: Don-chan

External links[]

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