Tanuki: The Japanese Racoon Dog

A species of wild dog hailing from Japan, the tanuki's appearance and behaviors match that of the common racoon via convergent evolution where two genetically unrelated species evolve similar traits to adapt to similar niche habitats.

Tanuki are a Yōkai variant known as a Henge within Japanese folklore, and are attributed with supernatural powers ranging from spirit possession and shapeshifting into anything from inanimate objects like teapots all the way up to fully clothed humans.
Tanuki are a large part of the Japanese culture, so chances are you've encountered them in pop culture like Tanooki Mario, or the Studio Ghibli movie Pom Poko. Tanuki are a fascinating animal that has adapted to meet it's environment in some cases even using their saliva to counteract the poison found on some frogs. For more interesting info about the actual tanuki, see the 5 Min Encyclopedia video below: