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* NiceJobFixingItVillain: The fifth season reveals that Jack's ageless nature is due to Aku destroying the time portals. While debilitating to his nemesis, this has ensured that Jack could potentially be a thorn in his side ''forever''.
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* FourFingeredHands: Considering he's thoroughly evil, [[FourIsDeath there's probably a meaning to it]].
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* FourFingeredHands: Considering he's thoroughly evil, [[FourIsDeath there's probably a meaning to it]]. As of Season 5, he's now got the full set.
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** Season Five in particular highlights their different reactions to their stalemate: [[spoiler: both of them become hopeless that their fighting will never end. While Jack forces himself to keep moving and fighting for mankind, Aku completely gives up and retreats from the public eye. Notably, Jack's hallucinations damn Jack for his inaction, while Aku begins talking to himself to try and feel ''better''.
to:
** Season Five in particular highlights their different reactions to their stalemate: [[spoiler: both of them become hopeless that their fighting will never end. While Jack forces himself to keep moving and fighting for mankind, Aku completely gives up on beating Jack and retreats from the public eye. public. Notably, Jack's hallucinations damn Jack for his inaction, while Aku begins talking to himself to try and feel ''better''.''better'' about his failure.]]
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** Season Five in particular highlights their different reactions to their stalemate: [[spoiler: both of them become hopeless that their fighting will never end. While Jack forces himself to keep moving and fighting for mankind, Aku completely gives up and retreats from the public eye. Notably, Jack's hallucinations damn Jack for his inaction, while Aku begins talking to himself to try and feel ''better''.
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He didn't run out of ideas, he simply decided to let time do his job for him.
* EmptyShell: PlayedForLaughs; Despite waiting 50 years in hiding for Jack to die of old age [[spoiler: now that he destroyed the time portals]], the PowersThatBe have prevented this from playing out as he hoped. Now he's utterly lost and confused, uncertain how to handle the situation and afraid he's just as trapped as Jack is.
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* GenreSavvy: To an extent, almost deconstructed. Aku realized relatively early into their rivalry that he and Jack are in a perpetual stalemate; Aku can never kill Jack or eliminate his undermining of his reign, Jack can never kill Aku or return back home. Aku seems to know that this means he and Jack are just stuck together unless of them can decisively end their conflict. The problem is that despite being ''Savvy'' that this is the Genre of the show, Aku still can't manage to break himself out of it no matter how hard he tries. [[spoiler: After being unable to kill Jack after fifty years, he's withdrawn into his fortress just by virtue of having run out of ideas.]]
to:
* GenreSavvy: To an extent, almost deconstructed. Aku realized relatively early into their rivalry that he and Jack are in a perpetual stalemate; Aku can never kill Jack or eliminate his undermining of his reign, Jack can never kill Aku or return back home. Aku seems to know that this means he and Jack are just stuck together unless of them can decisively end their conflict. The problem is that despite being ''Savvy'' that this is the Genre of the show, Aku still can't manage to break himself out of it no matter how hard he tries. [[spoiler: After being unable to kill Jack after fifty years, he's withdrawn he destroyed all of the time portals, he withdrew into his fortress just by virtue in hopes of having run waiting Jack out till he died of ideas.old age now that he was no longer a threat. [[WrongGenreSavvy Except he didn't count on Jack's ageing to have paused due to being sent to the future]].]]
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* GenreSavvy: To an extent, almost deconstructed. Aku realized relatively early into their rivalry that he and Jack are in a perpetual stalemate; Aku can never kill Jack or eliminate his undermining of his reign, Jack can never kill Aku or return back home. Aku seems to know that this means he and Jack are just stuck together unless of them can decisively end their conflict. The problem is that despite being ''Savvy'' that this is the Genre of the show, Aku still can't manage to break himself out of it no matter how hard he tries. [[spoiler: After being unable to kill Jack after fifty years, he's withdrawn into his fortress just by virtue of having run out of ideas.]]
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** In Season Five, it's shown that 50 years of waiting for Jack to die off of old age has caused him to become a nervous wreck.
to:
** In Season Five, it's shown that 50 years of he managed to destroy all known time portals and planned on simply waiting for Jack to die off of old age has caused him age. Unfortunately for him, he didn't realize that thanks to become a nervous wreck.his time magic Jack no longer physically ages, meaning that he's just been hiding out in frustration.
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* NervousWreck: In Season Five, while he outwardly displays apathy towards Jack, in private he's deeply frustrated by the fact that Jack can no longer die of old age that is helped by the fact that [[spoiler:he doesn't know that Jack has lost his sword]] to the point that he secretly relies on a psychiatrist [[MesACrowd in the form of himself]].
** In Season Five, it's shown that 50 years of waiting for Jack to die off of old age has caused him to become a nervous wreck.
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* UnusualEyebrows: "GREAT FLAMING EYEBROWS!"
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* UnusualEyebrows: "GREAT FLAMING EYEBROWS!"EYEBROWS!" Season five shows that they are detachable and that he removes them when sleeping.
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* LockedOutOfTheLoop: After destroying every time portal, he no longer keeps watch over Jack. He's not even aware [[spoiler:Jack lost his sword.]]
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* CombatPragmatist: In contrast to Jack's consistent HonorBeforeReason (well, before the time skip, at least), Aku won't even go up against Jack ''at all'' unless he's got an edge that will let him win, and consistently tries new plans to potentially murder him over the course of the series. These range from getting Jack to agree not to use his sword, turning the sword against him, and outsourcing the job to any assassin in can find. [[spoiler: Season 5 reveals that Aku has long since exhausted all possible routes to kill Jack (and destroyed all of the time portals) so he's fallen back on playing the long game; withdraw all contact from Jack and just wait for the Samurai to die of old age.... Then falling into a deep depression when Jack turned out to be TheAgeless.]]
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Changed line(s) 65 (click to see context) from:
* KnightOfCerebus: A Zigzagged example. In some episodes, such as the three-part Premiere Movie and "The Birth of Evil" two-parter, he's every bit the embodiment of evil he claims to be. In other episodes, he's a [[LaughablyEvil complete clown with some hilarious lines]]. Basically, depending on the episode, he can make you laugh or scream. [[MoodWhiplash Sometimes both in the same episode]].
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* KnightOfCerebus: A Zigzagged example. In some episodes, such as the three-part Premiere Movie ''Premiere Movie'' and "The Birth of Evil" two-parter, he's every bit the embodiment of evil he claims to be. In other episodes, he's a [[LaughablyEvil complete clown with some hilarious lines]]. Basically, depending on the episode, he can make you laugh or scream. [[MoodWhiplash Sometimes both in the same episode]].
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* AchievementsInIgnorance: Aku never intended to do this, causing it to happen by sneezing on Jack when he was sick.
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I don't think Aku really has any moral standards, he's consistently been an asshole.
Deleted line(s) 38 (click to see context) :
%%* EvenEvilHasStandards: Aku may be a being of unspeakable evil, but [[WouldntHurtAChild children are free to contradict and question him as they will]]. He may not have a problem with lying to them or brainwashing them, but he thinks hurting a child is actually going too far, despite the fact he could get away with it at any time, and that they tend to make a joke out of him.
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%%* WouldntHurtAChild: Aku plays with this trope. In the beginning episode, a group of aquatic aliens comes to him seeking shelter on Earth due to having their oceans stolen. Aku admits that he was the culprit, causing the alien leader's son to call him a monster. Aku promptly vaporizes him with his EyeBeams, but consoles the grieving father by telling him that the boy was teleported to the Pit of Hate (where he would be brainwashed until he learns to "love Aku"). In a later episode, he attempts to win over a group of children by telling them fairy tales. And despite being more than capable and having every reason to harm them for their HeroWorship of Jack, he never does. Particularly when one child has the nerve to ask for a story about Jack. Aku gets mad, but acquiesces (though he does try to paint Jack as the bad guy). It seems that for all his evil, Aku draws the line at hurting kids. Although considering that Aku's favorite hobby seems to be destroying entire cities and towns, indiscriminately massacring their inhabitants, and enslaving the survivors to a life of hard labor, it would actually be quite likely that many children have been harmed or suffered under his reign.
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** In the
** In a later episode, he attempts to win over a group of children by telling them fairy tales. And despite being more than capable and having every reason to harm them for their HeroWorship of Jack, he never does.
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Aku was never killed, just sealed away.
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* ArchNemesis: To Jack.
* AttackOfTheFiftyFootWhatever: And he is only a ''fragment'' of what he came from.
* AttackOfTheFiftyFootWhatever: And he is only a ''fragment'' of what he came from.
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* ArchNemesis: To At first he was one to Jack's father, now he's one to Jack.
* AttackOfTheFiftyFootWhatever: His default form is usually several stories high. And he is only a ''fragment'' of what he came from.
* AttackOfTheFiftyFootWhatever: His default form is usually several stories high. And he is only a ''fragment'' of what he came from.
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* BackFromTheDead: The first thing he did when he came back to life in the premier was to attack the town, and TakeOverTheWorld.
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* TheCorruption / TheVirus: Aku is a living mass of evil that is capable of infecting anything or anyone, gradually turning them into a small Aku clone. The main impetus of the aptly titled episode "The Aku Infection" has Aku suffering from a cold and sneezing on Jack, gradually turning him evil.
* ADayInTheLimelight: "Aku's Fairy Tales", which focuses on his attempts to win over a group of children. Jack only appears in his stories.
* ADayInTheLimelight: "Aku's Fairy Tales", which focuses on his attempts to win over a group of children. Jack only appears in his stories.
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* TheCorruption / TheVirus: TheCorruption: Aku is a living mass of evil that is capable of infecting anything or anyone, gradually turning them into a small Aku clone. The main impetus of the aptly titled episode "The Aku Infection" has Aku suffering from a cold and sneezing on Jack, gradually turning him evil.
* ADayInTheLimelight: "Aku's Fairy Tales", which focuses on his attempts to win over a group of children. Jack only appears in his stories. Also, the "Birth of Evil" two-parter focuses mostly on his origin and his rivalry with Jack's father.
* ADayInTheLimelight: "Aku's Fairy Tales", which focuses on his attempts to win over a group of children. Jack only appears in his stories. Also, the "Birth of Evil" two-parter focuses mostly on his origin and his rivalry with Jack's father.
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* DeadpanSnarker: Depending on his mood.
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* DeadpanSnarker: Depending on his mood.mood, Aku can throw out some dry and venomous one-liners at times.
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* DirtyCoward: Since Jack's sword is the only weapon that can truly hurt him, Aku largely avoids direct confrontation with him, only doing so when he has some kind of advantage. And when he loses that advantage, you can guarantee that he'll pull a VillainExitStageLeft. While some might call this prudent rather than cowardly, his carelessness in other matters indicates that he really does do it because he's callow.
to:
* DirtyCoward: Since Jack's sword is the only weapon that can truly hurt him, Aku largely avoids direct confrontation with him, only doing so when he has some kind of advantage. And when he loses that advantage, you can guarantee that he'll pull a VillainExitStageLeft. While some might call this prudent rather than cowardly, his carelessness in other matters indicates that he really does do it because he's callow.cowardly.
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** In the episode "Jack vs the Imakandi", Aku hires the titular Imakandi to hunt down and capture Jack, promising them a handsome reward if they're successful. However, what he failed to take into account (and what they outright tell him), is that they hunt not for wealth, but for the thrill of the hunt. So when the finally capture Jack, he's given them such a challenge that they choose to set Jack free rather than deliver him to Aku. Aku does not take it well when they break off their deal.
to:
** In the episode "Jack vs the Imakandi", Aku hires the titular Imakandi to hunt down and capture Jack, promising them a handsome reward if they're successful. However, what he failed to take into account (and what they outright tell him), is that they hunt not for wealth, but for the thrill of the hunt. So when the finally capture Jack, he's given them such a challenge that they choose to set Jack free out of respect rather than deliver him to Aku. Aku does not take it well when they break off their deal.
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* {{Narcissist}}: He once said "No mortal can defeat me" right before getting his ass handed to him, asked for a group of fish people to build statues of him every month, and sees Jack as foolish for even trying to fight him.
to:
* {{Narcissist}}: He once said "No mortal can defeat me" right before getting his ass handed to him, asked for a group of fish people to build statues of him every month, and sees Jack as foolish for even trying to fight him. The main impetus of the episode "Aku's Fairy Tales" is that he can't stand that children would rather worship Jack and not him and he attempts to win children over through fairy tales.
* PersonOfMassDestruction: Aku is more than capable of destroying the world on his own.
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* PsychopathicManchild: For an [[Really700YearsOld ancient]] and powerful EvilOverlord, Aku is ultimately rather [[EvilIsPetty petty]] and immature. His motivation for trying to conquer the universe is simply to [[ForTheEvulz have fun]], all the while treating everything with a [[BlackComedy dark]] [[LaughablyEvil sense of humor]]. Not to mention that he easily gets bored or irritated when things aren't going his way.
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* PsychopathicManchild: PsychopathicManchild:
** For an [[Really700YearsOld ancient]] and powerful EvilOverlord, Aku is ultimately rather [[EvilIsPetty petty]] and immature. His motivation for trying to conquer the universe is simply to [[ForTheEvulz have fun]], all the while treating everything with a [[BlackComedy dark]] [[LaughablyEvil sense of humor]]. Not to mention that he easily gets bored or irritated when things aren't going his way.
** For an [[Really700YearsOld ancient]] and powerful EvilOverlord, Aku is ultimately rather [[EvilIsPetty petty]] and immature. His motivation for trying to conquer the universe is simply to [[ForTheEvulz have fun]], all the while treating everything with a [[BlackComedy dark]] [[LaughablyEvil sense of humor]]. Not to mention that he easily gets bored or irritated when things aren't going his way.
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* {{Sadist}}: Aku likes his people suffering.
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* {{Sadist}}: Aku likes his people suffering.thrives on the suffering of others.
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* SelfMutilationDemonstration: When fighting opponents he considers weak, he often lets their attacks hit him just to show the futility in actually harming him.
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* YouFool: Often refers to Jack as a "foolish Samurai".
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* PsychopathicManchild: For an [[Really700YearsOld ancient]] and powerful EvilOverlord, Aku is ultimately rather [[EvilIsPetty petty]] and immature. His motivation for trying to conquer the universe is simply to [[ForTheEvulz have fun]], all the while treating everything with a [[BlackComedy dark]] [[LaughablyEvil sense of humor]].
** The episode "Jack vs. Aku" examines Aku's behavior the best; while Jack believes that fighting Aku is his life's mission and treats it with the utmost seriousness, Aku considers every battle with Jack to be [[ButForMeItWasTuesday some kind of game]] (a game that's gotten [[StatusQuoIsGod a bit too long and repetitive]] for him).
** The episode "Jack vs. Aku" examines Aku's behavior the best; while Jack believes that fighting Aku is his life's mission and treats it with the utmost seriousness, Aku considers every battle with Jack to be [[ButForMeItWasTuesday some kind of game]] (a game that's gotten [[StatusQuoIsGod a bit too long and repetitive]] for him).
to:
* PsychopathicManchild: For an [[Really700YearsOld ancient]] and powerful EvilOverlord, Aku is ultimately rather [[EvilIsPetty petty]] and immature. His motivation for trying to conquer the universe is simply to [[ForTheEvulz have fun]], all the while treating everything with a [[BlackComedy dark]] [[LaughablyEvil sense of humor]]. \n Not to mention that he easily gets bored or irritated when things aren't going his way.
** The episode "Jack vs. Aku" examinesAku's his behavior the best; while Jack believes that fighting Aku is his life's mission and treats it with the utmost seriousness, Aku considers every battle with Jack to be [[ButForMeItWasTuesday some kind of game]] (a game that's gotten [[StatusQuoIsGod a bit too long and repetitive]] for him).him). So Aku wants to shake things up by challenging Jack to a duel, but this time they have to fight differently.
** The episode "Jack vs. Aku" examines
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[[caption-width-right:350:Aku, the Shapeshifting Master of Darkness. AKA the Master of Masters, the Deliverer of Darkness, and the Shogun of Sorrow.]]
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* CardCarryingVillain: Often refers to himself by several evil-sounding titles such as "Shapeshifting master of darkness", just in case you couldn't tell he was evil by looking at him.
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* CardCarryingVillain: Often refers to himself by several evil-sounding titles such as "Shapeshifting master Master of darkness", Darkness", just in case you couldn't tell he was evil by looking at him.
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* EvilIsPetty: Despite having higher goals and ambitions, Aku cannot resist committing unnecessarily cruel and petty things to people he's already screwed over, often to prove he can or just for a sick kick at their expense. He ends up taking it to StupidEvil levels as he ''always'' backstabs anyone he makes a deal with, just to laugh at their misfortune.
to:
* EvilIsPetty: Despite having higher goals and ambitions, Aku cannot resist committing [[KickTheDog unnecessarily cruel and petty things things]] to people he's already screwed over, often to prove he can or just for a sick kick at their expense. He ends up taking it to StupidEvil levels as he ''always'' backstabs anyone he makes a deal with, just to laugh at their misfortune.
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* EvilOverlord: Currently rules the whole planet and expanding his empire beyond.
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* EvilOverlord: Currently rules the whole planet and is expanding his empire beyond.beyond the stars.
* EvilSorcerer: He has many powers of dark magic.
* EvilSorcerer: He has many powers of dark magic.
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* PlayingWithFire: Can toss blue fireballs at opponents.
* Really700YearsOld: Aku (as a sapient being) has existed for centuries or even millennia.
* Really700YearsOld: Aku (as a sapient being) has existed for centuries or even millennia.
to:
* PlayingWithFire: Can He can toss blue fireballs at opponents.opponents, or incinerate them with his EyeBeams.
* PsychopathicManchild: For an [[Really700YearsOld ancient]] and powerful EvilOverlord, Aku is ultimately rather [[EvilIsPetty petty]] and immature. His motivation for trying to conquer the universe is simply to [[ForTheEvulz have fun]], all the while treating everything with a [[BlackComedy dark]] [[LaughablyEvil sense of humor]].
* Really700YearsOld: ** The episode "Jack vs. Aku" examines Aku's behavior the best; while Jack believes that fighting Aku (as is his life's mission and treats it with the utmost seriousness, Aku considers every battle with Jack to be [[ButForMeItWasTuesday some kind of game]] (a game that's gotten [[StatusQuoIsGod a sapient being) has existed bit too long and repetitive]] for centuries or even millennia.him).
* PsychopathicManchild: For an [[Really700YearsOld ancient]] and powerful EvilOverlord, Aku is ultimately rather [[EvilIsPetty petty]] and immature. His motivation for trying to conquer the universe is simply to [[ForTheEvulz have fun]], all the while treating everything with a [[BlackComedy dark]] [[LaughablyEvil sense of humor]].
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* TheSociopath: As expected of a demonic god made from pure evil. Aku only cares about expanding his empire, and making as many people as miserable as possible ForTheEvulz.
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* TheSociopath: As expected of from a demonic god made from of pure evil. Aku only cares about expanding his empire, and making as many people as miserable as possible ForTheEvulz.
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* TimeAbyss: This thing is at least millions of years of old, if not billions or even longer.
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* TimeAbyss: This thing is at least millions of years of old, if not billions or even longer.older.
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There needs to be something to clear up these confusing and contradictory examples. Sure, while we may have seen him not harm those kids in "Aku's Fairy Tales", other episodes pretty much all but state that Aku has no moral qualms over killing children.
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* EvenEvilHasStandards: Aku may be a being of unspeakable evil, but [[WouldntHurtAChild children are free to contradict and question him as they will]]. He may not have a problem with lying to them or brainwashing them, but he thinks hurting a child is actually going too far, despite the fact he could get away with it at any time, and that they tend to make a joke out of him.
to:
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* WouldntHurtAChild: Aku plays with this trope. In the beginning episode, a group of aquatic aliens comes to him seeking shelter on Earth due to having their oceans stolen. Aku admits that he was the culprit, causing the alien leader's son to call him a monster. Aku promptly vaporizes him with his EyeBeams, but consoles the grieving father by telling him that the boy was teleported to the Pit of Hate (where he would be brainwashed until he learns to "love Aku"). In a later episode, he attempts to win over a group of children by telling them fairy tales. And despite being more than capable and having every reason to harm them for their HeroWorship of Jack, he never does. Particularly when one child has the nerve to ask for a story about Jack. Aku gets mad, but acquiesces (though he does try to paint Jack as the bad guy). It seems that for all his evil, Aku draws the line at hurting kids. Although considering that Aku's favorite hobby seems to be destroying entire cities and towns, indiscriminately massacring their inhabitants, and enslaving the survivors to a life of hard labor, it would actually be quite likely that many children have been harmed or suffered under his reign.
to:
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* AxCrazy: Obliterated and enslaved Jack's village with a smile on his face. This was his first appearance, and he only got ''worse''.
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* AxCrazy: Obliterated He has demolished thousands of cities and towns, massacred and enslaved Jack's village millions of people, all with a smile on his face. This was his first appearance, and he only got ''worse''.face.
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* TheSociopath: As expected of someone who is made of evil. Aku only cares his empire, and making as many people as miserable as possible ForTheEvulz.
to:
* TheSociopath: As expected of someone who is a demonic god made of from pure evil. Aku only cares about expanding his empire, and making as many people as miserable as possible ForTheEvulz.
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!!Disguises and Other Forms
to:
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* {{Sadist}}: Aku likes his people suffering.
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* TheSociopath: As expected of someone who is made of evil. Aku only cares his empire, and making as many people as miserable as possible ForTheEvulz.
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* AxCrazy: Obliterated and enslaved Jack's village with a smile on his face. This was his first appearance, and he only got ''worse''.
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[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:Aku in General]]
[[folder:Aku in General]]
* TheMirrorShowsYourTrueSelf: It's shown in "Jack and the Swamp Monster" that any reflection will reveal himself while he's in a disguise.
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[[/folder]]
[[folder:Disguises and Other Forms]]
[[folder:Disguises and Other Forms]]
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[[folder:Disguises
!!Disguises and Other
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* BigDamnHeroes: When she saved Jack.
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* BigDamnHeroes: BigDamnVillains: When she saved Jack.
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[[/folder]]
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->Voiced by: {{Creator/Mako}} (Seasons 1-4), Greg Baldwin (FusionFall, Season 5), Creator/FredTatasciore (PunchTimeExplosion)
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->Voiced by: {{Creator/Mako}} (Seasons 1-4), Greg Baldwin (FusionFall, Season 5), Creator/FredTatasciore (PunchTimeExplosion)
(''VideoGame/CartoonNetworkPunchTimeExplosion'')
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[[foldercontrol]]
[[folder:Aku in General]]
[[folder:Aku in General]]
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->Voiced by: {{Creator/Mako}} (Original), Greg Baldwin (Fusionfall, Season 5), Creator/FredTatasciore (Punch Time Explosion)
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->Voiced by: {{Creator/Mako}} (Original), (Seasons 1-4), Greg Baldwin (Fusionfall, (FusionFall, Season 5), Creator/FredTatasciore (Punch Time Explosion)
(PunchTimeExplosion)
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[[folder:Disguises]]
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[[folder:Disguises and Other Forms]]
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!!The Black Mass
Only appearing in "The Birth of Evil, Part 1", it is the source of all evil. Before it can consume the universe, three deities (Odin, Ra, and Vishnu) arrive to exterminate this great evil. Before it was completely destroyed, a fragment of it escaped and crashed forcefully on Earth circa 65,000,000 BC. This is the original incarnation of Aku.
Only appearing in "The Birth of Evil, Part 1", it is the source of all evil. Before it can consume the universe, three deities (Odin, Ra, and Vishnu) arrive to exterminate this great evil. Before it was completely destroyed, a fragment of it escaped and crashed forcefully on Earth circa 65,000,000 BC. This is the original incarnation of Aku.
to:
Only appearing in "The Birth of Evil, Part 1", it is the source of all evil. Before it can consume the universe, three deities (Odin, Ra,
->Voiced by: Creator/PhilLamarr and
During one encounter with Aku (who was
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* BodyHorror / TransformationHorror: Turning into Aku is a very unpleasant experience indeed.
* TheCorruption / TheVirus: Getting a piece of Aku inside him causes Jack to slowly become an evil creature as well.
* DemonicPossession: The infection causes Jack's mind to become an extension of Aku's.
* HalfHumanHybrid / HumanoidAbomination: Half-man and half-demon.
!!The Black Mass
Only appearing in "The Birth of Evil, Part 1", it is the source of all evil. Before it can consume the universe, three deities (Odin, Ra, and Vishnu) arrive to exterminate this great evil. Before it was completely destroyed, a fragment of it escaped and crashed forcefully on Earth circa 65,000,000 BC. This is the original incarnation of Aku.
----
* TheCorruption / TheVirus: Getting a piece of Aku inside him causes Jack to slowly become an evil creature as well.
* DemonicPossession: The infection causes Jack's mind to become an extension of Aku's.
* HalfHumanHybrid / HumanoidAbomination: Half-man and half-demon.
!!The Black Mass
Only appearing in "The Birth of Evil, Part 1", it is the source of all evil. Before it can consume the universe, three deities (Odin, Ra, and Vishnu) arrive to exterminate this great evil. Before it was completely destroyed, a fragment of it escaped and crashed forcefully on Earth circa 65,000,000 BC. This is the original incarnation of Aku.
----
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* YourSizeMayVary: Possibly justified as given his shapeshifting, but even then his size varies from shot to shot. Most of the time, he's 5 times the size of a skyscraper, others he's only a few stories tall.
to:
* YourSizeMayVary: Possibly justified as given his shapeshifting, but even then his size varies from shot to shot. Most of the time, he's 5 times the size of a skyscraper, others he's only a few stories tall.tall.
[[folder:Disguises]]
!!Ikra
->Voiced by: Jennifer Martin
One of Aku's aliases, just one of several forms which Aku assumed in order to travel closely with Jack while on a desert quest to find a jewel.
----
* BigDamnHeroes: When she saved Jack.
* EstablishingCharacterMoment: Introduced herself by saving Jack.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: There are many instances in that episode of Ikra's true identity. When the shaman senses the 'ultimate evil', his last line said to Jack, who thinks it was the robots, is "you don't understand!" After Jack and Ikra escape from Aku's robots, the robots simply stop their chase and close their eyes with satisfaction, aware of the trickery. Then, a mouse eats food from Jack's hand, but is scared of Ikra and digs underground to run away. When the jewel tests Jack and Ikra's hearts, it found out that Ikra is pure evil. The guardian mainly tries to fire its blasts at Ikra (besides Jack not wanting to fight). Near the end, Ikra can fly and become a giant to defeat the jewel guardian. There's also the fact that her color scheme matches Aku's almost exactly.
* ObviouslyEvil: Her color scheme: black, green, and reddish-orange should've been a dead give away.
!!The Hermit
->Voiced by: {{Creator/Mako}}
Another one of Aku's aliases where he wants Jack to find the Gems of Cronus so that he can revive the Titan.
----
* GrumpyOldMan: He's that cranky.
* ObviouslyEvil: In addition to the color scheme, his face bears some resemblance to Aku's true form.
* MiniatureSeniorCitizens: He's very tiny.
!!The Black Mass
Only appearing in "The Birth of Evil, Part 1", it is the source of all evil. Before it can consume the universe, three deities (Odin, Ra, and Vishnu) arrive to exterminate this great evil. Before it was completely destroyed, a fragment of it escaped and crashed forcefully on Earth circa 65,000,000 BC. This is the original incarnation of Aku.
----
* ApocalypseHow: Attempted to cause a Universal-scale one.
* BlobMonster: It was basically a giant pool of black goo.
* DarkIsEvil: The true embodiment of evil indeed.
* EldritchAbomination: At least Aku has a comprehensible form, but this ''thing'' was an (almost) mindless {{blob monster}}.
* ExtremeOmnivore: It enveloped and devoured any creature that got too close.
* GenericDoomsdayVillain: It wanted to devour the universe, but was vanquished by Odin, Ra, and Vishnu, and it is the source of Aku. That's all we know of it.
* GreaterScopeVillain: Of the whole series. It gave birth to Aku, but it's not involved in the main story.
* MonsterProgenitor: Since Aku can shape-shift, this mass at one point becomes a fully black armed creature while fighting the deities.
* PhlebotinumKilledTheDinosaurs: When it crash-landed on Earth, it caused the extinction of the dinosaurs.
* PosthumousCharacter: It was already destroyed by the deities, but is reincarnated as Aku.
* SatelliteCharacter: It merely serves as the source of Aku.
* TimeAbyss: This thing is at least millions of years of old, if not billions or even longer.
* UltimateEvil: It has no form.
[[/folder]]
[[folder:Disguises]]
!!Ikra
->Voiced by: Jennifer Martin
One of Aku's aliases, just one of several forms which Aku assumed in order to travel closely with Jack while on a desert quest to find a jewel.
----
* BigDamnHeroes: When she saved Jack.
* EstablishingCharacterMoment: Introduced herself by saving Jack.
* {{Foreshadowing}}: There are many instances in that episode of Ikra's true identity. When the shaman senses the 'ultimate evil', his last line said to Jack, who thinks it was the robots, is "you don't understand!" After Jack and Ikra escape from Aku's robots, the robots simply stop their chase and close their eyes with satisfaction, aware of the trickery. Then, a mouse eats food from Jack's hand, but is scared of Ikra and digs underground to run away. When the jewel tests Jack and Ikra's hearts, it found out that Ikra is pure evil. The guardian mainly tries to fire its blasts at Ikra (besides Jack not wanting to fight). Near the end, Ikra can fly and become a giant to defeat the jewel guardian. There's also the fact that her color scheme matches Aku's almost exactly.
* ObviouslyEvil: Her color scheme: black, green, and reddish-orange should've been a dead give away.
!!The Hermit
->Voiced by: {{Creator/Mako}}
Another one of Aku's aliases where he wants Jack to find the Gems of Cronus so that he can revive the Titan.
----
* GrumpyOldMan: He's that cranky.
* ObviouslyEvil: In addition to the color scheme, his face bears some resemblance to Aku's true form.
* MiniatureSeniorCitizens: He's very tiny.
!!The Black Mass
Only appearing in "The Birth of Evil, Part 1", it is the source of all evil. Before it can consume the universe, three deities (Odin, Ra, and Vishnu) arrive to exterminate this great evil. Before it was completely destroyed, a fragment of it escaped and crashed forcefully on Earth circa 65,000,000 BC. This is the original incarnation of Aku.
----
* ApocalypseHow: Attempted to cause a Universal-scale one.
* BlobMonster: It was basically a giant pool of black goo.
* DarkIsEvil: The true embodiment of evil indeed.
* EldritchAbomination: At least Aku has a comprehensible form, but this ''thing'' was an (almost) mindless {{blob monster}}.
* ExtremeOmnivore: It enveloped and devoured any creature that got too close.
* GenericDoomsdayVillain: It wanted to devour the universe, but was vanquished by Odin, Ra, and Vishnu, and it is the source of Aku. That's all we know of it.
* GreaterScopeVillain: Of the whole series. It gave birth to Aku, but it's not involved in the main story.
* MonsterProgenitor: Since Aku can shape-shift, this mass at one point becomes a fully black armed creature while fighting the deities.
* PhlebotinumKilledTheDinosaurs: When it crash-landed on Earth, it caused the extinction of the dinosaurs.
* PosthumousCharacter: It was already destroyed by the deities, but is reincarnated as Aku.
* SatelliteCharacter: It merely serves as the source of Aku.
* TimeAbyss: This thing is at least millions of years of old, if not billions or even longer.
* UltimateEvil: It has no form.
[[/folder]]
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Changed line(s) 93 (click to see context) from:
* SpikesOfVillainy: His head is covered in branch-like horns and whatever form he takes tends to have a spike on each joint.
to:
* SpikesOfVillainy: His head is covered in branch-like horns and whatever form he takes tends to have a spike on each joint.joint.
* StupidEvil:
** [[KickTheDog He abuses]] {{Mooks}}, [[MistreatmentInducedBetrayal cheats those who strike bargains with him]], or just spends too much time gleefully torturing Jack when [[JustShootHim he could easily crush him in an instant]]. Jack's very existence is owed to this happening time and time again.
** He does get his comeuppance in regards to this at times. One example being his deal with the Imakandi[[note]]Aku made a deal to have them hunt down Jack, and they agreed to do it without any compensation. This ends up biting Aku back as the Imakandi garnered so much respect for Jack that they decide to let him go free instead[[/note]], and his Hermit disguise[[note]]Where he lured Jack into summoning a powerful Titan to destroy him, only to find out that Jack planned for this, sabotaged his efforts, and nearly destroys Aku in the process[[/note]].
** Even his minions are prone to this, although this is a given when he orders them up like a normal person would order for take out.
* SuperStrength: Even if he scales down to human size for some reason, he has superhuman strength. This seems to diminish, though, if he scales down into ''several'' human-like forms.
* TakeOverTheWorld: He already has, but apparently it's not enough. So now he seeks to dominate the known universe.
* ThirdPersonPerson: When he's being especially hammy.
* ThisCannotBe: Had this reaction when Jack's father showed up with the sword and actually ''hurt'' him with it.
* UnskilledButStrong:
** Played with. Aku has shown on occasion that he is more skilled than he lets on as he is seen using weapons on occasion and is a surprisingly strong hand-to-hand combatant, but he relies mostly on his shapeshifting, his vast magic, and the fact few things can actually hurt him. One of those is Jack's sword.
** This is most shown and somewhat [[DeconstructedTrope deconstructed]] in the aptly titled episode, "Jack Versus Aku". Aku challenges Jack to a final battle with only two rules: Jack is forbidden to use his sword and Aku is forbidden to use his powers. Though Aku manages to hold his own with just his SuperStrength and hand-to-hand skills, Jack proves to be the better fighter and has Aku on the ropes, forcing him to break the rules to turn the tide.
* UnusualEyebrows: "GREAT FLAMING EYEBROWS!"
* VillainousBreakdown: A gradual and humorous one in the episode "Aku's Fairy Tales". When Aku attempts to win over children from their HeroWorship of Jack by telling them fairy tales painting him as the hero, one of the kids requests a story about Jack. Aku gets angry, but quickly acquiesces, attempting to paint Jack as the villain. As the episode wears on, the children begin to poke holes in Aku's stories, frustrating him and forcing him to change up his stories until they become increasingly convoluted. Eventually, Aku hits his breaking point and teleports back to his lair, greatly annoyed.
* VillainousHarlequin: His perpetual hammy attitude, clownish monster-face and general air of having fun suggest this trope. Though it is, in some ways, a facade.
* VillainsOutShopping: Is sometimes seen just hanging around his base when not attacking Jack, particularly in comedic episodes.
-->'''Aku''' ''(on the phone):'' "Yes, I will hold... Yes! I'd like to place an order for delivery... Aku... I ''think'' I'm in the computer... Yes, that's it! I'd like a large-what? Extra thick! Thirty minutes or it's free? EXCELLENT!" ''(EvilLaugh)''
** Though it turns out that [[spoiler:Aku wasn't ordering pizza, but instead a new henchman]].
* VoluntaryShapeshifting: He can transform into pretty much anything, usually an animal but he can also change his shape to the point where he's outright formless, and even introduces himself as a "shape-shifting master of darkness" during the opening narration.
* WeaksauceWeakness: As mentioned above, despite being an ageless, powerful, and immortal demon, Aku is vulnerable to viral diseases.
* WhenTreesAttack: Is a tree that was possessed by an evil entity that landed on Earth. When Aku moves, often the sound of wood creaking can be heard.
* WouldntHurtAChild: Aku plays with this trope. In the beginning episode, a group of aquatic aliens comes to him seeking shelter on Earth due to having their oceans stolen. Aku admits that he was the culprit, causing the alien leader's son to call him a monster. Aku promptly vaporizes him with his EyeBeams, but consoles the grieving father by telling him that the boy was teleported to the Pit of Hate (where he would be brainwashed until he learns to "love Aku"). In a later episode, he attempts to win over a group of children by telling them fairy tales. And despite being more than capable and having every reason to harm them for their HeroWorship of Jack, he never does. Particularly when one child has the nerve to ask for a story about Jack. Aku gets mad, but acquiesces (though he does try to paint Jack as the bad guy). It seems that for all his evil, Aku draws the line at hurting kids. Although considering that Aku's favorite hobby seems to be destroying entire cities and towns, indiscriminately massacring their inhabitants, and enslaving the survivors to a life of hard labor, it would actually be quite likely that many children have been harmed or suffered under his reign.
* YouHaveFailedMe: His response to Demongo's defeat is to destroy him. He even says the trope name word for word.
* YourSizeMayVary: Possibly justified as given his shapeshifting, but even then his size varies from shot to shot. Most of the time, he's 5 times the size of a skyscraper, others he's only a few stories tall.
* StupidEvil:
** [[KickTheDog He abuses]] {{Mooks}}, [[MistreatmentInducedBetrayal cheats those who strike bargains with him]], or just spends too much time gleefully torturing Jack when [[JustShootHim he could easily crush him in an instant]]. Jack's very existence is owed to this happening time and time again.
** He does get his comeuppance in regards to this at times. One example being his deal with the Imakandi[[note]]Aku made a deal to have them hunt down Jack, and they agreed to do it without any compensation. This ends up biting Aku back as the Imakandi garnered so much respect for Jack that they decide to let him go free instead[[/note]], and his Hermit disguise[[note]]Where he lured Jack into summoning a powerful Titan to destroy him, only to find out that Jack planned for this, sabotaged his efforts, and nearly destroys Aku in the process[[/note]].
** Even his minions are prone to this, although this is a given when he orders them up like a normal person would order for take out.
* SuperStrength: Even if he scales down to human size for some reason, he has superhuman strength. This seems to diminish, though, if he scales down into ''several'' human-like forms.
* TakeOverTheWorld: He already has, but apparently it's not enough. So now he seeks to dominate the known universe.
* ThirdPersonPerson: When he's being especially hammy.
* ThisCannotBe: Had this reaction when Jack's father showed up with the sword and actually ''hurt'' him with it.
* UnskilledButStrong:
** Played with. Aku has shown on occasion that he is more skilled than he lets on as he is seen using weapons on occasion and is a surprisingly strong hand-to-hand combatant, but he relies mostly on his shapeshifting, his vast magic, and the fact few things can actually hurt him. One of those is Jack's sword.
** This is most shown and somewhat [[DeconstructedTrope deconstructed]] in the aptly titled episode, "Jack Versus Aku". Aku challenges Jack to a final battle with only two rules: Jack is forbidden to use his sword and Aku is forbidden to use his powers. Though Aku manages to hold his own with just his SuperStrength and hand-to-hand skills, Jack proves to be the better fighter and has Aku on the ropes, forcing him to break the rules to turn the tide.
* UnusualEyebrows: "GREAT FLAMING EYEBROWS!"
* VillainousBreakdown: A gradual and humorous one in the episode "Aku's Fairy Tales". When Aku attempts to win over children from their HeroWorship of Jack by telling them fairy tales painting him as the hero, one of the kids requests a story about Jack. Aku gets angry, but quickly acquiesces, attempting to paint Jack as the villain. As the episode wears on, the children begin to poke holes in Aku's stories, frustrating him and forcing him to change up his stories until they become increasingly convoluted. Eventually, Aku hits his breaking point and teleports back to his lair, greatly annoyed.
* VillainousHarlequin: His perpetual hammy attitude, clownish monster-face and general air of having fun suggest this trope. Though it is, in some ways, a facade.
* VillainsOutShopping: Is sometimes seen just hanging around his base when not attacking Jack, particularly in comedic episodes.
-->'''Aku''' ''(on the phone):'' "Yes, I will hold... Yes! I'd like to place an order for delivery... Aku... I ''think'' I'm in the computer... Yes, that's it! I'd like a large-what? Extra thick! Thirty minutes or it's free? EXCELLENT!" ''(EvilLaugh)''
** Though it turns out that [[spoiler:Aku wasn't ordering pizza, but instead a new henchman]].
* VoluntaryShapeshifting: He can transform into pretty much anything, usually an animal but he can also change his shape to the point where he's outright formless, and even introduces himself as a "shape-shifting master of darkness" during the opening narration.
* WeaksauceWeakness: As mentioned above, despite being an ageless, powerful, and immortal demon, Aku is vulnerable to viral diseases.
* WhenTreesAttack: Is a tree that was possessed by an evil entity that landed on Earth. When Aku moves, often the sound of wood creaking can be heard.
* WouldntHurtAChild: Aku plays with this trope. In the beginning episode, a group of aquatic aliens comes to him seeking shelter on Earth due to having their oceans stolen. Aku admits that he was the culprit, causing the alien leader's son to call him a monster. Aku promptly vaporizes him with his EyeBeams, but consoles the grieving father by telling him that the boy was teleported to the Pit of Hate (where he would be brainwashed until he learns to "love Aku"). In a later episode, he attempts to win over a group of children by telling them fairy tales. And despite being more than capable and having every reason to harm them for their HeroWorship of Jack, he never does. Particularly when one child has the nerve to ask for a story about Jack. Aku gets mad, but acquiesces (though he does try to paint Jack as the bad guy). It seems that for all his evil, Aku draws the line at hurting kids. Although considering that Aku's favorite hobby seems to be destroying entire cities and towns, indiscriminately massacring their inhabitants, and enslaving the survivors to a life of hard labor, it would actually be quite likely that many children have been harmed or suffered under his reign.
* YouHaveFailedMe: His response to Demongo's defeat is to destroy him. He even says the trope name word for word.
* YourSizeMayVary: Possibly justified as given his shapeshifting, but even then his size varies from shot to shot. Most of the time, he's 5 times the size of a skyscraper, others he's only a few stories tall.
Is there an issue? Send a MessageReason:
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Changed line(s) 61 (click to see context) from:
* HolyBurnsEvil: Jack's divinely-forged sword c
to:
* HolyBurnsEvil: Jack's divinely-forged sword ccauses him ''horrible'' pain with even the slightest cuts.
* {{Jerkass}}: Though he usually acts in a very civil, polite, cordial, sophisticated manner and tends to swing [[DependingOnTheWriter back and forth between a comedic villain and truly evil one]]. Notable acts of evil include in the pilot episode when some aliens that lived an aquatic world whose oceans were dried up come to him requesting to live on Earth and he reveals that ''he'' stole their oceans. On another occasion, he forces a scientist to build a set of indestructible robots to kill Jack under the promise of sparing his village if he does, and then tests the robots out by having them burn his village to the ground and kill everything in it.
* KickTheDog: Really likes doing this. Outside of [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder his need to back-stab everyone]], he also once [[ForcedToWatch imprisoned a Viking king in crystal and forced him to watch as he destroyed his kingdom]], [[CruelMercy after which the grieving sole survivor was made immortal and sealed in the heart of a mountain.]] On another occasion he disguised himself just to accompany Jack on a quest, find a magical artifact Jack could use to return home, and destroy it at the last instant so he could mock Jack.
* KnightOfCerebus: A Zigzagged example. In some episodes, such as the three-part Premiere Movie and "The Birth of Evil" two-parter, he's every bit the embodiment of evil he claims to be. In other episodes, he's a [[LaughablyEvil complete clown with some hilarious lines]]. Basically, depending on the episode, he can make you laugh or scream. [[MoodWhiplash Sometimes both in the same episode]].
* LargeAndInCharge: Rules the world and has a ShapeshifterDefaultForm that is usually several stories high at the least.
* LargeHam: So hammy that one of the first things he makes his slaves do is build statues of him. His manner of speaking (as demonstrated by the opening intro) is also based on traditional Japanese Kabuki, which comes across as hammy when translated into English.
* LaughablyEvil: He's rather... goofy for being the UltimateEvil and all. Varies depending on the episode, there are some that present him as legitimately evil and a threatening figure. Or sometimes [[BewareTheSillyOnes a bit of both]].
* LikableVillain: He's a pretty funny guy, whenever he isn't performing any genocide, slavery, or treachery.
* MadeOfEvil: Aku's substance is flexible, strong, pitch-black, capable of re-sealing after most injuries, and has an ''extremely horrible'' effect when taken internally. It's Evil.
* MakeMeWannaShout: Aku can use loud screams powerful enough to damage the landscape as a form of attack.
* MeaningfulName: The word "aku" means "evil" in Japanese. It's also worth noting that he's the only major character in the series who goes by his (original) name.
* MorphicResonance: He always has the same black, red and green color-scheme in every form he takes.
* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: His namely is ''literally'' "evil" in Japanese.
* {{Narcissist}}: He once said "No mortal can defeat me" right before getting his ass handed to him, asked for a group of fish people to build statues of him every month, and sees Jack as foolish for even trying to fight him.
* NighInvulnerable: Demonstrated when we see stuff outside of Jack attack him. It doesn't seem to matter if it's ancient weapons or advanced technology, mundane forms of attack can't hurt him.
* NoNonsenseNemesis: Despite his StupidEvil tendencies, Aku has displayed this on occasion.
** In the pilot episode, immediately after breaking free from his imprisonment, Aku's first order of business is to attack the village, massacring everyone. When Jack's father tries to get the sword, Aku immediately grabs him.
** In "Jack and the Zombies", once Aku gets Jack's sword, he wastes no time in attacking Jack, immediately going on the offensive and forcing Jack on the defensive throughout the episode. He doesn't stop to gloat or banter and gives Jack little time to breathe.
* ObviouslyEvil: Right down to his ''[[BilingualBonus name]]''!
* OneManArmy: Aku has destroyed countless armies all by himself. Nowadays though, he's grown lazy enough that he relies on [[MechaMooks robots]] to do the conquering for him, and hires {{bounty hunter}}s for other dirty work.
* OrcusOnHisThrone: Justified. The entire premise of the show started because Jack could defeat him, so Aku actively avoids facing him himself, unless he's gained some advantage that he's sure will let him win. "Tales of X9" also revealed that the entire reason he relies on an army for conquests is because he found [[TakeOverTheWorld taking over the world]] [[OneManArmy on his own]] was going at too slow a pace for him.
* OurDemonsAreDifferent: Aku is a demonic being with vast powers of dark magic; including immortality, shapeshifting, and [[PlayingWithFire pyrokinesis]].
* PaperThinDisguise: Due to MorphicResonance, it is often easy for the audience to tell that someone is just Aku in disguise. Jack is sometimes taken in; sometimes not.
* PhlebotinumKilledTheDinosaurs: He, or rather his original mindless form, was the comet that wiped out the dinosaurs.
* PlayingWithFire: Can toss blue fireballs at opponents.
* Really700YearsOld: Aku (as a sapient being) has existed for centuries or even millennia.
* SatanicArchetype: He's a [[DemonLordsAndArchdevils demon overlord]], who in the future turned the world into a post-apocalyptic wasteland, and lives in a hellish underworld (the Pit of Hate).
* SchmuckBait: Aku distributed lots of "magic" around the world - time portals, wishing wells, secret magical or technological weapons. They're always SchmuckBait.
* SealedEvilInACan: Jack's father defeated him by sealing him away inside a tree instead of killing him. The first episode shows him breaking free and taking his revenge.
* ShapeshifterDefaultForm: He usually appears as a tall, shadow-like being with a green face, fangs, spikes protruding from both sides of his head, as well as eyebrows and a goatee of flame. Due to his origin it's hard to say if he's Type A (this is his true form) or Type B (it's the form he prefers to take on when not using his shape-changing abilities to fight or disguise himself).
* {{Sizeshifter}}: A natural extension of his shape-shifting ability, and in his default form he's usually gigantic. He tends to shrink whenever Jack's sword hits him, though.
* SlasherSmile: Right as he is about to stab Jack with his own sword in "Jack and The Zombies", he sports a sadistic smile with crazy eyes.
* SpikesOfVillainy: His head is covered in branch-like horns and whatever form he takes tends to have a spike on each joint.
* {{Jerkass}}: Though he usually acts in a very civil, polite, cordial, sophisticated manner and tends to swing [[DependingOnTheWriter back and forth between a comedic villain and truly evil one]]. Notable acts of evil include in the pilot episode when some aliens that lived an aquatic world whose oceans were dried up come to him requesting to live on Earth and he reveals that ''he'' stole their oceans. On another occasion, he forces a scientist to build a set of indestructible robots to kill Jack under the promise of sparing his village if he does, and then tests the robots out by having them burn his village to the ground and kill everything in it.
* KickTheDog: Really likes doing this. Outside of [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder his need to back-stab everyone]], he also once [[ForcedToWatch imprisoned a Viking king in crystal and forced him to watch as he destroyed his kingdom]], [[CruelMercy after which the grieving sole survivor was made immortal and sealed in the heart of a mountain.]] On another occasion he disguised himself just to accompany Jack on a quest, find a magical artifact Jack could use to return home, and destroy it at the last instant so he could mock Jack.
* KnightOfCerebus: A Zigzagged example. In some episodes, such as the three-part Premiere Movie and "The Birth of Evil" two-parter, he's every bit the embodiment of evil he claims to be. In other episodes, he's a [[LaughablyEvil complete clown with some hilarious lines]]. Basically, depending on the episode, he can make you laugh or scream. [[MoodWhiplash Sometimes both in the same episode]].
* LargeAndInCharge: Rules the world and has a ShapeshifterDefaultForm that is usually several stories high at the least.
* LargeHam: So hammy that one of the first things he makes his slaves do is build statues of him. His manner of speaking (as demonstrated by the opening intro) is also based on traditional Japanese Kabuki, which comes across as hammy when translated into English.
* LaughablyEvil: He's rather... goofy for being the UltimateEvil and all. Varies depending on the episode, there are some that present him as legitimately evil and a threatening figure. Or sometimes [[BewareTheSillyOnes a bit of both]].
* LikableVillain: He's a pretty funny guy, whenever he isn't performing any genocide, slavery, or treachery.
* MadeOfEvil: Aku's substance is flexible, strong, pitch-black, capable of re-sealing after most injuries, and has an ''extremely horrible'' effect when taken internally. It's Evil.
* MakeMeWannaShout: Aku can use loud screams powerful enough to damage the landscape as a form of attack.
* MeaningfulName: The word "aku" means "evil" in Japanese. It's also worth noting that he's the only major character in the series who goes by his (original) name.
* MorphicResonance: He always has the same black, red and green color-scheme in every form he takes.
* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: His namely is ''literally'' "evil" in Japanese.
* {{Narcissist}}: He once said "No mortal can defeat me" right before getting his ass handed to him, asked for a group of fish people to build statues of him every month, and sees Jack as foolish for even trying to fight him.
* NighInvulnerable: Demonstrated when we see stuff outside of Jack attack him. It doesn't seem to matter if it's ancient weapons or advanced technology, mundane forms of attack can't hurt him.
* NoNonsenseNemesis: Despite his StupidEvil tendencies, Aku has displayed this on occasion.
** In the pilot episode, immediately after breaking free from his imprisonment, Aku's first order of business is to attack the village, massacring everyone. When Jack's father tries to get the sword, Aku immediately grabs him.
** In "Jack and the Zombies", once Aku gets Jack's sword, he wastes no time in attacking Jack, immediately going on the offensive and forcing Jack on the defensive throughout the episode. He doesn't stop to gloat or banter and gives Jack little time to breathe.
* ObviouslyEvil: Right down to his ''[[BilingualBonus name]]''!
* OneManArmy: Aku has destroyed countless armies all by himself. Nowadays though, he's grown lazy enough that he relies on [[MechaMooks robots]] to do the conquering for him, and hires {{bounty hunter}}s for other dirty work.
* OrcusOnHisThrone: Justified. The entire premise of the show started because Jack could defeat him, so Aku actively avoids facing him himself, unless he's gained some advantage that he's sure will let him win. "Tales of X9" also revealed that the entire reason he relies on an army for conquests is because he found [[TakeOverTheWorld taking over the world]] [[OneManArmy on his own]] was going at too slow a pace for him.
* OurDemonsAreDifferent: Aku is a demonic being with vast powers of dark magic; including immortality, shapeshifting, and [[PlayingWithFire pyrokinesis]].
* PaperThinDisguise: Due to MorphicResonance, it is often easy for the audience to tell that someone is just Aku in disguise. Jack is sometimes taken in; sometimes not.
* PhlebotinumKilledTheDinosaurs: He, or rather his original mindless form, was the comet that wiped out the dinosaurs.
* PlayingWithFire: Can toss blue fireballs at opponents.
* Really700YearsOld: Aku (as a sapient being) has existed for centuries or even millennia.
* SatanicArchetype: He's a [[DemonLordsAndArchdevils demon overlord]], who in the future turned the world into a post-apocalyptic wasteland, and lives in a hellish underworld (the Pit of Hate).
* SchmuckBait: Aku distributed lots of "magic" around the world - time portals, wishing wells, secret magical or technological weapons. They're always SchmuckBait.
* SealedEvilInACan: Jack's father defeated him by sealing him away inside a tree instead of killing him. The first episode shows him breaking free and taking his revenge.
* ShapeshifterDefaultForm: He usually appears as a tall, shadow-like being with a green face, fangs, spikes protruding from both sides of his head, as well as eyebrows and a goatee of flame. Due to his origin it's hard to say if he's Type A (this is his true form) or Type B (it's the form he prefers to take on when not using his shape-changing abilities to fight or disguise himself).
* {{Sizeshifter}}: A natural extension of his shape-shifting ability, and in his default form he's usually gigantic. He tends to shrink whenever Jack's sword hits him, though.
* SlasherSmile: Right as he is about to stab Jack with his own sword in "Jack and The Zombies", he sports a sadistic smile with crazy eyes.
* SpikesOfVillainy: His head is covered in branch-like horns and whatever form he takes tends to have a spike on each joint.
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Changed line(s) 29 (click to see context) from:
* {{Determinator}}: Considering the many times that Aku has failed at defeating Jack, Aku will stop at nothing to get him destroyed.
to:
* {{Determinator}}: Considering the many times that Aku has failed at defeating Jack, Aku will stop at nothing to get him destroyed.destroyed.
* DiabolicalMastermind: Very cunning and decieving.
* DirtyCoward: Since Jack's sword is the only weapon that can truly hurt him, Aku largely avoids direct confrontation with him, only doing so when he has some kind of advantage. And when he loses that advantage, you can guarantee that he'll pull a VillainExitStageLeft. While some might call this prudent rather than cowardly, his carelessness in other matters indicates that he really does do it because he's callow.
* DitzyGenius: While Aku can be smart and cunning, his plans are not always the most well-thought ones.
* DoNotGoGentle: His usual response to a serious setback is to run away. But if that's not an option, he'll fight ferociously with every resource he's got.
* TheDreaded: He's called [[MeaningfulName Aku]] for a reason.
* DystopiaJustifiesTheMeans: Subverted. The entire world ''could'' be reduced to uniform misery and despair, but he'd rather it present [[HopeSpot some occasional beauty, hope, and peace...]] [[DoubleSubverted so that he can ''crush it like a bug.'']]
* EldritchAbomination: Spawned from the remains of a much larger one.
* EvenEvilHasStandards: Aku may be a being of unspeakable evil, but [[WouldntHurtAChild children are free to contradict and question him as they will]]. He may not have a problem with lying to them or brainwashing them, but he thinks hurting a child is actually going too far, despite the fact he could get away with it at any time, and that they tend to make a joke out of him.
* EvilCannotComprehendGood: Given that Aku is the AnthropomorphicPersonification of evil, it's only natural that he suffers from this trope. Many of Aku's schemes fail because he has no understanding of the concept of good.
** This trope is why him sending Jack to the future backfired. He'd expected a world ruled by him would allow him to crush Jack effortlessly when he arrived. He never took into account that a hero arriving and successfully resisting him would trigger HopeSpringsEternal and start giving the oppressed masses someone to rally behind.
** Also shows in the episode "Aku's Fairy Tales" when, out of a desire to be admired, he tries to make himself out as the good guy in the stories he tells to children... and one of the prime reasons it doesn't work is that he can't really comprehend what "good" means -- the closest he can come to understanding heroism is "free beef jerky for all"!
** In the episode "Jack vs the Imakandi", Aku hires the titular Imakandi to hunt down and capture Jack, promising them a handsome reward if they're successful. However, what he failed to take into account (and what they outright tell him), is that they hunt not for wealth, but for the thrill of the hunt. So when the finally capture Jack, he's given them such a challenge that they choose to set Jack free rather than deliver him to Aku. Aku does not take it well when they break off their deal.
* EvilGenius: Zig-zagged: Aku always has a strategy for his evil plans, but he fails pretty regularly. He has, though, planned some very intelligent and cunning schemes, such as transforming into a woman who saves Jack's life to trick him into the portal he's trying to reach, only to break it. He clearly isn't a dimwit - he did subjugate the Earth - but he's prone to errors in judgement.
* EvilIsBigger: Much bigger, but mostly because he prefers to be big as his standard form.
* EvilGloating: What's the point of hurting people if you don't get to revel in their expressions of horror, despair and hatred?
* EvilIsHammy: The way he talks is so bombastic and over the top!
* EvilIsPetty: Despite having higher goals and ambitions, Aku cannot resist committing unnecessarily cruel and petty things to people he's already screwed over, often to prove he can or just for a sick kick at their expense. He ends up taking it to StupidEvil levels as he ''always'' backstabs anyone he makes a deal with, just to laugh at their misfortune.
* EvilLaugh: Sincere, sinister, and usually preceded by something terrible happening to someone.
* EvilOverlord: Currently rules the whole planet and expanding his empire beyond.
* EvilPlan: Conquering the Earth was a done deal before the pilot ended. The one that drives the plot is his attempts to kill Jack, and, failing that, prevent him from traveling back in time.
* EvilSoundsDeep: As his voice actor once said, "Evil comes from the ''belly.''"
* EvilSoundsRaspy: He has a raspy voice which matches his evil laugh.
* EyeBeams: Multiple types for multiple purposes; force blasts, ''incendiary'' force blasts, alchemy, summoning, teleportation, transformation, necromancy, and general spellcasting. Basically, whenever Aku's feeling lazy, he'll just use his eyes.
* FangsAreEvil: His have the distinct Oriental pattern in which the canines curve outward.
* FauxAffablyEvil: Aku is comedic and likable on the surface and is certainly capable of having nice, civil conversations with people, but he's a monstrous brute who loves to bring misery and suffering to everyone in reach. He would probably be the most disturbing villain in animation history if [[LaughablyEvil he wasn't so damn entertaining to watch]].
* {{Foil}}: He's very much the exact opposite of Jack. While Jack seeks to do good wherever possible, even at risk to his well being and goal of returning to the past, Aku always seeks out any action where he makes life miserable for others - even if it would be to his disadvantage in the long run.
* ForTheEvulz: The only real explanation for his actions: Aku does what he does because the suffering of others amuses him, as demonstrated by his signature EvilLaugh.
* FourFingeredHands: Considering he's thoroughly evil, [[FourIsDeath there's probably a meaning to it]].
* GalacticConqueror: Ruling the Earth wasn't enough, so he extended his dominion to other planets. It's not clear whether he's conquering them or just laying waste to them, but he's garnered enough attention to attract aliens (usually traitors, criminals, and bounty hunters) of all sorts to the Earth.
* GodOfEvil: He's an immortal and malevolent [[EldritchAbomination cosmic entity]] who is worshiped by an [[ReligionOfEvil evil cult]].
* HeroKiller: In "The Birth Of Evil", he [[OneManArmy slaughtered]] [[RedShirtArmy most of the soldiers]] serving under Jack's Father. He also made Jack's Father die as an old slave, deprived of water under Aku's reign. He's also defeated a multitude of other heroes during his reign, with a few being directly shown.
* HolyBurnsEvil: Jack's divinely-forged sword c
* DiabolicalMastermind: Very cunning and decieving.
* DirtyCoward: Since Jack's sword is the only weapon that can truly hurt him, Aku largely avoids direct confrontation with him, only doing so when he has some kind of advantage. And when he loses that advantage, you can guarantee that he'll pull a VillainExitStageLeft. While some might call this prudent rather than cowardly, his carelessness in other matters indicates that he really does do it because he's callow.
* DitzyGenius: While Aku can be smart and cunning, his plans are not always the most well-thought ones.
* DoNotGoGentle: His usual response to a serious setback is to run away. But if that's not an option, he'll fight ferociously with every resource he's got.
* TheDreaded: He's called [[MeaningfulName Aku]] for a reason.
* DystopiaJustifiesTheMeans: Subverted. The entire world ''could'' be reduced to uniform misery and despair, but he'd rather it present [[HopeSpot some occasional beauty, hope, and peace...]] [[DoubleSubverted so that he can ''crush it like a bug.'']]
* EldritchAbomination: Spawned from the remains of a much larger one.
* EvenEvilHasStandards: Aku may be a being of unspeakable evil, but [[WouldntHurtAChild children are free to contradict and question him as they will]]. He may not have a problem with lying to them or brainwashing them, but he thinks hurting a child is actually going too far, despite the fact he could get away with it at any time, and that they tend to make a joke out of him.
* EvilCannotComprehendGood: Given that Aku is the AnthropomorphicPersonification of evil, it's only natural that he suffers from this trope. Many of Aku's schemes fail because he has no understanding of the concept of good.
** This trope is why him sending Jack to the future backfired. He'd expected a world ruled by him would allow him to crush Jack effortlessly when he arrived. He never took into account that a hero arriving and successfully resisting him would trigger HopeSpringsEternal and start giving the oppressed masses someone to rally behind.
** Also shows in the episode "Aku's Fairy Tales" when, out of a desire to be admired, he tries to make himself out as the good guy in the stories he tells to children... and one of the prime reasons it doesn't work is that he can't really comprehend what "good" means -- the closest he can come to understanding heroism is "free beef jerky for all"!
** In the episode "Jack vs the Imakandi", Aku hires the titular Imakandi to hunt down and capture Jack, promising them a handsome reward if they're successful. However, what he failed to take into account (and what they outright tell him), is that they hunt not for wealth, but for the thrill of the hunt. So when the finally capture Jack, he's given them such a challenge that they choose to set Jack free rather than deliver him to Aku. Aku does not take it well when they break off their deal.
* EvilGenius: Zig-zagged: Aku always has a strategy for his evil plans, but he fails pretty regularly. He has, though, planned some very intelligent and cunning schemes, such as transforming into a woman who saves Jack's life to trick him into the portal he's trying to reach, only to break it. He clearly isn't a dimwit - he did subjugate the Earth - but he's prone to errors in judgement.
* EvilIsBigger: Much bigger, but mostly because he prefers to be big as his standard form.
* EvilGloating: What's the point of hurting people if you don't get to revel in their expressions of horror, despair and hatred?
* EvilIsHammy: The way he talks is so bombastic and over the top!
* EvilIsPetty: Despite having higher goals and ambitions, Aku cannot resist committing unnecessarily cruel and petty things to people he's already screwed over, often to prove he can or just for a sick kick at their expense. He ends up taking it to StupidEvil levels as he ''always'' backstabs anyone he makes a deal with, just to laugh at their misfortune.
* EvilLaugh: Sincere, sinister, and usually preceded by something terrible happening to someone.
* EvilOverlord: Currently rules the whole planet and expanding his empire beyond.
* EvilPlan: Conquering the Earth was a done deal before the pilot ended. The one that drives the plot is his attempts to kill Jack, and, failing that, prevent him from traveling back in time.
* EvilSoundsDeep: As his voice actor once said, "Evil comes from the ''belly.''"
* EvilSoundsRaspy: He has a raspy voice which matches his evil laugh.
* EyeBeams: Multiple types for multiple purposes; force blasts, ''incendiary'' force blasts, alchemy, summoning, teleportation, transformation, necromancy, and general spellcasting. Basically, whenever Aku's feeling lazy, he'll just use his eyes.
* FangsAreEvil: His have the distinct Oriental pattern in which the canines curve outward.
* FauxAffablyEvil: Aku is comedic and likable on the surface and is certainly capable of having nice, civil conversations with people, but he's a monstrous brute who loves to bring misery and suffering to everyone in reach. He would probably be the most disturbing villain in animation history if [[LaughablyEvil he wasn't so damn entertaining to watch]].
* {{Foil}}: He's very much the exact opposite of Jack. While Jack seeks to do good wherever possible, even at risk to his well being and goal of returning to the past, Aku always seeks out any action where he makes life miserable for others - even if it would be to his disadvantage in the long run.
* ForTheEvulz: The only real explanation for his actions: Aku does what he does because the suffering of others amuses him, as demonstrated by his signature EvilLaugh.
* FourFingeredHands: Considering he's thoroughly evil, [[FourIsDeath there's probably a meaning to it]].
* GalacticConqueror: Ruling the Earth wasn't enough, so he extended his dominion to other planets. It's not clear whether he's conquering them or just laying waste to them, but he's garnered enough attention to attract aliens (usually traitors, criminals, and bounty hunters) of all sorts to the Earth.
* GodOfEvil: He's an immortal and malevolent [[EldritchAbomination cosmic entity]] who is worshiped by an [[ReligionOfEvil evil cult]].
* HeroKiller: In "The Birth Of Evil", he [[OneManArmy slaughtered]] [[RedShirtArmy most of the soldiers]] serving under Jack's Father. He also made Jack's Father die as an old slave, deprived of water under Aku's reign. He's also defeated a multitude of other heroes during his reign, with a few being directly shown.
* HolyBurnsEvil: Jack's divinely-forged sword c
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Added DiffLines:
[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/img_1104.JPG]]
->Voiced by: {{Creator/Mako}} (Original), Greg Baldwin (Fusionfall, Season 5), Creator/FredTatasciore (Punch Time Explosion)
Long ago — ''very'' long ago — a single small fragment of an EldritchAbomination fell to Earth, wiping out the large saurian creatures that dominated the planet at that time. It existed as a mindless evil for millions of years until a brave king attempted to destroy it: the attempt to destroy it instead gave it consciousness. It became Aku, a being of pure darkness and evil. When the samurai who would later be called Jack came to fight him, Aku hurled him into the future as a last-ditch effort to survive. In the future, Aku rules the world, and devotes a ''lot'' of effort to finishing Jack once and for all.
----
* AchillesHeel: Aku is very weak to divine magic as his MadeOfEvil physiology can be burnt apart easily by the magic. The formless evil that spawned him was slain by a trio of Gods who later imbued Jack's sword with the same energies allowing it to harm Aku. Aku can NoSell just about anything else unless it's of divine origin and even episodes like "Jack and the Gangsters" shows Aku being defeated by a water goddess and her minions.
* TheAgeless: Immortal. That's pretty straightforward.
* ArchNemesis: To Jack.
* AttackOfTheFiftyFootWhatever: And he is only a ''fragment'' of what he came from.
* BackFromTheDead: The first thing he did when he came back to life in the premier was to attack the town, and TakeOverTheWorld.
* BadassBeard [[BeardOfEvil of Evil]]: That's a pretty stylish goatee of flame.
* BadassBoast: ''Who dares to summon the Master of Masters, the Deliverer of Darkness, the Shogun of Sorrow, Akuuuuu?''
* BadBoss: You're probably safer as one of his victims than one of his minions.
* BewareTheSillyOnes: Aku is a lovable goofball... and utterly evil.
* BigBad: In the intervening time between Jack's time travel, Aku has come to dominate not just Earth, but countless other planets, tyrannizing countless across space and time.
* BigBrotherIsWatching: He possess a screen that allows him to constantly watch Jack wherever he is. It was only interrupted when Jack entered a particularly holy place - resulting in old-fashioned TV static.
* BreathWeapon: Can breathe fire in both his normal form and whenever he turns into a dragon.
* ButForMeItWasTuesday: Inverted, a group of aquatic aliens whose planet can't sustain them anymore due to their world's oceans disappearing come begging him for help. He ''does'' remember them, he just chooses not to help - since he's the one who stole their oceans.
* CardCarryingVillain: Often refers to himself by several evil-sounding titles such as "Shapeshifting master of darkness", just in case you couldn't tell he was evil by looking at him.
* CharacterizationMarchesOn: In the pilot episodes, he's actually quite a fairly serious, ominous antagonist, lacking a lot of the dark sense of humor that would characterize him later on.
* ChronicBackstabbingDisorder: See StupidEvil. He nearly always betrays anybody he works with, even when he has nothing to gain from it.
* CombatTentacles: Whenever he's in octopus form (one of his favorites) or reverts to formlessness.
* TheComicallySerious: He's always funnier when he's trying to be serious. As Creator/GenndyTartakovsky stated, he's meant to have a serious personality but humorous at the same time.
* CompleteImmortality: He hasn't aged at all since the day he was 'born' and heals from injuries almost instantly. The only weapon that causes him real harm and could potentially kill him is Jack's sword. He can be held at bay by a ''few'' other entities (notably the water goddess from the backstory of 'Jack and the Gangsters', and the Ancient Master from 'Jack and the Monks'), but not injured. At all.
* TheCorruption / TheVirus: Aku is a living mass of evil that is capable of infecting anything or anyone, gradually turning them into a small Aku clone. The main impetus of the aptly titled episode "The Aku Infection" has Aku suffering from a cold and sneezing on Jack, gradually turning him evil.
* ADayInTheLimelight: "Aku's Fairy Tales", which focuses on his attempts to win over a group of children. Jack only appears in his stories.
* DarkIsEvil: In addition to being mostly black, his primal form is nothing but a billowing dark mass.
* DeadpanSnarker: Depending on his mood.
* {{Determinator}}: Considering the many times that Aku has failed at defeating Jack, Aku will stop at nothing to get him destroyed.
->Voiced by: {{Creator/Mako}} (Original), Greg Baldwin (Fusionfall, Season 5), Creator/FredTatasciore (Punch Time Explosion)
Long ago — ''very'' long ago — a single small fragment of an EldritchAbomination fell to Earth, wiping out the large saurian creatures that dominated the planet at that time. It existed as a mindless evil for millions of years until a brave king attempted to destroy it: the attempt to destroy it instead gave it consciousness. It became Aku, a being of pure darkness and evil. When the samurai who would later be called Jack came to fight him, Aku hurled him into the future as a last-ditch effort to survive. In the future, Aku rules the world, and devotes a ''lot'' of effort to finishing Jack once and for all.
----
* AchillesHeel: Aku is very weak to divine magic as his MadeOfEvil physiology can be burnt apart easily by the magic. The formless evil that spawned him was slain by a trio of Gods who later imbued Jack's sword with the same energies allowing it to harm Aku. Aku can NoSell just about anything else unless it's of divine origin and even episodes like "Jack and the Gangsters" shows Aku being defeated by a water goddess and her minions.
* TheAgeless: Immortal. That's pretty straightforward.
* ArchNemesis: To Jack.
* AttackOfTheFiftyFootWhatever: And he is only a ''fragment'' of what he came from.
* BackFromTheDead: The first thing he did when he came back to life in the premier was to attack the town, and TakeOverTheWorld.
* BadassBeard [[BeardOfEvil of Evil]]: That's a pretty stylish goatee of flame.
* BadassBoast: ''Who dares to summon the Master of Masters, the Deliverer of Darkness, the Shogun of Sorrow, Akuuuuu?''
* BadBoss: You're probably safer as one of his victims than one of his minions.
* BewareTheSillyOnes: Aku is a lovable goofball... and utterly evil.
* BigBad: In the intervening time between Jack's time travel, Aku has come to dominate not just Earth, but countless other planets, tyrannizing countless across space and time.
* BigBrotherIsWatching: He possess a screen that allows him to constantly watch Jack wherever he is. It was only interrupted when Jack entered a particularly holy place - resulting in old-fashioned TV static.
* BreathWeapon: Can breathe fire in both his normal form and whenever he turns into a dragon.
* ButForMeItWasTuesday: Inverted, a group of aquatic aliens whose planet can't sustain them anymore due to their world's oceans disappearing come begging him for help. He ''does'' remember them, he just chooses not to help - since he's the one who stole their oceans.
* CardCarryingVillain: Often refers to himself by several evil-sounding titles such as "Shapeshifting master of darkness", just in case you couldn't tell he was evil by looking at him.
* CharacterizationMarchesOn: In the pilot episodes, he's actually quite a fairly serious, ominous antagonist, lacking a lot of the dark sense of humor that would characterize him later on.
* ChronicBackstabbingDisorder: See StupidEvil. He nearly always betrays anybody he works with, even when he has nothing to gain from it.
* CombatTentacles: Whenever he's in octopus form (one of his favorites) or reverts to formlessness.
* TheComicallySerious: He's always funnier when he's trying to be serious. As Creator/GenndyTartakovsky stated, he's meant to have a serious personality but humorous at the same time.
* CompleteImmortality: He hasn't aged at all since the day he was 'born' and heals from injuries almost instantly. The only weapon that causes him real harm and could potentially kill him is Jack's sword. He can be held at bay by a ''few'' other entities (notably the water goddess from the backstory of 'Jack and the Gangsters', and the Ancient Master from 'Jack and the Monks'), but not injured. At all.
* TheCorruption / TheVirus: Aku is a living mass of evil that is capable of infecting anything or anyone, gradually turning them into a small Aku clone. The main impetus of the aptly titled episode "The Aku Infection" has Aku suffering from a cold and sneezing on Jack, gradually turning him evil.
* ADayInTheLimelight: "Aku's Fairy Tales", which focuses on his attempts to win over a group of children. Jack only appears in his stories.
* DarkIsEvil: In addition to being mostly black, his primal form is nothing but a billowing dark mass.
* DeadpanSnarker: Depending on his mood.
* {{Determinator}}: Considering the many times that Aku has failed at defeating Jack, Aku will stop at nothing to get him destroyed.
