Long ago on a distant web, I AKU the shapeshifting master of thickness UNLEASHED AN UNSPEAKABLE MEME! But a fooooooooolish goombah creator wielding a pixel sword stepped forth to appraise me. Before the final point was made, I tore open a portal in time, and FLUNG HIM INTO THE FUTURE, where Season Five is OVER! Now the fool seeks to return to the past, and reveal the real world origins of Aku...

Don't you mean "A green face with GREAAAAAAAATT FLAMMING EYEBROWSSSSSSSSSSSSS!"

Aku's the only villain I can think of that can tell children fractured fairy tales and yet still retain his credibility as a badass comedic villain--that's not an easy thing to pull off.

They're not massive flaming eyebrows. They're GREAT FLAMING EYEBROWS!

This actually explains the Daughters of Aku cult aside from their obvious in show origins

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Uh, in-universe, Aku is established as having been a piece of a primordial cloud of evil matter, the rest of which was annihilated by Ra, Odin, and Vishnu. The remaining piece then crashed on Earth, causing the extinction of the dinosaurs, and then became a swamp/forest of evil that affected the world for millennia. Jack's father then shot an arrow imbued with a holy elixir into the heart of this swamp/forest in an attempt to get rid of it, and thus Aku was born. Unless the primordial cloud destroyed by the gods started off as a woman (which would itself make little sense), I think we can safely say that's not where Aku came from.

Aku isn't a 90s villain. Samurai Jack is strictly a 2000s cartoon

But Aku's a tree...

6:08 no, the origin of Aku was seen already... he is not even from earth and is waaaaaay older than the human race, aku was the thing that killed the dinosaurs.

Hate to throw a wrench in your theory, but it was established in Season 3 that Aku originated from a formless, almost Shoggothian, mass of pure evil that took the combined forces of Rama, Odin, and Ra to defeat. A part of this mass fell to Earth and created a blight that killed off the dinosaurs. Aku never truly came to be until Jack's father tried to destroy this blight with a poisoned arrow. Given that Aku's weakness is a sword made out of pure willpower, maybe, just maybe, the face and form is representative of all the feelings that went into the creation of the poison due to the destruction the blight caused, just like how the hannya mask represents a wide variety of feelings. But that's just my theory.

how did I never notice this: Aku's english voice is the same as Uncle Iro from the Last Airbender.

Might Aku have been undergoing the process related to the mask in reverse? If so, might he have even completed it? Think about it... Chronologically in his own timeline, Aku starts as a blob of evil dark mass that gains sentience. He then fights Jack's father, is sealed away, escapes, fights Jack, and we don't see him again until Jack catches up with him an untold number of years into the future. It is only at this point we begin to see the more relateable aspects of Aku's character. It could very well be he didn't have these emotions and relateable traits in the past, but gained them over the many years between sending Jack away and meeting him again. Then Aku accidentally creates Ashi, a demonic woman who fights for evil until she is redeemed by love and compassion. Ashi winds up going back in time with Jack, and witnessing the death of Aku at Samuria Jack's hand, at which point she says something along the lines of "I can feel Aku's power leaving me". Therefore, in the brief span of time between Aku dying and Ashi ceasing to exist, the only thing left of Aku, once a non-sentient and monstrous blob of dark matter, is a normal human woman. Think about it...

"Could he at one point been human?" You see, it's lines like that make me doubt if you watched the whole show, no disrespect. We had an Aku origin episode and he was original from a concentrated bed of evil in space, whom the gods had to defeat (with some trouble). Only a small portion of that evil survived and landed on Earth and it lived by devouring all surrounding life until Jack's dad accidentally gave him a form. No one sympathizes with Aku, he's just very entertaining when he goes through everyday life things and how he enjoys being evil in a hammy, cartoon way that while simple is enjoyable.

Personally, I got the feeling Aku is the combined negative emotions and dark intent of the Gods themselves formed into a black mass with no shape until it lost a piece of itself which became Aku. That episode with the whole story about Chronos got me thinking about the idea, you know?

Aku was indeed one of the more fascinating villains of my adolescent years. But for the longest time I could not tell what exactly he is. At first I thought he was a magical tree, and then I settled for a dragon, but I still wasn't sure if that was close or not.

Aku's name does work in the episode "Birth of Evil" because that means the title literally means "Birth of Aku". Plus his name being Aku and nobody thinking he is not evil is smarter than in fantastic 4 with the villain being named Victor von Room who would trust someone with that name.

Aku is the shape shifting master of *THICCNESS* the shogun of *EXTRA THICCNESS* his nemesis is the foolish samurai warrior who wields a magic sword, his goal is to unto the future where Aku's evil is *E* *X* *T* *R* *A* *T* *H* *I* *C* *C* !!!!!

Honestly "Evil for the sake of being Evil" is the best motivation. Because that opens up the gates for being fabulous about it.

*Thank you for appreciating me human*

The mask thing actually makes sense when you consider Ashi... she actually goes through the transformations, albeit unwillingly to an extent... but is redeemed instead of turning full on evil.

YOU FOOLISH SAMURAI!

That moment in the shell when Jack is having a conversation with Aku over directions, Aku even genuinely seeming to want to offer Jack a ride just so he is there for the fight was just so hilarious.

Huh, I was kinda expecting somewha of an explanation since they do show the process of Aku's creation in the show, the whole trees snapping and the ritual.

Good video, but I find it strange that you didn't mention Aku's origins within the series itself (the primordial evil in space, the evil trees, the way Aku's body cracks and sounds like wood when he moves, ect.) I don't know if there are any cultural references in there or not, but it might have been worth investigating.

I feel like there's probably some cultural origins to him being tree-like. His origin episodes has some heavy tree imagery and he's been called a tree ogre by the Scotsman. There's also the fact that he's a small piece of a bigger cosmic mass of pure evil, I'm sure something like that exists in some cultures mythology. He also doesn't have to be strictly tied to Japanese myths either, it's been shown multiple religious deities and mythos actually exist in the Samurai Jack universe.

It's kind of hard not to love somebody who enjoys his job as much as Aku does. We are hard coded to love happy people, even when we really shouldn't.

Just hearing Aku in season 1-4 makes me sad that Mako passed away. He even voiced my favorite character, Iroh from the Last Airbender...

That was amazing! Especially considering the fact that I had to study noh theatre for one of my college classes and getting to hear, once again, about the noh masks and how they can portray different emotions based on lighting and perspective, just made me so proud that I had previously traded the research of one play for a Japanese noh play instead.

Aku was never human, he was originally the last remaining fragment of a cosmic non sentient big black mass of darkness that Odin, Ra and Rama fought and vanquished but missed a piece of it. The fragment crashes to earth and forms a oozing black tar pit and spreads tree-like spears out of the ground that take over everything in sight. Ages past and the forest and tar pit claim victim after victim as it continues to expand. Finally times settles on Feudal Japan and Jack's father steps forth with a magic elixir and a verbal enchantment from his monks to stop the forest and tar pit. He dips the tip of an arrow in the elixir , chants and casts it to sky to catch the flame of the sun. The arrow hits the tar pit and the pit retracts several tree spears with in it and reemerge as one big spear that shifts into a sentient form - Aku.

I feel like the Hanyas use in theater plays also lends well to Akus theatrical attitude. Hes loud and in your face, demanding attention and worship, and whenever he shows up he steals the spotlight. He never does things quietly, he always makes a spectacle of his actions, with fire and smoke, roaring sounds or spiraling around the area. It always made me feel like he was an overzealous actor in a theater play, loudly speaking his lines for all to hear, flashily moving around the stage to grab everyones attention. Hell, in the future his face and name are nearly everywhere, on flashing neon signs and giant billboard advertisements.

Anybody think a comedy spinoff starring Aku would be a good idea for a show?

I think part of Aku's design was inspired by not only what you mentioned, but also from H.P. Lovecraft's Nyarlathotep since they're both: -An eldritch horrors spawned from an even BIGGER eldritch horror -Have shapeshifting abilities -Likes to causes destruction, chaos -Laughs manically -Takes a sadistic pleasure in what they do -And they both are hunted down by "divine" like entities For Nyarlothotep it's the Nodens For Aku it's Odin, Vishnu, and Ra

Samurai Jack is easily one of the most successfully strategized kid's channel cartoon. The original series was one of the best if not the best kid's show back then. BUT, the part I loved the most is when adultswim took over they oriented the series towards the original fans, who've grown up by now, so it could be enjoyed by all. All without changing the story or atmosphere drastically while aknowledging old characters and storylines.

I have a question involveing The episode of samurai Jack were he gets his sword back, how accurate was the tea ceremony? And was it a tea ceremony?

So then, Ashi also went through the first two phases of Hannya demonism: the hardened corrupt human, and the barely salvageable humanoid form after her inner evil was given life.

We see Aku's origin in one episode of the original run, along with the origin of Jack's sword.. There was a bigger, more terrifying evil in space who was being fought against by the gods, and a small chunk of that broke off in a fight landed in Japan near the home of Jack's father. It started growing into spires, spikes and tentacles - basically Aku without a face. Jack's father took his ordinary katana and rode into battle against the monster, but couldn't do much to hurt it - somehow this inadvertently gave it a face, a voice, and a personality. The gods gave Jack's father a new katana, blessed with enchantments to be able to harm Aku, and tasked him with driving Aku away.

3:38 the shows original run was 2001-2004 not the 90s

From a pure animation perspective choosing a mask notorious for it's expressive versatility is a good call when your villain is otherwise an entirely black silhouette.

Samurai Jack is one of the best shows I’ve watched. Truly my childhood favorite.

But it was revealed that Aku broke off of an even larger, deadlier cosmic threat that took three gods to kill. Aku's one of it's tails. :/

Why didn't you talk about Aku's celestial origins at all?

Let's be perfectly honest: Aku wouldn't have been _HALF_ as memorable as he was without Mako voicing him.

Thank you for doing this! This was super interesting and enlightening. I really appreciate the great lengths you go to in order to give us a new angle to view things and a better understanding of the world around us.

1:08 MERMAID MAN!!! *EVIIIL!!!*

Thumbnail: What is Aku? Me: *E X T R A T H I C C*

Well THAT was certainly informative! So much I had yet to learn about Aku!

Thanks I was wondering this for a long time

Whatup Notification Squad? Thanks for clickin' that bell! I had an absolute BLAST researching this one, and I honestly think there's more that I missed. >_>

Aku is a Tree Ogre, at least according to what the Scotsman says.

Wow... glad I discovered you! great content!

This was a great episode! I can't wait for some more!!!

Aku also means 'I' in Malay.

Aku was never human episode 1 we see how he was born out in space and 3 gods tried to kill him only for a small sliver of him to crash to earth and spent thousands of years as sort of tar pit consuming anything that got to closer until Jack's father used some toxin on it and accedentally gave aku the form we all know now and thats his origin sorry Goomba love your videos but you cant forget such a major point

I want to thank you GG. After your first Samurai Jack video, I went and got the first season of the show, and it's absolutely fantastic. Thank you for introducing me!

Funny enough, season 5 followed the stages of the Hannya. Ashi was being convinced of Jack's "evil" and threat to Aku, but she was reluctant at first to believe it. When she became an adult, she became the 2nd stage and let her hate and anger control her actions for the first 4 episodes. The transition from the 2nd to the final stage could be represented by her becoming the creature Aku turned her into and her inability to get out of it until Jack (who happened to be trained under Buddhist monks) saved her from it

Aku is female 4chan will have a field day with that.

He Gaijin I have a Suggestion will you ever be doing a Video where you Analyze the new Overwatch Skins?

love your videos! very thought provoking and entertaining!

This was very well researched, thank you. ☺

Wait, is Aku voiced by Uncle Iroh?

E.very V.illain I.s L.emons

A new Gaijin Goombah video on my b-day? Noice!!

Bravo, GG! You never disappoint! :D

i loved samurai jack

Did you just assume akus gender?

The guy was a blob of pure evil that had a small amount crash land to earth. Then had a poison arrow shot into the pool which gave it new life and become the character we know today.

Tbh i loved the episode where hes like "Oh whats this? The sword that was your father that was made to kill me in my hands?"

I have a late theory. Since Eastern culture is made of Balance. I think Aku was the embodiment of ‘over evil’ or when evil overbalances good. When the sword and Jack came to play, It brought balance once again.

Oh my god this was uploaded on my birthday. Arigato gaijin sama

I thought Aku was based on a real mythological figure when I saw the title. I even figured his name was just the first three letters in the word "akuma"

Aku was an ancient demonic entity that came out of a kind of celestial body of evil when the ancient gods of Earth tried to destroy it in space. It was in the background episodes of Samurai Jack’s dad.

I mean we all saw Aku’s origin in Season 3 Episode 11

6:15 no, in a special for samurai Jack Aku was born when Jack's father shot a magic posion arrow into a pool of darkness intending to destroy it

Great video

I never thought to ask about Aku's real world inspiration, but I'm super glad Gaijin Goombah did this video. :D

In the Samurai Jack movie that involved the sword and Aku origins, Aku was a giant primordial cloud of evil and all but a small part of it was destroyed by Odin, Vishne and Ra. Aku may have adopted his current appearance due to living in Japan and seeing some similarities to the lady demon.

I like to believe that aku is a tree demon since he's only a fraction of a dark cloud in space that turned into a small shrub. Plus when you closely listen to his movements sometimes you hear cracking or snapping like a tree or a stick.

Did these dudes forget that theres been an entire episode dedicated to aku's origins😂

I see.... Aku is actually the Shape-shifting Master of Darkness. Got it

I'm really digging this Gaijin and Goomba format : D

holy hell my mind is blown yet again!

What category in purple planet did you used for the background music it so mystic and breathtaking.

there is also the peculiar "in human form" thing where aku seems surprised jack would say that as they agree to fight.

Aku was a solestial blob of darkness. a small part was sent to Earth and because of ritual, a poison arrow, was created.

it seems like this connection the hanya mask puts ashi and the daughters of aku into perspective. expecially ashis heal face turn halfway through the season along with the surprise twist in episode 9.

His origins are that of an cloud of evil matter. He is also a tree. Would have liked to hear more about that stuff if there was anything to cover.

I have my own mask of the kitsune or kyubi which i simply love and enjoy wearing, its is a full faced white mask with a short red ribbon and two bells and as it is a kitsune mask it has ears, I have always wanted to learn more about the cultural history behind it

maybe the hannya possibly inspiring Aku's design is also what lead the people behind the series to make The Daughters of Aku and Ashi (who had he own redemption arc and whatnot)

Most awesome vid!!!!!!!! Love Aku and his " Great Flaming Eyebrows!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I just finished watching season 2 and looked at my supcriptions and saw this... What a coincidence

Aku is shapeshifting master of darkness.

Gaijin I love what you do, but this time... I can't help but feel you got to dig deeper on this one. As said before me we have in-universe backstory to Aku. Maybe the masks played a part in Aku but to me it would seem more of a way of helping to round his character, a guide line if you will, to shape him into a villainous villain that could also be sympathized with and thus in a way loved. Growing up with Cartoon Network I always remember loving the way Jack and Aku's characters played off each other. Their's is a relationship that while simply good vs. evil seemed to always transcend such simple bonds. I guess what I'm getting at is. You gave Jack a very very in depth look, hell I wanna call him Ronin Jack from now on, you have to give Aku the same respect. With all the different cultures within the Samurai Jack universe there must be something more cultural tied to who and/or what the "SHAPE-SHIFTING MASTA OF DARKNESS!" is. I feel you're just the guy for the job.... Please don't let us down....

first of all great episode really interesting points and I will admit I don't know enough to add my own thoughts but my second comment is, is it bad I really want to go see one of the shows you mentioned now?

I always thought he was a rough approximation of nylarthotep, the way he brings technology and madness to the world to destroy it, he shape shifts, he seems to just smite the world for amusement... Of course he never appears as dark Egyptian but a lot just kinda matches.

I just finished binging this entire show over the past week and I was really wanting some cultural analysis on it. This makes me happy

Aku was a piece of the ultimate evil that fell to Earth after it was being destroyed by Odin, Ra, and one of the Indian deities.

Though a pretty well made video, how Aku's design was likely inspired by the Hannya mask, it would've been nice to mention, what his true origins was- That he is part of an lovecraftian entity of pure evil. I mean, its whole shape is identical to Lovecraft's Azathoth. Also I'd also mention, how Aku's relation/symbolism with trees is also quite japanese, too. When we first saw him, he was a dark, seemingly dead tree, which turned into a demon, Aku. In Japanese, more specifically shintoism, certain places in natures, lakes, waterfalls and trees, can be seen as sacred or even as gods. Therefore giving Aku also the vibe of a corrupted deity.

Wow, that makes Orochimaru from Naruto a pretty good representation of a hannya demon. I'm not exactly a huge Naruto fan, but this just stuck out when you described the stages of transformation.

Kudos to Genndy Tartakovsky. he has done his homework in japanese culture whilst making Samurai Jack.