Aku Aku

Aku Aku (Japanese: アクアク) is a witch doctor whose spirit now lives in a wooden mask who guides Crash Bandicoot, his sister Coco, and their friends as they defeat the forces of evil. He has made appearances in every Crash Bandicoot game, although one of them is just a cameo. In the platforming Crash games, from the original up until Crash of the Titans, if 3 masks are found, Crash becomes invincible for a limited amount of time, with Aku Aku being placed on Crash's face during this period. He is the deuteragonist of the series, as well as a father figure to Crash, Coco and their friends.

Crash Bandicoot
After Crash runs from Cortex and washes up on N. Sanity Beach, he frees Aku Aku, who provides his magical services throughout the game, scattering Aku Aku crates all across the three islands. He does not have a speaking role in this game, except in the Japanese version, where he gives hints when he is freed (except if the mask gives invincibility), but it's only in text, aside from the chant heard whenever a mask is collected in all other versions. He joins Crash to help stop the pollution Cortex has caused.

Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back
Once again, Aku Aku aids Crash in his adventure by providing protection against the dangers he comes across. He is still capable of little speech, and he doesn't act upon Cortex tricking Crash into collecting the Crystals for him.

Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped
For the first time in the series, Aku Aku has the ability to speak in full sentences other than Japanese. After a piece of shrapnel from the Cortex Vortex plummets to Earth and demolishes Uka Uka's underground prison, Aku Aku hears his evil laughter in the distance, and tells Crash and Coco of how he sealed him there eons before, to protect the world from his malice. He brings them to the Time Twister machine, and instructs them to collect the crystals scattered across time before Cortex and Uka Uka do so. Like in the previous games, he protects Crash (not like the other games however, Coco is a playable character and is protected by Aku Aku as well) from any obstacle, aside from falling. Later, he joins Crash as they confront Uka Uka and Cortex in a final battle. While Crash deals with Cortex, Aku Aku is locked in a fierce battle with Uka Uka; the two of them soon become an obstacle in of themselves, who can actually damage Crash by creating an energy beam between them that grows larger gradually, brawling around the arena, and spinning around for a second, then plummeting to the ground and creating an explosion several times around the arena, which Crash must avoid along with Cortex's attacks. Crash and Aku Aku defeat Cortex and Uka Uka, but the Time Twister malfunctions and self destructs due to N. Tropy's defeat (if the player has all of the gems), sending Cortex and Uka Uka into a time portal. Having just escaped, Crash, Coco and Aku Aku are seen in their home, when Aku Aku lights a fire in their fireplace. Aku Aku tells them "The Time Twister Machine could not hold itself together. We were lucky to escape". After a cutscene with Cortex, N. Tropy and Uka Uka starts, Aku Aku says "It is difficult to say what has happened to our enemies, but I doubt we will see them for a loooong time". As usual in the Japanese version, he gives hints when freed (except if the mask gives invincibility, or in Time Trial mode), this time actually speaking instead of Japanese text.

Physical Description
Aku Aku is in the form of a brown wooden mask with yellow eyes, green bags under his eyes, red lips and eyebrows, and (mostly) four rainbow colored feathers on the top of his head in contrast to Uka Uka's bones, red lips, beard and black face. Aku Aku often tends to keep a straight face therefore exposing his teeth most of the time. Other noticeable features on him is his green goatee at the bottom of his mask, he kept this up until Crash of the Titans, in which his appearance is much more "ape-like" in contrast to his original appearance. In Crash of the Titans his appearance changed from a rectangular mask to a more circular mask. He lost the green bags under his eyes, has feathers all around him, green leaves on his sides and lost his goatee.

Powers and Abilities

 * Second Chance Empowerment- He has the ability to grant players one extra hit point if they break an Aku Aku Crate and two extra hit points if the Player breaks two.
 * Invulnerability Empowerment- He has the power to grant temporary invincibility and break all the crates and enemies the player touches when 3 Aku Aku Crates are broken.
 * Teleportation- He has the power to transport himself and others, though as shown in Crash of the Titans he can only take other people so far, whereas by himself he can transport out into space and even to different dimensions.
 * Light Source- He has the ability to turn clear and glow
 * Hovering- He has the ability to hover magically
 * Energy Attacks- He can also use his energy to form beams or explosions.
 * Titan Control- Aku Aku can also shape-shift to jack a Titan.
 * Second Life- He can re-spawn with Crash if he dies in a situation where he can't protect him.
 * Durability- As seen in Crash of the Titans and Crash Mind Over Mutant, Crash uses him to defend himself from incoming attacks, including those of titans.

Personality
Aku Aku is a happy, good hearted, and peaceful being, but at the same time he knows when to take important matters (like saving the world) seriously. He is kind and has helped Crash, Coco, and Crunch throughout many of the games. He is also obedient to the rules of his superiors "The Ancients", mysterious beings who strangely have never been seen.

Role in the Series
Like the other Crash Bandicoot villains, Aku Aku's role has yet to be decided. However, when it arrives, it will be explained that Aku Aku, like his evil brother Uka Uka, can transform into a more powerful form with the ability to defend from or offend his enemies, heal and shield his allies, and be on evenly-matched power with his evil brother's mega-form.