Perspectives on Aku and His Relationship with Animals

[u/TyrantBastard]

Intro: Talking with another user on this post about Lulu [ https://www.reddit.com/r/samuraijack/s/ThSgLZFfuB ] encouraged me to share something that has been on my mind when it comes to how Aku might see animals.

I mention multiple episodes in this post so if you haven't seen the following, read at your discretion: ◇ S4 E11: L ◇ S1 E6: VI ◇ S3 E11: XXXVII ◇ S3 E8: XXXIV ◇ S4 E4: XLIII ◇

(S4 E11: L) I want to start by saying that Lulu sitting with Aku was too cute. I know he abducted her and all, but my immediate thought was that he might secretly enjoy having a cute dog as a pet despite being all big and spooky. In my mind, Aku never intended to get rid of Lulu but if his hitman failed he would secretly keep her for himself. It just makes sense to me because he changes his mind on occasion and has a knack for tricking people. The look on his face in that scene where he was holding her could have been him enjoying being his evil self, but I think he was genuinely content. The fact that Lulu was also perfectly content just being with him gave me reason to believe that he was keeping her comfortable during her stay in his castle.

There are so many other instances too that suggest he really loves animals.

1. (S1 E6: VI) In the episode where he transformed himself into a woman, he looked at the Ooklas with a warm fondness, commenting, "Adorable, aren't they."
2. In the same episode, when sitting around a fire with Jack, he seemed to know a lot about a small rodent that appeared, stating to Jack, "Don't worry, they're harmless." Then he got really upset when the creature refused to eat food out of his hand.
3. (S3 E11: XXXVII) Also, notice how in "The Birth of Evil" episodes he only knocked riders from their horses (likely impaling them), but didn't harm the horses at all.

Counterexamples to Consider: 1. There were the dinosaurs and that one dog in the same Aku backstory episodes, but you could tell that they got themselves in the position of being swallowed by the ocean that was Aku. Also, I doubt he had little control over this happening even if he wanted to do something because he was trapped in that form until Jack's father got involved. He literally thanks the man for freeing him. 2. (S3 E8: XXXIV) There was that pterodactyl that he also bonked in the swamp episode, but I think it makes sense he had to keep it under control because, unfortunately, some animals really don't like him. For example, there was the rodent I previously mentioned above for starters. (S4 E4: XLIII) We can also see this in the episode where Jack catches a cold from Aku's evil and as he passes by a dog, the poor thing looses it's mind because it's picking up on Aku's influence.

I also haven't noticed any instances where Aku deliberately tries to kill an animal. He only seems to do this with humanoid things exclusively. (Not too related but I wanted to mention I think Jack has mad respect for animals, but he's on the run all of the time and he has to eat whatever is available so hunting them can't be avoided.)

Anyways, that is my breakdown on why I firmly believe Aku truly loves animals. If not love, it could be fascination, respect, or enjoying their company as well. But, I digress. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.

[u/Grouchy-Editor577]

I would disagree when it comes to dogs specifically.

One of the first examples of Aku's evil we see is in the Premier Movie where he has enslaved a bunch of dogs to dig up valuable jewels, and even crucifies them for failing to meet quotas.

Lulu not showing any fear in the brief moment we see her with Aku could be because she isn't exactly the brightest bulb in the box. She has that dopey "no thoughts behind those eyes" look to her, so she's just happy to exist. Aku very likely killed her when X9 failed to report back. And even if X9 did manage to trap Jack, Aku probably would've still killed Lulu because A- he tends to backtrack on his promises (Jack Under the Sea IX & Jack and the Ultra-Bots XVIII) and B- to "punish" X9 for thinking he was ever allowed to run off and "retire" in the first place. He was built to serve and prioritize Aku and nothing else, how dare he for deviating from that.

Shinichi is shown to have chewed through or broken away from his leash before having drowned in Aku's tar pit, which makes me think he had that "sense" that there was danger and went after it. He probably barked to alert the village of the threat which could've incited Aku to break open the ground under him and drown him. His owner gasps at the sight of Aku's death forest, so that seems to imply that they're all unaware that it's there before the owner traverses into the outskirts to look for Shinichi.

And as you mention, there's that one dog that barks at Jack when it catches Aku's scent on him in The Aku Infection.

I think he has a vendetta against dogs due to the whole "able to sense the good/bad in someone" thing. They don't like him because they know he's evil from the get-go, and he simply doesn't like that.

In the Warrior Woman episode, he is visibly irritated when the little rodent runs away screaming from him, and probably only resists going after it and killing it because it would blow his cover, so he goes along with Jack and laughs it off.

When it comes to other animals, sure, he does seem to be at least neutral toward them, especially if they provide a purpose like transportation. In the Swamp Wizard episode, he even sort of "plays" with the giant snake creature while Jack is in the glass dome going after Kronos's fist of Ability- sticking his tongue out back and forth with it.

And of course, he has an interest/fondness in insects, specifically predatory bugs based on all the robots we see- the beetle drones, the mantroids, the wasps, the mosquitoes, and the ticks.

[u/Many-Snow-7777 → u/Grouchy-Editor577]

As much as I would like to think he didn’t hurt Lulu, I agree with you. 

The pilot episode does say a lot about how Aku feels about dogs. Also great point about the bugs. 

[u/ckret2 → u/Grouchy-Editor577]

I also generally don't think Aku likes dogs, so I'm just playing devil's advocate here, but:

One of the first examples of Aku's evil we see is in the Premier Movie where he has enslaved a bunch of dogs to dig up valuable jewels, and even crucifies them for failing to meet quotas.

There's the possibility that maybe that's just what Aku does with creatures he likes. He collects them, just like he collects treasures and jewels; and—why not?—he puts them to work, so that they're useful; and if they don't do what he wants, he punishes them, because he won't stand for his pets getting out of line. I don't see Aku as inclined to refrain from cruelty toward something/someone just because he likes them.

You can't really judge how much Aku likes something based on how nice he is to it, because he's not nice to anything.

100% agree on the fondness for bugs, that's one of my favorite little character details.

[u/ckret2]

Adding a +1 to the "and Aku loves insects" mentioned in the other comment. the one thing he's got in common with Ashi: they both look at beetles and go "this is the best thing ever."

Also in the same episode as the pterodactyl thing, while Jack's in the dome, Aku's playing with the giant snake sticking out his tongue at it.

re: your example of him mistreating the pterodactyl: LIKING animals doesn't necessarily mean BEING KIND to animals. For instance, in the reptile keeper community there's a problem with some people who just looove reptiles... and so keep a bunch of pet lizards and snakes in too-small tubs with no enrichment and only the bare necessities—water, food, heat. Or consider, like, rich people with private menageries where they keep exotic animals in too-small cages just so they can look at them.

I'd interpret Aku as that kind of animal "lover." Looking at them sparks joy, but if he's interacting with them, they'd better do what he wants or they'll be punished, just like anyone else. Humans are usually kind to creatures they like, but for Aku, admiration/enjoyment/love (emotions) doesn't lead to kindness (an action). (Hell, for Aku, NOTHING leads to kindness.)

(in the backstory episodes, I personally don't interpret anything the pit did pre-hocus-pocus-and-poison-arrow as coming from Aku, because I don't think the pit is capable of making choices in what it consumes. We don't see it making deliberate motions like the black mass in space did. I see the pit more like a booby trap than a predator. It didn't decide to eat the dog and dinosaurs and cavemen and samurai; they just came too close and got got. but that's just my take on it.)

[u/Grouchy-Editor577 → u/ckret2]

Aku seeks to “own” and that’s the end-all-be-all. Does it have actual value to him? Does this living creature have needs? “Don’t know, don’t care, what matters is that it’s MINE”. Look at the world itself- he takes over but doesn’t necessarily do much in terms of running things or maintaining, he lets the humans/aliens do all the societal runnings for the most part, so long as they slap his face and name on everything and don’t outwardly try to revolt against him.

I’d argue the pit IS somewhat aware, considering it was able to specifically target and impale the Emperor’s army as they were encroaching on it. Its main “goal” is to spread out and probably ultimately consume the planet, but it can react defensively if it senses threats stomping toward it. Aku honestly puts a lot of his stats into “defense” for a being who is a mostly untouchable wall.

If he were a Pokémon he’d be a shedinja.