Akita

Akita is a Ninjago minifigure introduced in 2019; an alternate form of the character known as Lloyd's Wolf was introduced the same year.
==Description==
In wolf form, Akita's body is all white except for the red tips of her multiple tails, three red markings on each cheek, and black nose, eyes, and eyebrows. Her mouth has visible fangs jutting from it, and her head can be moved up and down. The rest of the body is, like most LEGO animals, completely rigid, frozen in a position with the tails extended straight out behind her. The legs are all in different positions, with her two left legs positioned close to each other while her right legs are spread further out, the right front leg extending further than the front left leg.
In minifigure form, Akita has unique printing on her legs and torso depicting white and red robes, with the white being more prevalent on her torso and the red more prevalent on her legs; her torso also features a circular black decoration with a yellow wolf head symbol. She comes with a split cloth cape, mostly white but with red tips, matching the multiple tales of her wolf form. Her head is printed on both sides, each print featuring three red marks on her cheeks matching those of her wolf face. One side features a tense frown, while the other depicts a cocky smile; both expressions show her teeth, which include fangs. She comes with a unique hairpiece depicting shaggy, shoulder-length black hair with a white wolf mask resting atop it.
==Background==
Born as one of the Formlings along with her brother Kataru, Akita was plagued by fears that she would not receive an animal form when she underwent her Choosing. The cause of this fear was the older Formling Vex, who had not gained an animal form during his own choosing. Vex later appeared when Akita and Kataru were about to start their own Choosing, asserting that he was in league with a new power and that the Formlings should submit to him. The chief of the Formlings rejected this offer, and Akita and Kataru were sent out on their quest.
After some time, Akita and her brother discovered their animal forms, with Akita gaining the ability to transform into a three-tailed white wolf with red markings on her tail tips and cheeks. Joined by her brother the bear, Akita made her way home, only to discover that it had been attacked by Boreal and its inhabitants frozen. As Vex and his Ice Emperor watched, Boreal swooped down on the siblings. Akita managed to escape, but thought her brother trapped in ice with their people.
Akita spent the following years wandering the wilds of the Never-Realm alone, seeking to avenge her people by killing the Ice Emperor. She later came across Lloyd, newly come to the Never-Realm, being menaced by Frost Wolves, and came to his defense. She later dragged him out of Wojira's Wrath after he caused an avalanche to escape some Blizzard Samurai. The two began traveling together after briefly taking shelter in the wrecked Land Bounty.
Unaware that his new companion was a human in wolf form, Lloyd spoke of his history to her, and later failed to heed her warnings about an area they were entering. A large bird attacked the pair, forcing them to take shelter in a cave where they found Lloyd's Titan Mech, which he had been seeking. After using the mech to fight off the bird, Lloyd offered Akita, whom he called "Red", a ride in its hand. She would come to regret accepting, as Lloyd continued his narration of past events, including an account of his negative experiences with Harumi.
In the midst of Lloyd's description of the Colossi, the pair were attacked by the Ice Behemoth, and Akita's efforts to help fight it earned her an injured leg. After overcoming the monster, Lloyd attended to his wounded friend, only to awake the next morning to find Akita back in human form. Feeling that Akita had deliberately deceived him, Lloyd was angry with her at first, though her temper proved just as quick and fierce. Ultimately the pair reconciled after Lloyd saw that Akita was still hurt and they made amends.
Akita shared her own unpleasant history with Lloyd, including her vow of vengeance, and made it clear that their purposes were not the same. Despite this, the two grew friendlier as they continued towards the Ice Castle, and Lloyd even invited Akita to return with him to Ninjago when the Ice Emperor was defeated. Unfortunately, they were then attacked by Boreal, who seized Lloyd and carried him back to the castle despite Akita's efforts to help him. Akita was left to make her way to the castle alone, unaware that Lloyd had found Kataru a prisoner within as well.
After getting past the castle's gate guards by transforming, Akita traveled through the castle looking for the throne room. Finding the Ice Emperor alone and unguarded, she prepared to strike with her dagger, only for him to be awakened by the noise of battle outside the throne room door. Akita was knocked to the floor, only for Lloyd to enter the room and reveal that the Ice Emperor was in fact Zane, his long-lost and amnesiac friend. However, Akita was unmoved by this, and sought to carry out her vow with both Lloyd and the Emperor trying to stop her.
The Emperor eventually overcame the pair and froze them both; however, when Vex prepared to finish them off, he inadvertently jogged Zane's memories. Vex was frozen and the two freed, and Akita was reunited with her brother. Their people and the other Never-Realm inhabitants were soon freed as well and Vex was sent into exile. The Ninja then opened a portal in order to return home, and Akita surprised Lloyd with a parting kiss on the cheek. As she and Kataru enjoyed their reunion and freedom, Akita expressed the hope that, contrary to her brother's belief, she would see Lloyd again someday.
In "Return of the Ice Emperor", a damaged Zane briefly takes on Akita's appearance due to his cloaking device malfunctioning.
==Appearances==
*70671 Lloyd's Journey (Wolf form)
*70678 Castle of the Forsaken Emperor (Human form)
*71767 Ninja Dojo Temple (sticker, wolf form)
*Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu
**The Never-Realm (voice only)
**An Unlikely Ally
**The Message
**Secret of the Wolf
**The Last of the Formlings
**My Enemy, My Friend
**Once and for All
**Awakenings
**Return of the Ice Emperor
==Gallery of Variants ==
==Notes==
* In her wolf form, she bears a resemblance to the kitsune, a mythical doglike creature of Japanese folklore that has many tails.
* Her name may be a reference to the Akita a Japanese breed of domestic dog.
* In the animated series she is voiced by Tabitha St. Germain, who also voiced Mystake. She also played Bene and a young Lando Calrissian in LEGO Star Wars: The Yoda Chronicles, and Nokama in BIONICLE 2: Legends of Metru Nui and BIONICLE 3: Web of Shadows.
Category:Ninjago Minifigures
Category:Minifigures introduced in 2019