Tawna was once Crash Bandicoot's girlfriend and love interest. She made her debut on the first Crash Bandicoot game, being trapped for observation on Neo Cortex's castle after being experimented on. Crash then invades Cortex's castle, defeats him and saves her. The marketing director of Universal Interactive Studios objected to Tawna's initial design on "basic sexist principles". The director's behavior concerning the issue unnerved the president of Universal Interactive so much that he requested Andy Gavin and Jason Rubin to change the character to the director's specifications. The incident proved to be such an unpleasant experience that Tawna was omitted from future Crash Bandicoot titles. Tawna would later make cameos in Crash Bandicoot 3 and Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex, at a photo on Crash's house; in Crash Twinsanity, at the sign of Cortex-owned nightclub Moulin Cortex; and at a poster on Crash's house in Crash: Mind over Mutant. But it was not until Crash Boom Bang! that she became a playable character. Crash Boom Bang! is the only game in which she speaks, being voiced by Akiko Toda. In Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy, Tawna is voiced by Debi Derryberry who voices Coco Bandicoot and Nina Cortex.