Editing The President

{{game icons|p=y|p2=y|p3=y|hp=y}}
{{Infobox character
|name       = The President
|image      = President P2 art.png
|size       = 200px
|gender     = Male
|age        = Adulthood (over 50 years old{{cite quote|You know, Olimar, I've been in this business for over 50 years, and I've never heard of space bunnies in that shipping lane. I have some doubts about Louie's accident...|The President|a piece of [[mail]]|rname=50y}})
|eyecolor   = Black
|haircolor  = Black
|homeplanet = Hocotate
|related    = [[Minor characters#The President's wife|Wife]]
|height     = 1.9 cm (0.75 inches)
|actor      = Kazumi Totaka ({{p2}}{{cite web|https://web.archive.org/web/20221206024347/https://www.nintendo.co.jp/nom/0405/1_2/index.html|Development staff interview for ''Pikmin 2''|Wayback Machine}}, {{P3d}}{{cite web|https://www.pikminwiki.com/Credits#Pikmin_3_Deluxe|Credits sequence for ''Pikmin 3 Deluxe''|Pikipedia}})
|firstgame  = {{p2}}
|latestgame = {{p4}} (cameo)
}}
'''The President''' ({{j|社長|Shachō}}) is the owner or co-owner of [[Hocotate Freight]], and a playable character in {{p2}}. He also plays a minor role in {{p3d}} during the [[Olimar's Comeback]] side stories. In {{p4}}, he is depicted in Olimar's logs and Louie's logs.

Although the President was not seen until ''Pikmin 2'', he was alluded to by Olimar in his [[Olimar's voyage log|daily journal entries]] in [[Pikmin (game)|the first game]]. The only known family member is his [[Minor characters#The President's wife|wife]], who occasionally sends [[Mail|messages]] to him.

==Biography==
{{spoiler}}

===Earlier life===
When he was younger, the President used to live in a small shed.{{cite quote|Today, I tried building a small room at the top of a tree. It reminded me of my younger days, when I lived in a little shed. Those memories help make this bearable.|The President|a [[Mail|letter]]}} If what he claims is true, he used to be an important name back when he was [[Louie]]'s age.{{cite quote|Louie... When I was about your age, I made my name thunder through the universe as a great explorer. Model yourself after me, son, and you'll go places. Persevere!|The President|a [[Mail|letter]]}}

In {{p1}}, Olimar references him in various entries for ship parts and daily logs, in which he is simply referred to as "boss".

===The debt===
He runs into financial trouble after [[Louie]], a new employee, shipping a supply of the very valuable [[Golden Pikpik carrot]]s, is reportedly attacked by a ravenous space bunny who is said to have devoured the entire cargo of carrots. The President takes out a large loan to reimburse the loss of the golden Pikpik carrots, and has no way of repaying the enormous debt. He sells off the only company asset, [[Captain Olimar]]'s ship, the [[S.S. Dolphin]], in Olimar's absence, but it only makes a small dent in the enormous loan, as {{pokos|10,100}} are still owed.

This, occurring after the events of [[Pikmin (game)|''Pikmin'']], surprises Captain Olimar who just returned to [[Hocotate]]. He is so surprised by the news, in fact, that he drops a souvenir he brought back from his adventure for his son. The souvenir, a bottle cap, is collected by the ship, which then evaluates the item as a treasure and worth {{pokos|100}}, reducing the debt to an even 10,000. The President then orders Olimar and Louie to recover more treasure so that the debt is repaid.

During their absence, the President sends periodic [[Mail|letters]] to the duo. He eventually discovers that the loan came from the All-Devouring Black Hole Loan Sharks instead of Happy Hocotate Savings & Loan, and goes into hiding from the loan company's threats, temporarily living under a bridge{{cite quote|Hello... I am still on the lam from debt collectors. For the time being, I've decided to live under the bridge, but if they catch me, I don't know what they'll do to me...|The President|a [[Mail|letter]]}}{{cite quote|Today, a group from the government offices paid me a visit. They kicked me out from under the bridge as if I were trash. The animals left... I have nowhere left to turn...|The President|a [[Mail|letter]]}}, and eating grass{{cite quote|I found some tasty grass today. It was the first time in a while that I could eat until I was full. I've become one heck of a grass and root chef... Maybe I'll write a book.|The President|a [[Mail|letter]]}} to survive. Eventually, he gets caught, and is threatened with death.{{cite quote|I have a regrettable message. I have been caught. If I don't pay off the company debt right away, I'm to be buried in Hocotate Swamp. It's bleak here... Hurry!|The President|a [[Mail|letter]]}}

During the events of ''Pikmin 2''{{'s}} story, it is revealed that the President is over 50 years old.<ref name="50y"/> Assuming The President started working at the company at least after he was 10, he's probably over 60 years old. Additionally, ''Hey! Pikmin'' reveals that The President is older than Olimar, who is somewhere in his adulthood.{{cite quote|I hope that when I'm our president's age, I'm not like him at all.|[[Captain Olimar]]|his notes on the [[Grown-Up Dynamo]]}}

===In ''Pikmin 3''===
At an unknown point after the events of ''Pikmin 2'', the President squandered his newfound fortune on a failed business venture, consequently ordering Olimar and Louie to collect more treasure from PNF-404 to pay off Hocotate Freight's debts once again. He does not appear in person, having supposedly gone on vacation.

===In ''Pikmin 3'' Deluxe===
In {{p3d}}, the President plays a minor role in the [[Side Stories]] mode. In it, following Olimar's rescue from the Plasm Wraith, he and Louie inform the President that they abandoned the Hocotate ship. Furiously, the President demands that they go back to PNF-404 to retrieve it. While not appearing directly, his correspondence provides hints for the player in the day select and loading screens, and will also comment on the player's final score at the end of each level.

==Traits and abilities==
[[File:Hocotate President Shocked.png|thumb|200px|The President, determined to save Louie.]]
The President displays many of the same abilities of Olimar and Louie. His [[spacesuit]] consists of the suit he wore while on Hocotate (or one that looks identical), a helmet, and white gloves. His life-support backpack is also yellow, and his antenna bears the same blue light as Louie's. His [[whistle]] sounds more like a car horn than a regular whistle.
===Significance===
The President is the main source of [[mail]] in ''[[Pikmin 2]]'' before the debt has been paid off, his news getting worse as he finds out that the lending agency he actually used was the All-Devouring Black Hole Loan Sharks, as opposed to Happy Hocotate Savings and Loan, and goes into hiding.

After the debt is erased, Louie is left behind on the planet, and the President goes to help Olimar find him (albeit with the intent of collecting the planet's remaining treasure). When switching to him while playing after that, he calls himself "Chachō", from {{j|ル・チャチョー|Ru Chachō}}, which is said to be his real name in Japanese materials, and is a play on {{j|社長|shachō|company president|f=tp}}. He becomes a playable character from then on, and permanently takes Louie's place as a [[leader|Pikmin leader]]. His wife says in some pieces of mail that she is "the REAL boss" of the company{{cite quote|Your notification report was wrong again. How many times do I have to correct you? It's because of behavior like this that I, the REAL boss, have to work so hard.|The President's wife|a [[Mail|letter]]}}, which is confirmed by the President's bio on the Pikmin Garden website.

In ''[[Pikmin 3]]'', he is seen in various different Data Files that explain controls and other mechanics. Oddly, he has a yellow suit in the files, where he has a black suit with a yellow backpack in ''Pikmin 2''. He is also referenced in some of [[Olimar's Log (Exploration Notes)|Olimar's logs]], such as comparing a similar looking snowman in the [[Distant Tundra]], in which the nose is an [[Iron Ball]] which can be pushed out of place. Likewise, in ''[[Pikmin 3 Deluxe]]'', he is referenced in [[Olimar's Log Vol. 2]], with one actually being a message sent by him complaining about Olimar's lack of updates. He also cameos in [[Bingo Battle]] as the "Lucky Marble".

==In ''Super Smash Bros. Brawl''==
The President appears as a trophy and a [[Super Smash Bros. Brawl#Stickers|sticker]] in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]''.

{{smash trophy
|image  = The President trophy SSBB.png
|desc   = {{Notes:The President/ssbb}}
|type   = Fighter Related
|obtain = Random appearance.
}}

{{clear}}

==Profiles==
===Pikmin Garden bio===
'''Text'''
{{transcript|
ホコタテ運送社長

ル・チャチョー

出身星 ホコタテ星 

ホコタテ運送の{{color|2=#fab400|社長}}。{{color|2=#fab400|お金に目がなく}}人使いが荒いが、どことなく憎めない性格。若い頃は宇宙をまたにかける大冒険家だった。

関係者 妻（ホコタテ運送の大社長）

趣味 お金もうけ

夢 ホコタテ運送を宇宙一の会社にすること
|block=y}}
'''Translation'''
{{transcript|
President of Hocotate Freight

Ru Chachō

Home planet: Hocotate

{{color|2=#fab400|President}} of Hocotate Freight. He {{color|2=#fab400|loves money}} and works his employees hard, but he somehow has a hard to dislike personality. In his youth, he was a great adventurer who traveled throughout the universe.

Related persons: wife (great president of Hocotate Freight)

Hobbies: making money

Dreams: making Hocotate Freight the greatest company in the universe
|block=y}}

==Names in other languages==
{{Foreignname
|Jap=ル・チャチョー
|JapR=Ru Chachō
|JapM=From {{j|社長|shachō|president|f=tp}}
|ChiTrad=路‧查綽
|ChiTradR=Lù Cháchuò
|ChiTradM=From Japanese name
|ChiTradN=Used in the Pikmin Garden website.
|Kor=싸장님 (''Pikmin 3 Deluxe'')<br>Ssajangnim<br>사사장 (Pikmin Garden)<br>''Sasajang''
|KorM=Mr. Ssajang<br>Sasajang
|KorN=From {{tt|사장|sajang}} (president)
|notes=y
}}

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Clay Art President With Spacesuit.png|Artwork of the President in his [[spacesuit]].
President side view.jpg|Ditto, side view.
Diagonal President.png|Ditto, diagonal view.
Thepresident.jpg|Render of the President in his spacesuit.
President side.png|Side artwork.
Squinting President.png|Artwork of the President squinting.
Louie and the President.jpg|The President and [[Louie]] in the intro cutscene of ''Pikmin 2''.
The President in the Pikmin 2 opening cutscene.png|The President in the intro cutscene of ''Pikmin 2''.
PresidentsSuit.png|An upset president from the intro cutscene of ''Pikmin 2''.
The President alarmed face P2.png|The President saying he will go with Olimar to find Louie.
The President in game design.png|The President in a cave.
Syacho.png|The President's cameo on the [[Distant Tundra]], from an [[Pikmin 3 prerelease information|early version]] of the game.
Exploration Notes President.jpg|The President as seen on the [[Exploration Notes]]. Note that this is the only depiction of him where he is colored yellow.
</gallery>

==Trivia==
*According to the official Nintendo website, the real name of the president is "Ru Chachō".{{cite quote|{{j|社長の本名は…、「ル・チャチョー」。。。|Shachō no honmyō wa…,`Ru Chachō'...|The president's real name is... "Ru Chachō".}}|tidbit|[https://www.nintendo.co.jp/p/w934/page01.html the official website]}}{{cite web|https://www.nintendo.com/jp/character/pikmin/crew/index.html|Japanese "Pikmin Garden" website crew member list|Nintendo|retrieved={{date|22|June|2023}}}} He also signs his name as "Chachō" in the Japanese version of ''Pikmin 3 Deluxe''.
*The President is one of three [[leader]]s with facial hair, the others being [[Captain Charlie]] and the [[Pikmin 4 player character]] if the player chooses to give them a moustache.
*If the player takes a long time to repay the last part of the debt in ''[[Pikmin 2]]'', the President will get caught by debt collectors, though this does not cause anything else to happen.
*When switching to him in ''Pikmin 2'', The President will say his name, like Olimar and Louie. However, unlike them, his Japanese name is not the same as his English name.
*In [[Olimar's voyage log]] he mentions his boss was in charge of the Pilot Union.{{cite quote|When I am surrounded by legions of Pikmin, I always picture the face of my boss, the head of Pilot Union. He was always so sharp-tongued with his orders, but I imagine he must have felt much the way that I do now. It's funny, how a change in perspective can bring with it a deeper understanding of others.|Captain Olimar|[[Olimar's voyage log|his voyage log]]}} It is not known if he is referring to the President.

{{listen|filename=P2 President name call.ogg|title=Name call after switching leaders, in ''Pikmin 2''.}}

==See also==
* [[Hocotate Freight]]
* [[Side Stories]]
* [[Poko]]
* [[Olimar]]
* [[Louie]]

==References==
{{refs}}

{{Characters}}

[[Category:Leaders]]
[[Category:Hocotatians]]
[[Category:Super Smash Bros. series]]