Pikmin Short Movies: Difference between revisions

{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Pikmin'' Short Movies}}

 

The '''''Pikmin'' Short Movies''' are a trio of animated films, showing [[Pikmin family|Pikmin]] interacting with the environment of [[PNF-404]] alongside [[Captain Olimar]]. These films are drawn using computer generated 3D graphics. They were produced by TK3 Inc. and Nintendo Co., Ltd, and were animated by Dwango Pictures, Inc., with Shigeru Miyamoto as executive producer. The three shorts are called ''[[The Night Juicer]]'', ''[[Treasure in a Bottle]]'', and ''[[Occupational Hazards]]''.

In addition to the shorts, four bonus clips exist. The bundle consisting of shorts and bonuses is available on the [[Wii U]] and the [[Nintendo 3DS]], on each of the respective platform's eShop. The 3DS version is in stereoscopic 3D, and is referred to as "''Pikmin'' Short Movies 3D", while the clips on the Wii U are referred to as "''Pikmin'' Short Movies HD", and are rendered in high definition. Each version of the bundle costs $4.99/£4.49/€4.99.

The shorts are all based on the first two [[Pikmin series|''Pikmin'' games]]. They focus more on the Pikmin's interactions with the environment, as well as each individual Pikmin's behaviors and actions. These aspects cannot be elaborated on inside the games, due to technical and visual limitations, as well as deviating from the gameplay purposes of the games. Some of the actions the Pikmin perform in the shorts contradict what is known to happen in the game's [[canon]], meaning that it is not clear if the shorts take place in the same canon as the games'. These include the Pikmin being able to open up their leaves or buds into flowers seemingly at will, and [[White Pikmin]] being able to spit acid.

[[File:NightJuicerSC.png|thumb|200px|right|Olimar blending his drink in ''The Night Juicer''.]]

This short features Captain Olimar and some [[Pikmin family|Pikmin]] inside an unknown room, with Captain Olimar using a small blender to make a juice-like drink. The three Pikmin become horrified with what appears to be a vivisected Red Pikmin on a cutting board. Olimar slowly chases after the Pikmin, each of them envisioning themselves being turned into a cool refreshment,  until they eventually bump into a box of [[Pikpik carrot]]s, the foodstuff that Olimar was really blending. Still petrified by fear, the Pikmin lay motionless in the pile of carrots as Olimar casually shifts them aside to pick up a couple of the carrots. He then proceeds to chipperly walk off camera, completely unaware of the humorous misunderstanding.

This short starts off with a red Pikmin chasing after a large white butterfly, eventually coming across a Ramune bottle with a blue marble inside. While trying to retrieve the marble, the Pikmin manages to trap itself inside the bottle. It calls for help from a passing group of Blue, Yellow and Red Pikmin, which laugh at the Red's plight and comically distorted appearance the bottle causes the Red Pikmin to have.

[[File:OccupationalHazardsSC.png|300px|right|thumb|Pikmin hard at work, scavenging an abandoned construction site.]]

This short begins with various types of Pikmin working about to dismantle an abandoned {{w|backhoe}} for the [[Hocotate ship]]. While most of the Pikmin are hard at work, some of them are slacking off, such as a group of several Yellow Pikmin playing with an electrical current of the engine's battery and [[white Pikmin]] spitting poison fluids at various parts of the machine, which results in portions of it getting damaged, and moreover, melted. Olimar is on the top of the machine, and has a miniature seesaw device so that the Pikmin can reach the ship's pod.

Meanwhile, a group of Pikmin run off to rummage through some metal pipes and accidentally wake up a sleeping [[Fiery Blowhog]], who then stampedes after them. A few Red Pikmin subdue it in a pile of mud, and the Pikmin nearby start frolicking. While playing, a Yellow Pikmin wanders off into a nearby sewer entry after noticing a shiny golden colored bolt on the floor. It eventually finds and awakens an angered and incidentally hungry [[Red Bulborb]].

The Bulborb chases the Pikmin, stopping a few times because of a hypnotizing glove, and later, a tire rim serving as shelter for the Pikmin. Meanwhile, the Yellow Pikmin who were playing with the battery, manage to inadvertently activate the backhoe buy completing a full electrical circuit between its battery and it's machinery, and an accidental lever activation causes the bucket to lift, where the Pikmin and Bulborb were. The Bulborb crashes to the ground and becomes unconscious, and the Pikmin, their leaves changed to flowers, float safely to the ground. After some Pikmin swarm it, the arm and bucket of the machine fall apart and land on the Bulborb; the Pikmin escape just in time. The whole backhoe collapses, and the Research Pod, that just returned, discovers that the whole pile is worth 10 quadrillion and seven Pokos. Olimar is both astounded and overjoyed by this most profitable find and strikes a triumphant pose.

[[File:TIABStoryboard.jpg|thumb|100px|right|A portion of the storyboard from ''Treasure in a Bottle''.]]

A bonus section exists bundled with the shorts, featuring four clips on the 3DS and Wii U, plus two more bonus clips exclusive to the 3DS version.

This starts off with a red Pikmin atop a red ball. It spins the ball around, revealing an opening in the ball. Pikmin come running out of the opening, carrying various letters. They set the letters down, which eventually spell out "TOHO CINEMAS". The red Pikmin jumps off the ball. Afterward, the ball begins to bounce towards the red Pikmin until it remains fixed atop the words. The red Pikmin then runs off.

This is just like the first logo, except now, the ball is carried above the letters by a few [[winged Pikmin]]. The red Pikmin also stays on top of the ball.

Like the name implies, this is a storyboard Miyamoto used to develop ''Treasure in a Bottle.'' It was created using Flipnote Studio 3D.

Similarly, this is a storyboard created by Miyamoto for ''Occupational Hazards''. Once again, it was created using Flipnote Studio 3D. Length: 02:05

When the ''Pikmin'' Short Movies app is booted, a jingle with the [[Music in Pikmin 2#Leitmotifs|Pikmin motif]] from {{p2}} plays. When it finishes loading, a menu with 4 options is presented on the GamePad, three for the shorts, and one that opens the bonus menu. A short or bonus can be picked with either {{button|wiiu|lstick}} and {{button|wiiu|a}} or by touching it on the touchscreen. During this menu, the TV screen shows a static image of the ''Pikmin'' Short Movies HD logo, and if the viewer is on the bonus menu, the word "Bonus" appears below it. On the TV, a light remix of the theme that plays during the [[Cutscene#Bad ending|bad ending of ''Pikmin'']] can be header – it is just the same song but with sound effects from the shorts spread about, and followed by wildlife sounds before it loops again.

In the GamePad view mode, only three controls exist: a button on the bottom-left plays and pauses, a seek bar is in the middle, and the button on the bottom-right toggles the mode. When the video is playing, after not touching anything for a few seconds, the controls disappear, but return if the touchscreen is touched. Bizarrely, even though no button or stick on the GamePad does anything, pressing {{button|wiiu|a}}, {{button|wiiu|b}}, {{button|wiiu|x}}, {{button|wiiu|y}}, {{button|wiiu|l}}, {{button|wiiu|r}}, {{button|wiiu|zl}} or {{button|wiiu|zr}} will bring back the on-screen controls if they are hidden.

[[File:PikminShortsArt.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Promotional artwork for the movies.]]

In an interview with Shigeru Miyamoto in March of 2013, the creator of the [[Pikmin series|''Pikmin'' series]] announced Nintendo was working on a cartoon based on the franchise. In the interview, Miyamoto revealed that these cartoons would be released at some point in 2013 but before the next game in the series, ''[[Pikmin 3]]'', which was still in development. The idea was to distribute them as [[3DS]] videos, and he considered the idea of selling them if they become something bigger.

Miyamoto stated that they’d considered doing something like this for Nintendo’s characters many times in the past, but avoided it because of the difference between an interactive game and a film. A film also requires much more "setting in stone" about the characters and world that could be limiting for the company when it comes to future games. However, with Pikmin they’re very small inside the game and players can’t see them well without zooming in close. So he thought shorts might be a good fit for the Pikmin series as it’d allow there to be more focus on the actual Pikmin.

On {{date|22|November|2014}}, a Japanese Miiverse user by the name of Marichan interviewed Shigeru Miyamoto about the movies. During the interview, Miyamoto revealed professional screenshots of the official storyboard, concept art of the opening to ''The Night Juicer,'' and gave a better look at the bulletin board seen in the same movie. He also discussed the making of the movies and some more minor details. The full interview can be seen <span class="plainlinks">[https://miiverse.nintendo.net/posts/AYMHAAACAAAYUKlwtdBZ2Q here]</span>. In the Japanese edition, Miyamoto talks about ''{{w|Flipnote Studio}}'' and its sequel then never released outside of Japan, but in the English version, Nintendo censored all of these mentions.{{cite web|http://www.reddit.com/r/3DS/comments/2n6jx2/nintendo_censors_any_mention_of_flipnote_studio/|Nintendo censors any mention of Flipnote Studio from Pikmin Short Films interview on Miiverse|Reddit}}{{cite web|http://n4g.com/news/1627002/flipnote-studio-censored-from-recent-miyamoto-interview|Flipnote Studio censored from recent Miyamoto interview|N4G}}

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Characters-Pikmin Short-Movies.jpg|Concept art for Pikmin Short Movies, featuring the characters that appear in the movies.

Pik red.gif|A gif for the Red Pikmin on the ''Pikmin Short Movies'' official website.

Pik yellow.gif|A gif for the Yellow Pikmin on the ''Pikmin Short Movies'' official website.

Pik blue.gif|A gif for the Blue Pikmin on the ''Pikmin Short Movies'' official website.