Leaders (リーダー^?, lit.: "Leader"), unofficially also calledcaptains, are the characters the player controls in thePikmin games. Leaders have the ability to lead asquad ofPikmin, and can command the squad throughthrowing,whistling, and other actions. Each of the 11 leaders in the series is an alien explorer with some role in the mission, with the exception ofOatchi andMoss who are space dogs. Some games have multiple leaders which can be switched between, allowing multiple squads to be managed at a time.

InPikmin, there is only one leader,Olimar, an employee ofHocotate Freight who crash-landed onPNF-404. InPikmin 2,Louie is added as a second character, also controlled by the player; it is possible to switch between the two playable leaders by pressing / /. Louie is replaced bythe President after the debt is cleared. InPikmin 3 there are three new leaders: the engineerAlph, the botanistBrittany, and the crew's captain,Charlie. / / is used to switch in the originalPikmin 3 and theaction menu left and right is used to switch inPikmin 3 Deluxe.Pikmin 4 has several playable leaders across its game modes, though the main story features therookie Rescue Officer andOatchi as the leaders.Hey! Pikmin again features only Olimar as a playable character.

Puffstools,Antenna Beetles, matureBulbmin, theScornet Maestro, and Moss act as naturally occurring enemy leaders, in each of the four mainPikmin games, stealing the player's Pikmin or scouting with their own type of underlings.

Inactive leader[edit]

When the player is not playing as the other leader(s), they are considered inactive. The inactive leader is controlled by a simple artificial intelligence system in bothPikmin 2 andPikmin 3. If the inactive leader is with the active leader's group, they will follow the active leader very closely. They will also attack an enemy if the active leader is attacking the enemy throughpunching. However, they can only throw about one punch per second; far less than the player is capable of. TheRocket Fist will also not activate for the inactive leader. InPikmin 3, they will not punch alongside the leader, as leaders can now be thrown.

If an inactive leader is not in the player's group, they will stand idle similar to the way Pikmin do when dismissed or thrown. However, they can not call idle Pikmin to their side by touching them. They will also not attack enemies; instead choosing to walk away from them, which can be used to the player's advantage against certain creatures, such as theRanging Bloyster. Pikmin in the inactive group are likely to be killed in these situations nonetheless, as the leader's reactions are rather sloppy and aim to protect the leader, not their Pikmin squad. InPikmin 3, whenever a leader is near an enemy, they will run in circles around it, while alerting the active leader by saying something. For example, Charlie can say "Things aren't looking good!" if he is near an enemy.

Playable leaders[edit]

Olimar[edit]

Captain Olimar's clay artwork fromPikmin 2.

Main article:Captain Olimar.

Captain Olimar, often simply calledOlimar, is the main character of thePikmin series. He is the Hocotate Freight employee who discoveredPNF-404 and thePikmin. He is the captain of his personal ship, theS.S. Dolphin, until it is sold to repay some of the debt at the start ofPikmin 2. InPikmin 3, Captain Olimar is a non-playable character that appears later in the story. However, he is playable inBingo Battle and certainMission Mode stages. Olimar is also playable in theSide Story missions inPikmin 3 Deluxe. InPikmin 4, he once again remains unplayable in the main story apart from a brief prologue, but is playable inOlimar's Shipwreck Tale andDandori Battle mode (the latter only by the second player). He is the only playable character inHey! Pikmin.

Louie[edit]

Louie.

Main article:Louie.

Louie first appears inPikmin 2 and serves as a partner to Olimar, commanding Pikmin as his sidekick. He is relatively new to the shipping business and has a ravenous appetite. He was raised by hisgrandmother, who made him play with bugs and eat them, from where it is assumed that his great affinity for cooking beasts inPikmin 2 comes. After gaining 10,000Pokos, Louie is replaced by thePresident. InPikmin 3, Louie is salvaged a few times by theKoppai explorers. He is only a playable leader in a fewMission Mode stages, and when playing with two leaders per team inBingo Battle. InPikmin 3 Deluxe, Louie is also playable in theSide Story missions. As with Olimar, the second player can choose to play as Louie in Dandori Battle mode inPikmin 4.

Recently, Louie's signature color has been changed from blue to yellow, as seen in the side stories ofPikmin 3 Deluxe and the updates to the Nintendo Switch version ofPikmin 2. The reason for this is unclear, but likely has to do with giving all of the pre-Pikmin 4 leaders their own unique color.

The President[edit]

The President.

Main article:The President.

The President is the owner ofHocotate Freight, and is a playable character inPikmin 2. He is called "Shacho" in the Japaneseversion, which is Japanese for "President". After returning back to Hocotate after clearing the debt, the President becomes the replacement for Louie for the rest ofPikmin 2's duration. He is mentioned frequently throughoutPikmin 3 andPikmin 4, such as inOlimar's Log andthe voyage logs written by Olimar and Louie. There is a snow sculpture of him in theDistant Tundra, and the Lucky Marble in Bingo Battle resembles his head. However, he is not a playable character in either game.

Alph[edit]

Alph, Brittany, and Charlie.

Main article:Alph.

Alph is the mechanic of theS.S. Drake. He is kind, gentle, very interested in technological devices, and is a very capable engineer that configures objects found on the Pikmin Planet for the crew to use on their quest for food. He has a cerulean blue tuft of hair and wears a spacesuit with cerulean blue accents. Like the other two members of his team, he is fromKoppai.

Brittany[edit]

Main article:Brittany.

Brittany is a botanist who is responsible of keeping track of thefruit found on the planet and juices produced by the crew. She is a bit dishonest and seems to care about her own safety far more than that of others, as she tends to take slightly more than her share of juice and is not concerned at all when Charlie is lost in the wild. Brittany is also a bit of a glutton, though not quite as much as Louie.She has shoulder-length pink hair and a spacesuit with pink accents.

Charlie[edit]

Main article:Charlie.

Charlie is the captain of the Koppaite trio. Though acting tough, he is caught quite off-guard by the Pikmin on the foreign planet. He also tries his best to appear as a good leader, but nonetheless the crew members all have equal say in decision-making. Aside from these traits, his personality differs noticeably between the European and American versions ofPikmin 3. In the former, he appears to be very fond of Brittany, but in the latter, he is instead portrayed as being very egotistical. His hair is styled in a flattop pattern, but unlike Alph and Brittany, Charlie's hair does not match his suit's color scheme. Instead, his hair and mustache are dark brown, whereas his suit has green accents. By extension, his suit bears a five-point star, which presumably denotes his superior rank. Humorously, Charlie also owns a rubber ducky that he is very fond of.

Rookie Rescue Officer[edit]

The default character design and Oatchi.

Main article:Rookie Rescue Officer.

The rookie Rescue Officer is the main leader inPikmin 4, and they are a customizable character, referred to in promotional material and in the game's introduction as "You". Their name and appearance can be customized in a character creator. They are the newest recruit to theRescue Corps, sent to rescue them from a crash landing after trying to rescueCaptain Olimar for the same reason.

The default design of this character (shown in trailers and promotional art) has a full head of unkempt red hair, one long eyelash atop each eye, rosy cheeks, a small spherical nose, a small circular open mouth, an orange antenna light, as well as a full redspacesuit with white gloves and boots. Their ID card states they are from the planet Karut.

Oatchi[edit]

Main article:Oatchi.

The space dog Oatchi is the second playable character inPikmin 4. Unlike the Rescue Officer, he cannot be customized, but his collar color will match theRescue Corps suit color. He can be taught skills such as increasing his strength, allowing him to use theGo Here! function, or unlocking the ability to pluck. Just like the Rescue Officer, he can call back Pikmin, but he uses a bark instead of awhistle. He can also throw Pikmin using his mouth. Instead of being able tocharge orswarm Pikmin, he can dash forward in a "Rush", which damages and stuns enemies on impact while launching any Pikmin he is carrying at them.

Moss[edit]

Moss.

Main article:Moss.

A space dog named Moss fills Oatchi's role inOlimar's Shipwreck Tale, being one Olimar encountered in theBlossoming Arcadia on PNF-404. Like Oatchi, she can be taught skills that increase her damage and speed, as well as function like a secondary leader. However, she learns her skills asship parts are recovered rather than by exchangingPup Drive.

Collin[edit]

Collin.

Main article:Collin.

Collin is the communications operator of theRescue Corps. Although he is not playable inPikmin 4's Story Mode, the first player can choose to play as him in Dandori Battle mode.

Shepherd[edit]

Erma Shepherd.

Main article:Shepherd.

Erma Shepherd is the captain of the Rescue Corps. Like Collin, she is playable by the first player in Dandori Battle mode only.

Enemies as leaders[edit]

While not playable, several enemies have displayed leader-like traits, either through controlling the player's Pikmin or some equivalent to them.

Antenna Beetle[edit]

An Antenna Beetle using its wings to create a whistle sound to attract Pikmin.

Main article:Antenna Beetle.

The Antenna Beetles found inPikmin 2 are comparable to theHocotatian leaders in that they can controlPikmin with the sounds they produce, apparently by flapping their wings. This appears to affect Pikmin in a similar way to thewhistles of the other leaders. The only way to regain control of the captured Pikmin is to kill, stun, or chase away the Antenna Beetle. The Antenna Beetle's whistling range is notably larger than the leaders', without theMega Tweeter.

Puffstool[edit]

Main article:Puffstool.

The only enemy leader in the firstPikmin game is the Puffstool, who will shoot spores at Pikmin to infect them. These "Mushroom Pikmin" will follow the Puffstool around, and will chase Captain Olimar if he gets too close. Pikmin can be cured by either shaking them off or by killing the Puffstool.

Bulbmin[edit]

Main article:Bulbmin.

Bulbmin are Pikmin-Bulborb crosses that roam aroundcaves. They have a maximum of ten following Bulbmin. These Bulbmin do not do anything but follow their leader. The leader attacks by eating Pikmin just like normalBulborbs do, and when the player kills it, the followers will get frightened and run around in circles. These Bulbmin can becalled into the army, and act as additional Pikmin. They have immunities to the main four hazards, but the downside is that they cannot be taken out of caves. It is best to useCandypop Buds to convert them into other types of Pikmin which can be taken out of caves.

Spotty Bulbear[edit]

Main article:Spotty Bulbear.

InPikmin 2 andPikmin 3, Spotty Bulbears are awake and walk from place to place. It's common to findDwarf Bulbears following them around in a pack. If a mature Bulbear passes near some dwarfs, they will stop whatever they are doing and will start following. Besides that, these two creatures have no other interaction.

Scornet Maestro[edit]

The Scornet Maestro ordering the Scornets to attack the leader.

Main article:Scornet Maestro.

The Scornet Maestro is the fourth majorboss inPikmin 3 story mode. It can command up to 100Scornets at the same time and use them to attack with various formations. They also protect it. After one of its assaults, the Scornets will leave for a while, and the player will be able to attack the Maestro.

Queen Shearwig[edit]

Main article:Queen Shearwig.

The Queen Shearwig is the fifth boss fought inHey! Pikmin, in theTroop Commander area. As the name of the area implies, the Queen Shearwig is the commander of a troop ofShearwigs, which aid it in battle. These must be defeated in order to attack the Queen.

Moss[edit]

Main article:Moss.

Moss is a special enemy encountered in theHero's Hideaway before the player has opened the entrance toLeafy Showdown. She will roam the floors of Hero's Hideaway and attempt to collect any Pikmin she finds. If she manages to whistle the player's Pikmin, they will jump on her back as she carries them off. Similar to confusion, the Pikmin will have purple clouds around their stems and cannot be whistled. To free the Pikmin, the player must damage Moss enough until she starts to run away, which will make her drop the Pikmin.

Leafling Olimar[edit]

Main article:Leafling#Leafling Olimar.

InDandori Battle caves inPikmin 4, a red leafling commands Moss and his own group of Pikmin identical to how the player does: collectingtreasures, defeating enemies, and carrying those things to their ownOnion. This leafling is later revealed to beOlimar.

Louie[edit]

Main article:Louie.

After the Rescue Corps defeats Olimar inLeafy Showdown and cures him, Louie finds the abandoned Moss and takes over Olimar's role as a Dandori Battle opponent.

Gameplay differences between characters[edit]

Normally, all playable leader characters work exactly the same in terms of gameplay, making choosing a specific one a preference for the player.

However, inPikmin 2, Louie and the President are actually slightly taller than Olimar, which has a very slight impact in the gameplay. Clipping through the bridge near theGeographic Projection using theNapsack^[1] is considerably easier with Louie and the President, compared to Olimar. It can also be noted that in this game, themusic switches from straight eight notes when controlling Captain Olimar to swing time when controlling Louie or the President.

InPikmin 3, Brittany has a minor special role at theFormidable Oak since she's the one the Pikmin will initially follow. If she falls,Captain Charlie will take her place, and thenAlph. Charlie's frame is also larger, and when heholds on to another leader or Pikmin, they're actually a bit further outward than with Alph or Brittany. In the originalPikmin 3, this makes Captain Charlie ideal for releasing Pikmin or leadersthrough walls.

InPikmin 4,Oatchi's capabilities are vastly different from that of therookie Rescue Officer. Oatchi can jump, rush, dig, carry objects, and follow scents. Pikmin in Oatchi's squad will ride on his back rather than trailing behind him, allowing Oatchi to transport Pikmin safely across water, cold areas, andsizzling floors. However, Oatchi cannotcharge orswarm, and can only cross water and pluck Pikmin after being trained to do so. Oatchi also cannot use climbing walls, nor can he pass through iron bars or narrow tunnels.

Leader is down[edit]

When a leader loses all of theirhealth, they become unconscious. InPikmin, the day ends and allPikmin that aren't in anOnion die. In the main stories ofPikmin 2 andPikmin 3, this only occurs if all leaders faint; otherwise, the Pikmin that were with the fallen leader become idle, and the leader is moved to theHocotate ship or theS.S. Drake, where they stay until the end of theday. If a leader faints inPikmin 2'sChallenge Mode,Mission Mode, and theSide Stories, the mission or day will be aborted even if other leaders are still standing. If a player loses all of their health in2-Player Battle andBingo Battle, their opponent wins.

InPikmin, if Captain Olimar's suit takes too much damage, there will be acutscene with his space suit being electrified, then Olimar falling down. Eventually, the screen will turn black and white. The words "Olimar is down" will then appear on-screen and the day's journal will read as follows:

“I've been careless, sustaining damage beyond my space suit's limits. My crisis transport system saved me, but I lost all of the Pikmin I had with me. I must pay closer mind to my space suit damage meter in the bottom-left corner of the screen. I can press / by the Dolphin to repair my suit.”

InPikmin 4 if a leader runs out of health, they will be teleported to theS.S. Beagle (or theOnion duringDandori Battles), where they will slowly regain health. The other leader can stop the health regeneration and bring the leader back to life by pressing next to the knocked-out leader.

Gallery[edit]

• 

  Captain Olimar and the President of Hocotate Freight.

• 

  Artwork of Olimar fromPikmin.

• 

  Clay art of Louie.

• 

  Clay art of The President.

• 

  Alph waking up in the Tropical Wilds.

• 

  Brittany as seen from theKopPad in an early build of the game.

• 

  Captain Charlie in theDistant Tundra.

• 

  The leaders in anearlier E3 2012 build ofPikmin 3.

• 

  All three leaders fromPikmin 3.

• 

  Brittany pulling out a Red Pikmin, while standing next to the otherPikmin 3 leaders.

• 

  A montage showing every leader's silouhette. From left to right and top to bottom: The President, Alph, Brittany, Charlie, Louie, Captain Olimar.

• 

  The rookie Rescue Officer inPikmin 4.

• 

  Oatchi inPikmin 4.

Trivia[edit]

Concept art of the four leaders. The scrapped one is labeled with "D".

• Pikmin 3 was originally planned to havefour leaders, but the idea was later changed to three. The leaders in the concept art were labeled as A, B, C, and D. While A, B, and C were later worked into Alph, Brittany, and Charlie respectively, D went unused. It's commonly thought that D's name was meant to be Drake, and was later reworked into the Koppai explorer's spaceship, the S.S. Drake.
• Also inPikmin 3, leaders can lightly move small objects by repeatedly bumping into them. These objects includenectar eggs,Cupid's Grenades,Juicy Gaggles, and the smallest part ofCrimson Banquets. Objects can be pushed into theabyss using this method, but they merely reappear in their original location.

2 copies of Charlie on day 1.

• InPikmin 3 Deluxe, if theStory Mode is played with two players during a moment where only one leader should be playable, the second player will control an exact copy of that leader. The other player will appear translucent from the other person's perspective.
• Leaders are on occasion referred to as captains by players. This might be because the term is often used to refer to certain leaders in the games. In reality,Olimar,Charlie, andShepherd are the only known individuals to officially hold the title of Captain, and are referred to as such. Shepherd is notably too afraid of Pikmin to command them, making her a captain but not a leader outside the non-canonDandori Battle mode.
• ThePikmin 2 Nintendo Player's Guide uniquely refers to the leaders aspilots.
• InPikmin 2, by going to the large bridge in theValley of Repose with both leaders, if you wait for the nearbyWater Dumple to go under you and dismiss your secondary leader and walk away, then you can make the leader spin in place because idle leaders look at enemies, without taking the altitude into account. When an enemy like a Water Dumple is placed under prey, it'll attempt to get near it, but because it cannot go up, it will never stop moving, as it will never reach it. Because of the way creatures move, the Water Dumple will spin in place under their target. If the target is an idle leader, they'll watch them rotate, and in doing so, will spin in place.

Names in other languages[edit]

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	リーダー? Rīdā	Leader
Chinese (traditional)	領隊	Leader
Chinese (simplified)	领队	Leader
French	Meneur	Leader
German	Anführer	Leader
Italian	Leader	Leader
Korean	리더 lideo	Leader
Spanish	Líder	Leader

See also[edit]

• Mii, who fill the role of leaders inPikmin Adventure andPikmin Bloom
• Minor characters
• Pikmin family

References[edit]

• Pikmin 1
• Pikmin 2
• Pikmin 3
• Pikmin 4
• Hey! Pikmin
• Characters
• Leaders