Hocotate ship
| Hocotate ship | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name | Hocotate ship |
| Age | Over 50 years old |
| Home planet | Hocotate |
| Known related characters | None |
| Height | Unknown |
| Voice actor | Kazumi Totaka (Pikmin 2[1]) |
| First game | Pikmin 2 |
| Latest game | Pikmin 3 Deluxe |
TheHocotate ship (ドルフィン初号機?, lit.: "S.S. Dolphin first model") (usually called simplythe ship) refers toHocotate Freight's company ship inPikmin 2. It is an old spaceship, being part of Hocotate Freight since the company's founding. Unlike theS.S. Dolphin, the Hocotate ship has an artificial intelligence built into it, which allows it to replace most ofOlimar's in-game speech and takes on the role of giving advice throughout the game. Olimar makes his opinion of its personality being pompous and quirky known inhis journal. It sports two cockpits and a detachable nose cone, where the speaker that its AI utilizes for speech is located.
Biography[edit]
History[edit]
This old Hocotate Freight ship was used when Hocotate Freight first opened.[2]. The ship has some visible dirt and rust damage on its hull, indicating it has been in use for quite some time; Olimar even talks about how it has many holes all over it. Olimar also mentions it once used to be a "top-of-the-line vessel", hinting that the Hocotate ship's design was mass-produced, before being taken off the market. According to the Japanese website forPikmin 2, the ship retired a few years before the events of the game took place. It wasn't sold due to it appearing to be nothing but junk, but it actually surpasses the capabilities of recent ships due to years of experience.
When Olimar returns from the Distant Planet, his ship is sold off, and the Hocotate Ship declares a souvenir Olimar brought back to be highly valuable. The President sends Olimar and Louie back to the planet to get more treasure, using the Ship as transportation. The Ship guides them throughout their journey, making use of Olimar's voyage log from the previous game according to the Japanese Website, although it seems not all the data could be recovered. The ship also uses various junk the President sent with his employees to create theExploration Kit. After the debt is paid off, it is given a golden paint job and is seemingly given a tune up, as it produces less noise when nearby.
InPikmin 3, the ship makes a small appearance in theGarden of Hope, just outside where the Quaggled Mireclops is fought. It is out-of-bounds, but it can be reached by throwing leaders on a split log, then throwing a leader onto the ledge. It is heavily damaged, stuck to the ground, and no longer has its golden paint job. The Koppaites assume that this was the Quaggled Mireclops' doing.[3] In a nearbydata file, Olimar mentions that the ship was once a top-of-the-line product, but he now dislikes it. The reason for that is a bit vague, since the data file changes betweenregions. In the US version, he claims the ship is an insult to his piloting skills,[4] but in the European version, claims the ship actively criticizes them.[5]
After Olimar is rescued by the Koppaites, he is soon sent back toPNF-404 to recover the Hocotate Ship alongside Louie. They find it in the Garden of Hope and begin collecting its scattered parts. These parts include theMain Engine,Chronos Reactor,Repair-type Bolt,Analog Computer, andNova Blaster. After the repairs, Olimar and Louie return to Hocotate, with the Pikmin watching the Hocotate Ship fly away.
The Ship is not seen or mentioned directly inPikmin 4, although Schnauz recites various sales pitches fromPikmin 2, and says he has heard the pitch for the Cupid's Grenade somewhere before. It is said that a popular treasure naming AI was co-authored by a famous treasure appraiser, likely being Schnauz. Schnauz also says the Citrus Lump's shape reminds him of a colleague, and as Olimar says it resembles the President's head inPikmin 2, it can be inferred that Schnauz and the President authored the Hocotate Ship's naming AI together.
Personality[edit]
The Hocotate ship is highly greedy and quirky. Sometimes, it comes up with false information abouttreasures in itssales pitches, solely to entice buyers to make money. The Hocotate ship also has an extreme hatred for bugs, which Olimar mentions multiple times in his notes,[6], as a pun on programming bugs. The Ship seems to show mild intrigue in PNF-404, telling Olimar to document the White Pikmin for "future generations" and becoming entranced by the wild Blue Pikmin.
The Hocotate ship also laments how it is a machine that cannot do any organic bodily functions[7] and that it lacks friends.[8] Regardless, the ship will often attempt to criticize Olimar on failing to do his duty properly, such as calling him when he has not attempted to use Louie onday 3[9] or pointing out flaws in his argument that theUniversal Com is actually a monitor.[10]
Capabilities[edit]
The Hocotate ship can storePikmin and treasures, and will house bothWhite Pikmin andPurple Pikmin once they are found. Unlike theS.S. Dolphin, theleaders cannot check how many treasures have been collected using it, nor can they restore their suit'sdamage meter, though it is stated inOlimar's notes for theToxic Toadstool that the ship's reactor can powerOlimar's andLouie's life support systems indefinitely, explaining the lack of a 30-day time limit that was present inthe previous game. Standing in the green light and pressing
/
before Purple Pikmin have been found does nothing. The ship has two cockpits, and is capable of deep space communication, sending a report each night toHocotate and receivingmail. To do this, it must be in orbit aroundPNF-404. The ship can dispatch its Research Pod for traveling underground.
Research Pod[edit]
When the leaders go into acave, the ship dispatches its nose cone, known as theResearch Pod, and sends it down to support them. Anything that thePikmin pick up will be carried to the Pod and stored in its hull until the player leaves the cave. On leaving a cave via ageyser, the treasure worth of these is added to the total.
If the player chooses to leave by selecting the option in thepause menu, the Pod will dispose alltreasures andcreatures that were collected and return to the surface with the leaders and Pikmin. This will happen automatically if all Pikmin on the sublevel die or both leaders are down, and cannot be stopped without resetting the game. The discarded treasures will be returned to the sublevels they were found in.
After the player pays off the debt and the ship is upgraded, a scratching noise can sometimes be heard when near the equally-upgraded research pod.
The Research Pod as shown in-game.
The Research Pod after the debt is repaid.
Sales pitch[edit]
When one complete "series" of treasures has been collected, the ship'ssales pitches become available. This is an advertisement for the treasure as if it were a product.
Example (Superstick Textile):
In other games[edit]
Pikmin Adventure[edit]
In theNintendo Land attractionPikmin Adventure, the ship is the goal point in every level. In the plaza, there is an unlockable statue of it calledThe Ship.
Monita's notes[edit]
Super Smash Bros. Brawl[edit]
- For info about the ship in the "End of Day" Final Smash, seeEnd of Day.
The ship appears inSuper Smash Bros. Brawl. During the beginning of a match, Olimar enters the stage in the ship and jumps out topluck three Pikmin. When Olimar uses his Final Smash, "End of Day", he hops in the ship whileBulborbs cause damage to his opponents. Olimar then crashes down back on the stage, sometimes further harming his opponents. In Adventure Mode: The Subspace Emissary, the ship appears in the "Outside the Ancient Ruins" stage, stuck in the background, indicating how Olimar got to the Isle of the Ancients. It somehow got off the island by itself, as Olimar is seen piloting the ship alongside a number of other aircrafts while entering Subspace. In theGreat Maze section of the Emissary, it appears in the background as part of the level's scenery, although this version of it is an illusion created by Tabuu. The ship also appears as a trophy and asticker.
Trophy information:
 | Description: “A battered old spaceship used when Hocotate Freight first opened. Its appraisal gauge analyzed garbage Olimar brought home and found it to be valuable. With his new ship sold off to pay company debts, Louie and Olimar flew this one back to the Pikmin world to find more treasure. The ship's removable research pod accompanied the adventurers when they ventured underground.
| |
| How to obtain: Found in a cube in the level "Outside the Ancient Ruins". | Type: Fighter Related | |
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U andSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate[edit]
 | This article or section is a short summary on the ship in theSmash series. |
- For info about the ship in the "End of Day" Final Smash, seeEnd of Day.
The ship retains most of itsBrawl appearances inSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, excluding the sticker andThe Subspace Emissary.
In addition, it appears inSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U andSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate asan item as well. However, it is not the actual ship, but rather a bomb disguised as it. When placed on the ground, it lifts off after a delay and then drops unexpectedly, causing it to explode and damage anyone near said explosion except for the user.
Trophy information on the 3DS:
 |  US description:“With the outward appearance of a Hocotate Freight ship, this is actually a bomb in disguise! Arm it by throwing it on the ground, and give it a nudge if you're impatient. It'll fly up into the sky, returning a short time later and exploding. Force your foes into the landing zone!” | |
 EU description:“The flagship of Hocotate Freight has been reinvented as...a bomb! To arm it, throw it, then wait. Or give it a nudge – up to you. It'll shoot up in the air, then after a bit, fall back down to its starting point and go off. Try to remember where it was set off – you really don't want to get caught in the blast.” | ||
| How to obtain: Random appearance. | Type: Item | |
Trophy information on the Wii U:
 | US description: “With the outward appearance of a Hocotate Freight ship, this is actually a bomb in disguise! Arm it by throwing it on the ground, and give it a nudge if you're impatient. It'll fly up into the sky, returning a short time later and exploding. Force your foes into the landing zone!
| ||
| EU description: “The flagship of Hocotate Freight has been reinvented as...a bomb! To arm it, throw it, then wait. Or give it a nudge – up to you. It'll shoot up in the air, then after a bit, fall back down to its starting point and go off. Try to remember where it was set off – you really don't want to get caught in the blast.
| |||
| How to obtain: Random appearance. | Type: Item | Trophy Box: 62. Space Explorer | |
Super Mario Galaxy[edit]
Super Mario Galaxy has two planets shaped very similarly to the Hocotate ship, one located in theSpace Junk Galaxy and the other in theGhostly Galaxy (the latter cannot be accessed). It is likewise a rusted red color.
Profiles[edit]
Pikmin 2 Japanese website[edit]
Text
Translation
Pikmin personality test[edit]
Text
“あなたの性格は…
ドルフィン初号機です。
表面的には、やかましいぐらいおしゃべり。
でも、じつは心の中はちょっとドライ。”Translation
“Your personality is…
the ship.
On the surface, you're chatty to the point of being loud.
However, you're a little cold on the inside.”Naming[edit]
Official name and naming errors[edit]
The official name of this ship is quite the conundrum. While simply called "the ship",[11] "my ship",[12] "our ship"[13] or "the Hocotate ship"[14][15] in the English versions ofPikmin 2 andPikmin 3, in the Japanese games the ship is in fact referred to as "S.S. Dolphin first model". Since theoriginal S.S. Dolphin (ドルフィン号?) and this ship (ドルフィン初号機?) both have "Dolphin" in their Japanese name, a number of errors arise. Possibly attributed to different translators unfamiliar withPikmin or simple oversights, the Hocotate ship is sometimes called "the S.S. Dolphin" when it should be "the Hocotate ship" or "the ship".
For example, in theSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U trophy, it's stated that Olimar boards "the S.S. Dolphin" for his Final Smash, however he is in fact boarding the Hocotate ship. This mistake is not present in the Japanese version.
InPikmin 3'sSecret Files, Olimar consistently refers to himself as the captain of the S.S Dolphin (ドルフィン号?) – while an initial assumption would be that he is talking about the original S.S. Dolphin from the first game, he is more likely referring to the Hocotate ship. This explains why, inLouie's Secret File, he claims to be a crew member of the S.S. Dolphin, despite having never set foot on it – he is talking about the Hocotate ship. This would makePikmin 3 the first instance in the series where the Hocotate Ship is referred to explicitly as the "S.S Dolphin".
There are other times when the ship is referred to inPikmin 2, but none of those end up giving it a proper name. In the manual, it is referred to as "the old ship",[16] "your ship",[17] "the ship",[18] etc. In thepause menu inPikmin 2, the numbers of storedWhite andPurple Pikmin are listed in a section called "Rocket". InSuper Smash Bros. Brawl, a non-canon game, the trophy for the rocket calls it "Hocotate Ship", although the "S" is uppercase.
Other names given include:
- Hocotate Freight ship: Mentioned in the intro cutscene forOlimar's Comeback.
- In the Italian version ofPikmin 3 Deluxe, the ship is referred as "The Dolphin Prototype" inOlimar's Comeback, reflecting it's Japanese name.
Because of how hard it is to know the ship's canon name, most fans call the ship "Hocotate ship", "Hocotate Freight ship", or "the ship", depending on the game, the version, and their own preferences.
Internal and prototype names[edit]
The ship is identified as "Dolphin 1" in the prototype version ofPikmin 2's script.[19] Similarly, its internal name inSuper Smash Bros. Brawl's files isDolfin. The internal name insidePikmin 2 andPikmin 3's files isufo.
Other names[edit]
As asticker inSuper Smash Bros. Brawl, the vessel is referred to as "Olimar and Louie's Ship". InSuper Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, the ship is made into an item, but is called "Hocotate Bomb" instead. This is naturally just the name of the item itself, and not the ship in thePikmin games.
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
 Japanese | ドルフィン初号機? Dorufin Shogouki | S.S. Dolphin first model | |
 French | Vaisseau | Ship | |
 Italian | Astronave Hocotate Prototipo della Dolphin (Pikmin 3 Deluxe only) | Hocotate Spaceship Dolphin prototype | "Dolphin prototype" is a literal translation of the Japanese name |
 Korean | 돌핀 초호기 Dolpin Chohogi |
Research Pod
| Language | Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japanese | 探査ポッド? Tansa Poddo | Exploration Pod | It is the same name as theS.S. Dolphin II's exploration pod |
 German | Forschungsgondel | Research gondola | |
| Italian | Capsula di ricerca | Research Pod | |
| Korean | 탐사 포트 Tamsa Poteu | ||
 Spanish | Módulo de exploración | Exploration module |
Gallery[edit]
Clay artwork of the Hocotate ship fromPikmin 2.
Wallpaper of the Hocotate ship fromPikmin 2.
2D artwork of the Hocotate ship fromPikmin 2.
2D artwork of the Research Pod fromPikmin 2.
The Hocotate ship inPikmin 2's Debt Repayment Cinema.
The Hocotate ship in thePerplexing Pool.
The ship once the debt has been repaid, in the Perplexing Pool.
The sofa and television inside of the golden ship's passenger cockpit.
The TV's animated screen.
Texture used for the holographic panels that appear when the active leader is able to put in or pull out Purple and/or White Pikmin.
Side view of the wrecked ship.
Back view of the wrecked ship.
The ship'sMain Engine inFirst Part Found.
The ship'sChronos Reactor inAnother Part Found.
The ship'sAnalog Computer inThe Ship Restored.
The ship'sNova Blaster in The Ship Restored.
The ship'sRepair-type Bolt in The Ship Restored.
The Hocotate ship in the endingcutscene ofOlimar's Comeback.
Captain Olimar walking into the Hocotate ship inSuper Smash Bros. Brawl.
The Hocotate ship flying off inSuper Smash Bros. Brawl, as part of Olimar's Final Smash.
The angel logo on the Hocotate ship's sides, as seen inSuper Smash Bros. Brawl.
Trivia[edit]
- The trophy inSuper Smash Bros. for Wii U listsPikmin as one of the games the ship appeared in, which isincorrect – it made its debut inPikmin 2.
- The passenger cockpit in the golden version of the Hocotate ship has a sofa and a television for the President. This can be barely seen by manipulating thecamera. That said, its screen pulsates between a dark shade and a strong cyan, but this effect cannot be seen from the glass due to the way the game is rendered. By moving the camera inside, for instance, with an emulator, one can see the pulsating effect in action.
- InOccupational Hazards, the Research Pod does not use its speaking noises fromPikmin 2, but rather uses the same speaking noises that theS.S. Drake does.
- InLouie's Dark Secret, Louie pilots the Hocotate ship when tasked with delivering the golden pikpik carrots.
- Three of the Hocotate ship's parts are worth a combined
× 2000 inThe Ship Restored.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^Development staff interview forPikmin 2 on Wayback Machine
- ^“A battered old spaceship used when Hocotate Freight first opened. Its appraisal gauge analyzed garbage Olimar brought home and found it to be valuable. With his new ship sold off to pay company debts, Louie and Olimar flew this one back to the Pikmin world to find more treasure. The ship's removable research pod accompanied the adventurers when they ventured underground.” – trophy description inSuper Smash Bros. Brawl
- ^“And I suppose that fuselage we saw must have been the remains of Olimar and Louie's ship. Seems like that huge monster really did a number on it, though...” – Alph incheck in conversation
- ^“Curse that Hocotate ship. It may once have been a top-of-the-line vessel, but it's now an insult to my piloting. I can't wait to pay off that debt and get back in my beloved S.S. Dolphin. But that means I need to find something really valuable before I return home...” – Captain Olimar in Journal Entry #1 in the US version
- ^“Curse this stupid ship! It may once have been a top-of-the-line vessel, but the way it criticises my piloting skills really gets on my nerves. I can't wait to get my beloved old SS Dolphin back! I need to find plenty of valuable treasure and pay that debt off as soon as possible!” – Captain Olimar in Olimar's diary #1 in the European version
- ^“This item came from the personal treasure hoard of a massive Pikmin-devouring spider. The whole cave was crawling with all kinds of fearsome creatures. I decided to name that eerie cave the Citadel of Spiders. The ship can't stand bugs... Whenever I ask it to store a specimen for salvage, it threatens to stage a mutiny.” – Captain Olimar in his notes forThe Key
- ^“You are both drooling... I wish, just once, I could feel what it is like to drool.” – Hocotate ship in the last line of its monolog for theGlutton's Kitchen
- ^“You've collected theExplorer's Friend Series. Everyone has friends...except for spaceships.” – Hocotate ship in its announcement for theExplorer's Friend Series
- ^“This is the first time you have heard this? Olimar! Remember to properly train new employees!” – Hocotate ship in day 3 inPikmin 2 when the player has not attempted to play as Louie for some time
- ^“From the shape of it, I've concluded that this is some kind of data transmission monitor. However, Louie and the ship keep telling me that I'm way off target. I told them, "If I'm so wrong, what do you think it is? I don't see you suggesting any alternatives!" They're just being negative. I'm going with my gut feeling on this one.” – Captain Olimar in his notes for the Universal Com
- ^“This sumptuous nugget may look delicious, but internal scans indicate a parasitic infestation! The ship can't stand to even look at these pests, let alone store them. But I had to put my foot down on this one.” – Captain Olimar inOlimar's journal for theInsect Condo
- ^“My ship can't analyze taste, so I've taken that burden upon myself. It's a rough job, but it's up to the captain to step up and volunteer for the most grueling duties. Mmm... Tastes... Good. I could eat this treat endlessly. I'd better test that hypothesis...” – Captain Olimar inOlimar's journal for theDiet Doomer
- ^“This dubious morsel doesn't look like it would be very agreeable with my innards. However, I bet Louie would try a bite. His appetite is insatiable...and he's always cooking up tasty meals! I'm glad that on this expedition, our ship's reactor can power our life-support systems indefinitely. This will give us all the time we need to thoroughly examine all of the treasure we recover. I don't care if the president wants us to hurry. I've had enough of his hassling! I think I'll move more slowly just to cause him indigestion.” – Captain Olimar inOlimar's journal for theToxic Toadstool
- ^“Curse that Hocotate ship. It may once have been a top-of-the-line vessel, but it's now an insult to my piloting. I can't wait to pay off that debt and get back in my beloved S.S. Dolphin. But that means I need to find something really valuable before I return home...” – Captain Olimar inhis log in the American version ofPikmin 3
- ^“We found the Hocotate ship! Well...part of it. It looks like the ship suffered severe damage and its pieces were scattered here and there. This all feels very familiar, but there's no time to wallow in nostalgia. We have to recover those parts and get them back to base before the indigenous life on this planet does who-knows-what with them.” – Captain Olimar inOlimar's Comeback
- ^“When I told him about the fate of his ship, he dropped the curious souvenir he was holding. The old ship's sensors went wild!” – the President in the backstory, on the instruction manual ofPikmin 2
- ^“There are no purple or white Onions. These Pikmin are housed inside your ship.” – the instruction manual inPikmin 2
- ^“To order your Pikmin to carry a treasure back to the ship, throw your Pikmin at it or command them to move into it with the C Stick.” – the instruction manual inPikmin 2
- ^“According to my research, this is an acoustic-interference motherboard. I should install this on the Dolphin 1. It might shut him up for a while. Then again, if it learned to override the hardware, it could become more annoying than ever!”, Proto:Pikmin 2/Treasure Hoard Entries on The Cutting Room Floor
 | This article was afeatured article from August 29th to October 10th, 2008. | |