Template:Infobox leader
- "You found your first bit of treasure. Fine work! Our future depends on your efforts, so check you treasure hoard regularly. I'll check in often. Keep up the pace!"
- — Quote from one of the President's emails in Pikmin 2
The Company President Captain of Hocotate Freight (ホコタテ運送のキャプテン社長) is the owner of Hocotate Freight and tritagonist of Pikmin 2, who was first mentioned in Pikmin. He runs into financial trouble after Louie, a new employee, shipping a supply of very valuable Golden Pikpik Carrots, is reportedly attacked by a ravenous space bunny, who is said to have eaten 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 x10,100 are still owed.
This, occurring after the events of 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 "vacation" for his son. The souvenir, a bottle cap, is collected by the ship, which then evaluates the item as a treasure and worth x100, reducing the debt to an even x10,000.
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 inadvertently used was the All-Devouring Black Hole Loan Sharks, as opposed to Happy Hocotate Savings and Loan, and goes into hiding.
Spoiler warning: Plot or ending details follow.
After you erase the debt, Louie is left behind on the planet, and the President goes to help Olimar find him (albeit while collecting the planet's remaining treasure). When switching to him while playing after that, he calls himself "shachō" which is the Japanese term for "company president" (although it's commonly mistaken as "Schyaco", "Syecho", etc.). He becomes a playable character from then on, and takes Louie's place as a Pikmin leader. When Louie is recaptured, Louie doesn't become a leader again, rather a treasure in the Treasure Hoard. In Other Pikmin GamesAside from Pikmin 2, the president is mentioned in Pikmin and Pikmin 3. In Pikmin, Olimar references him in various entries for ship parts and daily logs. In this game, he is simply referred to as "Boss", more specifically Olimar's Boss. In Pikmin 3, The President has more appearances than in Pikmin. He is seen in various different Data Files explaining controls and other things. Oddly, he has an Orange Suit in the Files, where he has a black suit with a Yellow Backpack in Pikmin 2. He also makes a cameo appearance as a snowman in the Distant Tundra, in which the nose is an Iron Ball which can be pushed out of place. He is referenced by Olimar in his various log entries. The President also appears in Bingo Battle as a "Give it a Spin!" Item. Traits and AbilitiesThe President displays many of the same abilities of Olimar and Louie. Strangely, even though Louie had his spacesuit on with all the upgrades that the player had acquired at the end of the game, the President's spacesuit displays all of these power-ups. This spacesuit consists of the suit he wore while on Hocotate (suggesting that it is airtight), and a helmet. His life-support backpack is a golden color. His whistle sounds more like a car horn than a whistle. His spacesuit antenna beacon bears the same blue light as Louie's helmet. |
Spoilers end here.
Family
The only known family member is his wife, who occasionally emails him in after the debt is repaid in Pikmin 2. She often nags the President, calling herself the real boss of Hocotate Freight and claiming that she does all the work while he slacks off. Although she comes off as cold, she works hard to keep hocotate freight afloat and reveals that she actually respects the President after all of the treasure is collected.
Notes
Brawl Trophy
- "The president of Hocotate Freight. After venturing into space in his youth, he made a shipping company. When it almost collapses after Louie's incident, and Olimar comes back from the Pikmin planet, the president discovers the outstanding value of Olimar's souvenir. He then sends his employees back to collect valuable treasures. His treatment of employees is questionable."
- — Trophy Description in Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Trivia
- According to Olimar's Voyage Notes, the President is in charge of the Pilot's Union.
- At the Distant Tundra in Pikmin 3, the President makes a cameo as some sticks, leaves and an iron ball in a snowy wall.
- It is possible that Olimar and Louie make up most if not all of his employees, at least during Pikmin 2, due to the fact that Olimar is called his "only employee of any merit" and because of this e-mail from the president: "Yet another lonely day at the office. I have nothing to do here, so I'm just counting the hairs on my head. Like my employees, I have precious few left..."
- In Pikmin 3, Olimar states in his notes that The President was on vacation at a beach.
- In the expedition logs that can be unlocked by finding every secret memo in Pikmin 3, Olimar reveals that Hocotate Freight's second debt was caused by one of the President's failed business ventures. This also reveals that the President is always trying to expand his company.
- In Pikmin 3's Bingo Battle mode there is an item called the Lucky Marble that appears to be a golden sculpture of the President's head. When collected or obtained from a cherry it will fill in an unavailable spot on your bingo board.
- The President does not appear to treat his employees very well, based off of some of Olimar and Louie's notes and logs, and the fact that he spent close to no time on the topic of Louie having gone missing after the debt is paid in Pikmin 2. However, he did give Olimar a large bonus after he cleared Hocotate Freight's first debt.
- After about 14 days straight of no treasure collected, the President will send some interesting mail, showing how he is suspicious of Louie's Story.
- In Pikmin 3, the data file "Throwing Leaders" depicts Olimar, Louie, and the President throwing each other to get a cherry.
- When switching to his character in Pikmin 2, he will say ”Sachō” which means ‘leader‘ or ‘boss’ in Japanese.
- According to this official Nintendo page detailing secrets of Pikmin 2, the President's real name is Le Chachō (ル・チャチョー).
Gallery
[Edit] Characters
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Leaders | Captain Olimar • Louie • The President • Alph • Brittany • Charlie • Pikmin 4 player character |
Rescue Corps | Oatchi • Collin • Shepherd • Russ • Dingo • Yonny • Bernard |
Ships | S.S. Dolphin • Hocotate Ship • S.S. Drake • S.S. Dolphin II • SPERO • S.S. Beagle • S.S. Shepherd |
Minor characters | Bulbie • Olimar's daughter • Olimar's son • Olimar's wife |
Other | Castaway • Leafling • Moss • Pikmin |