Louie
| Louie | |
|---|---|
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| Name | Louie |
| Gender | Male |
| Age | Unknown |
| Eye color | Hazel |
| Hair color | Blond |
| Home planet | Hocotate |
| Known related characters | Grandmother, aunt, father |
| Height | 2.1 cm (0.83 inches) |
| Voice actor | Kazumi Totaka |
| First game | Pikmin 2 |
| Latest game | Pikmin 3 Deluxe |
Louie (ルーイ?) is a secondary protagonist in the Pikmin series, serving as Olimar's partner and co-worker. He first appears in Pikmin 2 – the only game in which he is a playable character in Story Mode. In Pikmin 3, he stays at the Koppaites' ship after being saved, twice, and appears as Olimar's partner in Bingo Battle, as well as a playable character in some missions. In Pikmin 3 Deluxe, he once again accompanies Olimar as a second leader in the new Side Stories mode.
Louie is relatively new to the shipping business and has a ravenous appetite. He was raised by his grandmother, who encouraged him to play with bugs, as well as eat them – an activity he seems to partake while on PNF-404.
Personality and appearance[edit]
Physically, Louie has a single yellow tuft of hair and light yellow (beige) spacesuit, decorated with blue lines and blue gloves, like Olimar's spacesuit. Unlike Olimar, Louie is slightly lankier, his nose is rounder and slightly smaller, and his head is pear-shaped.
Louie is known to have a very ravenous appetite[1][2]. He has prepared many recipes for creatures on PNF-404, even attempting to eat creatures that may be inedible to his species. His notes on the Iridescent Glint Beetle suggest he wants to start his own cooking show, called "The Insect Gourmet!"[3]
Biography[edit]
Earlier life[edit]
As a child, he was quite skinny, and his grandmother always had him eat everything on his plate.[4] When he lived with his grandmother, he used to be forced to play on a hill behind their house, where she would make him eat plants and bugs[5], the latter of which kept nibbling on him.[6]
Olimar's return[edit]
Louie's first mission for Hocotate Freight was to transport a shipment of valuable golden pikpik carrots. In it, he was supposedly attacked by a ravenous space bunny, and the carrots were lost. The President of Hocotate Freight took out a giant loan to cover the losses of the carrots, and had no way to repay the debt other than sell off company assets. On Olimar's return to Hocotate, the President learns of the existence of treasure on PNF-404, and orders both Olimar and Louie to retrieve objects that can be sold for profit, in order to save the company. A few days after the departure, it is confirmed by a letter from the President that Louie has been working at Hocotate Freight for three months by that point.[7]
Paying Hocotate Freight's debt off[edit]
As Olimar and Louie head to the Valley of Repose at the start of Pikmin 2, Louie falls out of the cockpit, leaving Olimar alone. After making contact with the ship, Louie sets off to return to Olimar at the landing area. On the way, he discovers a Red Onion and cultivates some Pikmin sprouts, just as Olimar had done when he was stranded in the first game. The player can control Olimar or Louie, and using the latter, make him reach Olimar through the use of the loyal Red Pikmin. The two then proceed to retrieve the Courage Reactor, the first treasure of the game, effectively starting the adventure.
The debt is eventually payed off throughout the game, treasures being found in the Awakening Wood and the Perplexing Pool, as well as the Valley of Repose. After collecting 
× 10,000 worth of treasure, Olimar blasts off from the planet, noticing too late that Louie is left behind.
The Titan Dweevil[edit]
Olimar and the President of Hocotate Freight return to the planet to find Louie and gather more treasure. Louie aimlessly wanders around the planet for a bit, as seen in the credits roll of the game. Olimar and the President later find him in the Wistful Wild, hidden deep in the Dream Den, on top of the Titan Dweevil. They rescue him and send him to the ship's treasure hoard (since the cockpit is already full), calling him the King of Bugs.
It is unknown whether Louie was a captive of the Titan Dweevil, or in actuality controlling it. Some of the pieces of mail the player receives from Louie's grandmother reflect that he was made to play with bugs by his grandmother as a child, so he has a great deal of experience with them; therefore it is possible he had the ability to control the Titan Dweevil. This is heavily hinted at by the sales pitch on Louie, here denoted as the King of Bugs, which in itself implies this as well, and the fact that Dweevils naturally mimic the objects they carry. However, if Louie really was in control of the Titan Dweevil, it was still not him or the Titan Dweevil who attacked, but actually the treasures carried by the Titan Dweevil. Of note is that if Louie is rescued, but the weapons are not, the Dweevil will still be fully aggressive on the next trip to the sublevel. In addition, in the Titan Dweevil's Piklopedia entry, it is noted that the creature has a habit of picking up shiny objects – potentially including Louie's helmet or its antenna.
Louie's Dark Secret[edit]
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Warning: the following text contains major spoilers about an unlockable cutscene.
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Louie is actually the one responsible for the debt Hocotate Freight suffers. It was truly he who ate the load of golden Pikpik carrots. When he returned from his first mission, he falsified his report to the President, explaining that a "ravenous space bunny" ate all of the carrots. This is revealed in a cutscene, called "Louie's Dark Secret", unlocked by getting a pink flower for all 30 of the Challenge Mode levels, which is achieved by completing the stages without losing any Pikmin. |
Pikmin 3[edit]
In Pikmin 3, Louie makes his first appearance in a transmission received by the Koppaite explorers, who mistakenly assume him to be Olimar and set out to find him. After rescuing him from a swarm of Scornets, the Koppaites take him back to the S.S. Drake, and the ship labels him "Hocotatian". They then discover he has gone into a forced sleep caused by his suit; when he wakes up, he lands the Drake in the Garden of Hope while the crew sleeps, steals their juice supplies and the captain's rubber duck, and flees. In the process of fleeing, he manages to blow up a cinder-brick wall thus giving access to the second section of the Garden of Hope. It is currently unknown how he managed to do this.
Later, the Koppaites find Louie in the remains of the Quaggled Mireclops. They take him back to the ship and tie him up, retrieving the stolen items and interrogating him on the whereabouts of the actual Captain Olimar, once they learn his identity. The S.S. Drake now labels him "Food Thief". After Rescuing Olimar from the Plasm Wraith, they give Olimar and Louie a lift back to Hocotate. However, after taking off, Alph writes in a note that Louie has gone missing again. Still, the Koppaites do not show much interest in trying to rescue him, as Alph simply says that "I'm sure he will be fine..." He is confirmed to have returned to Hocotate with Olimar in Olimar's Comeback, possibly retconning his second disappearance.
In Olimar's secret logs[edit]
Louie is featured shortly in each of the expedition logs that the player can unlock by collecting every secret memo. He is usually seen being ambushed by some enemies, like the Peckish Aristocrab or some Scornets. In the last exploration log, he is seen running away before Captain Olimar gets kidnapped by the Plasm Wraith. He even said that he had a bad feeling about landing at the Formidable Oak. He appears to have fled to the Twilight River right after.
There is an unreleased video that was never announced by Nintendo and was kept as a secret. This one, unlike Olimar's logs, seems to take place during the Koppaites' hunt for fruit. In it, he explains how he stole the juice from the leaders and found the Wayward Moon, just before being kidnapped by the Quaggled Mireclops.
Mission Mode[edit]
Louie is an unlockable character in some Mission Mode levels, as of the December 2nd, 2013 DLC pack. Louie is always kidnapped by an enemy, and by carrying him back, the player will be able to play as him. He functions the same as any other character, and has a yellow background for his character icon on the bottom left. When saved, he will say something arrogant, like "Took you long enough!".
Hey! Pikmin[edit]
Louie is also briefly mentioned on Olimar's notes on the Crammed Wraith. He says how he wishes Louie was with him, so he could tell with his cooking skills if the creature is actually delicious.
In the Super Smash Bros. series[edit]
Louie appears as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. In addition, both games give Olimar an alternate costume with a blue color scheme, resembling Louie's attire. He also appears as a sticker in Brawl.
In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Louie appears as a primary spirit.
Brawl trophy[edit]
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Description:
“A new Hocotate Freight employee. Louie is responsible for Captain Olimar having to venture back to the Pikmin planet. On his first delivery, Louie was supposedly attacked by a space bunny that devoured his whole lot of pikpik carrots. Pushed to the verge of bankruptcy, Hocotate Freight takes out an enormous loan that Louie and Olimar set out to pay back.
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| How to obtain: Random appearance. | Type: Fighter Related | |
Smash 4 trophy[edit]
- 3DS
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 US description:
“Louie worked for Hocotate Freight in Pikmin 2. His appetite has gone into overdrive in Pikmin 3. Rescued from a swarm of Scornets by Alph and crew, Louie thanked them the next day by stealing all of the food they'd collected. Maybe he should work on his manners more than getting a meal...”
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 EU description:
“Louie was one of the main characters from Hocotate in Pikmin 2. In Pikmin 3, he's got a super appetite, to say the least. Alph and crew saved him from a swarm of Scornets, only for him to run off with all their food the very next day! It seems like someone should think a little less about food, and a little more about apologising.”
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| How to obtain: Random appearance. | Type: Series Related | |
- Wii U
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US description:
“Louie worked for Hocotate Freight in Pikmin 2. His appetite has gone into overdrive in Pikmin 3. Rescued from a swarm of Scornets by Alph and crew, Louie thanked them the next day by stealing all of the food they'd collected. Maybe he should work on his manners more than getting a meal...
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| EU description:
“Louie was one of the main characters from Hocotate in Pikmin 2. In Pikmin 3, he's got a super appetite, to say the least. Alph and crew saved him from a swarm of Scornets, only for him to run off with all their food the very next day! It seems like someone should think a little less about food, and a little more about apologising.
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| How to obtain: Random appearance. | Type: Series Related | Trophy Box: 62. Space Explorer | |
Naming[edit]
Louie's name is derived from Luigi's name, as Olimar's is derived from Mario's. The two bear other similarities as well, such as height differences.
Occasionally, Louie will mutter to himself "Olimar – ...Huh?...Olimar?", while idling in Pikmin 2. Luigi also says "Mario... Uh... Mario?" occasionally while wandering the mansion in Luigi's Mansion.
Names in other languages[edit]
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
 Japanese |
ルーイ? Rūi |
Louie |
 Dutch |
Louie | - |
 French |
Louie | - |
 German |
Louie | - |
 Italian |
Louie | - |
 Spanish |
Luis | From English name |
Gallery[edit]
Pikmin 2[edit]
Clay artwork of Louie.
Louie and a White Pikmin. This is the art used for his Super Smash Bros. Ultimate spirit.
Clay artwork of Louie with Captain Olimar.
Head to head two player action.
Artwork of Louie as he appears on top of the hoard of treasure, motionless.
Louie at the end of the credits in Pikmin 2.
Louie and the President in the intro cutscene of Pikmin 2.
Pikmin 3[edit]
An unconscious Louie atop the tree trunk on the Twilight River before he was captured by the Scornet Maestro.
Analysis of Louie in Pikmin 3.
Louie is lifted up by Winged Pikmin.
Louie as he appears in the Japanese version of Pikmin 3.
Louie in the Exploration Notes. This is the only instance of him in the whole series where he is depicted with purple.
Trivia[edit]
- In Pikmin 3, Brittany states that she was surprised to hear that Louie eats meat, due to Koppaites thinking that Hocotatians usually stick to a vegetable-only diet.
- In Pikmin 2, he only needs one Pikmin to carry him, when in Pikmin 3 he needs five.
- Louie can somehow cook creatures that are not salvageable for the ship, such as Bulborb Larvae and Pellet Posies.
- In the European version of Pikmin 3's Mission Mode, Louie refers to himself as Louis when being attacked by a creature ("Louis here... Waaah!"). As of now, it is unknown whether this is an alias of Louie, or simply the result of a misspelling or mistranslation.
- Olimar's voice is higher-pitched than Louie's, as seen in-game, during cutscenes, and even in Secret Files. However, this is not the case in a few cutscenes of Pikmin 3: when Louie breaks out of the S.S. Drake in the Garden of Hope, or when he interrupts Olimar with "Food!" during the ending cutscene, his voice is higher pitched than normal.
- In Pikmin 3, Louie uses the same whistle sound as all other leaders, and is still using his name call from Pikmin 2. This was later changed in Pikmin 3 Deluxe, where his whistle resembles the pea whistle from Pikmin 2, and his name call is a more generic grunt that vaguely sounds like his name.
See also[edit]
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Warning: the following text contains major spoilers about the end of the plot in Pikmin 2.
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External links[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ “Louie has become even more problematic. All he does is nod or shake his head. And yet he consumes three times the amount of food that I do. Not cool, Louie...not cool” – Captain Olimar in a Pikmin 3 Olimar's Log
- ^ “With Louie's help, we’ve collected a pretty good treasure haul so far. I just wish he’d stop eating every fruit he sees.” – Captain Olimar in a Olimar's Assignment Report
- ^ “This precious treat is exceptionally rare. I could sell it back at home for a fortune! Then, I could use the cash to upgrade my kitchen, buy galactic-class ingredients, and even star in my own cooking show... The Insect Gourmet!” – Louie in Louie's notes on the Iridescent Glint Beetle
- ^ “Louie! Are you eating well? When you were a boy, you were quite skinny, so I made you clean your plate. Be sure to cook suspicious food before eating it!” – Louie's grandmother in a letter
- ^ “At my age, reminiscing is wonderful. Louie, do you remember the hill behind our house? You hated to play outside, so I made you eat bugs and plants. Ah, memories...” – Louie's grandmother in a letter
- ^ “Louie, I sent you some of the preserved bug foods from home. You should share some with your company president. As a kid, bugs loved you so much. Always nibbling...” – Louie's grandmother in a letter
- ^ “Louie: It's been three months since you joined our company, and I'm sure you love it. I expect big things from you, Louie. Far bigger things than I expect from Olimar!” – The President in a letter
| Characters | |
|---|---|
| Leaders | Captain Olimar • Louie • The President • Alph • Brittany • Charlie |
| Ships | S.S. Dolphin • Hocotate ship • S.S. Drake • S.S. Dolphin II • SPERO |
| Other | Minor characters • Pikmin |