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To do: Create a history section, and add a spoiler tag. Also, elaborate further on its personality.
Care to do so?
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The Hocotate ship (ドルフィン初号機?, lit.: "S.S. Dolphin first model") (usually called simply the ship) refers to Olimar's new rocket in Pikmin 2. It is the President's ship and the first ship Hocotate Freight had, being part of the company since its very beginnings. Unlike the S.S. Dolphin, the Hocotate ship is capable of speech, replacing most of Olimar'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 in his notes. It sports two cockpits and a detachable pod, where its speaker is located.
Biography[edit]
History[edit]
Warning: the following text contains major spoilers.
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The ship has some visible dirt and rust damage on its hull, indicating it has been in use for quite some time. Olimar mentions it once used to be a "top-of-the-line vessel", hinting that the Hocotate ship's design was probably mass-produced, before being taken off the market.
After the debt in Pikmin 2 is repaid, the ship is upgraded in appearance and turns gold.
In Pikmin 3, the ship is seen wrecked, probably from the Quaggled Mireclops and is shown without its golden hull, indicating the hull was probably sold off.
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Personality[edit]
The Hocotate ship is highly greedy and quirky. Sometimes, it makes up lies about treasures in its sales 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.[1]
The Hocotate ship also laments how it is a machine that cannot do any organic bodily functions[2] and that it lacks friends.[3] 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 on day 3[4] or pointing out flaws in his argument that the Universal Com is actually a monitor.[5]
Capabilities[edit]
The Hocotate ship can store Pikmin and treasures, and will house both White Pikmin and Purple Pikmin once they are found. Unlike the S.S. Dolphin, the leaders cannot check how many treasures have been collected using it, nor can they restore their suit's damage meter. 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 to Hocotate and receiving mail. To do this it must be in orbit around PNF-404. The ship can dispatch a Research Pod for traveling underground.
Research Pod[edit]
When the leaders go into a cave, the ship dispatches its nose cone, known as the Research Pod, and sends it down to support them. Anything that the Pikmin pick up will be carried to the Pod and stored in its hull until the player leaves the cave. On leaving a cave via a geyser, the treasure worth of these is added to the total.
If the player chooses to leave by selecting the option in the pause menu, the Pod will dispose all treasures and creatures 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 turns gold after the debt is repaid.
Sales pitch[edit]
When one complete "series" of treasures has been collected, the ship's sales pitches become available. This is an advertisement for the treasure as if it were a product.
Example (Superstick Textile):
“The latest must-have item for all ship emergency-repair kits, this miracle fabric is a lifesaver! Its adhesive power is so great, once it's applied, it can never be removed... Not even surgically!”
Pikmin 3[edit]
Warning: the following text contains major spoilers.
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 Closeup of the wrecked ship in Pikmin 3. In Pikmin 3, the ship makes a small appearance in the Garden 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 missing its golden paint job. The Koppaite leaders assume that this was the Quaggled Mireclops' doing.[6] In a nearby data 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 between regions. In the US version, he claims the ship is an insult to his piloting[7], but in the European version, claims the ship actively criticizes his piloting skills.[8]
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Olimar's Comeback[edit]
After returning to Hocotate, Olimar and Louie are sent back to PNF-404 by the President to retrieve the ship. With the Pikmin's help, its parts are recovered, allowing it to be repaired and brought back to Hocotate.
In other games[edit]
Pikmin Adventure[edit]
The ship as seen in the
Nintendo Land Plaza.
In the Nintendo Land attraction Pikmin Adventure, the ship is the goal point in every level. In the plaza, there is a statue of it called The Ship.
Monita's Notes[edit]
US version:
“This is the ship that Olimar piloted during his legendary employment at Hocotate Freight. This one doesn't actually speak, though, which is probably best for everyone.”
European version:
“A replica of the ship that Olimar piloted during his employment at Hocotate Freight. This one doesn't actually speak, though, which is probably best for everyone.”
Super Smash Bros. Brawl[edit]
For info about the ship in the "End of Day" Final Smash, see End of Day.
The ship appears in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. During the beginning of a match, Olimar enters the stage in the ship and jumps out to pluck three Pikmin. When Olimar uses his Final Smash, "End of Day", he hops in the ship while Bulborbs cause damage to his opponents. Olimar then crashes down back on the stage, sometimes further harming his opponents. In the Subspace Emissary, Olimar's ship is seen along with a number of other airborne vehicles in the attempt to enter Subspace as well as the beginning of the level Outside the Ruins. In the Great Maze section of the Emissary, it appears in the background as part of the level's scenery. The ship also appears as a trophy and a sticker.
Trophy information:
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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.
 Pikmin 2”
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| How to obtain: Found in a cube in the level "Outside the Ancient Ruins".
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Type: Fighter Related
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Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate[edit]
The Hocotate Bomb item in
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U.
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This article or section is a short summary on the ship in the Smash series.
SmashWiki features more in-depth content.
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For info about the ship in the "End of Day" Final Smash, see End of Day.
The ship retains most of its Brawl appearances in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, excluding the sticker and Subspace Emissary.
In addition, it appears in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as an item as well. However, it is not the real 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 anybody but the launcher.
Trophy information on the 3DS:
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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!”
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| 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.”
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| How to obtain: Random appearance.
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Type: Item
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Trophy information on the Wii U:
Super Mario Galaxy[edit]
Super Mario Galaxy's version of the ship.
Super Mario Galaxy has two planets shaped very similarly to the the Hocotate ship, one located in the Space Junk Galaxy and the other in the Ghostly Galaxy (the latter cannot be accessed). It is likewise a red, rusted color.
Official name and naming errors[edit]
The official name of this ship is quite the conundrum. While simply called "the ship"[9], "my ship"[10], "our ship"[11] or "the Hocotate ship"[12][13] in the English versions of Pikmin 2 and Pikmin 3, in the Japanese games the ship is in fact referred to as "S.S. Dolphin first model". Since the original 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 with Pikmin 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 the Super 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.
An interesting possible oversight is found in Pikmin 3: in the Secret Files Olimar states that he is the captain of the S.S. Dolphin – normally players would assume that he is talking about the original S.S. Dolphin from the first game, however knowing this information it becomes apparent that he could in fact be talking about this ship. This explains why in Louie's secret file he presents himself as a crew member of the S.S. Dolphin. It makes more sense to assume that Olimar is talking about being captain of the Dolphin he is currently piloting and not the one that was sold and is no longer his, and for Louie to consider himself a crew member of the only Dolphin he has boarded. However if this is true, Pikmin 3 would be the first time the Hocotate ship is referred to as "S.S. Dolphin" by the characters, mainly Olimar, possibly meaning that the way they refer to this ship was retconned in Pikmin 3. If this is the case, the mistake in the Secret Files comes from the localization's side. If they were in fact talking about the original S.S. Dolphin then the mistake comes from the Japanese version, given that Louie has never boarded the rocket from the first game in the series.
There are other times when the ship is referred to in Pikmin 2, but none of those end up giving it a proper name. In the manual, it is referred to as "the old ship"[14], "your ship"[15], "the ship"[16], etc. In the pause menu in Pikmin 2, the numbers of stored White and Purple Pikmin are listed in a section called "Rocket". In Super 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:
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 of Pikmin 2's script.[17] Similarly, its internal name in Super Smash Bros. Brawl's files is Dolfin. The internal name inside Pikmin 2 and Pikmin 3's files is ufo.
Other names[edit]
As a sticker in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the vessel is referred to as "Olimar and Louie's Ship". In Super 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 the Pikmin games.
Gallery[edit]
The angel seen on the ship's side.
Wallpaper of the Hocotate ship from Pikmin 2.
In the ending cutscene for Pikmin 2.
Brittany finds the Hocotate ship in the ground in Pikmin 3.
Side view of the wrecked ship.
Back view of the wrecked ship.
The ship flies off in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, as part of Olimar's Final Smash.
The sofa and television inside of the co-pilot's cockpit.
The TV's texture is animated.
Texture used for the holographic panel when a leader gets close.
- The trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U lists Pikmin as one of the games the ship appeared in, which is incorrect – it made its debut in Pikmin 2.
- The co-pilot's cockpit in the golden version of the ship has a sofa and a television for the President. This can be barely seen by manipulating the camera. 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.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ “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 for The 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 the Glutton's Kitchen
- ^ “You've collected the Explorer's Friend Series! Everyone has friends...except for spaceships.” – Hocotate ship in its announcement for the Explorer's Friend Series
- ^ “This is the first time you have heard this? Olimar! Remember to properly train new employees!” – Hocotate ship in day 3 in Pikmin 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
- ^ “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 in check 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 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 in Olimar's journal for the Insect 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 in Olimar's journal for the Diet 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 in Olimar's journal for the Toxic 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 in his log in the American version of Pikmin 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 in Olimar'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 of Pikmin 2
- ^ “There are no purple or white Onions. These Pikmin are housed inside your ship.” – the instruction manual in Pikmin 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 in Pikmin 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
