Variety is reporting that Nintendo will premiere something called “Pikmin Short Movies” at the upcoming Tokyo International Film Festival. The film is animated, takes place in the Pikmin universe, and is produced by legendary Nintendo designer Shigeru Miyamoto. I love this idea already.
The film will be revealed via presentation, where Miyamoto is slated to be joined by Nobua Kawakami, the “producer-trainer” at Studio Ghibli. Ghibli is renowned for its animated movies in Japan, with its recently-retired founder Hayao Miyazaki often referred to as “the Japanese Walt Disney.” Clearly any collaboration with Ghibli, even just for a presentation, illustrates a mutual respect between Kawakami and Miyamoto.
The Pikmin movie is comprised of three shorts, each with separate titles. The first, called “The Night Juicer,” features Captain Olimar making his favorite flavor of juice, presumably with the help of Pikmin. The second is “Treasure in a Bottle,” in which Olimar and the Pikmin happen upon a strange treasure. The third, “Occupational Hazards,” portrays an adventure at a construction site. In true Pikmin fashion, each of these will presumably emphasize the teensy size of Olimar and the Pikmin; compared to humans and the objects in our world, they’re minuscule. It takes a half dozen Pikmin just to lift an apple.
The Tokyo International Film festival starts October 25th, so hopefully we’ll learn more about “Pikmin Short Movies” sometime around then. Personally, I think the idea is brilliant; Pikmin seems a perfect fit for a children’s show or short film, and the wonder of exploring the unknown (and, of course, the adorableness of actual Pikmin) are things I can totally envision myself enjoying in my younger years. Heck, I’ll probably enjoy it now. Miyamoto’s role as producer only cements my confidence that the final result will be, at the very least, interesting.