Of Pikmin 4 Officially revealed in September’s Nintendo Direct, players have already begun to speculate what the upcoming game’s story might hold and, in particular, how the fans’ umibozu theory might connect from Japanese folklore. Despite its cute charm and unassuming design, Pikmin series has had quite a few strange and disturbing revelations, ranging from Louie possibly piloting the Titan Dweevil to PNF-404 as a future version of Earth. So it’s not surprising that fans have been able to find all kinds of weird details about Pikmin, especially between Pikmin and vengeful spirits.
Built over the three Pikmin games, the umibozu theory is based on the yokai of the same name. Basically, umibozu are the ghosts of drowned priests who manifest themselves in calm oceans. Their appearance quickly makes the weather stormy and the waves caused by their sudden rise can capsize or even destroy ships. So it’s undeniably odd to associate umibozu with a fun game of iconic inch-tall astronauts roaming a garden, but the deeper players dig into the theory, the more the connections take shape.
How Pikmin and Umibozu Connect
The umibozu theory arose somewhat retrospectively, as it was after Pikmin 2 and further enhanced by Pikmin 3 when fans started connecting the dots between the games. The theory started with a focus on the Japanese names of Pikmin’s most memorable enemies, the Waterwraith and Plasm Wraith seen in Pikmin 2 and 3 respectively. The name “Amebouzu” given to both is a portmanteau of amoeba and, of course, umibozu. Fans catalyzed with possible hints to the origin and purpose of these strange creatures, they began to dig deeper into the Wraiths and how they made the bigger picture of Pikmin.
Small details in the game were scrutinized to reveal even more connections to umibozu, with the most prominent example being how often ships seem to crash on PNF-404. Example, in Pikmin Olimar’s ship is hit by a meteorite, in Pikmin 2 he misses hitting another meteorite that could have done the same thing, and in Pikmin 3 the SS Drake inexplicably malfunctions and crashes. Since umibozu is known to intentionally shipwreck captains to capture or kill them, the theory suggests that the Wraiths target Olimar and his Pikmin for an unknown reason and deliberately crash passing ships.
in one of Pikmin 3’s four endings, this involvement is actually ‘confirmed’. The best ending, achieved when the player has obtained all 66 fruits, implies that the Drake’s malfunction that caused the crash may not have been accidental at all. While it’s not explicitly stated whether the Wraiths caused this or if it was just an accident, the eerie link between this and the umibozu only bolsters the theory. Of Pikmin 4 on the horizon, the question on these fans’ minds now is how the umibozu will manifest itself this time around.
How to connect Pikmin 4 and Umibozu
Details about Pikmin 4’s lots are currently scarce. Currently, it looks like players are returning to PNF-404, but whether Olimar will make an appearance remains to be seen, as early depictions show a possible Brittany of Pikmin 3 or a new female character fending off a bulborb. Despite this, as Olimar remains the series’ most iconic character and an integral part of the umibozu theory, fans are confident that he will somehow play a part in the game, either as another protagonist or in another minor supporting role such as Pikmin 3.
In terms of plot, Pikmin has always relied on fairly humble stories in which players are tasked with recovering collectibles, from ship parts to fruit, so even despite Pikmin 4’s ten-year break, the game is unlikely to be any different. However, all games have dark undertones, and with Pikmin 3 Going beyond any previous world and knowledge building games, the sequel should be on track to raise the bar. Since the Plasm Wraith has been shown to survive the boss battlePikmin 4 can continue this ideal opportunity to better investigate the origins and intentions of the Wraiths.
So far there are only two known Wraiths, leading fans to believe that the Waterwraith evolved into the Plasm Wraith, although this is loose speculation based on details such as a shared appearance and invincibility. However, this invincibility is connected with something Pikmin 4 could finally tackle. In-game dialogue for the Waterwraith implies that it is an interdimensional entity, hence it is possible that the Plasm Wraith is conventionally hard to defeat. Since they come from another dimension, this could also help explain their supernatural ability to crash ships, much like the umibozu spirits.
With the Plasm Wraith still alive on PNF-404 and players returning to the planet, it’s possible they could come face to face with the strange entity again. Between the different shapes seen before, Pikmin 4 could probably see a new or even third phase in the evolution of the Wraith. Plus, since the series has only teased its umibozu ties thus far, Pikmin 4 should finally investigate the Wraiths in more detail and confirm where they come from, how they ended up on PNF-404 and how this could be related to the fate of humanity, or what they ultimately want from Olimar.
Pikmin 4 will be released exclusively for Nintendo Switch in 2023.
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