The Secret World of Pikmin

What mysteries do the ecosystems of Pikmin hold? A deep dive into the biology of the world PNF-404 – better known to us as planet Earth.
---

In the miniature environments beneath our feet, vast dramas unfold, often without us ever realizing it. But what if we could become part of these sagas?

In the Pikmin series, you play as a character under two centimeters tall, and experience a tiny yet rich ecosystem from the ground level. And though the Pikmin universe is more stylized than some, its surprisingly complex lore makes it ideal for study.

So, let’s shrink down, and see the world from a new perspective…

0:00 Pikmin Ecosystems
0:48 Pikmin Biology
2:32 Sun Speckled Terrace
4:17 Worlds Unseen
5:48 Blossoming Arcadia
7:18 OATCHI
9:00 Serene Shores
11:38 What We’ve Left Behind
13:08 Hero’s Hideaway
14:36 Under Your Feet
17:24 Giant’s Hearth
19:15 Fear of the Night
21:25 Primordial Forest
23:27 Answers at Last

Copyright Disclaimer: Under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education, and research. All video/image content is edited under fair use rights for reasons of commentary.

I do not own the images, music, or footage used in this video. All rights and credit goes to the original owners.

♫ Music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio:
Mysterious Green Fluid, Sanity Unravels, Haddonfield Horror

Isolated, Infinite, Beauty Flow, Majestic Hills, Second Coming – No Percussion, Bittersweet, Floating Cities
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

#CuriousArchive #SpeculativeBiology #Worldbuilding

[nintendosaber]

The fact that Purple Pikmin cause gravitational waves that warp space-time is hilariously cool and adorable. Truly the best chunky bois.

[erinkarp]

I can't believe you didn't mention the fact that dwarf bulborbs are actually a member of the breadbug family, and simply mimic true bulborbs.

[stinos]

I absolutely LOVE how the pikmin series explains its creatures. For example, it doesn't say: 'Oh, this enemy just breathes fire.' about the fiery blowhog, but instead it explains how it has a chemical liquid inside of it that combusts when meeting the air.

[williek]

It's interesting how all these "giant" and "dangerous" creatures could easily fit in the palm of your hand and would, at worst, probably only produce minor irritation.

[hilariousskullnamedcatzo]

There's actually an actual parasitic pikmin, in pikmin 2 there's a pikmin called bulbmin, which are bulborbs who had a parasitic pikmin dig it's roots into their nervous systems as larva, but when they become adults, the bulborbs hunger for pikmin overpowers the pikmin making them hostile, but the tiny bulbmin that follow an adult bulbmin are passive and can be part of your team, and are immune to all hazards

[TeslaX]

Based on a fruit found in Pikmin 3's side missions which is resting on a balance puzzle, its implied that each pikmin can lift about 5 times its own body weight. The sunseed berry is said to be contributing 15 to the scale's weight, but requires only 3 pikmin to move, and those pikmin only add a single point of weight to the scale when thrown on.

[supremefankai]

This game revealing the truth of what Rock and Ice Pikmin are is really cool. A parasitic subspecies of Pikmin called Hermikmin burrow into inanimate objects to use as bodies while the "roots" spread out to become arms, legs and even eyes. With the Bulbmin as well it's clear Hermikmin could theoretically use all sorts of materials for bodies, like pure metals, wood, clay or even man-made plastic. So many possibilities for future Pikmin types.

[syweb]

15:10 If you read the Piklopedia, it discusses that they are planted in ice and store all their major organs in it, while constantly expelling more in order to counteract melting.
15:35 It's not just human objects, but the carcasses of other creatures, perhaps in an attempt to mimic larger animals to avoid predation.
19:23 I wouldn't say _utterly_ defenseless. They are able to hunt seconds after birth, and they bite very quickly.

[olivelane]

I love the Pikmin games, mostly because all the descriptions for each creature just sound like "the horngus of a dongfish is attached by a scungle to a kind of dillsack"

[purplehaze]

Wallyhops were so kind to evolve the ability to temporarily resist the pull of gravity so their prey could survive better.

[dagobahstudios]

Glow Pikmin are weird, but I have a theory about them. I think they can fly because of hydrogen or helium that is stored in their bodies, and they can teleport by somehow disassembling their bodies into tiny cells that reassemble themselves in a new area (you can even see tiny green particles flying into the air when a glow pikmin teleports). Perhaps they aren't one organism, but millions of tiny organisms all working together symbiotically to form a glow pikmin, and the glow pikmin all work together to protect their nests. The pikmin universe has a lot of teamwork involved.

[jamesperry]

Pikmin really helps to make you appreciate the smaller things in life

[MarineArti]

the part about the ghost pikmin is so genius! at first i thought you were just breaking character, but then realized it was all in the perspective of a lost scientist trying to find logic to an undead form of "life". I definitely love the comedic bits you're throwing in some of these videos, keep up the good work as always <3

[nattonow]

Finally we gonna talk about serious topics, real biology












Pikmin

[Tyrexthecreaturedesigner]

I didn’t know Pikmin had such an incredible variety of unique creatures. I may not be a gamer, but I LOVE these video game ecosystem videos!

[tepig]

The most interesting thing I find about the Pikmin biology is the insane symbiosis between the Pikmin and the Onion. The Onion uses the nutrients given to it by the Pikmin to not only cultivate Pikmin seeds but also to fuel itself. Furthermore, Onions can implant the genes from eaten creatures into the Pikmin seeds to grant them new abilities. The symbiosis is even more interesting considering how parasitic Pikmin are as a species.

[wizardly]

it's so charming and heart warming to see the series I loved since childhood grow to such a widespread name in gaming

[עומרשרייבר-לר]

The pikmin creatures are honestly one of the most fascinating creatures I have ever seen in a game.

Also couldn't agree more about oatchi. He is the best boy.

[Smokethesea]

It’s funny how perhaps because of your tone and way speaking everyone seems to comment in a very articulate and grammatically correct manner. I love it it’s as if you are making us smarter just with the sound of your voice😊

[gtcproductions]

I love this sort of documentary of Pikmin 4’s ecosystem, makes the game’s world feel more special.