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troperville

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tools

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toys

• Pikmin. Ever heard the song Ai no Uta? The one that sounds "cute" and "calming"? Yeah...that's only if you don't know what the words actually mean. You can hear a fairly literal English cover here. The lyrics are a complete Player Punch to the gut, especially the last line, "...but we won't ask you to love us." This troper couldn't touch the game for weeks after that.
  • The counterpart to the above song, Namida Ga Afureta, is just as heartbreaking. Translated to 'Tears Overflowing', the song is in Olimar's point of view, who regretted that he could never truly express his gratitude and love to the pikmin he owed his rescue to at the end of the first game.
    • Of course, given that in the sequel he really had all the time in the world, this leads to Fridge Heartwarming for Pikmin 2.
• If you let yourself get attached to them, a single Pikmin death can be this.
• When a Pikmin dies its soul floats away with a depressing half moan half wail.
• Bulbmin. Sure, they're part nightmare fuel, but think about it. You kill their leader and then they turn to you. You use them along with your trusted allies, and they get you out of tight spots...then, you abandon them when you leave, and they just look up at you and frantically swarm the geyser...what happens to them?
• Pikmin Extinction.
• The credits to the first Pikmin, arguably.
• Some of Olimar's Voyage Logs.
  "I wonder if I shall ever be able to escape from this world. How much suffering must I endure before I can finally see my family back home again? Still.... When my heart grows too heavy, I take comfort in my efforts. I will get home...or I will expire trying."