Nintendo has recently clarified the nature of the Close to You videos it unveiled this week, bringing the excitement surrounding any potential game or film down a notch.
Details of the Videos Released
The first installation of the Close to You series appeared on Tuesday with no preceding information, presenting a whimsical animated short featuring a baby pursuing a floating pacifier in their bedroom.
Following that, on Wednesday, the company dropped another installment titled Close to You on its Nintendo Today app. This video mirrored the first but revealed previously hidden Pikmin characters, enhancing the visual storytelling.
Connection to Pikmin Lore
The animated shorts seem to resonate with the storyline of the Pikmin Bloom mobile game. In this universe, Pikmin are suggested to exist within modern-day Earth, yet they are invisible to human observers.
Fan Speculation and Nintendo’s Response
Initial speculation among fans hypothesized that these videos could hint at a new Pikmin game, movie, or even an animated series. However, Nintendo has since issued a statement on its official Japanese X account, clarifying that these creations are short films produced by its animation studio, Nintendo Pictures.
The company remarked, “We hope you enjoyed the two Close to You videos released on October 7 and 8. The second video is available on Nintendo Today, a free app accessible on your smart device.”
They further added, “These are the first short films created by Nintendo Pictures Co., Ltd. The studio will continue to delve into new creative avenues through video content.”
Nintendo Pictures: Background and Impacts
In 2022, Nintendo acquired the Japanese CG studio Dynamo Pictures and rebranded it as Nintendo Pictures. Before this transformation, Dynamo made significant contributions to various animated films and shows, including Yuri on Ice, Aya and the Witch, and Netflix’s Ghost in the Shell SAC_2045. They also worked on the CG for Final Fantasy XIII-2 and provided motion capture for notable titles like Death Stranding, Nier Replicant, Monster Hunter World, and Persona 5.
Previous Pikmin Work
This week’s animations are not the studio’s first venture into the Pikmin universe. While operating under Dynamo Pictures, the studio contributed to the CG cutscenes in Metroid: Other M and developed a series of Pikmin ‘short movies’ in collaboration with creator Shigeru Miyamoto for the Wii U and 3DS platforms.
Artistic Vision
A message from Nintendo Pictures on its rebranded website stated, “Through our videos, we aim to make Nintendo characters known to customers around the world and create one-of-a-kind videos that will remain in their memories forever.”
