Il Piantissimo

Il Piantissimo is a dark-skinned man disguised as a Pianta that the player must race in Super Mario Sunshine, similar to the Koopa the Quick races in Super Mario 64. He could be raced in Gelato Beach, Noki Bay, and Pianta Village.

Once the game is beaten with 119 Shine Sprites or less, the ending screen will show Il Piantissimo finding Bowser Jr.'s Magic Paintbrush. This alludes to the possibility that he took it. In Mario Golf: Toadstool Tour, Shadow Mario is playable. A likely possibility is that this is Il Piantissimo wearing the disguise, as Bowser Jr. is also playable in the game.

Trivia

 * Without his fake Pianta head he looks just like the running man from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
 * There is a ghost from Luigi's Mansion who has a name close to the word Piantissimo, named Melody Pianissima. She is found in area two in the Conservatory. She is one of the Portrait Ghosts and is required to finish the game.