LINE

Line (or LINE) is a free messaging, VoIP, and social networking application developed by Line Corporation, for mobile devices and personal computers. As well as messaging, the LINE application provides a variety of features integrated into it, such as "official channels" - which provide means for companies such as Nintendo to provide regular updates to users, a digital wallet service ("LINE Pay"), a taxi service ("LINE Taxi"), a food delivery service ("LINE Wow"), a service to find and contact doctors ("LINE Doctor"), games, and more. LINE is popular to the point of ubiquity in Japan, and so it and its original characters are very present in its popular culture. The application is also incredibly popular in Taiwan and Thailand.

Stickers
The LINE application features an online shop where users can purchase sets of virtual "stickers" that can be used in the messaging service, sent as their own messages, as well as being usable in some other applications. These stickers feature original characters known as Line Friends, as well as various licensed characters from various elements of popular culture such as anime, manga, and video games, including various Nintendo franchises, such as Splatoon. It is possible for users of LINE to sell their own original stickers on the platform, and receive revenue. Stickers sent on LINE can have animations and sound, with them playing when the sticker is received, and when one is tapped on - usually the animations would not loop.

Region-locked stickers
The first set of Splatoon-themed LINE stickers was released in 2015, and was free up to 26th October, for anyone that friended Toad's Nintendo account. It includes 8 stickers and is themed after the first game. These were region-locked to Japan and mostly featured Japanese text.

Splatoon: Inkling Injection
"Splatoon delivers an arsenal of pop-up stickers ready to ink up your screen! Complete with osmotically awesome inkling sound effects!"

- Product page

The first set of English Splatoon-themed LINE stickers, called Splatoon: Inkling Injection released in 2017, priced at USD$1.99, GBP£1.49. It includes 16 stickers. Despite its time of release, this sticker pack is themed after the first game, featuring characters and weapon designs from that game. These stickers are animated, and all have sound effects - mostly music and voice clips directly from the game.

These stickers have a style with flat block colours and no outlines, and appear to be 2D animated.

Splatoon 2: Animated Antics
"The Inklings have filled up their blasters and return for another round in this animated sticker set from Splatoon 2. Load up and get ready to color up your screens with this star-squidded cast!"

- Product page

The second set of English Splatoon-themed LINE stickers, called Splatoon 2: Animated Antics released in late 2017, priced at USD$1.99, GBP£1.49. It includes 24 stickers and is themed after. Every sticker in it is animated and all have sound effects - mostly music and voice clips directly from the game.

These stickers have a style with flat block colors and thin outlines, and appear to be 3D animated, or drawn over 3D models. There is some amount of model distortion used, to enhance the appearance of motion. Since this pack is based on Splatoon 2, there is a wider variety of eye colors, legwear, and hairstyles featured.