Denizens of the deep

"These are the passengers of Deepsea Metro, collectively known as the “denizens of the deep.” They look a bit strange, which we believe is a result of having adapted to survive in the extreme depths of their unique environment."

- Live from the Squid Research Lab

The denizens of the deep are characters in upcoming Octo Expansion. They are found in the Deepsea Metro and are based on various real-life organisms that inhabit the deep ocean. They do not interact with Agent 8 or Cap'n Cuttlefish, and may be part of a larger society of deep-sea creatures.

Members

 * A humanoid sea angel, much larger than their real-life counterpart. They have pale blue translucent skin, through which a pink organ can be seen within their head. Their clothes consist of a red and white letterman jacket, dark gray pants, and red and white basketball shoes similar to those made by Enperry. In the Octo Expansion trailer in the March 8, 2018 Nintendo Direct, they are shown looking at a smartphone.


 * A humanoid ping pong tree spongeundefined, also fairly large. They have translucent skin in a dull turquoise and many spherical organs on long stalks branching off from their "head". They wear a loose, dark purple dress with vertical gray stripes and a pair of brown boots that come up to the mid-calf. In promotional images they are shown reading a book and holding a strapless handbag, but the book is absent in the Nintendo Direct trailer. They are ladylike and elegant, but rumored to be more aggressive than they seem.


 * Three deep-sea jellyfish that appear similar to their surface-dwelling counterparts, but with larger, more elongated heads. All three have pale blue skin and wear t-shirts. The first wears a lime green hard hat, the second wears a black backwards cap with a flat brim, and the third does not wear a hat. One of these jellyfish is briefly seen sitting next to a gulper eel in the Nintendo Direct trailer.


 * Many predatory tunicates, which look similar to jellyfish and even have similar eyes, but are clam-shaped and attached to various surfaces of the Deepsea Metro. Their skin can have a purple, green, or yellow tint, and they do not wear any clothes or accessories. They are not seen in the Nintendo Direct trailer. It is unknown how they get on and off subway cars.


 * Two gulper eels, relatively similar to their real-life counterparts but in a more human-like posture. They have dull purple skin, yellow-green fins, and large eyes similar to those of jellyfish. The first wears a pair of black-rimmed glasses and a red shirt with horizontal stripes, and the second wears a gray hat and a pale blue shirt with a white design on the front. In the Nintendo Direct trailer, one gulper eel is briefly seen sitting next to a deep-sea jellyfish.


 * Two humanoid flashlight fish. Like their real-life counterparts, they have bioluminescent organs beneath their large eyes and strings of bioluminescent spots down both sides of their bodies. Their skin is a dark gray, and the fins on their heads are transparent and lay to the side, resembling hair. Both wear school uniforms and loafers with socks, similar to the gear sets provided by both Inkling Girl amiibo. The first fish has pink-tinted fins, a brown vest, white socks, and a black bag with a brown logo on it. The second has blue fins, a blue vest and socks, a white bag with purple trim, and a red flip phone. Only the one with blue fins is seen in the Nintendo Direct trailer.


 * Two humanoid longsnout dogfish, much larger than their real-life counterparts. They have pale pink skin, large green eyes, and their snouts are folded over, lessening their resemblance to real-life longsnout dogfish. Their outfits are identical, consisting of a gray suit jacket and matching pants, a white shirt, a black belt, a brown necktie, and brown dress shoes. One is shown sitting with a brown briefcase and appears in the Nintendo Direct trailer; the other reads a newspaper and does not appear in the trailer.


 * At least one siphonophoreundefined, resembling a jellyfish but with multiple "heads" attached to a tall red stalk. The "heads" are a translucent blue and the body is red, matching the stalk. Instead of legs there is an outcropping of spikes, and they wear a white and red t-shirt. Only one siphonophore is seen in the Nintendo Direct trailer, but a promotional image shows two.


 * A large humanoid blobfish. Real-life blobfish are suited to the pressures of the deep ocean and take on a bloated appearance when brought to the surface, upon which this blobfish character was based. They have pale pink skin, a white backwards cap with a flat brim, a green t-shirt, no pants, and white sneakers. They are shown using earbuds to listen to a portable audio cassette player, possibly based off of a Walkman. In the Nintendo Direct trailer, they are seen sitting next to a lantern shark. They are described as frightening at first, but actually charming once one takes a closer look.

Trivia

 * The Japanese Twitter post describing the ping pong tree sponge contains a play on words: 肉食系 (nikushokukei) typically refers to an aggressive personality when describing a person, but it more literally translates to "carnivore". In this case, both meanings may be true, as ping pong tree sponges are carnivores that use their many spherical organs to trap and digest passing crustaceans.