Calamari Inkantation
| “ | That heavenly melody... It's the one and only SQUID SISTERS! | ” |
— Cap'n Cuttlefish after hearing the Calamari Inkantation in Enter the Octobot King!.
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The Calamari Inkantation is a song most famously performed by the Squid Sisters.
Description
Calamari Inkantation is primarily an electronic-style song, showing musical similarities to J-Pop. In-game, the Squid Sisters' version is a cover of the chorus of Calamari County. The song is shown to have major in-game significance, as the melody is described as being etched into Inklings' and Octolings' DNA, and listening to the song causes powerful effects, from heightened strength to curing brainwashing. It is first played in Splatoon during Enter the Octobot King!. At the beginning of the fifth and final phase, the Squid Sisters, as Agents 1 and 2, override DJ Octavio's I am Octavio to play the Calamari Inkantation, which gives Cap'n Cuttlefish the strength to break free of his restraints and dance, while Agent 3 continues and defeats Octavio, who also dances with the music. It can also be heard in Squid Beatz after hearing it during Enter the Octobot King, and using either the 
Callie or 
Marie amiibo also allows the player to watch the Squid Sisters perform the song as if they were in a Splatfest. It is included in Splatune and Splatoon Live in Makuhari.
In Splatoon 2, it is shown that Octolings hearing the Calamari Inkantation are freed of their brainwashing and defect from the Octarian forces. Sunken Scroll 2 reveals that the final battle of Splatoon was somehow interpreted as an underground music show and Marina can be seen enjoying the song.
During the Octo Expansion, Cap'n Cuttlefish notes that Agent 8 was humming the Inkantation whilst unconscious, causing him to abandon his attack out of respect and help them. In Marina's chat room, Cuttlefish researches Marina's past as an Octarian combat engineer, whose files show that she went missing from the Octarian army after listening to the song. Marina later confirms that now her and Agent 8's "souls have been freed, there's no way we can continue to live under the oppression of Octarian society". Later, Pearl notes the many Octolings beginning to populate Inkopolis Square have also listened to the song.
See also: Calamari Inkantation
It is also featured in the soundtrack for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. It has a chance of playing on Moray Towers, and is also one of the songs that can play when the Squid Sisters Assist Trophy is in use, along with Ink Me Up, and plays when fighting the final boss in Classic Mode as Inkling. It can also be heard in the Sounds section in the Vault menu.
Lyrics
The booklet included with Splatune gives the official lyrics for Calamari Inkantation. The lyrics are nonsensical; the Japanese hiragana simply gives the pronunciation.
Calamari Inkantation Lyrics
| “ |
Ya weni marei mirekyarahire Kire hyari yoriherahe nyurahera Chopperipo shurashurafe Nannyuruni weranira shuraharahi Ya weni marei mirekyarahire Kire hyari yoriherahe nyurahera Na nire jute mirekyaraherya Kire hyari nuriherahe nyurahera |
” |
| “ |
や うぇに まれぃ みれきゃらひれ きれ ひゃり よりへらへ にゅらへら ちょっぺりぽ しゅらしゅらふぇ なんにゅるに うぇらにら しゅらはらひ や うぇに まれぃ みれきゃらひれ きれ ひゃり よりへらへ にゅらへら な にれ じゅて みれきゃらへりゃ きれ ひゃり ぬりへらへ にゅらへら |
” |
Remixes and covers
Chorus of Calamari County
| “ | The customary chorus of Calamari County. Nowadays, this song and dance may as well be carved into the very DNA of all Inklings. It began as a way to celebrate and show respect for the bounty of the sea. | ” |
The Chorus of Calamari County, also referred to as the Calamari Shanty in the European release of Splatoon, is a folk rendition of the song, with few instruments used. It is meant to depict a recording of various Inklings singing along together, presumably by the beach. The beginning and end include ambient noise of Inklings talking and waves splashing nearby. In-universe, this version is not a remix, but rather the original version before the Squid Sisters made their cover. However, the ambience suggests that the chorus is not the original song either, as the song could be so old and traditional that no original recording exists, similar to various real-life traditional songs.
It is only mentioned in the game through the 23rd Sunken Scroll, although this version of the song is not heard in Splatoon. Instead, it was first heard in Splatune and was also used in a promotional video depicting the young Squid Sisters in kimono outfits dancing to this track. However, most of the ambient intro and outro was cut. In Splatoon 2, the song can be heard playing in the background in Skipper Pavilion, but is only noticeable during Recon where no other music is present.
This is the song that the Squid Sisters performed at the first Inkopolis Annual Youth Folk-Singing Contest, and the booklet in Splatune revealed that they caught the eye of committee member "Shy-Ho-Shy" due to their performance of the song, and helped them arrive to Inkopolis. It is possible that the recorded song is meant to depict a recording of Callie and Marie's winning performance, backed up by its use in the aforementioned promotional video. However, multiple voices other than the Squid Sisters can be heard in the recording, possibly discrediting this idea.
Spicy Calamari Inkantation
A new remix was created for use in Template:S2' single-player campaign. This version remains very similar to the original, yet has additional electronic-style production. It also has a different intro from the original, more akin to the gradual build-up intro from the live versions. The melody of City of Color's chorus can be heard after the end of the chorus during the small instrumental break. In a similar vein to how the Calamari Inkantation played during the final phase of Template:S' final boss, the same occurs during Tide Goes Out. At the beginning of Phase 4 of the fight, Callie starts to regain control of herself after Marie's blast from her 
Hero Charger and this music causes Callie to transform back into her original self. The reunited Squid Sisters then perform the song together on Sheldon's flying truck while Agent 4 finishes defeating DJ Octavio. It can also be heard in Squid Beatz 2 after hearing it during Tide Goes Out, with a maximum score of 293 and 544 in Normal and Hard modes, respectively, and it is included in Splatune 2 and Octotune.
Other versions
Calamari Inkantation (Splatfest Incoming!)
To promote the first Splatfest, Cats vs. Dogs, a video was released, with Calamari Inkantation playing. It is mostly similar, but with a different intro that lacks the radio static from hijacking DJ Octavio, showing what the regular version of the song sounds like. Callie also begins the song by shouting out something in Inkling, to a quick round of applause, and a similar round of applause is used to finish the song.
Calamari Inkantation (Live)
During live Squid Sisters concerts, an extended version of the Calamari Inkantation is used. Although each performance is different due to the live bands, they retain the same strong structure. They all include parts of the song not found in the original, mainly guitar solos in roughly the first and third quarters of the song. A new intro is included, featuring a more gradual build-up with guitars, rather than the "hijacking" intro of the original, and it also has a proper outro. Two recordings of this version from Shiokalive 2016 and Shiokalive at Chokaigi 2016 (labelled as 1st and 2nd live versions respectively) can be found in Splatoon Live in Makuhari, and one from Shiokalive at Cho Party 2016 can be found in Octotune.
Calamari Inkantation (Splatfest)
During the second half of the Callie vs. Marie Splatfest in Splatoon, the battle music changed from Ink Me Up to the Calamari Inkantation. This version is almost identical to the original version, but the intro is modified to be much shorter, lasting only one second so it can fit better in the countdown. Like Ink Me Up, Callie or Marie can be heard hyping up a crowd during battles. These voice clips played either at 2:44 or 1:51 in a match.
Spicy Calamari Inkantation (Live)
During live performances with Off the Hook and the Squid Sisters, an extended version of Spicy Calamari Inkantation is used. Although each performance is different due to the live bands, they retain the same strong structure. It has an extended intro which is roughly twice as long as the regular version, with only the drums playing initially before being repeated with additional production added. At another point, they stop singing to repeatedly chant "hey!". Soon after, during the C-section, the two talk to the crowd before carrying on with the song with a drum solo playing as they sing. The City of Color melody is also heard once again in the background, more subtly this time, and it also has a proper outro, not heard anywhere else. A recording of this version from Haicalive at Tokaigi 2018 (labelled as first live version) can be found in Octotune.
Introduction
When starting the Octo Expansion, the Calamari Inkantation plays during the introduction. It remains mostly the same, but is much shorter, lasting only twenty seconds. An effect is used to make this version sound much more distant, playing into the idea that Agent 8 is recalling the song. The song eventually crescendos, while an echo effect is gradually increased as well before the song abruptly finishes and Agent 8 wakes up to an aggressive Cap'n Cuttlefish, who notes that they were humming the Inkantation while unconscious.
Escape Phase skip
During the Escape Phase of the Octo Expansion, if the skip charge is filled up 100% from being splatted too many times, a modified version of the intro of the Calamari Inkantation is played. It has a very noticeable echo effect and is sped up much faster.
Calamari Inkantation (Inner Agent 3)
While battling Inner Agent 3, Calamari Inkantation plays. This version is almost identical to the standard version. However, there is a very subtle reverb effect to the vocals, possibly to signify that it is a memory. It also has the same intro as the Splatfest Incoming! version of the song, now without the applause and Callie's shout at the beginning.
Spicy Calamari Inkantation (Final Fest)
During the second day of the Chaos vs. Order Splatfest, Spicy Calamari Inkantation took over as the only possible battle theme, similar to the final Splatfest of Splatoon. This version is near-identical to the original, but with a much shorter intro, and the bridge after the City of Color section is extended slightly, increasing in pitch to lead into Now or Never!.
Samples and interpolations
Inkopolis Plaza train jingle
If one listens carefully, the train that stops at the station behind Inkopolis Plaza plays a jingle that uses the melody of the Calamari Inkantation. This is possibly meant to be the indicator of the doors closing. This jingle references the Japanese rail system's "departure melodies" (発車メロディ, hassha merodī) that play before a train departs a melody's respective station. This jingle can also be heard in Splatoon 2 right before the tutorial begins.
Visiting Inkopolis
The aforementioned train jingle can also be heard in the track that plays during the cutscene right after the tutorial in Splatoon is finished.
City of Color
- Main article: City of Color
A bit of the end of the chorus of Calamari Inkantation is heard at the beginning of City of Color.
Maritime Memory
- Main article: Maritime Memory
Although this song is a cover of another Squid Sisters song, City of Color, Maritime Memory also interpolates the melody from Calamari Inkantation, but with more subtle background music. It also contains the same note melody found in City of Color at the beginning, which is originally from Calamari Inkantation
Fresh Start
- Main article: Fresh Start
The melody of Calamari Inkantation can be heard in the background at one point in Fresh Start.
Inside the Deepsea Metro Subway Car
- Main article: Inside the Deepsea Metro Subway Car
If one listens carefully at the music that plays in the Deepsea Metro, a few notes of the Calamari Inkantation can be heard, in a very similar fashion to the Inkopolis Plaza train jingle. More notes are added as Agent 8 gains access to more lines. After clearing the game, the complete track containing the main melody of the Calamari Inkantation is played. According to a Famitsu interview[1], Sound Director Minegishi comments that the Calamari Inkantation can be constructed as Agent 8's auditory hallucination, an inner melody of their mind that intensifies as more of their memory returns.
Final Fest trailer
Calamari Inkantation is heard briefly during the beginning of the trailer announcing the Chaos vs. Order Splatfest. This instrumental version is much slower and more dramatic. It fades out around halfway through to transition to Shark Bytes.
Trivia
- Each number on the password entry screen for Private Battles in Splatoon plays a specific tone when the cursor is moved to it, and it is possible to play the intro to the Calamari Inkantation by moving the cursor between numbers in a specific pattern, which might explain the way the notes are arranged. The pattern is as follows, each row corresponding to a bar of music:[2]
7 6 7 6 7 6 7 6 5 6 7 6 7 6 7 2 3 8 7 6 7 6 7 6 7 6 5 6 7 2 3 8 3 2 7 2 3 8 9 8 3 2 7 6 7
- After Marie pulls out the jukebox and starts playing Spicy Calamari Inkantation, Marie says "That heavenly melody!", leading Callie to follow up with "The one and only..." This is a callback to Cap'n Cuttlefish's reaction after hearing the song during the final boss of Splatoon: "That heavenly melody... It's the one and only SQUID SISTERS!"
- The second half of the TEST PASSED! jingle's note sequence bears a great deal of similarity with a small section of Spicy Calamari Inkantation (heard roughly a minute in), although they slightly differ near the end.
- With the purchase of DLC, players can play Calamari Inkantation in Daigasso! Band Brothers P. Multiple versions have been released: the original version, a version with vocals, a longer version, and a version based off of the live version. The first two versions were superseded by the longer version and are no longer distributed. Additionally, the traditional version is available exclusively on the lite "Debut" version.
- On 30 January 2016, a special karaoke version of the Calamari Inkantation was added to the JOYSOUND service in Japan, which powers Wii Karaoke U, Karaoke JOYSOUND for Nintendo Switch, and certain karaoke machines. The lyrics are the same as the ones that were in the liner notes of Splatune. It uses the "Splatfest Incoming!" promotional video as the music video. It was also added, with romanized lyrics, to the European catalogue of Wii Karaoke U on 28 July 2016 in celebration of Callie vs. Marie, however, the European Wii Karaoke U is now discontinued.
- DJ Octavio has listened to the song multiple times but has not experienced its effects. The reason for this is unknown.
- In the video game "Deltarune" by Toby Fox, there is a song on the soundtrack called "Field of Hopes and Dreams". The track is extremely similar to a part of Calamari Inkantation. Toby Fox is known for reusing motifs in his songs, so it is likely that the inspiration for "Field of Hopes and Dreams" came from Calamari Inkantation.
Etymology
The calamari in Calamari Inkantation is not only an edible squid, but also a play on the names Callie and Marie, combining to form calamari.'Calamari' also refers to Calamari County, where the Squid Sisters and the traditional melody are from. The inkantation is referring to the word incantation, which means a chant or series of words that when spoken or sung trigger a magical effect on something or someone, which Calamari Inkantation does due to its ability to empower those who hear it and cure brainwashing when it is sung.
Names in other languages
Chorus of Calamari County
Spicy Calamari Inkantation
Translation notes
References
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