Inkling: Difference between revisions

From Inkipedia, the Splatoon wiki
m (Replaced regular Splatoon and Splatoon 2 links with their corresponding templates)
(Doesn't match other Splatfest redirects.)
 
(164 intermediate revisions by 56 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
[[File:Opposing teams in Inkopolis Square.jpg|thumb|right|400px|Inklings from [[Inkopolis Square]].]]
{{other uses|the prominent species of squid in the {{Ss}}|other uses|Inkling (disambiguation)}}
{{Redirect|Squid|other uses|Squid (disambiguation)}}
{{Redirect|Kid|the [[Splatfest]]|Kid vs. Grown-Up}}
[[File:Splat2n 3D Inklings 1.jpg|thumb|400x400px|Inklings as seen in ''Splatoon 2'', wearing various [[gear]]]]
'''Inklings''' are a species of humanoid cephalopods who are the main protagonists and playable characters in the {{Ss}}, along with [[Octoling]]s.


{{other uses|the prominent species of squid in ''Splatoon''|the language by the same name|Inkling (language)}}
==Background==
{{redirect|Squid|other uses|Squid (disambiguation)}}
[[File:S Sunken Scroll 10.png|thumb|350x350px|The evolution of the Inkling.]]


'''Inklings''' are a sapient race of humanoid cephalopods who are the main protagonists and playable characters in {{S}} and {{S2}}.
Inklings are evolved species of squid that came to be after rising sea levels destroyed humanity. The first ancestors of modern Inklings are recorded to have lived around 5,000 years after the destruction of the human settlement of [[Alterna]]. Alterna inhabitants unintentionally accelerated the evolution of squids and other species of marine life, after psycho-reactive liquid crystals infused with lingering human thoughts and feelings leaked into the ocean surrounding the settlement.


==Background==
At least 2,000 years before the events of {{S}}, [[Turf War]]s were established. The original [[Turf War]]s were overseen by [[Judd]], a cat that was cryogenically frozen by his [[human]] owner before the Earth was flooded. 100 years before the events of ''Splatoon'', the Inklings and the [[Octarian]]s engaged in a [[Great Turf War]] after otherwise having good relations, when rising sea levels caused disputes over the remaining territory. The young [[Cuttlefish|Cap'n Cuttlefish]] and his Inkling comrades were victorious, forcing the Octarians to retreat to desolate areas such as [[Octo Valley (location)|Octo Valley]], [[Octo Canyon (location)|Octo Canyon]], and take up residence underground.
[[File:Splatoon Sunken Scroll 10.png|thumb|right|250px|The evolution of the Inkling.]]
 
Inklings are evolved species of squid that came to be after rising sea levels sunk human civilization. Circa 2000 years before the events of {{S}}, the Inklings crawled up to what little habitable land there was left on the planet. The lack of space forced the Inklings to fight for whatever territory they could find, and the [[Turf War]] as a concept was established. The original [[Turf War]]s were overseen by [[Judd]], who was cryogenically frozen by his human owner before the Earth was flooded. 100 years before the events of ''Splatoon'', the Inklings and the [[Octarian]]s engaged in a [[Great Turf War]] after otherwise having good relations, but rising sea levels caused them to fight over the remaining territory. A young [[Cap'n Cuttlefish]] and the Inklings won, forcing the [[Octarian]]s to retreat into [[Octo Valley]].


==Appearance==
==Appearance==
{{For|a visual overview of character customization options|player customization}}
{{For|a visual overview of character customization options|Player Settings}}
Inkings can alternate between a humanoid form and a squid form.
[[File:Inklingdevelopment.png|thumb|350x350px|The development of an Inkling from infancy to maturity. From left to right: newborn, at least 1 year old, at least 4 or 5 years old, at least 8 years old, at least 14 years old.<ref>[https://twitter.com/osawa_minami/status/1018488416667721730 {{TWI}} ''Splatoon'' exhibition at Tower Records - concept art]</ref>]]
Young Inklings begin life resembling squid paralarvae, but grow into an increasingly human-like form as they age. By at most the age of 14, Inklings gain complete control over both these forms and can change between kid and squid at will. Between each game in the franchise, Inklings undergo design changes, generally becoming taller, and having more rounded and less squat faces. Additionally, in {{S}} and {{S3}}, Inklings' tentacles have a darker color towards their tips.


[[File:Inklingdevelopment.png|thumb|left|250px|The development of an Inkling from infancy to maturity. Going from left to right the ages and maturity of the Inklings are as follows: newborn, at least 1 year old, at least 4 or 5 years old, at least 8 years old, at least 14 years old.<ref>[https://twitter.com/osawa_minami/status/1018488416667721730 {{TWI}} ''Splatoon'' exhibition at Tower Records - concept art]</ref>]]
The kid form is similar to that of a young human child, but with notable differences. Instead of hair, an Inkling has tentacle appendages that cover their head. These tentacles are colored on the outside, and white on the inside. The outer layer changes to match an Inkling's [[ink]] color, and usually features a spotted gradient to a secondary color at the ends of their longest tentacles. An Inkling's eyes are surrounded by a black 'eye mask', and they have pointed ears that are homologous to a squid's fins. Their mouths contain two ridges similar in shape to human teeth, with three larger sharp points--two on the top and one on the bottom--that resemble a squid's beak. The inside of an Inkling's mouth matches their ink color.
[[File:Splatoon - Squid 2D purple.png|left|thumb|200x200px|The humble squid.]]
The squid form resembles a small, cartoon-ish, monochromatic squid. They have several small arms in the middle of their bodies, with two large tentacles on either side. The squid have short mantle with relatively large fins, and two upward-facing, human-like eyes over the characteristic eye mask. The undersides of their tentacles are always white, regardless of ink color, and have a single large sucker near the end of each.


Young Inklings resemble squid paralarvae but grow into an increasingly humanlike form as they age. By the age of 14, Inklings gain complete control over both these forms and can change between humanoid and squid form at will. However, some Inklings can control both forms at much younger ages.
There are slight differences between male and female Inklings. In general, male Inklings style their tentacles shorter, have thicker eyebrows, and deeper voices. Female Inklings wear more of but are not limited to longer tentacle styles. Female Inklings are also slightly curvier. In ''Splatoon'' and ''Splatoon 2'', the player must pick between male and female and can only use the tentacle styles available for each gender. In ''Splatoon 3'', hairstyles and clothing items that were previously gender-locked can be worn by any Inkling.


The squid form resembles a small, cartoony, monochromatic squid. They have some small arms in the middle of their bodies, with two large tentacles on either side, resembling the hair of their humanoid form. It has a short mantle with relatively large fins, and two upward-facing, human-like gray eyes. The undersides of their enlarged tentacle heads are always white, regardless of what color the rest of them is, and they have a single large sucker on each. In this form, they are largely incompetent outside of their ink, but when swimming in it, they can completely submerge into it and swim at speeds far greater than humanoid form's running speed. They can even jump out of the ink to cover further distances and swim up ink-covered walls. However, this form is also largely vulnerable, as being inside of enemy ink in this form will eventually splat an Inkling.
Some Inklings (namely [[Callie]], [[Marie]], [[Pearl]], and [[Frye]]) have special features unique to these characters. All four idols have plus-shaped pupils that are either brown or white, as opposed to the standard Inkling's black circular pupil. Callie, Marie, and Pearl have tentacles in colors not used by the regular Inkling, being black and white respectively. All idols have different ears: Callie and Marie (along with some Inklings shown in ''Splatoon'' official art) have curvy pointed ears. Pearl's ears are unusually small, and Frye's ears are unusually long and pointed. Frye in particular has the most unique appearance of any Inkling model found in game, with her exaggerated features and large eye mask.


[[File:Backwardscap1.jpg|thumb|right|x150px|An Inkling shows her jaw ridges.]]
==Biology==
[[File:Transform img.png|thumb|right|The Inkling transformation between kid and squid]] [[File:Inklings have 10 tentacles.jpg|thumb|right|A diagram showing an inkling's (and squid's) ten tentacles]]
Both the Inklings' squid and kid form have particular abilities associated with them. In kid form, Inklings can splatter a special type of colored [[ink]] by using various [[weapon]]s, including guns, rollers, buckets, paintbrushes, etc. This ink can be quickly spread over most surfaces, except for inflatable barriers, black pavement,<!--We need to make an article for these things--> and [[glass]] surfaces. This ink inhibits the movement of Inklings that do not have a matching color. When used as a projectile, ink can damage opposing Inklings, eventually 'splatting' them and forcing them to respawn.


The humanoid form has a black marking that resembles a mask around their eyes, pointed ears homologous to the squid's fins, and tentacles that serve as "hair", which changes color according to their [[ink]] color and gradient down to a darker tone of the color near the tips of them. The color is randomly selected out of predetermined pairs, some of which can be found in [[List of Sunken Scrolls in Splatoon#Scroll 7|Sunken Scroll 7]]. Their mouths contain two ridges similar in shape to human teeth, as well as three larger sharp points, two on the top and one on the bottom, which resembles a squid's beak. The inside of an Inkling's mouth matches their ink color as well.
In squid form, Inklings on dry land are only able to slither slowly. This changes when an Inkling submerges into ink of its own color, allowing it to swim at high speeds and jump over large distances. Inklings also use their squid forms to perform maneuvers such as the [[Mobility#Squid Surge|Squid Surge]] and [[Mobility#Squid Roll|Squid Roll]], scale painted walls, and slip through wire fences and grates into areas that would be unreachable in kid form. As revealed in ''[[Splatoon: Squid Kids Comedy Show]]'', Inklings are indeed more flexible in squid form. However, squids cannot travel past striped barriers or over ledges, preventing them from swimming into inaccessible areas.


Inklings are customizable, though the options differ between each game. Both games allow the player to choose a male or a female Inkling. Female Inklings have noticeably thinner and shorter eyebrows than male ones who have thicker, longer and angled eyebrows.
While submerged in ink, Inklings only create small ripples while swimming and become undetectable when still. In ink of their color, they quickly replenish their ink ammunition. In ink of a different color, Inklings become unable to remain in squid form and quickly revert to humanoid form. Inkling ink disappears rather quickly after a battle due to being [[List of Sunken Scrolls in Splatoon 2#Scroll 14|consumed by microorganisms]] that have evolved to feed on the ink.


[[File:Gender.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Choosing the player's gender in ''Splatoon''.]]
[[File:S Dissolved In Water.png|thumb|left|x140px|An Inkling after dissolving in water.]]


In {{S}}, all the playable Inklings are aged 14. The female Inklings have two long tentacles that reach past their waist and hang from both sides of the head in front of their ears along with a bang, and male Inklings have two tentacles tied in a ponytail at the back of their head, tied together with a brown, yellow, and green band. Both genders also have four small squid arms on their neckline, adding up to ten limbs (including their arms and legs). Skin color, gender, and eye color can be changed in the [[options]] menu at any time. Head accessories, shirts, shoes, and weapons can be changed to the player's liking in the equip menu based on their purchases, and many clothing items change to match the Inkling's current color. Both forms have a slightly different pitch to their voice. Both genders also have dark-toned oval spots at the ends of their tentacles making a darker ink color in contrast to the ink color they currently have. However, the spots in their squid form are much lighter than in human form.
Inklings are unable to swim in water. When submerged, their body dissolves, leaving their clothes behind. The [[Squid Research Lab|official American ''Splatoon'' Tumblr]] has mused that this may be because their bodies are made of liquid. Another fact to support this is that squid form Inklings can go through grates, which is also cited by the Tumblr account to be related to them possibly being made of liquid. Interviews with the producer of ''Splatoon'' and ''Splatoon 2'', [[Hisashi Nogami]], revealed that Inklings have a very thin and permeable outer membrane, which causes their ink to bleed out when in contact with water. They evolved this way to be able to transform freely between their kid and squid form, but lost the ability to be in water as a consequence.<ref>[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2018/03/26/splatoon-s-burning-questions-finally-answered.aspx Gameinformer - ''Splatoon'''s Burning Questions Finally Answered]</ref><ref>[https://miketendo64.com/2018/08/11/hisashi-nogami-octo-expansion/ Nintendo Switch news section interview with Nogami]</ref> A piece of trivia from ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'' also states that the Inklings' ink from their bodies will diffuse when submerged in water and which causes them to dissolve.<ref>"''In the ''Splatoon'' series, Inklings cover the ground and walls in ink, and then swim through that ink as a squid. But if they fall into water, the ink in their bodies will diffuse and they'll dissolve.''" - ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'', Inkling Tips</ref>


[[File:InklingHairstyles.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Inkling hairstyles in ''Splatoon 2''.]]
Despite this weakness, they are shown perfectly fine in water in ''[[Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]''.
[[File:InklingHairstyles2.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Additional Version {{Ver|S2|2.0.0}} hairstyles in ''Splatoon 2''.]]


In {{S2}}, the playable Inklings’ hairstyles are no longer limited to one style per gender, allowing the player more customization options, six different hairstyles are allowed for each gender. Inkling girls have a choice between their original ''Splatoon'' hairstyle, a shorter bob cut style with a mirrored bang compared to the original, a style with one long, wavy tentacle hanging on the right side of their face and a small one in the back or have their tentacles tied up into a knot. Inkling boys have a choice between their original ''Splatoon'' hairstyle, a spiked comb back hairstyle, a ponytail haircut with a tentacle hanging on the left side of their face, a buzz cut hairstyle devoid of visible tentacles with what appear to be scar marks. In Version {{Ver|S2|2.0.0}}, four more hairstyles were added that include two new styles for boys and two new styles for girls. For the females, they can now have a curly, shredded pigtail style (sometimes in a ponytail when wearing certain headgear) or a straight, long hairstyle with a long bang and slightly cut tips. For the males, the new hairstyles consist a short mohawk hairstyle topped with many tiny spikes with buzzed sides or a bowl cut. Unlike ''Splatoon'', these Inklings do not have the dark spots they had before but instead have glowing oval spots that match their ink color. Sometimes these spots will glow to a slightly different color. The dots also become a darker tone just like in ''Splatoon'' when the spots are above the gradient area of their tentacles.
Inklings possess the ability to change the color of their skin and eyes at will,<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnIAN06eSAE Splatoon 2 Direct]</ref> with the Splatlandian Inklings and Octolings also having the ability to have multicolored eyes. Skin color is not limited to human-like ones, Keaton of [[Wet Floor]] has turquoise skin, and Baker of [[C-Side]] has gray skin.


Eye color and skin tone choices also return, and Inklings now have a choice of pants. Inkling girls can choose between their ''Splatoon'' [[shorts]], a skirt with black shorts underneath, tight capri sweatpants, loose sport shorts, or tight black pants. Inkling boys can choose between their ''Splatoon'' shorts, looser shorts with leggings, cargo pants, leggings, and denim shorts. Pants unlike other pieces of gear are part of a character's customization and have no impact on an Inkling's stats.
[[File:Bioluminescence Inkling Girl.jpg |thumb|right|250px|Glowing dots as seen in the Super Smash Bros. 2018 trailer.]]


Inklings take on a unique appearance when they have a [[special weapon]] ready: they give off sparks, the tentacles on their head become very brightly colored and glow, bubbles form at the top of their head as if from boiling water, and they appear to be caught in a strong wind even when completely still. Their appearance goes back to normal once their special weapon has been used.
Inklings are capable of producing a sort of bio-luminescence, an ability shared with certain real-life squid such as the [[Wikipedia:Firefly squid|firefly squid]]. In the dark, either during a [[Splatfest]] or certain [[Octo Valley (mode)|Octo Valley]] missions, the player's Inkling will glow brightly in humanoid form, lighting up the area immediately around them and helping to differentiate the player from other Inklings. This glow disappears entirely upon assuming squid form. All Inklings (as well as [[jellyfish]]) in [[Inkopolis Plaza]] will give off a very faint glow during a Splatfest, visible only by looking at the ground around them. This bio-luminescence can also be spotted when viewing Inkling tentacles at low angle, with many tiny rainbow dots that glimmer faintly in the sunlight and brightly in pitch darkness.


Some Inklings (namely [[Callie]], [[Marie]], and [[Pearl]]) have special features such as a black/grey color on the majority of their "hair" with their ink color on the tips of the tentacle and plus-shaped pupils. These pupils are either brown or white, as opposed to the standard Inkling's black. Callie and Marie (along with some Inklings shown in ''Splatoon'' official art) have tipped curves at the bottom of their ears, giving them a slightly angular appearance.
Inklings take on a unique appearance when they have a [[special weapon]] ready; they give off sparks, the tentacles on their head become very brightly colored and glow, bubbles form at the top of their head as if from boiling water, and they appear to be caught in a strong wind even when completely still. Their appearance returns to normal once their special weapon has been used.
{{clr}}


==Abilities==
In the ''Splatoon'' manga, [[Vintage]] and his teammate Omega have the ability to sense opponents moving behind them. [[Bobble Hat (character)|Bobble Hat]], also from the manga, has similar abilities. It is unknown if any other Inklings have these abilities.{{clr}}
[[File:Transform img.png|thumb|right|190|Transformation]]
Both of the Inklings' forms have abilities associated with them. In humanoid form, Inklings can splatter a special type of colored [[ink]] by using various [[weapon]]s, including guns, rollers, buckets and paintbrushes. This ink can be quickly spread over many surfaces, except for green barrel-like objects, black pavement, <!--We need to make an article for these things--> and [[Glass]] surfaces. This ink inhibits the movement of Inklings that do not have a matching color. When used as a projectile, ink can damage opposing Inklings, eventually "splatting" them and forcing them to respawn. In squid form, an Inkling can swim and jump quickly through ink of the same color, even using this mechanic to swim up walls and through wire fences and grates into areas that are not typically reachable. However, squids cannot travel past striped barriers, preventing them from swimming into inaccessible areas. While squid form Inklings are in their ink color they will be invisible if they stay still, and when moving only slight ripples will appear. While submerged in ink of their color, they quickly replenish their ink ammunition. When squid form Inklings are on dry land they are only able to slither slowly, even slower than a humanoid Inkling. Inkling squids in ink of a different color will be unable to remain in squid form for long before being forced back to humanoid form. Inkling ink disappears rather quickly after a battle due to consumption by microorganisms that have evolved to feed on the ink.


Inklings (and Octolings) can change their color at will when out of battle, as seen in the ''Splatoon'' manga.
===Splatting===
{{main|Splat (occurrence)}}


[[File:Dissolving in water.png|thumb|left|x140px|An Inkling just after dissolving in water.]]
While in battle, Inklings can use their weapons to 'splat' each other with ink. Standing in enemy ink will damage and slow an Inkling's movement, but only enemy fire can splat an Inkling. When splatted by an enemy, Inklings explode into enemy ink, with their gear and weapons dropping before dissolving shortly thereafter, and a ghost-like squid figure will rise into the air over where they were splatted. This ghost-like squid figure then travels to the spawn point where the Inkling respawns. Inklings can also be splatted from diving into water and dissolving, or falling off a ledge and exploding into a cloud colored of their ink. Inklings can respawn at [[spawn point|checkpoint]]s after being splatted in [[Octo Valley (mode)|Octo Valley]] and [[Octo Canyon (mode)|Octo Canyon]], though only working for a limited number of respawns. The online battle [[mode]]s allows for an infinite amount of respawns at the [[spawn point]]s. The [[special gauge]] decreases when splatted, even if full, unless the player is wearing 3 mains and 9 subs of [[Special Saver]] and the opponent is '''not''' wearing [[Respawn Punisher]].


Inklings are unable to swim in water. When submerged, their body dissolves, leaving their clothes behind. The [[Live from the Squid Research Lab|official American ''Splatoon'' Tumblr]] has mused that this may be because their bodies are made of liquid. Another reason to support this is that squid form Inklings can go through grates, which is also cited by the Tumblr account to possibly be related to them being made of liquid. Interviews with the producer for ''Splatoon'' and ''Splatoon 2'' [[Hisashi Nogami]] revealed that Inklings have a very thin and permeable outer membrane, which causes their ink to bleed out when in contact with water. They evolved this way to be able to transform freely between their squid and humanoid form, but lost the ability to be in water as a consequence.<ref>[https://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2018/03/26/splatoon-s-burning-questions-finally-answered.aspx Gameinformer - ''Splatoon'''s Burning Questions Finally Answered]</ref><ref>[https://miketendo64.com/2018/08/11/hisashi-nogami-octo-expansion/ Nintendo Switch news section interview with Nogami]</ref> A piece of trivia from ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'' also states that the Inklings' ink from their bodies will diffuse when submerged in water and which causes them to dissolve.<ref>"''In the ''Splatoon'' series, Inklings cover the ground and walls in ink, and then swim through that ink as a squid. But if they fall into water, the ink in their bodies will diffuse and they'll dissolve.''" - ''[[Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]'', Inkling Tips</ref>
However, in the ''[[Octo Expansion]]'' campaign, developers revealed that during the escape phases, [[Agent 8]], an [[Octoling]], does die if they get splatted as they are not connected to a spawn point, only checkpoints without respawning capabilities. This suggests that Inklings and Octolings do indeed die when splatted and need a means for them to respawn,<ref name="Splatoon 2 Famitsu interview">[https://www.famitsu.com/news/201807/21160955.html Famitsu ''Splatoon 2'' anniversary interview with the developers]</ref> possibly true due to the visual effects (i.e the 'ghost') when splatted.
 
[[File:Bioluminescence Inkling Girl.jpeg |thumb|right|250px|Glowing dots underneath the Inkling’s hair in the Super Smash Bros. 2018 Trailer.]]
 
Inklings are capable of producing light, possibly from bioluminescence, an ability some real-life squid such as the [[Wikipedia:Watasenia scintillans|firefly squid]] possess. In the dark, either during a [[Splatfest]] or some [[Octo Valley (mode)|Octo Valley]] missions, the player's Inkling will glow brightly in humanoid form, lighting up the area immediately around them. This glow disappears entirely upon assuming squid form. Other Inklings remain dark, helping to differentiate them from the player's. However, all Inklings (as well as [[jellyfish]]) in [[Inkopolis Plaza]] do give off a very faint glow during a Splatfest, seen only on the ground around them. It is also very noticeable underneath their hair which shows off many tiny rainbow dots slightly in the sunlight and brightly in pitch darkness.
{{clr}}
 
==Communication and language==
{{main|Inkling (language)}}
[[File:Credits - Logo D.png|thumb|right|120px|An example of Inkling language.]]
Inklings communicate with each other in the [[Inkling (Language)|Inkling language]], which sounds like indecipherable, high-pitched gurgling. They can be found talking to each other in [[Inkopolis Plaza]]. Written Inkling appears frequently in-game: on signs, in [[Sunken Scroll]]s, etc. The [[Squid Sisters]] talk and sing in Inkling. Inklings speak to teammates in Inkling when [[Signal]]s are used in online battles.
 
So far, there have been no successful attempts at decoding the language, leading some to believe it is gibberish.
 
===Audio===
*[[Media:Femaleinkling sounds.ogg|Female Inklings' voice clips]]
*[[Media:Maleinkling sounds.ogg|Male Inklings' voice clips]]
*[[Media:Squid sisters sounds.ogg|Squid Sisters' voice clips]]
{{clr}}


==Culture==
==Culture==
[[File:Sunkenscroll4.png|thumb|left]]
[[File:S Sunken Scroll 4.png|thumb|left|A Sunken Scroll marking Turf War battles to be at least 2,000 years old.]]


Inkling culture has been heavily influenced by the ancient human cultures that came before them; as a result, Inkling architecture, fashion, art, and even the Inkling written language shows influence from Japanese, American, and other ancient human societies. It was implied that Inklings adapted much their own culture and mannerisms from the cities and towns they have taken as their own, and the fossils of human civilizations they have unearthed.
Inkling culture is heavily influenced by the ancient human cultures that came before them; as a result, Inkling architecture, fashion, art, and even language shows influence from eastern and western human societies alike. It was implied that Inklings adapted much of their own culture and mannerisms from the fossils of human civilizations they have unearthed, and the blending of ancient human aesthetics and Inkling ingenuity is truly unique. The best collections of the Inkling lifestyle can be seen in major cities such as [[Inkopolis]], and [[Splatsville]]; cultural hot spots that draw in many young rural Inklings that seek a trendy and fresh lifestyle.<ref>[[The Art of Splatoon]]</ref>


[[File:Inklings idle.gif|thumb|x200px|A pair of Inklings wearing various pieces of [[gear]].]]
"Freshness" is the most important aspect of Inkling culture. This is based on how recent and cool an Inkling's attire and general style is, as well as how proficient with weapons and skilled in battle an Inkling is. Freshness is so important that most business owners will refuse customers that are too inexperienced.


Though much of their culture has been appropriated from humans, the Inklings have a modern rendering on certain subjects, as well as cultural ideas of their own. [[Turf War]]s as a sport are cultural high-point to many Inklings, with many youngsters participating in Turf War events as a means of entertainment and relaxation. Turf wars also can be seen as a means of recreation and celebration, since the Inkling victory of the [[Great Turf War]]. [[The Art of Splatoon|The Art of ''Splatoon'']] states that many young Inklings come from rural areas and seek a more trendy and up-to-date life in [[Inkopolis]].
The cultural high-point to many Inklings are competitive battles, which serve as a means of entertainment, relaxation, and celebration of the Inkling victory during the [[Great Turf War]]. It is by far the most popular activity for young Inklings and include a variety of modes leading with [[Turf War]], and including [[Splat Zones]], [[Rainmaker]], [[Clam Blitz]], and [[Tower Control]].


Inklings seem to vandalize walls and other surfaces commonly, as their creations are commonly seen, stating that they are proud of pictures, messages and advice they have put up. This graffiti can be seen on walls and other structures across Inkopolis and in battle stages. Some name-tag resembling stickers can also be found, with words written and typed, possibly printed, in Inkling.
Inklings hold onto strong values of 'turf', and any infrastructure is likely to be decorated with graffiti and tags, as if to declare ownership. The art book from the first ''Splatoon'' clarifies that the idea stemmed from the Turf War concept of spraying and drawing ink to claim territory, implying that some Inkling graffiti is drawn in ink.


Fashion is a major part of Inkling societies, to the point of coining the term ''"fresh"'' to signify how recent and cool an Inkling's attire and general style is. Freshness can be applied to many other aspects of Inkling life, such as [[Main Weapon|weaponary]] and linguistics. Heavy focus on Inkling gear is commonplace, as Inklings spend lots of their time and [[Cash]] shopping for new and interesting headgear, clothes, and shoes. Inklings can be seen gathered both inside and outside of local [[shops]], socializing and buying themselves new gear.
Appearances play a major part in Inkling culture, and to many, being able to express themselves fully is a must. Inklings have invented many interesting ways the [[Player Settings|style their tentacles]], and have a huge variety of [[gear brand]]s and fashions. Besides the [[lobby]], the second most frequented spots in Inkling cities are the many shops that [[gear]] can be purchased from. Inklings can be seen gathered both inside and outside of local shops, socializing and showing off new gear.


Inkling music can be heard throughout Inkopolis, from the rock band [[Squid Squad]] to the worldwide pop idols, the [[Squid Sisters]]. Many bands have members from completely different species, such as the anemone and crab members of [[Chirpy Chips]], but the music industry seems to be largely comprised of Inklings.
Inkling [[music]] can easily be described as a cultural cornerstone, and is extremely varied in style and genre, from the rock band [[Squid Squad]] to the world famous pop idols, the [[Squid Sisters]]. Music can be heard during every battle as a way to hype up competitors, as well as in every shop and throughout Inkopolis and Splatsville.


Every so often, a Splatfest is held, a special event that brings Inklings together for a large concert and celebration of two opposing ideas, and can be seen as a merging of music and turf wars. Two teams are formed around two opposing topics (such as Callie versus Marie) and compete in turf wars against each other. The more popular and/or the higher-scoring team wins. For the entire duration of the Splatfests, the Squid Sisters or [[Off the Hook]] perform. Messages and drawings by participating Inklings are highlighted during the event, showing up on billboards in the concert area and around the selected stages for that event.
[[File:Splatfest Plaza 6.jpg|thumb|400x400px|Inkopolis Plaza decorated for a Splatfest.]]


In ''Splatoon'', Inklings who compete in Turf Wars hang out in [[Inkopolis Plaza]], which is also the location of [[Booyah Base]], a strip mall containing different stores. This plaza is the hub for Splatfests and is where [[Inkopolis Tower]], holding the [[Great Zapfish]] that powers all of Inkopolis and also allows access to Turf Wars and [[Ranked Battles]], is located. Two years later, in ''Splatoon 2'', Inkopolis Plaza has been replaced by [[Inkopolis Square]] as the new hotspot, being a location that can be accessed from Inkopolis Plaza through the use of the subway, and more stores have been opened there.
Every so often, a [[Splatfest]] is held; a special festival that brings Inklings together for a large concert and celebration of opposing ideas, and can be seen as a merging of music and turf wars. Teams are formed around two (''Splatoon'', ''Splatoon 2'') or three (''Splatoon 3'') opposing topics, where members compete in turf wars in order to decide which is superior. This is a major event where an entire city may be transformed in celebration. Many Inklings can be seen on the streets dancing, enjoying live performances from the [[Squid Sisters]] (''Splatoon''), [[Off the Hook]] (''Splatoon 2''), or [[Deep Cut]] (''Splatoon 3''), and supporting their chosen teams by wearing [[Splatfest Tee]]s and producing topic-themed graffiti.


Inklings have been described as easy-going, inattentive and living for fun; they did not take further concern when the Great Zapfish went missing and did not notice that [[Octoling (playable)|Octolings]] were coming to Inkopolis. They easily forget about old trends and shift their interest on what is new, which is evidenced by the focus on being "fresh".<ref name="Splatoon 2 Famitsu interview">[https://www.famitsu.com/news/201807/21160955.html Famitsu ''Splatoon 2'' anniversary interview with the developers]</ref> Their work ethic seems to mirror their carefree and pleasure-seeking nature as the second artbook mentions that many Inklings take on part-time jobs at [[Starfish Mainstage]] but they stop working while on the job when a live show starts. The [[List of Sunken Scrolls in Splatoon#Scroll 5|Sunken Scrolls]] have even described the Inkling mind as being simple and hedonistic, though this could be written as Octarian propaganda.
Inklings have been described as easy-going, inattentive and living for fun; they did not take further concern when the [[Great Zapfish]] went missing and didn't seem too worried when [[Octoling]]s appeared in Inkopolis. Indeed, it is stated that during the Great Turf War, preliminary battles were easily won by Octarian forces simply because Inklings had failed to wake up early enough. Sunken Scrolls have described the Inkling mind as being simple and hedonistic, though this is most likely Octarian propaganda.<ref>[[List of Sunken Scrolls in Splatoon|Sunken Scroll 12]]</ref> Their work ethic seems to mirror their carefree and pleasure-seeking nature, as ''[[The Art of Splatoon 2]]'' mentions that many Inklings only take on part-time jobs. They easily forget about old trends and shift their interest on what is new, or fresh.<ref name="Splatoon 2 Famitsu interview" />


It was confirmed that Inkopolis resides in Japan, where ''Splatoon'' was created, so Inklings' clothing and architecture has some of Japan's customs, namely [[Wikipedia: Kimono|kimono]] wearing as shown by Squid Sister Marie, rice as a popular food (as seen in the [[Rice vs. Bread]] [[Splatfest]]), and the summer dress [[Wikipedia: Yukata|yukata]], as shown in a promotional art of Squid Sister Callie. Gear based on Japanese [[Wikipedia: Sushi|sushi]] shop employee uniforms were also released, hinting at Inklings eating sushi. This was hinted at again when Inklings were seen to eat 'hot dogfish' and 'hot catfish'.
It was confirmed that Inkopolis resides in Japan, where the ''Splatoon'' franchise was created. Inkling society is heavily inspired by Japanese culture, with similar architecture, customs, spoken and written language, and dress. Some notable examples is the traditional Japanese dress worn by the Squid Sisters on multiple occasions, the clear ''[[wikipedia:Rakugo|rakugo]]'' set-up for the [[Anarchy Splatcast]], and rice as a popular food, as seen in the [[Rice vs. Bread]] [[Splatfest]]. [[Traditional Gear|Gear based on Japanese sushi shop uniforms]] were also released, hinting at Inklings eating sushi. This was implied again when Inklings were seen to eat 'hot dogfish' and 'fried catfish'. This is further pointed at when Callie says she is not good with seafood. The type of seafood is unknown, however.


===Squidmas===
===Squidmas===
[[File:Merry Squidmas 2017.jpg|thumb|left|200px]]
[[File:Merry Squidmas 2017.jpg|thumb|left|300px|A festive Squidmas wallpaper.]]
Squidmas is an Inkling holiday that is assumed to be celebrated during colder weather. Much is unknown about this holiday aside from its obvious likenesses to the human holiday of Christmas. From this, it is assumed that in the winter, a figure named ''Father Squidmas'' goes around the world giving out presents and freshness to all the good Inkling children.


Squidmas is an Inkling holiday that is assumed to be celebrated in the winter. Much is unknown about this holiday aside from its obvious likenesses to the human holiday of Christmas. From this, it is assumed that in the winter, a figure named ''Father Squidmas'' goes around the world giving out presents and freshness to all the good Inkling children.
According to [[Callie]] of the [[Squid Sisters]], Father Squidmas can be found in the North Pole of the Earth, making gifts all year in preparation for Squidmas time. According to her cousin [[Marie]], Father Squidmas isn't real and all of their interactions with him are simply their [[Cuttlefish|grandfather]] dressed up as him.


[[File:Inkling Christmas Card.jpg|thumb|right|100px]]
Squidmas is an additional element associated with the localization. The Japanese edition originally did not have it, as well as other regions, though official art celebrating the holidays does use the term "Squidmas".
{{clr}}


According to [[Callie]] of the [[Squid Sisters]], Father Squidmas can be found in the North Pole of the Earth, making gifts all year in preparation for Squidmas time. According to her cousin [[Marie]], Father Squidmas isn't real and all of their interactions with him are simply their [[Cap'n Cuttlefish|grandfather]] dressed up as him.
===Halloween===
[[File:Inkling Halloween.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]
Halloween is another holiday that Inklings celebrate as evidenced by the [[Trick vs. Treat (2018)|Trick vs. Treat]] Splatfest and [[Trick vs. Treat (2020)|its rematch]]. Just like the human holiday of the same name, Inklings and other species dress up in costumes and participate in trick or treating activities. Locations are likewise decorated with scary decor such as ghost, skeletons and glow-in-the-dark graffiti.


Squidmas is an additional element associated with the localization. The Japanese edition originally doesn't have it, and other regions may not have it, though official art celebrating the holidays does use the term "Squidmas" in the art.
The event is also known as "Splatoween", though [[Marina]] specifies that Trick vs. Treat is a Halloween Splatfest, implying that the holiday's official name is Halloween. Official art made to celebrate the occasion uses the 'Halloween' term. The Japanese version also uses Halloween when referring to the event. Dialogue for a previous Splatfest, [[Fancy Party vs. Costume Party]], refers to the holiday as "Squidoween", but this could be a phrase added in the localization as versions in other languages don't mention the term.
{{clr}}


===Halloween===
===Gachi Bon Matsuri===
[[File:Inkling Halloween.jpg|thumb|left|200px]]
[[File:Chorus of Calamari County Gachi Bon Matsuri.jpg|thumb|left|300px]]


Halloween seems to be another holiday that Inklings celebrate as evidenced by the [[Trick vs. Treat]] Splatfest. The event also called "Splatoween", though [[Marina]] specifies that it's a Halloween Splatfest, implying that the holiday's official name is Halloween. The Japanese edition also uses Halloween when referring to the event.
A two-day event themed after the [[wikipedia:Bon (festival)|''Bon'' festival]] for {{S}} was held starting {{date|2016-04-29}} through ''Niconico Chokaigi''. The name of the event can be translated as "[[Ranked Battle|Ranked]] (or competitive) Bon Festival". In an article from Nintendo, it was mentioned that while the Bon Festival is celebrated during summer in the human world, Inklings celebrate the holiday in the month of April.<ref>[https://topics.nintendo.co.jp/article/ff1c5c12-eff6-11e5-9d75-063b7ac45a6d {{NES}} 春なのにSplatoonガチ盆まつり、「超音楽祭2016」にシオカラーズ出演決定！]</ref> It included tournaments, giveaways, and ''Bon Odori'' dance sessions, as well as a viewing party for the [[Shiokalive at Chokaigi 2016|Squid Sisters concert]] at the ''Chokaigi'' Music Festival. To promote the event, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RBG4KLnGjY a video] depicting a young Callie and Marie dancing to the [[Calamari Inkantation#Chorus of Calamari County|Chorus of Calamari County]] was released. Attendees were encouraged to learn the video's choreography with dance lessons being given on site. Some fans, many of them in cosplay, were invited on stage to dance to the song during the ''Bon Odori'' session. It is unclear if the event was supposed to reflect how Inklings celebrate the ''Bon'' Festival beyond the date.
{{clr}}


Just like the human holiday by the same name, Inklings and other species dress up in usually scary costumes and go out trick or treating. Locations are likewise decorated with scary decor such as ghost, skeletons and glow-in-the-dark graffiti.
==Communication and language==
[[File:Credits - Logo D.png|thumb|right|120px|An example of Inkling language.]]


Dialogue for a previous Splatfest, [[Fancy Party vs. Costume Party]], had called the holiday for "Squidoween". Though this could also be an element associated with the localization as other regions don't mention the term. Official art has also been done, celebrating the holiday, and use the term "Halloween" in the art.
{{main|Language in the Splatoon series}}
{{clr}}


==Splatting==
Inklings communicate with each other in the [[Language in the Splatoon series|Inkling language]], which to human ears sounds like high-pitched, distorted noises most commonly expressed using consonant-vowel parings (''i.e. woomy''). Written Inkling is shown to be extremely diverse and complex, with many different 'characters' and 'alphabets' that take the most inspiration from Japanese and English. Inkling appears frequently in-game: on signs, shops, [[Sunken Scroll]]s, clothing, etc. Much of the music in the ''Splatoon'' series features lyrics sung in Inkling, such as that performed by the [[Squid Sisters]]. When the player uses [[signal]]s to communicate with teammates in online battles, the player's Inkling is shown using Inkling translations.
While in battle, Inklings can use their weapons to splat each other with ink. Standing in enemy ink will damage and slow down an Inkling's movement, but only enemy fire can splat an Inkling. When splatted by an enemy, Inklings explode into enemy ink, with their gear and weapons dropping before dissolving shortly thereafter, and a ghost-like squid figure will rise into the air over where they were splatted. This ghost-like squid figure then travels to the spawn point where the Inkling respawns. Inklings can also be splatted from diving into water and dissolving, or falling off a ledge and exploding into a cloud colored of their ink. Inklings can respawn at [[checkpoint]]s after being splatted in [[Octo Valley (mode)|Octo Valley]] and [[Octo Canyon (mode)|Octo Canyon]], though only working for a limited number of respawns. The online battle [[mode]]s allows for an infinite amount of respawns at the [[spawn point]]s. The [[special gauge]] decreases when splatted, even if full, unless the player is wearing 3 mains and 9 subs of {{Ability|S2|Special Saver}} and the opponent is '''not''' wearing {{Ability|S2|Respawn Punisher}}.


However, in the ''[[Octo Expansion]]'' campaign, developers revealed that during the escape phases, [[Agent 8]], an [[Octoling (playable)|Octoling]], does die if they get splatted as they are not connected to a spawn point, only checkpoints without respawning capabilities. This suggests that Inklings and Octolings do indeed die when splatted and need a means for them to respawn,<ref name="Splatoon 2 Famitsu interview"/> possibly true due to the visual effects (i.e the 'ghost') when splatted.
===Audio===
Press the speaker icon or descriptive text to start or pause the audio.
*{{sound|Female Inklings' voice clips|Female inkling sounds.oga}} ([[:File:Female inkling sounds.oga|link to file information]])
*{{sound|Male Inklings' voice clips|Male inkling sounds.oga}} ([[:File:Male inkling sounds.oga|link to file information]])
*{{sound|Squid Sisters' voice clips|Squid sisters sounds.oga}} ([[:File:Squid sisters sounds.oga|link to file information]])
{{clr}}


==Profiles and bios==
==Quotes==
{{Quote|Transform into a squid to hide, climb walls, or travel at super speed in your own ink. But watch out for enemy ink—it'll hurt you!|Splatoon's official website|<ref name="Splatoon Overview">[http://splatoon.nintendo.com/overview/ {{NES}} ''Splatoon'' Overview]</ref>}}
{{Quote|Transform into a squid to hide, climb walls, or travel at super speed in your own ink. But watch out for enemy ink—it'll hurt you!|Splatoon's official website|<ref name="Splatoon Overview">[http://splatoon.nintendo.com/overview/ {{NES}} ''Splatoon'' Overview]</ref>}}
{{Quote|The squid-like residents of Inkopolis are totes crazy for color-flinging, ink-slinging, turf-splattering battles.|Splatoon's official website|<ref name="Splatoon Overview"/>}}
{{Quote|The squid-like residents of Inkopolis are totes crazy for color-flinging, ink-slinging, turf-splattering battles.|Splatoon's official website|<ref name="Splatoon Overview"/>}}
{{Quote|From squid…to kid…and back!inklings can transform at will into squid form, so you've gotta master both if you want to win.|Splatoon's official website|<ref name="Splatoon Overview"/>}}
{{Quote|From squid…to kid…and back! Inklings can transform at will into squid form, so you've gotta master both if you want to win.|Splatoon's official website|<ref name="Splatoon Overview"/>}}
{{Quote|Swim up ink-splattered walls and jump from one splat to another in squid form.|Splatoon's official website|<ref name="Splatoon Overview"/>}}
{{Quote|Swim up ink-splattered walls and jump from one splat to another in squid form.|Splatoon's official website|<ref name="Splatoon Overview"/>}}
{{Quote|Find shortcuts and navigate tricky areas.|Splatoon's official website|<ref name="Splatoon Overview"/>}}
{{Quote|Find shortcuts and navigate tricky areas.|Splatoon's official website|<ref name="Splatoon Overview"/>}}
Line 129: Line 124:
{{Quote|Turn into a squid to move more quickly across your ink.|Splatoon's official website|<ref name="Splatoon Overview"/>}}
{{Quote|Turn into a squid to move more quickly across your ink.|Splatoon's official website|<ref name="Splatoon Overview"/>}}
{{Quote|Hide as a squid, then quickly switch to an Inkling to take enemies out of the action with a well-aimed splat.|Splatoon's official website|<ref name="Splatoon Overview"/>}}
{{Quote|Hide as a squid, then quickly switch to an Inkling to take enemies out of the action with a well-aimed splat.|Splatoon's official website|<ref name="Splatoon Overview"/>}}
==Gallery==
{{Gallery}}


==Trivia==
==Trivia==
[[File:Octo Expansion Cap'n Cuttlefish quote - hearts.jpg|thumb|250px|[[Cap'n Cuttlefish]] saying "all of my hearts", implying that Inklings have more than one heart.]]
[[File:Octo Expansion Cap'n Cuttlefish quote - hearts.jpg|thumb|250px|[[Cuttlefish|Cap'n Cuttlefish]] saying "all of my hearts", implying that Inklings have more than one heart.]]
*Inklings seem to have multiple hearts, as implied by [[Cap'n Cuttlefish]] at the beginning of the ''[[Octo Expansion]]''. This could be a reference to how real-life [[Wikipedia:Cephalopoda#Circulatory system|cephalopods]] have three hearts.
*According to the EDGE article, Inklings get full control of their squid and human forms at age 14.
**Despite this, Inklings might be able to control both forms at ages much younger than 14 as shown in [[List of Sunken Scrolls in Splatoon#Scroll 17|Sunken Scroll 17]] where the [[Squid Sisters]] are shown as children in their humanoid form, and in [[List of Sunken Scrolls in Splatoon 2#Scroll 1|Sunken Scroll 1]] in ''Splatoon 2'' where [[Pearl]] is seen in humanoid form as a child, much younger than the age 14. However, Pearl looks like a child despite being 21 years old, so she could have been over 14 in the photo.
*An Inkling's ink color is random online unless the Ink Color Lock option has been turned on, while in [[Octo Valley (mode)|Octo Valley]], it depends on the mission.
*The developers said when they came up with the concept, they didn't consider [[mariowiki:Blooper|Bloopers]] from the [[mariowiki:Mario (series)|''Mario'' series]], despite the close resemblance between Bloopers and Inklings.
*A [[smashwiki:Trophy|trophy]] of a female Inkling appears in [[smashwiki:Super Smash Bros. 4|Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U]], which becomes available after downloading the Inkling Mii Fighter costumes.
**The trophy is shaped like the [[Amiibo#Inkling Girl|Inkling Girl amiibo]].
*When switching between [[gear]] on the [[equipment]] screen, there is sometimes a small delay before the selected piece of gear appears on the player's Inkling. For that moment, they will not be wearing any gear in that slot.
**In ''Splatoon'', for [[clothing]], they wear a tight, sleeveless black shirt by default. For [[shoes]], it shows their bare feet, which are flipper-like and featureless because Inklings' feet are meant to never be seen. For [[headgear]], they simply look like they are wearing the [[Fake Contacts]], or no headgear. However, Inklings will always wear their [[Shorts]].
**In ''Splatoon 2'', the gear-less Inklings can also be seen in [[Octo Canyon]] when they are in the temporary "danger" mode that occurs when their Hero Headphones, Hero Hoodie and Hero Boots break from taking fatal damage and after falling into water. For [[clothing]], the Inkling Boy doesn't have any, while the Inkling Girl wears a black sports bra. For [[shoes]], their feet are now properly rendered and have toes. They still look like they are wearing [[Fake Contacts]] or not wearing headgear. Their Legwear remains the same.
*When designing the Inklings, the ''Splatoon'' development team centered around the girl at first, to the extent that they thought at first to not have a boy Inkling. They emphasized on the girl Inkling because there weren't many female leads in Nintendo games and that having a strong, active female lead would make it easier to become accepted overseas. The boy Inkling was created later.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://nintendoeverything.com/splatoon-devs-on-Inkling-girl-design-focus-squid-sisters-and-more/ | title = Famitsu Interview with Splatoon development team | publisher = Posted by Brian on NintendoEverything | date = 2015-07-26 | accessdate= 2015-07-28 }}</ref>
*When designing the Inklings, the ''Splatoon'' development team centered around the girl at first, to the extent that they thought at first to not have a boy Inkling. They emphasized on the girl Inkling because there weren't many female leads in Nintendo games and that having a strong, active female lead would make it easier to become accepted overseas. The boy Inkling was created later.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://nintendoeverything.com/splatoon-devs-on-Inkling-girl-design-focus-squid-sisters-and-more/ | title = Famitsu Interview with Splatoon development team | publisher = Posted by Brian on NintendoEverything | date = 2015-07-26 | accessdate= 2015-07-28 }}</ref>
** The playable Inklings were originally designed as 17-year-olds since the developers wanted to give the image of a strong, rebelling character, having the attitude of being "cool". But due to the boy looking too obedient at that age they were aged down to 14-year-olds, though they were still designed as having the mood of 16 to 17-year-olds.<ref>[https://nintendoeverything.com/splatoon-staff-talk-about-the-Inkling-design-more-on-the-squid-sisters-and-other-topics/ Famitsu developer interview - NintendoEverthing translation: ''Splatoon'' staff talk about the Inkling design, more on the Squid Sisters, and other topics]</ref>
**The playable Inklings were originally designed as 17-year-olds since the developers wanted to give the image of a strong, rebelious character, with a "cool" attitude. But due to the boy looking too obedient at 17 they were aged down to 14-year-olds, though they were still designed as having the mood of 16 to 17-year-olds.<ref>[https://nintendoeverything.com/splatoon-staff-talk-about-the-Inkling-design-more-on-the-squid-sisters-and-other-topics/ Famitsu developer interview - NintendoEverthing translation: ''Splatoon'' staff talk about the Inkling design, more on the Squid Sisters, and other topics]</ref>
*The [[Live from Squid Research Lab|Squid Research Lab]] admitted that Inklings may be made entirely out of ink. This theory would explain why Inklings dissolve in [[water]], swim through [[grate]]s, and reform with ease after being splatted.<ref>[http://splatoonus.tumblr.com/post/107608490289/breaking-news-one-of-our-interns-recently-saw-a {{SRL}} Breaking News: One of our interns recently saw a...]</ref> This also may mean that in humanoid form, they hold themselves up with 'ink pressure', which means that they use a substance in ink to retain their ability to stand and walk upright.
 
*Inklings have tongues in the [[Splatoon (manga)|''Splatoon'' manga]] and the [[Naughty vs. Nice]] Splatfest artwork, but not in the video games.
*''Splatoon'' developers have stated when they came up with the concept, they didn't consider [[mariowiki:Blooper|Bloopers]] from the [[mariowiki:Mario (series)|''Mario'' series]], despite the close resemblance between Bloopers and Inklings.
*Inklings appear to use their weapons with their right hand, and there is no option to change that in the control settings.
 
*While the player is swimming in squid form, the music is muffled and bubbling sounds can be heard.
* According to the [[:File:Inklingdevelopment.png|Inkling Development Process]], Inklings finalize their kid form at the age of 14. Despite this, some Inklings might be able to assume this form much earlier, as seen in [[List of Sunken Scrolls in Splatoon#Scroll 17|Sunken Scroll 17]], where the [[Squid Sisters]] are shown as children in their kid form. Another example could be the [[List of Sunken Scrolls in Splatoon 2#Scroll 1|Sunken Scroll 1]] in ''Splatoon 2,'' which appears to be of a young [[Pearl]] in kid form. However, due to Pearl's adult appearance still being quite childlike, it is unclear if this photo was taken before or after the age of 14.
*If a player is hit by an enemy's ink and is close to being splatted, when they submerge back into their ink to heal, the Inkling can be heard quietly moaning in pain.
*There is conflicting evidence on whether Inklings have bones. [[Marie]] mentions once that squids lack bones, and an x-ray of an Inkling can be found in a Sunken Scroll, which shows no bones.<ref>[[Blackbelly Skatepark/Quotes|Blackbelly Skatepark Quotes]], [[List of Sunken Scrolls in Splatoon#Scroll 5|5th Sunken Scroll]]</ref> The Sunken Scroll features Octarian propaganda, so the x-ray might not be truthful. In the ''[[Octo Expansion]]'', [[Cap'n Cuttlefish]] mentions his [[wikipedia:Cuttlebone|cuttlebone]]s, although these might apply to him specifically, as he is called "Cuttlefish."
**It is also possible that it was simply a figure of speech.
*In the [[Squid vs. Octopus (Splatoon 2)|Squid vs. Octopus]] [[Splatfest]], players on Team Squid will have their avatar switched to Inklings when inside battles. In Inkopolis Square, the avatar remains unchanged. The reverse is true for Team Octopus.
*In promo art in both 2D and 3D, the Inklings' ears are shaped with a flat top that are tilted down and have a round curve on the bottom but the in-game models depict them as having ears that narrow at the end with no visible curve.
*Inklings and Octolings share many physiological similarities, despite having evolved from separate animal species. This could be a case of [[Wikipedia:Convergent evolution|convergent evolution]], where species of different lineages evolve similar features.
*Inklings are shown drinking liquids at [[The Crust Bucket]]; so it is theorized that Inklings can drink cold liquids only as they are made of warmer liquids and can withstand only colder liquid consumption, though they will still likely get splatted if attempting to swim in it.


==Gallery==
*The [[Squid Research Lab]] admitted that Inklings may be made entirely out of ink. This theory would explain why Inklings dissolve in [[water]], swim through [[grate]]s, and reform with ease after being splatted.<ref>[http://splatoonus.tumblr.com/post/107608490289/breaking-news-one-of-our-interns-recently-saw-a {{SRL}} Breaking News: One of our interns recently saw a...]</ref> This also may mean that in humanoid form, they hold themselves up with 'ink pressure', which means that they use a substance in ink to retain their ability to stand and walk upright.
{{Gallery}}
*Inklings seem to have multiple hearts, as implied by [[Cuttlefish|Cap'n Cuttlefish]] at the beginning of the ''[[Octo Expansion]]''. This could be a reference to how real-life [[Wikipedia:Cephalopod#Circulatory system|cephalopods]] have three hearts.
*An Inkling's ink color is chosen at random for online battles unless the Ink Color Lock option has been turned on.
* Inklings (and Octolings) can change their hair and ink color at will when out of battle, as seen in the ''Splatoon'' manga.
*Inklings are at least somewhat ambidextrous, wielding weapons like the [[Splatana Wiper]] with both hands, although they predominantly use their right hands with other weapons.
*While the player is swimming in squid form, the music is muffled and bubbling sounds can be heard. If a player is hit by an enemy's ink and is close to being splatted, when they submerge back into their ink to heal, the Inkling can be heard quietly moaning in pain.
*When switching between [[gear]] on the [[equipment]] screen, there is sometimes a small delay before the selected piece of gear appears on the player's Inkling. For that moment, they will not be wearing any gear in that slot.
**In ''Splatoon'', for clothing, they wear a tight, sleeveless black shirt by default. For shoes, it shows their bare feet, which are flipper-like and featureless because Inklings' feet are meant to never be seen. For headgear, they simply look like they are wearing the [[Fake Contacts]], or no headgear. However, Inklings always wear their [[Player Settings|shorts]].
**In ''Splatoon 2'', the gear-less Inklings can also be seen in [[Octo Canyon (mode)|Octo Canyon]] when they are in the temporary "danger" mode that occurs when their Hero Headphones, Hero Hoodie and Hero Boots break from taking fatal damage and after falling into water. Their legwear remains the same, but for clothing, the Inkling Boy is shirtless, while the Inkling Girl wears a black sports bra. For shoes, their feet are now properly rendered and have toes. They appear as if wearing Fake Contacts or not wearing headgear.
*Inklings have tongues as seen in the [[Splatoon (manga)|''Splatoon'' manga]] and the [[Naughty vs. Nice]] Splatfest artwork, but they are not usually seen on in-game models except for in ''Splatoon 3'' with [[Frye]].
*During the [[Squid vs. Octopus (2018)|Squid vs. Octopus]] [[Splatfest]], Octoling players on Team Squid would have their avatar switched to Inklings when inside battles. In Inkopolis Square, the avatar remained unchanged. The reverse was true for Inklings on Team Octopus.
*A [[smashwiki:Trophy|trophy]] of a female Inkling appears in [[smashwiki:Super Smash Bros. 4|Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U]], which becomes available after downloading the Inkling Mii Fighter costumes. The trophy is shaped like the [[Amiibo#Inkling Girl|Inkling Girl amiibo]].


==Names in other languages==
==Names in other languages==
{|
<div style="display:flex; gap:30px; justify-content:flex-start; flex-wrap:wrap; align-items:flex-start;">
|align = "top" | ''Inkling''
{{Localized name
|align = "inherit" | ''Squid''
|title=Inkling
|- style="vertical-align:top"
|{{Foreignname
|Jap=インクリング
|Jap=インクリング
|JapR=Inkuringu
|JapR=Inkuringu
|JapM=Inkling
|JapM=Inkling
|Dut=Inkling
|Dut=Inkling
|DutM=Inkling
|DutM=-
|Fre=Inkling
|Fra=Inkling
|FreM=Inkling
|FraM=-
|Ger=Inkling
|Ger=Inkling
|GerM=Inkling
|GerM=-
|Ita=Inkling
|Ita=Inkling
|ItaM=Inkling
|ItaM=-
|Rus=Инклинг
|Rus=Инклинг
|RusR=Inkling
|RusR=Inkling
|RusM=Inkling
|RusM=Inkling
|Spa=Inkling
|Spa=Inkling
|SpaM=Inkling
|SpaM=-
|Chi=Inkling
|ChiS=鱿鱼族
|ChiM=Inkling
|ChiSR=yóuyú zú
|Kor=잉클링
|ChiSM=Literally "squid race", or Inkling. However, Inklings are more likely to be referred to as "squid", translation below
|ChiT=魷魚族
|ChiTR=yóuyú zú
|ChiTM=Literally "squid race", or Inkling. However, Inklings are more likely to be referred to as "squid", translation below
|KorR=ingkeulling
|KorR=ingkeulling
|KorM=Inkling
|KorM=Inkling
|Kor=잉클링
}}
}}
|{{Foreignname
 
|Dut=Inktvis
{{Localized name
|DutM=Cephalopod
|title=Squid
|Fre=Calamar
|Jap=イカ
|FreM=Squid
|Nor=Blekksprut
|Ger=Tintenfisch
|FinM=Soft-bodied cephalopod (squid, octopus, cuttlefish)
|GerM=Squid
|Ita=Calamaro
|ItaM=Squid
|Rus=Кальмар<br>Головоногий<br>''Golovonogiy''
|RusR=Kal'mar<br>Golovonogiy
|RusM=Squid<br><br>Mollusc
|Spa=Calamar<br>Cefalópodo
|SpaM=Squid<br>Cephalopod
|Cze=Olihně
|CzeM=Pencil squid
|Dan=Blæksprutte
|DanM=Cephalopod
|Fin=Mustekala
|FinM=Squid/Octopus/Cuttlefish
|Hun=Tintahal
|Hun=Tintahal
|HunM=Squid
|HunM=Squid
|Nor=Blekksprut
|Kor=오징어
|KorM=Squid
|KorR=ojingeo
|NorM=Cephalopod
|NorM=Cephalopod
|DanM=Cephalopod
|Pol=Kałamarnice
|Pol=Kałamarnice
|PolM=Squid
|PolM=Squid
Line 217: Line 199:
|Swe=Bläckfisk
|Swe=Bläckfisk
|SweM=Cephalopod
|SweM=Cephalopod
|Fin=Mustekala
|Dan=Blæksprutte
|JapM=Squid
|GerM=Squid
|JapR=ika
|Dut=Inktvis
|DutM=Cephalopod
|Fre=Calamar
|FreM=Squid
|Ger=Tintenfisch
|Ita=Calamaro
|CzeM=Pencil squid
|ItaM=Squid
|Rus1=Кальмар
|Rus1R=Kal'mar
|Rus2=Головоногий
|Rus2R=Golovonogiy
|Rus1M=Squid
|Rus2M=Cephalopod
|SpaE=Calamar<br>Cefalópodo
|SpaEM=Squid<br>Cephalopod
|Cze=Olihně
|ChiS=鱿鱼
|ChiSM=Squid
|ChiSR=yóuyú
|ChiT=魷魚
|ChiTM=Squid
|ChiTR=yóuyú
}}
{{Localized name
|title=Fresh!
|Jap=イカす!
|JapR=ikasu!
|JapM=Cool!<ref group="note">Also a pun on イカ(''ika'', squid)</ref>
|Rus=Свежачок!
|RusR=Svezhachok!
|RusM=Freshness!
|SpaA=¡Chévere!
|SpaAM=Groovy!
|SpaE=¡Mola!
|SpaEM=Cool!
|ChiS=鱿型！
|ChiSR=yóu xíng!
|ChiSM=A pun on 有型; ''pinyin: yǒuxíng'', or stylish, and 鱿鱼; ''pinyin: yóuyú'', or squid.
|ChiT=
|ChiTR=
|ChiTM=
|Kor=어메이징!
|KorR=eomeijing!
|KorM=Amazing!<ref group="note">Also a pun on 오징어(''ojingeo'', squid)</ref>
}}
}}
|}
</div>
===Translation notes===
<references group="note"/>


==References==
==References==
<references/>
<references />


{{Navbox/S Characters}}
{{Navbox/S Characters}}
{{Navbox/S2 Characters}}
{{Navbox/S2 Characters}}
{{Navbox/S3 Characters}}


[[Category:Characters]]
[[Category:Species]]
[[Category:Species]]
[[Category:Splatoon characters]]
[[Category:Splatoon characters]]
[[Category:Splatoon 2 characters]]
[[Category:Splatoon 2 characters]]
[[Category:Splatoon 3 characters]]
[[Category:Mario Kart 8 Deluxe]]
[[Category:Super Smash Bros. Ultimate]]
[[fr:Inkling]]
[[fr:Inkling]]

Latest revision as of 14:59, 22 April 2024

This article is about the prominent species of squid in the Splatoon series. For other uses, see Inkling (disambiguation).
Squid redirects here. For other uses, see Squid (disambiguation).
Kid redirects here. For the Splatfest, see Kid vs. Grown-Up.
Inklings as seen in Splatoon 2, wearing various gear

Inklings are a species of humanoid cephalopods who are the main protagonists and playable characters in the Splatoon series, along with Octolings.

Background

The evolution of the Inkling.

Inklings are evolved species of squid that came to be after rising sea levels destroyed humanity. The first ancestors of modern Inklings are recorded to have lived around 5,000 years after the destruction of the human settlement of Alterna. Alterna inhabitants unintentionally accelerated the evolution of squids and other species of marine life, after psycho-reactive liquid crystals infused with lingering human thoughts and feelings leaked into the ocean surrounding the settlement.

At least 2,000 years before the events of Splatoon, Turf Wars were established. The original Turf Wars were overseen by Judd, a cat that was cryogenically frozen by his human owner before the Earth was flooded. 100 years before the events of Splatoon, the Inklings and the Octarians engaged in a Great Turf War after otherwise having good relations, when rising sea levels caused disputes over the remaining territory. The young Cap'n Cuttlefish and his Inkling comrades were victorious, forcing the Octarians to retreat to desolate areas such as Octo Valley, Octo Canyon, and take up residence underground.

Appearance

For a visual overview of character customization options, see Player Settings.
The development of an Inkling from infancy to maturity. From left to right: newborn, at least 1 year old, at least 4 or 5 years old, at least 8 years old, at least 14 years old.[1]

Young Inklings begin life resembling squid paralarvae, but grow into an increasingly human-like form as they age. By at most the age of 14, Inklings gain complete control over both these forms and can change between kid and squid at will. Between each game in the franchise, Inklings undergo design changes, generally becoming taller, and having more rounded and less squat faces. Additionally, in Splatoon and Splatoon 3, Inklings' tentacles have a darker color towards their tips.

The kid form is similar to that of a young human child, but with notable differences. Instead of hair, an Inkling has tentacle appendages that cover their head. These tentacles are colored on the outside, and white on the inside. The outer layer changes to match an Inkling's ink color, and usually features a spotted gradient to a secondary color at the ends of their longest tentacles. An Inkling's eyes are surrounded by a black 'eye mask', and they have pointed ears that are homologous to a squid's fins. Their mouths contain two ridges similar in shape to human teeth, with three larger sharp points--two on the top and one on the bottom--that resemble a squid's beak. The inside of an Inkling's mouth matches their ink color.

The humble squid.

The squid form resembles a small, cartoon-ish, monochromatic squid. They have several small arms in the middle of their bodies, with two large tentacles on either side. The squid have short mantle with relatively large fins, and two upward-facing, human-like eyes over the characteristic eye mask. The undersides of their tentacles are always white, regardless of ink color, and have a single large sucker near the end of each.

There are slight differences between male and female Inklings. In general, male Inklings style their tentacles shorter, have thicker eyebrows, and deeper voices. Female Inklings wear more of but are not limited to longer tentacle styles. Female Inklings are also slightly curvier. In Splatoon and Splatoon 2, the player must pick between male and female and can only use the tentacle styles available for each gender. In Splatoon 3, hairstyles and clothing items that were previously gender-locked can be worn by any Inkling.

Some Inklings (namely Callie, Marie, Pearl, and Frye) have special features unique to these characters. All four idols have plus-shaped pupils that are either brown or white, as opposed to the standard Inkling's black circular pupil. Callie, Marie, and Pearl have tentacles in colors not used by the regular Inkling, being black and white respectively. All idols have different ears: Callie and Marie (along with some Inklings shown in Splatoon official art) have curvy pointed ears. Pearl's ears are unusually small, and Frye's ears are unusually long and pointed. Frye in particular has the most unique appearance of any Inkling model found in game, with her exaggerated features and large eye mask.

Biology

The Inkling transformation between kid and squid
A diagram showing an inkling's (and squid's) ten tentacles

Both the Inklings' squid and kid form have particular abilities associated with them. In kid form, Inklings can splatter a special type of colored ink by using various weapons, including guns, rollers, buckets, paintbrushes, etc. This ink can be quickly spread over most surfaces, except for inflatable barriers, black pavement, and glass surfaces. This ink inhibits the movement of Inklings that do not have a matching color. When used as a projectile, ink can damage opposing Inklings, eventually 'splatting' them and forcing them to respawn.

In squid form, Inklings on dry land are only able to slither slowly. This changes when an Inkling submerges into ink of its own color, allowing it to swim at high speeds and jump over large distances. Inklings also use their squid forms to perform maneuvers such as the Squid Surge and Squid Roll, scale painted walls, and slip through wire fences and grates into areas that would be unreachable in kid form. As revealed in Splatoon: Squid Kids Comedy Show, Inklings are indeed more flexible in squid form. However, squids cannot travel past striped barriers or over ledges, preventing them from swimming into inaccessible areas.

While submerged in ink, Inklings only create small ripples while swimming and become undetectable when still. In ink of their color, they quickly replenish their ink ammunition. In ink of a different color, Inklings become unable to remain in squid form and quickly revert to humanoid form. Inkling ink disappears rather quickly after a battle due to being consumed by microorganisms that have evolved to feed on the ink.

An Inkling after dissolving in water.

Inklings are unable to swim in water. When submerged, their body dissolves, leaving their clothes behind. The official American Splatoon Tumblr has mused that this may be because their bodies are made of liquid. Another fact to support this is that squid form Inklings can go through grates, which is also cited by the Tumblr account to be related to them possibly being made of liquid. Interviews with the producer of Splatoon and Splatoon 2, Hisashi Nogami, revealed that Inklings have a very thin and permeable outer membrane, which causes their ink to bleed out when in contact with water. They evolved this way to be able to transform freely between their kid and squid form, but lost the ability to be in water as a consequence.[2][3] A piece of trivia from Super Smash Bros. Ultimate also states that the Inklings' ink from their bodies will diffuse when submerged in water and which causes them to dissolve.[4]

Despite this weakness, they are shown perfectly fine in water in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

Inklings possess the ability to change the color of their skin and eyes at will,[5] with the Splatlandian Inklings and Octolings also having the ability to have multicolored eyes. Skin color is not limited to human-like ones, Keaton of Wet Floor has turquoise skin, and Baker of C-Side has gray skin.

Glowing dots as seen in the Super Smash Bros. 2018 trailer.

Inklings are capable of producing a sort of bio-luminescence, an ability shared with certain real-life squid such as the firefly squid. In the dark, either during a Splatfest or certain Octo Valley missions, the player's Inkling will glow brightly in humanoid form, lighting up the area immediately around them and helping to differentiate the player from other Inklings. This glow disappears entirely upon assuming squid form. All Inklings (as well as jellyfish) in Inkopolis Plaza will give off a very faint glow during a Splatfest, visible only by looking at the ground around them. This bio-luminescence can also be spotted when viewing Inkling tentacles at low angle, with many tiny rainbow dots that glimmer faintly in the sunlight and brightly in pitch darkness.

Inklings take on a unique appearance when they have a special weapon ready; they give off sparks, the tentacles on their head become very brightly colored and glow, bubbles form at the top of their head as if from boiling water, and they appear to be caught in a strong wind even when completely still. Their appearance returns to normal once their special weapon has been used.

In the Splatoon manga, Vintage and his teammate Omega have the ability to sense opponents moving behind them. Bobble Hat, also from the manga, has similar abilities. It is unknown if any other Inklings have these abilities.

Splatting

Main article: Splat (occurrence)

While in battle, Inklings can use their weapons to 'splat' each other with ink. Standing in enemy ink will damage and slow an Inkling's movement, but only enemy fire can splat an Inkling. When splatted by an enemy, Inklings explode into enemy ink, with their gear and weapons dropping before dissolving shortly thereafter, and a ghost-like squid figure will rise into the air over where they were splatted. This ghost-like squid figure then travels to the spawn point where the Inkling respawns. Inklings can also be splatted from diving into water and dissolving, or falling off a ledge and exploding into a cloud colored of their ink. Inklings can respawn at checkpoints after being splatted in Octo Valley and Octo Canyon, though only working for a limited number of respawns. The online battle modes allows for an infinite amount of respawns at the spawn points. The special gauge decreases when splatted, even if full, unless the player is wearing 3 mains and 9 subs of Special Saver and the opponent is not wearing Respawn Punisher.

However, in the Octo Expansion campaign, developers revealed that during the escape phases, Agent 8, an Octoling, does die if they get splatted as they are not connected to a spawn point, only checkpoints without respawning capabilities. This suggests that Inklings and Octolings do indeed die when splatted and need a means for them to respawn,[6] possibly true due to the visual effects (i.e the 'ghost') when splatted.

Culture

A Sunken Scroll marking Turf War battles to be at least 2,000 years old.

Inkling culture is heavily influenced by the ancient human cultures that came before them; as a result, Inkling architecture, fashion, art, and even language shows influence from eastern and western human societies alike. It was implied that Inklings adapted much of their own culture and mannerisms from the fossils of human civilizations they have unearthed, and the blending of ancient human aesthetics and Inkling ingenuity is truly unique. The best collections of the Inkling lifestyle can be seen in major cities such as Inkopolis, and Splatsville; cultural hot spots that draw in many young rural Inklings that seek a trendy and fresh lifestyle.[7]

"Freshness" is the most important aspect of Inkling culture. This is based on how recent and cool an Inkling's attire and general style is, as well as how proficient with weapons and skilled in battle an Inkling is. Freshness is so important that most business owners will refuse customers that are too inexperienced.

The cultural high-point to many Inklings are competitive battles, which serve as a means of entertainment, relaxation, and celebration of the Inkling victory during the Great Turf War. It is by far the most popular activity for young Inklings and include a variety of modes leading with Turf War, and including Splat Zones, Rainmaker, Clam Blitz, and Tower Control.

Inklings hold onto strong values of 'turf', and any infrastructure is likely to be decorated with graffiti and tags, as if to declare ownership. The art book from the first Splatoon clarifies that the idea stemmed from the Turf War concept of spraying and drawing ink to claim territory, implying that some Inkling graffiti is drawn in ink.

Appearances play a major part in Inkling culture, and to many, being able to express themselves fully is a must. Inklings have invented many interesting ways the style their tentacles, and have a huge variety of gear brands and fashions. Besides the lobby, the second most frequented spots in Inkling cities are the many shops that gear can be purchased from. Inklings can be seen gathered both inside and outside of local shops, socializing and showing off new gear.

Inkling music can easily be described as a cultural cornerstone, and is extremely varied in style and genre, from the rock band Squid Squad to the world famous pop idols, the Squid Sisters. Music can be heard during every battle as a way to hype up competitors, as well as in every shop and throughout Inkopolis and Splatsville.

Inkopolis Plaza decorated for a Splatfest.

Every so often, a Splatfest is held; a special festival that brings Inklings together for a large concert and celebration of opposing ideas, and can be seen as a merging of music and turf wars. Teams are formed around two (Splatoon, Splatoon 2) or three (Splatoon 3) opposing topics, where members compete in turf wars in order to decide which is superior. This is a major event where an entire city may be transformed in celebration. Many Inklings can be seen on the streets dancing, enjoying live performances from the Squid Sisters (Splatoon), Off the Hook (Splatoon 2), or Deep Cut (Splatoon 3), and supporting their chosen teams by wearing Splatfest Tees and producing topic-themed graffiti.

Inklings have been described as easy-going, inattentive and living for fun; they did not take further concern when the Great Zapfish went missing and didn't seem too worried when Octolings appeared in Inkopolis. Indeed, it is stated that during the Great Turf War, preliminary battles were easily won by Octarian forces simply because Inklings had failed to wake up early enough. Sunken Scrolls have described the Inkling mind as being simple and hedonistic, though this is most likely Octarian propaganda.[8] Their work ethic seems to mirror their carefree and pleasure-seeking nature, as The Art of Splatoon 2 mentions that many Inklings only take on part-time jobs. They easily forget about old trends and shift their interest on what is new, or fresh.[6]

It was confirmed that Inkopolis resides in Japan, where the Splatoon franchise was created. Inkling society is heavily inspired by Japanese culture, with similar architecture, customs, spoken and written language, and dress. Some notable examples is the traditional Japanese dress worn by the Squid Sisters on multiple occasions, the clear rakugo set-up for the Anarchy Splatcast, and rice as a popular food, as seen in the Rice vs. Bread Splatfest. Gear based on Japanese sushi shop uniforms were also released, hinting at Inklings eating sushi. This was implied again when Inklings were seen to eat 'hot dogfish' and 'fried catfish'. This is further pointed at when Callie says she is not good with seafood. The type of seafood is unknown, however.

Squidmas

A festive Squidmas wallpaper.

Squidmas is an Inkling holiday that is assumed to be celebrated during colder weather. Much is unknown about this holiday aside from its obvious likenesses to the human holiday of Christmas. From this, it is assumed that in the winter, a figure named Father Squidmas goes around the world giving out presents and freshness to all the good Inkling children.

According to Callie of the Squid Sisters, Father Squidmas can be found in the North Pole of the Earth, making gifts all year in preparation for Squidmas time. According to her cousin Marie, Father Squidmas isn't real and all of their interactions with him are simply their grandfather dressed up as him.

Squidmas is an additional element associated with the localization. The Japanese edition originally did not have it, as well as other regions, though official art celebrating the holidays does use the term "Squidmas".

Halloween

Inkling Halloween.jpg

Halloween is another holiday that Inklings celebrate as evidenced by the Trick vs. Treat Splatfest and its rematch. Just like the human holiday of the same name, Inklings and other species dress up in costumes and participate in trick or treating activities. Locations are likewise decorated with scary decor such as ghost, skeletons and glow-in-the-dark graffiti.

The event is also known as "Splatoween", though Marina specifies that Trick vs. Treat is a Halloween Splatfest, implying that the holiday's official name is Halloween. Official art made to celebrate the occasion uses the 'Halloween' term. The Japanese version also uses Halloween when referring to the event. Dialogue for a previous Splatfest, Fancy Party vs. Costume Party, refers to the holiday as "Squidoween", but this could be a phrase added in the localization as versions in other languages don't mention the term.

Gachi Bon Matsuri

Chorus of Calamari County Gachi Bon Matsuri.jpg

A two-day event themed after the Bon festival for Splatoon was held starting 29 April 2016 through Niconico Chokaigi. The name of the event can be translated as "Ranked (or competitive) Bon Festival". In an article from Nintendo, it was mentioned that while the Bon Festival is celebrated during summer in the human world, Inklings celebrate the holiday in the month of April.[9] It included tournaments, giveaways, and Bon Odori dance sessions, as well as a viewing party for the Squid Sisters concert at the Chokaigi Music Festival. To promote the event, a video depicting a young Callie and Marie dancing to the Chorus of Calamari County was released. Attendees were encouraged to learn the video's choreography with dance lessons being given on site. Some fans, many of them in cosplay, were invited on stage to dance to the song during the Bon Odori session. It is unclear if the event was supposed to reflect how Inklings celebrate the Bon Festival beyond the date.

Communication and language

An example of Inkling language.
Main article: Language in the Splatoon series

Inklings communicate with each other in the Inkling language, which to human ears sounds like high-pitched, distorted noises most commonly expressed using consonant-vowel parings (i.e. woomy). Written Inkling is shown to be extremely diverse and complex, with many different 'characters' and 'alphabets' that take the most inspiration from Japanese and English. Inkling appears frequently in-game: on signs, shops, Sunken Scrolls, clothing, etc. Much of the music in the Splatoon series features lyrics sung in Inkling, such as that performed by the Squid Sisters. When the player uses signals to communicate with teammates in online battles, the player's Inkling is shown using Inkling translations.

Audio

Press the speaker icon or descriptive text to start or pause the audio.

Quotes

“ Transform into a squid to hide, climb walls, or travel at super speed in your own ink. But watch out for enemy ink—it'll hurt you! ”
— Splatoon's official website, [10]
“ The squid-like residents of Inkopolis are totes crazy for color-flinging, ink-slinging, turf-splattering battles. ”
— Splatoon's official website, [10]
“ From squid…to kid…and back! Inklings can transform at will into squid form, so you've gotta master both if you want to win. ”
— Splatoon's official website, [10]
“ Swim up ink-splattered walls and jump from one splat to another in squid form. ”
— Splatoon's official website, [10]
“ Find shortcuts and navigate tricky areas. ”
— Splatoon's official website, [10]
“ Avoid being targeted by baddies by hiding in your own ink. ”
— Splatoon's official website, [10]
“ Turn into a squid to move more quickly across your ink. ”
— Splatoon's official website, [10]
“ Hide as a squid, then quickly switch to an Inkling to take enemies out of the action with a well-aimed splat. ”
— Splatoon's official website, [10]

Gallery

Image linking to the gallery page
➤ View the gallery

Trivia

Cap'n Cuttlefish saying "all of my hearts", implying that Inklings have more than one heart.
  • When designing the Inklings, the Splatoon development team centered around the girl at first, to the extent that they thought at first to not have a boy Inkling. They emphasized on the girl Inkling because there weren't many female leads in Nintendo games and that having a strong, active female lead would make it easier to become accepted overseas. The boy Inkling was created later.[11]
    • The playable Inklings were originally designed as 17-year-olds since the developers wanted to give the image of a strong, rebelious character, with a "cool" attitude. But due to the boy looking too obedient at 17 they were aged down to 14-year-olds, though they were still designed as having the mood of 16 to 17-year-olds.[12]
  • Splatoon developers have stated when they came up with the concept, they didn't consider Bloopers from the Mario series, despite the close resemblance between Bloopers and Inklings.
  • According to the Inkling Development Process, Inklings finalize their kid form at the age of 14. Despite this, some Inklings might be able to assume this form much earlier, as seen in Sunken Scroll 17, where the Squid Sisters are shown as children in their kid form. Another example could be the Sunken Scroll 1 in Splatoon 2, which appears to be of a young Pearl in kid form. However, due to Pearl's adult appearance still being quite childlike, it is unclear if this photo was taken before or after the age of 14.
  • The Squid Research Lab admitted that Inklings may be made entirely out of ink. This theory would explain why Inklings dissolve in water, swim through grates, and reform with ease after being splatted.[13] This also may mean that in humanoid form, they hold themselves up with 'ink pressure', which means that they use a substance in ink to retain their ability to stand and walk upright.
  • Inklings seem to have multiple hearts, as implied by Cap'n Cuttlefish at the beginning of the Octo Expansion. This could be a reference to how real-life cephalopods have three hearts.
  • An Inkling's ink color is chosen at random for online battles unless the Ink Color Lock option has been turned on.
  • Inklings (and Octolings) can change their hair and ink color at will when out of battle, as seen in the Splatoon manga.
  • Inklings are at least somewhat ambidextrous, wielding weapons like the Splatana Wiper with both hands, although they predominantly use their right hands with other weapons.
  • While the player is swimming in squid form, the music is muffled and bubbling sounds can be heard. If a player is hit by an enemy's ink and is close to being splatted, when they submerge back into their ink to heal, the Inkling can be heard quietly moaning in pain.
  • When switching between gear on the equipment screen, there is sometimes a small delay before the selected piece of gear appears on the player's Inkling. For that moment, they will not be wearing any gear in that slot.
    • In Splatoon, for clothing, they wear a tight, sleeveless black shirt by default. For shoes, it shows their bare feet, which are flipper-like and featureless because Inklings' feet are meant to never be seen. For headgear, they simply look like they are wearing the Fake Contacts, or no headgear. However, Inklings always wear their shorts.
    • In Splatoon 2, the gear-less Inklings can also be seen in Octo Canyon when they are in the temporary "danger" mode that occurs when their Hero Headphones, Hero Hoodie and Hero Boots break from taking fatal damage and after falling into water. Their legwear remains the same, but for clothing, the Inkling Boy is shirtless, while the Inkling Girl wears a black sports bra. For shoes, their feet are now properly rendered and have toes. They appear as if wearing Fake Contacts or not wearing headgear.
  • Inklings have tongues as seen in the Splatoon manga and the Naughty vs. Nice Splatfest artwork, but they are not usually seen on in-game models except for in Splatoon 3 with Frye.
  • During the Squid vs. Octopus Splatfest, Octoling players on Team Squid would have their avatar switched to Inklings when inside battles. In Inkopolis Square, the avatar remained unchanged. The reverse was true for Inklings on Team Octopus.
  • A trophy of a female Inkling appears in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, which becomes available after downloading the Inkling Mii Fighter costumes. The trophy is shaped like the Inkling Girl amiibo.

Names in other languages

Inkling
Language Name Meaning
Japan Japanese インクリング
Inkuringu		 Inkling
Netherlands Dutch Inkling -
CanadaFrance French Inkling -
Germany German Inkling -
Italy Italian Inkling -
Russia Russian Инклинг
Inkling		 Inkling
SpainMexico Spanish Inkling -
China Chinese (Simplified) 鱿鱼族
yóuyú zú		 Literally "squid race", or Inkling. However, Inklings are more likely to be referred to as "squid", translation below
Hong Kong Chinese (Traditional) 魷魚族
yóuyú zú		 Literally "squid race", or Inkling. However, Inklings are more likely to be referred to as "squid", translation below
South Korea Korean 잉클링
ingkeulling		 Inkling


Squid
Language Name Meaning
Japan Japanese イカ
ika		 Squid
Netherlands Dutch Inktvis Cephalopod
CanadaFrance French Calamar Squid
Germany German Tintenfisch Squid
Italy Italian Calamaro Squid
Russia Russian Кальмар
Kal'mar		 Squid
Головоногий
Golovonogiy		 Cephalopod
Spain Spanish (NOE) Calamar
Cefalópodo		 Squid
Cephalopod
China Chinese (Simplified) 鱿鱼
yóuyú		 Squid
Hong Kong Chinese (Traditional) 魷魚
yóuyú		 Squid
CzechRepublic Czech Olihně Pencil squid
Denmark Danish Blæksprutte Cephalopod
Finland Finnish Mustekala Soft-bodied cephalopod (squid, octopus, cuttlefish)
Hungary Hungarian Tintahal Squid
South Korea Korean 오징어
ojingeo		 Squid
Norway Norwegian Blekksprut Cephalopod
Poland Polish Kałamarnice Squid
Portugal Portuguese Lula
Molusco		 Squid
Mollusc
Sweden Swedish Bläckfisk Cephalopod


Fresh!
Language Name Meaning
Japan Japanese イカす!
ikasu!		 Cool![note 1]
Russia Russian Свежачок!
Svezhachok!		 Freshness!
Mexico Spanish (NOA) ¡Chévere! Groovy!
Spain Spanish (NOE) ¡Mola! Cool!
China Chinese (Simplified) 鱿型！
yóu xíng!		 A pun on 有型; pinyin: yǒuxíng, or stylish, and 鱿鱼; pinyin: yóuyú, or squid.
South Korea Korean 어메이징!
eomeijing!		 Amazing![note 2]

Translation notes

  1. ↑ Also a pun on イカ(ika, squid)
  2. ↑ Also a pun on 오징어(ojingeo, squid)

References

  1. ↑ Twitter Splatoon exhibition at Tower Records - concept art
  2. ↑ Gameinformer - Splatoon's Burning Questions Finally Answered
  3. ↑ Nintendo Switch news section interview with Nogami
  4. ↑ "In the Splatoon series, Inklings cover the ground and walls in ink, and then swim through that ink as a squid. But if they fall into water, the ink in their bodies will diffuse and they'll dissolve." - Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Inkling Tips
  5. ↑ Splatoon 2 Direct
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Famitsu Splatoon 2 anniversary interview with the developers
  7. ↑ The Art of Splatoon
  8. ↑ Sunken Scroll 12
  9. ↑ Nintendo 春なのにSplatoonガチ盆まつり、「超音楽祭2016」にシオカラーズ出演決定！
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 10.4 10.5 10.6 10.7 Nintendo Splatoon Overview
  11. ↑ Famitsu Interview with Splatoon development team. Posted by Brian on NintendoEverything (2015-07-26). Retrieved on 2015 July 28.
  12. ↑ Famitsu developer interview - NintendoEverthing translation: Splatoon staff talk about the Inkling design, more on the Squid Sisters, and other topics
  13. ↑ Squid Research Lab Breaking News: One of our interns recently saw a...
Main Major
Minor
Enemies
Vendors
Musicians
Other
Species
Main Major
Minor
Enemies
Vendors
Musicians
Other
Species
Retrieved from "https://splatoonwiki.org/w/index.php?title=Inkling&oldid=571136"