Callie and Marie

Callie and Marie are a duo of characters in the Splatoon series. They first appeared in the original Splatoon (2015) as a pop music duo known as the Squid Sisters and have appeared in every subsequent entry in the series. They have been considered the mascots and face of the Splatoon series, appearing in other franchises such as Super Smash Bros. They have starred in real-world concerts in the form of holograms and have established themselves as fan-favorite characters.

Callie and Marie
Splatoon character
Promotional artwork of Callie (left) and Marie (right)
First appearanceSplatoon (2015)
Voiced bykeity.pop (Callie)
Mari Kikuma (Marie)
In-universe information
SpeciesInkling
OccupationPop icons and agents of the New Squidbeak Splatoon

Concept and creation
Concept art of the Squid Sisters from The Art of Splatoon.[1]

Callie and Marie were created for and first appeared in Splatoon for the Wii U in 2015. They were part of a pop duo known as the Squid Sisters, where they were the hosts of Inkopolis.[2] Their role was to provide updates and map rotations to the player whenever they booted up the game,[3] while being the singers behind some of the games soundtrack, such as "Calamari Inkantation".[2] Callie is voiced by keity.pop,[4] and Marie is voiced by Mari Kikuma.[4] The names Callie and Marie may come from the Italian word calimari.[5]

Despite the duo being referred to as the Squid Sisters, Callie and Marie are actually cousins,[6] and are the granddaughters of Cap’n Craig Cuttlefish, a veteran of a major conflict known as the Great Turf War.[2] The two were born in Calamari County, a rural area hours away from Inkopolis.[7] The two rose to fame after winning a local singing contest in Calamari County, and went on to become the news hosts of Inkopolis.[8] Callie's personality is shown to be energetic and cheerful, while Marie's is more laid back and relaxed.[8]

Appearances

Splatoon

Splatoon was the first game in the Splatoon series, and the first to feature Callie and Marie as characters. Callie and Marie appear as the hosts of the game, and news reporters of Inkopolis.[3] The two also appear in the games campaign under the aliases Agent 1 and 2.[2] During each Splatfest, Callie and Marie would each pick a side and represent it, while performing live in Inkopolis during each Splatfest.[9] The final Splatfest was Callie vs. Marie, and players were forced to choose one. Marie would win the final Splatfest.[10]

After the final Splatfest, Callie and Marie began going their separate ways. Marie would travel to the countryside to visit her parents, and upon returning, Marie would learn that Callie had been reported missing.[10][11]

Splatoon 2

Marie appears as in the campaign of Splatoon 2, recruiting the player to try and save the great Zapfish, as well as her cousin Callie, who was reported missing in-between the events of Splatoon 1 and 2.[12][11] Callie would turn out to be an antagonist under the influence of the villain D.J. Octavio, and would be saved from his influence.[11]

In the final Splatfest of Splatoon 2, Chaos vs. Order, Callie would support Team Chaos, and Marie would support Team Order.[13]

Splatoon 3

Callie and Marie return in Splatoon 3 in the campaign, guiding the player through Alterna.[14]

On February 28, 2023, the first wave of downloadable content for Splatoon 3 released, allowing players to return to the original Inkopolis, and with it, Callie and Marie return as its idols- however, they no longer pick a side during the Splatfest, nor do they broadcast their news station. [15] They continue to perform for each Splatfest.[16]

Other appearances

The Squid Sisters appear as an assist trophy and spirit in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, where they sing one of two songs and zoom in the camera, making it easier for fighters to die.[17][18] Later in the game's life, purchasable Mii costumes based on the duo were introduced in 2020.[19] In-game costumes for the duo were added to Super Mario Maker on July 8, 2016, alongside an in-game event.[20] Characters based on the duo were added to Animal Crossing: New Leaf on November 2, 2016.[21]

Merchandise

Official plushies of Callie and Marie created by San-Ei were revealed at the Tokyo Game Show in September 2015 alongside two other Inkling plushies.[22] The plushies were officially released in December of that year.[23]

In April 2016, Amiibo figures of Callie and Marie were announced to come in a two pack.[24] The amiibo were released on July 8, 2016. The amiibo were rereleased for the launch of Splatoon 3 in 2022.[25]

During the final Splatfest, Nintendo released printable alternate cover art for Splatoon as a celebration and way for players to further show their support to their side.[26]

Concerts

In celebration of sales for Splatoon reaching one million units in less than a year, a live holographic concert of the Squid Sisters was announced by Nintendo in December of 2015.[27] The concert took place on January 30, 2016 in Chiba, Japan.[28] More concerts were held worldwide, such as in Paris, France on July 12, 2016,[29] and they continued into 2022, eventually featuring Off the Hook and Deep Cut, the idols of Splatoon 2 and 3 respectively.[30] The concerts would eventually feature guest star K.K. Slider from the Animal Crossing series as a DJ.[30]

Reception

Callie and Marie have been subject to a large amount of praise from fans and critics, and the two have been considered the primary mascots of the Splatoon games.[9][31][32][33] Initial reception of the characters in the original Splatoon from critics was mixed, however. In the games reviews, Jose Otero of IGN said that the game could "do without the Squid Sisters", criticizing their cutscenes that couldn't be skipped,[3] while on the contrary, Ryan Bates of GameRevolution wrote that the Squid Sisters gave the player the proper introduction to the game.[34] The Squid Sisters were incredibly popular amongst fans, and the final Splatfest was noted to cause an uproar amongst fans for forcing them to choose one over the other,[35] with Polygon describing it as "almost cruel".[9]

The Squid Sister Stories prologue was praised by fans and its events were compared to real-world loss. Nadia Oxford of USGamer described the events of the series to be "tragically effective", and a "real heart-punch for anyone who's been part of a dissolving friendship or relationship".[10] The influence the events had on Splatoon 2 were praised by Connor Sheridan of GamesRadar+, describing it as a "fresh idea" and a "pleasant surprise", while also saying "I don't know if my heart could stand a war between the Squid Sisters".[36] Fan speculation of the Squid Sisters Stories was abundant, with the creation of fanart and different theories, going as far as speculation on whether or not Callie had died.[37] The stories and usage of the Squid Sisters in the lead up for Splatoon 2 were considered very effective viral marketing.[10]

Concert responses

As a result of the concerts, the Squid Sisters have been described as and compared to vocaloids like Hatsune Miku,[38] with Shacknews saying that the Squid Sisters were superior and were "totally killing it".[39] Other publications, such as Kotaku, wrote that the Squid Sisters made great virtual idols,[40] and they are recognized as pop icons by Polygon.[41] The Squid Sisters were used in a study on music artist projections and holograms from PUCRS.[42]

References
  1. Frank, Allegra (2017-07-03). "Splatoon's art book is filled with concept art, comics and more". Polygon. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
  2. kotakuaustralia (2022-09-05). "World Wars, Eugenics, Mass Extinctions: Would You Believe We're Talking About Splatoon?". Kotaku Australia. Retrieved 2023-07-27.
  3. Otero, Jose (2015-11-13). "Splatoon v2 Review". IGN. Retrieved 2023-07-27.
  4. "Behind The Voice Actors: Splatoon". Retrieved 2023-08-03.
  5. "The producer of 'Splatoon' on how to make a Nintendo original". Engadget. Retrieved 2023-07-27.
  6. Nunneley, Stephany (2016-04-30). "Splatoon's Squid Sisters Callie and Marie join amiibo line-up in July". VG247. Retrieved 2023-07-27.
  7. "Marie Travels Back Home In Latest Chapter Of Splatoon 2's "Squid Sister Stories"". Siliconera. 2017-05-12. Retrieved 2023-07-27.
  8. Dickens, Anthony (2021-08-05). "All amiibo List - Animal Crossing, Zelda, Smash Bros., Metroid, Mario And More". Nintendo Life. Retrieved 2023-07-27.
  9. Frank, Allegra (2016-06-30). "Splatoon's final multiplayer event asks players to make the toughest call". Polygon. Retrieved 2023-07-27.
  10. Oxford, Nadia (2017-05-17). "Splatoon 2's Squid Sisters Stories Is Some Tragically Effective Viral Marketing". USGamer. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  11. Lennox, Jesse (2022-09-07). "Splatoon's story explained: all the lore you need to know". Digital Trends. Retrieved 2023-07-28.
  12. Dornbush, Jonathon (2017-05-17). "First Splatoon 2 Single Player Mode Footage Revealed". IGN. Retrieved 2023-07-28.
  13. "Splatoon 2 Announces Final Splatfest: Splatocalypse – Chaos vs Order". Siliconera. 2019-06-08. Retrieved 2023-07-28.
  14. Smith, Rebecca (2022-08-11). "Splatoon 3 Campaign: Does it Have a Story Mode?". GameRevolution. Retrieved 2023-07-28.
  15. Ostler, Anne-Marie (2023-02-08). "Splatoon 3 Expansion Pass takes you back to the original Inkopolis". gamesradar. Retrieved 2023-07-28.
  16. Doolan, Liam (2023-03-24). "Squid Sisters To Debut New Song At Splatoon 3's Next Splatfest, Here's A Sneak Peek". Nintendo Life. Retrieved 2023-07-28.
  17. Stark, Chelsea (2018-06-12). "Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is out Dec. 7". Polygon. Retrieved 2023-07-27.
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  19. Kratky, Otto (2020-06-22). "New Mii Costumes Include Fallout's Vault Boy And More". DualShockers. Retrieved 2023-07-27.
  20. Whitehead, Thomas (2016-07-01). "Nintendo Outlines Splatoon Update Details Along With Callie and Marie's Super Mario Maker Arrival". Nintendo Life. Retrieved 2023-07-27.
  21. Swalley, Kirstin (2016-11-02). "amiibo Update to Animal Crossing Brings Old Villagers, Splatoon and More". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved 2023-07-28.
  22. Kohler, Chris. "I Want To Squeeze All These Splatoon Plushes Forever". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2023-07-27.
  23. Vogel, Mitch (2015-10-15). "Random: Check Out These Awesome Splatoon Plushies from Japan". Nintendo Life. Retrieved 2023-07-27.
  24. Good, Owen S. (2016-04-30). "Splatoon's Squid Sisters are the two newest amiibo". Polygon. Retrieved 2023-07-27.
  25. Craddock, Ryan (2022-09-16). "Lots Of Splatoon amiibo Have Been Restocked To Coincide With Splatoon 3's Launch". Nintendo Life. Retrieved 2023-07-27.
  26. "Pledge your allegiance to Team Callie or Team Marie with this nifty printable alternative box art!". play.nintendo.com. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
  27. "Splatoon Tops 1 Million Sales In Japan, Getting A Squid Sisters Concert In January". Siliconera. 2015-12-16. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  28. Whritenour, Jacob (2016-01-26). "Splatoon Concert Held this Week". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  29. Whitehead, Thomas (2016-07-12). "Video: Take a Look at the Awesome Splatoon - Squid Sisters Concert from Japan Expo 2016". Nintendo Life. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  30. Warner, Noelle (2022-12-01). "The Animal Crossing x Splatoon Nintendo Live concert is available to watch on YouTube". Destructoid. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  31. Rochlin, Jason (2022-10-05). "Marie's Podcast Is a Perfect Real-World Marketing Opportunity for Splatoon 3". Game Rant. Retrieved 2023-07-27.
  32. Cowan, Danny (2016-02-02). "Splatoon's Squid Sisters Perform Live in Japan via Hologram". Digital Trends. Retrieved 2023-07-28.
  33. D'Anastasio, Cecilia (2016-07-01). "Seven Changes Nintendo Could Make To Splatoon Instead Of Killing Splatfest". Kotaku. Retrieved 2023-07-28.
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  35. kotakuinternational (2016-07-01). "Splatoon's Final Splatfest Is Already Tearing Everyone Apart". Kotaku Australia. Retrieved 2023-07-27.
  36. Sheridan, Connor (2017-04-25). "Splatoon 2's teasing a rift between the Squid Sisters... and it's all our fault". gamesradar. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  37. Frank, Allegra (2017-04-25). "In Splatoon 2, best friends have been torn apart". Polygon. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  38. Frank, Allegra (2016-04-29). "This Splatoon live concert is equal parts weird and wonderful". Polygon. Retrieved 2023-07-26.
  39. Vincent, Brittany (2016-02-01). "Did We Have Any Doubt Splatoon's Squid Sisters Would Make Great Idols?". Shacknews. Retrieved 2023-07-27.
  40. Ashcraft, Brian (2016-02-01). "Splatoon Characters Make For Good Virtual Idols". Kotaku Australia. Retrieved 2023-07-27.
  41. Polygon Staff (November 27, 2019). "The 70 best video game characters of the decade". Polygon. Retrieved 2023-08-03.
  42. Tietzmann, Roberto; Kalil, Samara (2019). Live projections of deceased artists: worship, representation, and immortality (PDF) (Doctorate). Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul.
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