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.
Concept and creation
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. Their role was to provide updates and map rotations to the player whenever they booted up the game, while being the singers behind some of the games soundtrack, such as "Calamari Inkantation". Callie is voiced by keity.pop, and Marie is voiced by Mari Kikuma. The names Callie and Marie may come from the Italian word calimari.
Despite the duo being referred to as the Squid Sisters, Callie and Marie are actually cousins, and are the granddaughters of Cap’n Craig Cuttlefish, a veteran of a major conflict known as the Great Turf War. The two were born in Calamari County, a rural area hours away from Inkopolis. The two rose to fame after winning a local singing contest in Calamari County, and went on to become the news hosts of Inkopolis. Callie's personality is shown to be energetic and cheerful, while Marie's is more laid back and relaxed.
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. The two also appear in the games campaign under the aliases Agent 1 and 2. During each Splatfest, Callie and Marie would each pick a side and represent it, while performing live in Inkopolis during each Splatfest. The final Splatfest was Callie vs. Marie, and players were forced to choose one. Marie would win the final Splatfest.
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.
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. Callie would turn out to be an antagonist under the influence of the villain D.J. Octavio, and would be saved from his influence.
In the final Splatfest of Splatoon 2, Chaos vs. Order, Callie would support Team Chaos, and Marie would support Team Order.
Splatoon 3
Callie and Marie return in Splatoon 3 in the campaign, guiding the player through Alterna.
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. They continue to perform for each Splatfest.
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. Later in the game's life, purchasable Mii costumes based on the duo were introduced in 2020. In-game costumes for the duo were added to Super Mario Maker on July 8, 2016, alongside an in-game event. Characters based on the duo were added to Animal Crossing: New Leaf on November 2, 2016.
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. The plushies were officially released in December of that year.
In April 2016, Amiibo figures of Callie and Marie were announced to come in a two pack. The amiibo were released on July 8, 2016. The amiibo were rereleased for the launch of Splatoon 3 in 2022.
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.