Conjecture

This article or section involves something that has not been specifically named.
The name(s) presented could be conjectural.
Reason:Names of options in quote marks are conjectural.

Upon starting theSplatoon games for the first time or selectingPlayer Settings from theOptions menu, the player is given a variety of options to customize theirInkling orOctoling.

Splatoon

InSplatoon, the player can only play as anInkling and is able to select a gender, skin tone, and eye color. If it is the player's first time picking a character, the default girl Inkling has the second lightest skin tone and orange eyes, while the boy has the third lightest skin tone and blue eyes. Both of these are based on the main Inklings often featured in promotional material. On subsequent customizations, both Inklings have the same skin tone and eye color as the player's most recent choice.

Gender

Gender
Gender	Front view	Back view
Girl
Boy

Skin tone

Skin tone
Icon	Preview

Eye color

Eye color
Icon	Preview

Splatoon 2

Splatoon 2 introduced alternate hairstyle and legwear options (with further options added in version2.0.0), and added several more eye color options. Hairstyles and legwear can also be changed on theequipment screen. TheOcto Expansion added the ability to play as anOctoling upon completion.

The character animates differently for each stage of customization, such as looking down when deciding on legwear or hunching over towards the camera when picking an eye color. These animations are the same between both Inkling genders, but have slight variations for the female Octoling, who has a "shy" demeanor.

In a similar fashion asSplatoon, one of the Inklings and one of the Octolings correspond to the most recent Inkling and Octoling used by the player, while the other two assume their default look. When switching from an Inkling to an Octoling or vice versa, the game saves the player's most recently used appearance as the opposite species, which is used for the single-player modes:Octo Canyon always uses the player's Inkling, while theOcto Expansion always uses the player's Octoling. The default Inklings and Octolings have both girls with the middle skin tone and orange eyes, while boys have the third lightest skin tone and blue eyes. This is again based on the main Inklings and Octolings featured in promotional materials.

The introduction of theSplatfest team names in version4.0.0 revealed official names for the hairstyles for the first time in theSplatoon series.

Species and gender

• Inkling girl
• Inkling boy
• Octoling girl (available afterOcto Expansion completion)
• Octoling boy (available afterOcto Expansion completion)

Skin tone

Skin tone
Icon	Preview

Eye color

First row
Icon	Preview

Second row
Icon	Preview

Hairstyle

Inkling girl
Hairstyle	Icon (pink)	Icon (green)	Front view	Back view
Hippie
Haircut
Double-Bun
Wave
Pigtail
Banger

Inkling boy
Hairstyle	Icon (pink)	Icon (green)	Front view	Back view
Topknot
Slick
Buzz-Cut
Hipster
Spiky-Haired
Mush-Cut

Octoling girl
Hairstyle	Icon (pink)	Icon (green)	Front view	Back view
Tentacurl
Pony

Octoling boy
Hairstyle	Icon (pink)	Icon (green)	Front view	Back view
Punk
Afro

Legwear

Girl
Icon (pink)	Icon (green)	Preview

Boy
Icon (pink)	Icon (green)	Preview

Octo Expansion

Agent 8

There is a separate player customization screen inSplatoon 2'sOcto Expansion, having the playableOctolings floating naked in a test tube full of green liquid with lime-green stains across their bodies. It is functionally identical to the normal one, except that Inklings and the legwear option are omitted. As such, if the player uses this screen to customize their Octoling, then they always have the "classic shorts" outside of theOcto Expansion.

In a similar fashion as the normal customization screen, there is an animation sequence for the characters. The selected Octoling appears to "wake up" more and more as they are customized, going from having their eyes shut and being completely still (or sleeping) when picking gender, to progressively opening their eyes and looking around as more options are selected (waking up), to looking at the camera and crossing their arms with a determined expression (representing being fully awake) once their appearance is finalized.

Agent 3

Later on, after collecting threethangs, the player is prompted to customizeAgent 3 through a missing poster drawn byCap'n Cuttlefish. Agent 3's appearance is limited to the options available inSplatoon, and the choices are permanent upon completion. Agent 3 is female by default, but this can be changed, and there are no default presets for the skin tone nor the eye color.

• 

  Sketch of a female Agent 3

• 

  Sketch of a male Agent 3

• 

  Gender selection

• 

  Skin tone selection

• 

  Eye color selection

• 

  Final confirmation

Splatoon 3

Splatoon 3 differentiates players by styles rather than explicit gender or species, removing gender restriction on hairstyle and legwear, and adds more customization options. This game also allows the player to play as bothInklings andOctolings from the beginning of the game.

Inklings have sixteen available hairstyles (four of which are introduced in this game), while Octolings have eight (four of which are also introduced in this game).

The player can also change their character's eyebrows. In previous games, there is only one eyebrow shape for each style. InSplatoon 3, each style has four pairs of eyebrows to choose from, amounting to sixteen pairs of eyebrows total. The specifics of each eyebrow shape vary from style to style.

There are twelve legwear options in total. The "classic shorts" option is still shorter on feminine styles like in previous games, while the four "leggings" options are collapsed under a "black leggings" icon with an ellipsis under it.

TheSmallfry companion also has customizable hairstyle, with seven options.

The animation sequence is more elaborate than inSplatoon 2. After selecting an option, going back does not show the associated animation again. As the player customizes their character, the following happens in order:

• Before selecting a style, the player's character is sitting with their hooded cape, shades, and facemask on.
• After selecting a style, while picking a skin tone, the player's character takes off their facemask.
• The character takes off their shades to reveal their eyes, allowing the player to choose an eye color.
• The character takes off their hood to reveal their hair, allowing the player to choose a hairstyle. Eyebrow shapes become available immediately afterwards, with no additional animation.
• The character stands up and lets their cape fall to the ground, looking down as the player chooses their legwear. The confirmation screen then appears, with the player's character looking satisfied and resting their left hand on their hip.
• When comes the time to choose a hairstyle forSmallfry, it hops before the screen zooms in on it.
• When both the player's character and Smallfry's appearances are finalized, the player character now wears theirink tank and theCephalo Pods and both of them walk off together.

Unlike in previous games, returning to the customization screen completely resets the player's character. Regardless of style and species, the default Inkling or Octoling will always have the middle skin tone, "black pupil + blue iris" eyes, "classic" eyebrows, and "classic shorts". Smallfry's appearance also reverts to the default hairstyle.

Style

Quotes

Style
Species	Feminine	Masculine
Inkling
Octoling

Skin tone

Skin tone
Icon	Preview

Eye color

Quotes

First row
Icon	Preview

Second row
Icon	Preview

Third row
Icon	Preview

Hairstyle

Quotes

Inkling
Hairstyle	Icon	Preview
Megalobraid
Cornrows
Bed Head
Soaked
Hippie
Topknot
Haircut
Slick
Wave
Buzz-Cut
Double-Bun
Hipster
Banger
Spiky-Haired
Pigtail
Mush-Cut

Octoling
Hairstyle	Icon	Preview
Tentatwists
Octolocks
Fade
Surfcurl
Tentacurl
Punk
Pony
Afro

Eyebrows

Quotes

Feminine Inkling
Icon	Preview

Masculine Inkling
Icon	Preview

Feminine Octoling
Icon	Preview

Masculine Octoling
Icon	Preview

Legwear

Legwear
Icon	Preview
	Feminine
	Masculine

Smallfry

Smallfry
Icon		Preview

Return of the Mammalians

InSplatoon 3'sReturn of the Mammalians, the player can customize theCaptain's appearance by interacting with a notebook inCuttlefish's camp inthe Crater, with the same limited options as inSplatoon. However, unlike in theOcto Expansion, this customization is optional and can be repeated.

If the player has imported save data from theOcto Expansion and has already customized the Captain (known as Agent 3 there), the customization carries over; otherwise, they have the feminine style, third lightest skin tone, and green eyes by default.

Gallery

• 

  Sketch of a feminine Agent 3

• 

  Sketch of a masculine Agent 3

• 

  Style and hairstyle selection

• 

  Skin tone selection

• 

  Eye color selection

Side Order

Agent 8

The protagonist ofSide Order,Agent 8, can be customized with any option available for an Octoling inSplatoon 3, excluding legwear. If the player hasOcto Expansion save data on their Nintendo Switch, the initial appearance of Agent 8 when customizing them for the first time is imported, even if the save data was not manually imported. Otherwise, it defaults to the feminine style.

Each style has their own default choices:

• A feminine Agent 8 has the sixth lightest skin tone, the Tentacurl hairstyle, "black pupil + gray iris" eyes, and "classic" eyebrows.
• A masculine Agent 8 has the third lightest skin tone, the Punk hairstyle, "black pupil + white iris" eyes, and "classic" eyebrows.

Gallery

• 

  Style selection

• 

  Skin tone selection

• 

  Hairstyle selection

• 

  Eye color selection

• 

  Eyebrows selection

• 

  Final confirmation

Parallel Canon

Alongside Agent 8, the look of the masked figure of theParallel Canon boss can be affected as well, as they mimic the Inkling player character ofSplatoon 2. By changing the Inkling character inSplatoon 2 and proceeding intoSide Order's Player Settings the appearance of the masked figure will be updated. Otherwise, the masked figure has the feminine style and the Haircut hairstyle by default.

Impossible configurations

Under normal circumstances, Inkling players are not able to choose Octoling hairstyles and eyebrows (and vice versa). Via use of glitches, misconfigured Inkling and Octoling player characters have previously been accessible. Similarly misconfigured Octolings have also been mistakenly featured in certain official promotional material.

Through the use of now-patchedglitches, players were able to cosmetically alter their player character to show mismatched Inkling and Octoling features; the resulting effect would not be visible in multiplayer battles.

• Until version3.0.0, players could generate mismatched Inkling or Octoling characters exclusively in shop menus through the use ofamiibo.
• During theSpicy vs. Sweet vs. Sour andDark Chocolate vs. Milk Chocolate vs. White Chocolate (2023)Splatfest events, Octoling characters would mistakenly be rendered as Inklings with Octoling hairstyles when boarding a Splatfest Float.

Ina Japanese advertisement for the Nintendo Switch, Octoling players with Inkling hair and eyebrow styles can be briefly seen; the addition of these characters seems to be an oversight.

Gallery

• 

  An Octoling player with Inkling hair and eyebrow styles in a shop after performing the amiibo glitch

• 

  Three Octoling players displayed with Inkling body models when aboard a Splatfest Float

• 

  An Octoling with Inkling-exclusive hair and eyebrow styles wielding aTrizooka in an official advert

• 

  An Octoling with Inkling-exclusive hair and eyebrow styles wielding aNautilus 47 in an official advert

Statistics

By multiplying the customization options, the number of all possible character creation combinations can be determined.

Splatoon

Splatoon offers 2 genders, 7 skin tones and 7 eye colors, for a total of 98 possible looks.

Splatoon 2

Splatoon 2 offered more and more options over the course of both its updates and added DLC.At launch, there were 2 genders, 7 skin tones, 14 eye colors, 4 hairstyles, and 3 legwear options, for a total of 2352 possible looks.Version 2.0.0 added 4 more hairstyles, and 3 more legwear options, increasing this total to 5880 possible looks.

TheOcto Expansion gives the option between 2 genders, 7 skin tones, 14 eye colors, and 2 hairstyles, for a total of 392 possible looks forAgent 8. After finishing theOcto Expansion, players are able to change legwear for Octolings, increasing this total to 1960 possible looks.

Adding all final Inkling (5880) and Octoling (1960) options together gives a total of 7840 possible looks for the playable character.

Splatoon 3

Splatoon 3 offers an even higher amount of options due to the addition of more customization features and the availability of all hairstyles and legwear across the four different styles.

Inklings have 2 styles, 9 skin tones, 21 eye colors, 16 hairstyles, 4 eyebrow, and 12 legwear options, for a total of 290304 possible looks. Octolings only have 8 hairstyles, and thus only half the possible looks compared to an Inkling, for a total of 145152 possibilities.

Combining the possible looks for both species amounts to a total of 435456 possible looks for the playable character.

Despite Smallfry's 7 hairstyles not being part of the player character options, they are still part of the customization options available inSplatoon 3. This means that there can be a maximum of 3048192 accounts where no sequence of options is exactly the same.

Side Order allows to customize Agent 8 with all options inSplatoon 3 for Octolings, excluding the legwear option, for a total of 12096 possible looks for Agent 8 inSide Order.

Music

Area	Game	Song name	Audio
Player Settings	Splatoon	Character Creation	Splatoon Character Creation
Player Settings	Splatoon 2	Fest Zest (Player customization version)	Fest Zest
Player Settings	Octo Expansion	Player Editor	Player Make - Splatoon 2 (Octo)
Player Settings	Splatoon 3	What's Your Style?	What's Your Style?
Player Settings	Side Order	＃0.1 style	# 0.1 style

Trivia

• Some artwork forSplatoon depicted Inklings with purple eyes despite that not being an option in the game at the time. InSplatoon 2, purple eyes were added as an option.
• In the announcement trailer forSplatoon 3, there are a number of differences in the customization sequence shown.
  • There is no eyebrow selection, with the character in the trailer defaulting to the "Slit" brows.
  • The player is equipped with aTri-Stringer in the trailer. This is absent in the final customization screen, with the player starting out unarmed, then picking up aSplattershot Jr. during thetutorial.
  • The third-last eye color option appears more pinkish and purple in the announcement trailer, but in the game it is more of a reddish color.
  • The third legwear option has a slightly different icon that appears to resemble shorts more than the baggy sweatpants in the final game. As the trailer never shows the actual model of the option, it is uncertain if the legwear itself was actually different from the final game, or if it was simply represented by a different icon at the time.

References