Marie

A laid-back idol and cousin to Callie who hosts Inkopolis News and supports campaigns as Agent 2.

Marie (Japanese: アオリ, Hepburn: Aori) is a central character in the Splatoon series, first appearing in 2015 as half of the pop duo known as the Squid Sisters. Alongside her cousin Callie, she serves as a host for Inkopolis News and appears in the campaign as Agent 2. The pair were conceptualized by art director Seita Inoue to sponsor Splatfest events with contrasting personalities; Marie embodies a laid-back, "Folk" musician vibe compared to Callie's energetic style. Her journey spans from hosting news broadcasts to recruiting Agent 4 to locate Callie in Splatoon 2 and guiding players through Alterna in Splatoon 3.

Quick Facts

Series: Splatoon
First: Splatoon (2015)
Voice: keity.pop (Callie); Mari Kikuma (Marie)
Species: Inkling

Lore & Background

Marie's background is deeply rooted in the history of the Great Turf War. She and her cousin Callie are granddaughters of Cap'n Craig Cuttlefish, a veteran of that major conflict. In Splatoon 2, lore reveals that following the final Splatfest (Callie vs. Marie), where players were forced to choose a side and Marie emerged victorious, the cousins went their separate ways. Marie traveled to the countryside to visit her parents but returned to find Callie missing. This discovery drove her to recruit the player as Agent 4 to locate Callie, who had been turned into an antagonist under the influence of D.J. Octavio. In Splatoon 3, Marie returns to guide players through Alterna. The Side Order DLC, released on February 22, 2024, does not feature Marie as an idol in the original Inkopolis.

Reader's Guide

Marie serves multiple functional roles for players across the series. In Splatoon and Splatoon 2, she hosts Inkopolis News, providing updates on map rotations and game modes. As Agent 2 in the first game's campaign, she guides the player through story missions alongside Callie (Agent 1). In Splatoon 2, she acts as the primary quest giver, directing the player to save Callie from D.J. Octavio. Her role shifts in Splatoon 3, where she leads players through the Alterna campaign. Additionally, during Splatfests, Marie represents one of the two teams; notably, she won the final Splatfest of the first game (Callie vs. Marie) and supported Team Order in the Chaos vs. Order event of Splatoon 2. Her voice work is provided by Mari Kikuma, who prepared for the role by listening to folk songs daily to capture Marie's "Folk" musician essence.

Origins and Design Philosophy

Marie was created by art director Seita Inoue specifically to accompany Splatfest events, designed as a contrasting character to her partner Callie. Initially conceived as shrine maidens who would interpret divine messages (which were actually sound waves from the future), the team deemed this occupation "too formal" and changed them to resident idol musicians with an "edgy" disposition similar to Western celebrities rather than traditional Japanese idols. Her design features squid-like pupils, splayed fingers, and dark eye makeup referencing punk rock groups. To distinguish her from Callie, who has a beauty mark on her left cheek, Marie was given one on her right. The development team focused on differentiating their outfits from player models, choosing sleeker hairstyles and dresses with "simple yet shiny" sequin-like patterns.

Musical Identity and Voice Performance

Marie is voiced by Mari Kikuma, who approached the role by listening to folk songs daily to capture a "Folk" musician sound. During auditions, Kikuma was given text representing the Inklings' native language, accompanied by musical notes. Her co-star, keity.pop (Callie), did not know they were a pair until later. In recording sessions, Kikuma focused on putting "the most excitement" into the melody, contrasting with Callie's more relaxed singing style. The duo performs tracks such as "Calamari Inkantation" in Splatoon and continues to perform live for Splatfests in subsequent games.

Narrative Role and Character Dynamics

In Splatoon, Marie is characterized as laid-back and relaxed, contrasting with Callie's energetic personality. They are cousins from Calamari County who became the face of Inkopolis News. The narrative tension peaked during the first game's final Splatfest (Callie vs. Marie), which forced players to choose a side; Marie won this event. In Splatoon 2, she recruits the player to save Callie from D.J. Octavio and later supports Team Order in the Chaos vs. Order Splatfest. In Splatoon 3, she guides players through Alterna and returns as an idol via content released on February 28, 2023, though she no longer hosts news or picks sides for Splatfests.

Cultural Impact and Legacy

Marie and Callie are widely considered the mascots and face of the Splatoon series. Critics praised them as potentially two of the best Nintendo characters introduced in the 2010s, though initial reviews were mixed regarding their unskippable cutscenes. The final Splatfest of the first game caused an uproar among fans for forcing a choice between the cousins, described by Polygon as "almost cruel." Real-world impact includes holographic concerts starting on January 30, 2016, in Chiba, Japan, with shows continuing worldwide through 2022. Marie appears as an assist trophy and Spirit in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, with Mii costumes introduced in 2020. Amiibo figures were released on July 8, 2016, and rereleased for Splatoon 3's launch in 2022.