In Splatoon lore, Inklings are derived from what animal?

In Splatoon lore, Inklings are derived from squids. They are humanoid cephalopod characters who can change between a childlike humanoid form and a squid form.

That transformation is central to both the story and the gameplay. In humanoid form, an Inkling carries weapons and sprays ink across stages or at opponents. In squid form, the character can swim rapidly through ink of the team’s color, hide in it, replenish ink, and climb or pass through certain surfaces. Enemy-colored ink instead slows and harms the player.

The squid connection is also reflected throughout the series’ visual language. Inklings have tentacle-like hair, squid-inspired silhouettes, and a culture built around Turf War, music, fashion, and ink technology. The fictional world explains them as evolved marine life in a far-future Earth after humanity’s disappearance.

A common mix-up is confusing Inklings with Octolings. Octolings are the related humanoid race derived from octopuses and are associated with the Octarians. Both can use similar transformations and weapons, but the Inkling specifically has squid origins. Jellyfish and crabs also appear in the world, but they are not the source animal for Inklings.