Craig Cuttlefish (アタリメヨシオ, Atarime Yoshio^?, lit. Dried shredded squid Salt), also known as Cap'n Cuttlefish (アタリメ司令, Atarime-Shirei^?, lit. Commander Dried Shredded Cuttlefish) is a character in Splatoon, Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion and Splatoon 3. He is an elderly Inkling and a main character. He acts as a guide for the protagonist, (the player's Inkling) in Hero Mode (Splatoon).

History

Before the event of Splatoon

Prior to the ultimate end of the Great Turf Wars, Cap'n Cuttlefish served as leader of a division called the Squidbeak Splatoon alongside Ammoses Shellendorf, Judd, and two unidentified Inkling soldiers. It is unknown what he did between the end of the war and the beginning of Splatoon, but he seems to have changed little.

Splatoon

He can be found poking his head out of a manhole in the corner of Inkopolis Plaza. On the first time the player arrives at Cuttlefish's shack in Octo Valley, he introduces himself and recruits the player as Agent 3 to help take back the Great Zapfish from the Octarians. He provides assistance throughout the levels, until the completion of The Rampaging Octowhirl!, where he gets kidnapped by DJ Octavio. Agents 1 and 2 take over his role, until the final mission, where Agent 3 battles DJ Octavio to rescue Cap'n Cuttlefish, who is tied up in a chair. During the 4th phase, the Squid Sisters override the boss music, allowing Cuttlefish to set himself free.

Replaying the final mission results in new dialogue, describing how DJ Octavio escaped from his globe and recaptured Cap'n Cuttlefish.

Splatoon 2

After the events of Splatoon, Cap'n Cuttlefish disappeared from Octo Valley. While the Squid Sisters initially believed there to be no cause for concern, his disappearance led Marie to discover that DJ Octavio was able to escape. As a result, in Splatoon 2, she took over Cuttlefish's role as guide and mentor to the newly-recruited Agent 4. It was later revealed that Cuttlefish went off traveling with Agent 3 for "a research trip to the cape", and as a result, was not seen in person.

Octo Expansion

Cap'n Cuttlefish reappears in the Octo Expansion pack, once again providing the role as the guide to Agent 8. In the expansion, he wears a green tracksuit, and his cap is white and worn backwards. He also has square headphones around his neck.

He and Agent 3 briefly clashed with an Octoling before the three of them were attacked, leaving Cuttlefish and the amnesiac Octoling trapped in the Deepsea Metro. Teaming up, Cuttlefish eventually nicknamed the Octoling as Agent 8 and decided to help them retrieve the four thangs and escape to Inkopolis. As a result, he acted as a guide for Agent 8 throughout the tests, remaining on the metro train to give help alongside Pearl and Marina.

During this time, Cuttlefish took part in Marina's chat room under the username of 'CraigCuttlefish'. After learning how the chat room worked, Cuttlefish learned about Pearl and Marina's respective pasts. Cuttlefish was the first to realise that Marina was an Octoling but continued to support her after learning of her defecting from the Octarian military, alongside the other Octolings that escaped to Inkopolis.

Once Agent 8 collected the four thangs, Cuttlefish joined them to escape when the Telephone reformed into a blender, trying to kill them. Agent 3 saved them, knocking themselves out, and as Agent 8 tried to escape, Cuttlefish stayed behind to care for Agent 3. However, the Telephone eventually awoke again, capturing Cuttlefish and brain-washing Agent 3 to try and kill Agent 8. After saving them, they joined Agent 8 in escaping to the surface, meeting Off the Hook in person. As the Telephone revealed itself as Commander Tartar, using the NILS Statue to destroy Inkopolis, Cuttlefish stayed behind on Marina's helicopter as the "hype man", looking after Agent 3 as the rest of the group defeated Tartar by using Pearl's Princess Cannon. With the threat neutralized, he eventually joined Agent 8, Agent 3, Pearl and Marina and returned to Inkopolis.

Splatoon 3

Cap'n Cuttlefish makes a reappearance in Splatoon 3. He has retired and handed over his title to Agent 3. He finds a new recruit in Splatsville and calls them the new Agent 3. For the first four levels of Return of the Mammalians he helps them out like in the previous games. After defeating DJ Octavio, the ground falls and Smallfry, Cap'n Cuttlefish and Agent 3 fall into Alterna. Agent 3 and Cap'n Cuttlefish get separated afterwards.

Upon defeating the first boss, Cap'n Cuttlefish contacts the new Agent 3 and reveals he had been kidnapped. Subsequent calls reveal the perpetrator to be Mr. Grizz. At the end of the story, Mr. Grizz explains that he needs Cap'n Cuttlefish's brain as part of his plan, and steal it moments before re-uniting with the new Agent 3; when the New Squidbeak Splatoon arrive, he is left a dry husk, and is assumed dead. Captain holds him in their arms, and sheds a tear, which provides enough moisture to revitalize Cap'n Cuttlefish, albeit in a withered state similar in appearance to Japanese-style sun-dried squid. Cap'n Cuttlefish then continues to assist Agent 3 in the final boss as mission control.

After Mr. Grizz's defeat, Cap'n Cuttlefish remains in the New Squidbeak Splatoon camp in Future Utopia Island with Callie and Marie, floating in his withered state, and can be talked to freely.

Personality and traits

Cap'n Cuttlefish is a decorated hero who fought in the Great Turf Wars of legend between the Inklings and Octarians. He now keeps solemn vigil over Octo Valley, watching for any fishy behavior. Though his clothes may be tattered, his heart is pure and nothing escapes his razor-sharp gaze.^[1] Following his first meeting with Pearl, he has taken up rapping as a hobby.

He can be found in a corner under a manhole cover in Inkopolis Plaza.

He is also a little dramatic as when the player first meets him in both Splatoon 1 and 3, he first states "THE OCTARIANS ARE HEEEEERRREEE!"

Table Turf Battle

Cuttlefish is able to be challenged to Table Turf Battle, in his form after the events of Return of the Mammalians. He also has his own card.

As an opponent

Cuttlefish
Map:	X Marks the Garden
Unlock:	Reach Rank 38; Beat Return of the Mammalians
Sleeve:
Deck

Trivia

• Cap'n Cuttlefish's favorite food is "crabby cakes".
  • In the European version, it is biscuits
    • If the final battle in Hero Mode is played again, Cap'n Cuttlefish will mention that DJ Octavio escaped his globe prison while the Cap'n was eating crabby cakes.
    • In the UK version, he states that he was captured while he was eating biscuits.
    • In the French version, he just says he was having a snack.
• Cap'n Cuttlefish's Japanese name, "Atarime" (アタリメ) is another name for "surume" (鯣), dried shredded squid.
• In the Story Mode trailer, and multiple pre-release screenshots, Cap'n Cuttlefish is shown to be in areas in which he doesn't appear in the final game (Such as levels like Lair of the Octoballs) It is unknown if he was removed from those levels near the end of development, or if he was simply placed there for presentation with screenshots and the trailer.
  • Also, his manhole in Inkopolis was originally in an area resembling the weapons testing map, and had a much similar design. That area was also visited by sparrow-like birds. 

    

• Cap'n Cuttlefish seems to make an appearance in a few of the Sunken Scrolls.
  • In Sunken Scroll #15, it is shown that Cap'n Cuttlefish was the leader of the Squidbeak Splatoon, which also seemed to include Sheldon's Grandfather ("grandpappy")  Ammoses Shellendorf, and Judd.
  • In Sunken Scroll #16, a young Cap'n Cuttlefish can be seen, beside an Octarian who appears to be a young DJ Octavio. This implies that the two could have been friends before the Great Turf War, but are now bitter enemies because of it.
• Cap'n Cuttlefish's cane bears strong resemblance to theBamboozler 14 MK I and the Bamboozler 14 MK II
• Agent 1 and 2 refer to him as their grandfather. Those agents are later shown to be Callie and Marie. This relation could suggest Cap'n Cuttlefish is also from Calamari County.
• You can claim his hat, the Legendary Cap, by reaching level 50 and speaking to Judd.
  • In Splatoon 2 however, you can get it when it becomes available in Salmon Run.
• Even though he is an Inkling, you won't be able to splat Captain Cuttlefish. Instead, he'll shake off the ink that you shoot at him.
• In Splatoon 2, Cap'n Cuttlefish is currently with Agent 3 and is still alive.
• He is voiced by Mahito Yokota. ^[2]

Gallery

Cap'n Cuttlefish Artwork.

Sunken scroll 15.

Cap'n Cuttlefish under a manhole in the Central Plaza.

Cap'n Cuttlefish in Hero Mode.

Cap'n Cuttlefish in a story comic panel.

An Inkling entering Octo Valley.

An Inkling approaching Cap'n Cuttlefish.

Cap'n Cuttlefish's icon

Cap'n Cuttlefish appearing in Splatoon 3

Names in other languages

References