he's bisexual but nobody wants him

Anyway things that this means

Blue-ringed Octopuses are canon (FINALLY) but not only that, they are Octolings

This may not seem like much, but it is CONFIRMATION THAT DIFFERENT SPECIES OF OCTOLINGS EXIST

Why is that a big deal? Because up until now, we actually haven't had confirmation that there's different species of Inklings other than "squid", and "octopus" (and cuttlefish, but they haven't REALLY been in the game yet, so moving on). An it's actually been slightly discouraged due to the only other specific octopus species we've seen, the flapjack octopus (or at least in that general group), wasn't actually an Octoling at all. So while obviously we've been free to make OCs that are different species, it hasn't really been supported by canon because "Inkling subspecies" (which is an incorrect term, because they're just separate species entirely) haven't been something that's, well. Real. The most we've had are designs themed after or using motifs from different real-world species, but none of those have been explicitly stated to be any different species than just standard Inkling.

So like THIS MEANS A LOT. There is the argument that it's just not realistic that a lot of species would evolve to be THIS similar especially when the species itself have a super specific niche... but it also happened with squids and octopuses (and cuttlefish) which are totally different species, so it's never been SUPER out of the question for species within those groups of animals to also become Inklings. We see parallel evolution like this in a lot of other species in Splatoon as well, like a lot of fish, but most notably urchins and anemones.

Anyway, Point B: i don't think this character is fuzzy. I think what the artist did instead with this design was reference the papillae of a real Blue-Ringed Octopus...

...which are very small and make them look super fuzzy when a lot are extended at once.

And if this is true, which it is, THEN NOT ONLY DID THEY MAKE OCTOLING "SUBSPECIES" CANON BUT PAPILLAE ARE ALSO CANON

Anyway moving on, I fully believe that the extremely fabulous eyelashes on the character's mask are directly designed after the eye papillae of a blue-ringed octopus (which are very similar, and also fabulous)

And FINALLY, I just have to ask... I know this is a media trope with designing blue-ringed octopus characters, but they've made this character's default color the blue-ring's warning display. Which is the display they use to signal people to back the fuck away or they will bite you and kill you instantly.(theres a hooded crow outside rn guys hold on sorry its very cute) Right so. I know this decision is made typically because the color display is extremely iconic and it feels pointless to make a blue-ringed octopus character if it just looks like any other octopus, yeah, i get it. But like, can they do other colors? I assume yes? Because if not, then this is the equivalent of walking everywhere while simultaneously flipping everybody off at all times.

Anyway normal people when a splatoon artist decides it would be fun to give an octoling band member blue rings for fun