Shiver, Frye and Big Man

Shiver, Frye and Big Man were created for the 2022 Nintendo Switch game Splatoon 3, being revealed in a Nintendo Direct in August that year. They form the idol group Deep Cut and are hosts of the Anarchy Splatcast news program airing in the game's hub, Splatsville, and the group's home turf is located in a region called the Splatlands. Outside of their music and hosting careers, the group are also bandits who steal valuables to support the poor of Splatsville, with their news program actually being a pirate radio broadcast that hijacks Splatsville's actual programming. The trio, who are popular among the locals of Splatsville, are descendants of families that have handled the festivals and religious ceremonies in the city for generations. The members were first acquainted in school; Shiver and Frye would later bond over their love of music, eventually meeting Big Man to accompany their music making by playing piano, eventually forming Deep Cut. Design Shiver Hohojiro is a blue-haired Octoling with red eyes and accents. She is described as having thin, narrow eyes, with her hair covering one of them. Her outfit consists of shark tooth earrings, She also wears thick clogs, making her stand slightly taller than Frye. Her design is mainly inspired by Japanese culture. Shiver is a member of the Hohojiro family, with 3s director Seita Inoue stating in an interview that this was due to wanting to mix up influences that were opposite to the western influences used in Splatoon 1 and 2. A popular bug involving Shiver was discovered and replicated among players in early versions of the game. The bug involved items of clothing on Shiver becoming invisible when the player views her in the Anarchy Splatcast studio through a translucent jellyfish NPC, leaving only the sarashi. Frye Onaga Her outfit consists of a yellow cropped top over a cropped turtleneck, baggy trousers with holes and toeless socks, and an accessory in her hair resembling fried food. Shiver and Frye perceived the collaboration as a betrayal and in-turn created the song "Big Betrayal" to call him out. However, Big Man amended his relation with the two by explaining the collaboration was meant to help bridge the two groups, with "Liquid Sunshine" being a charity song meant to help Splatsville. Big Man is the head of the Manta Clan, a well-known family of the Splatlands and owners of Manda Ryuu, During the Frosty Fest, the group wore masks, top hats and gowns to match with the masquerade themed outfits released around the time. During 3s final Splatfest, they wore punk era outfits; Shiver wears a Deep Cut logo tattoo and a different hair piece, Frye stylised her hair into a bun resembling tiny spikes and wear metallic wire on her ears and Big Man is fitted with spiky overalls and eye shadow. with Big Man creating "EDM-based" music tracks whilst Shiver and Frye provide the vocals. During the final Splatfest, called the Grand Festival, Deep Cut formed a group with both the Squid Sisters and Off the Hook called Now or Never Seven to perform the song "Three Wishes". In Splatoon Raiders, Deep Cut's designs were slightly changed; Shiver and Frye are equipped with fishing gear as opposed to their masks and Big Man has a slightly browner skin tone and bandages on his fins. Concept rather his final manta ray design. Many of the themes used to design Splatoon 3 were incorporated into the creation of Deep Cut. During an interview with Famitsu, director Seita Inoue and producer Hisashi Nogami stated that the number 3 was a core concept that was applied to many aspects of the game, with Inoue adding that he believed third instalments were seen as a culmination or evolution, leaning into the idea of festivals. Inoue continued that festivals also fit into another theme of the number 3, the concept of chaos. During Splatoon 2s final Splatfest, players were given the choice between two sides to fight for: Chaos vs Order. Unlike previously hosted Splatfests, the developers of the game revealed the next game would be built up on the concept that won. Following the end of the Splatfest, Chaos became the basis on how developers approached the next entry. Much of the world design in Splatoon 3 was influenced by the concept of chaos, such as the culture of the world of Splatoon, including the hub of the game, Splatsville. The mixing of the concepts of chaos and the number 3 led to the creation of Deep Cut's name. incorporating surimi as well as Japanese character for "three" (三). Inoue mentioned that the name popped into his head after struggling to try and combine three into the name. He mentioned that their catchphrase, "hona kaisan!" (Well then, dismiss!), came about when trying to create a greeting that rivalled previous idols' catchphrases. When asked about the parallels in an interview, Inoue acknowledged the reference, joking that "when it [came] to ink, manta rays and bosses, we had no choice but to do it." although the developers have also compared them to Japanese festivals such as the Danjiri Festival and the Gion Festival. When asked if Shiver and Frye's designs resembling their voice actors was intentional, Inoue stated it was a coincidence, adding that the similarities were based on impressions of the voices and songs after first deciding on the designs. ==Appearances==

Splatoon games Shiver, Frye and Big Man first appeared in 2022's Splatoon 3, serving as hosts of the game through their TV and radio news program "Anarchy Splatcast", providing the player with information regarding stage rotations, future updates and Splatfests. The studio in which they broadcast the Splatcast is located next to the game's lobby; the group will wave at the player if look into the studio. During Splatfests, the trio would host festivals in Splatsville, donning masks and performing their songs such as "Anarchy Rainbow" as their band Deep Cut. In September 2023, a Splatfest was held to celebrate Splatoon 3s one year anniversary, in which the theme was to determine which Deep Cut member would be best suited as leader. At the end of the Splatfest, it was announced that Shiver was the winner. A similar Splatfest was held for 3s final Splatfest, Past vs Present vs Future, with Deep Cut representing Team Future. Team Future won zero points following the unveiling of the results. In Splatoon 3s single-player campaign, Return of the Mammalians, the trio appear as antagonists throughout the story. After the player (Agent 3) reaches Alterna and meets the New Squidbeak Splatoon, Agent 3 is approached by Deep Cut. In Big Man's fight, under the title "The Hype Manta Storm", he dives into the floor and transforms into a giant manta ray silhouette, dividing into smaller silhouettes when hit by the player. By the end of the game, the trio team up with the New Squidbeak Splatoon to take on the campaign's main antagonist, Mr. Grizz. The helicopter they are travelling in crashes, leaving the group to try and survive on the island. Other media Outside of the Splatoon series of games, Deep Cut appeared in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate; they were added as a collectable spirit during a 2024 update. As part of Animal Crossing: New Horizonss 3.0 update in January 2026, a set of Splatoon-themed furniture and clothing can be unlocked by scanning Splatoon series amiibo figurines, including a sofa designed to look like Big Man, and the tops of Shiver and Frye. Additionally, two villagers returning villagers from Animal Crossing: New Leaf - Welcome amiibo, Cece and Viché, were added and redesigned to cosplay Shiver and Frye respectively instead of Callie and Marie. During Nintendo Live 2022, a two-day in-person video game competition and live music event hosted at Tokyo Big Sight, Nintendo hosted Splatoon 3 and Animal Crossing concerts, with Deep Cut and DJ KK performing. During the Splatoon 3 concert, called BankaLive in Japan, Deep Cut perform and dance through the use of holograms. During the concert, Deep Cut performed a live rendition of "Anarchy Rainbow", as well as the songs "Fins in the Air" and "Hide and Sleek". At the end of the concert, Deep Cut were joined by the Squid Sisters to perform "Calamari Inkantation 3MIX". However, following threats made towards staff of the event, Nintendo Live 2024 Tokyo was cancelled. Nintendo subsequently announced that the Splatoon concert, alongside a The Legend of Zelda orchestra concert, were postponed and instead would be streaming pre-recorded versions of the concerts on YouTube in February 2024. The concert, known as BankaLive Thunder in Japan, featured 10 songs as well as an appearance of Pearl and Marina from Off the Hook. Weekly Famitsu ran a four-panel manga series illustrated by Kino Takahashi based on Splatoon 3, in which Deep Cut have made appearances. Merchandise In October 2023, Japanese manufacturing company San-Ei Boeki announced and released plush toys of Deep Cut available for purchase at Nintendo stores in Japan as well as the My Nintendo Store. On 17 November 2023, Nintendo released a wave of amiibo figurines based on Shiver, Frye and Big Man, available for purchase separately as well as a 3-in-1 bundle. The amiibo can unlock exclusive gear in Splatoon 3 inspired by the character that was scanned in, as well as can save an outfit the player is currently wearing. Additionally, the amiibo allows the player to take photos with them. A second set of amiibo figurines based on their appearances in Splatoon Raiders are planned to be released alongside the game on the 23 July 2026 and will similarly be available for purchase separately as well as a 3-in-1 bundle. Unlike the previous set, the base of the Raiders figurines were designed to fit together to be a part of a unified display. ==Critical reception==

Since their reveal, the trio received positive reception from both fans and critics, with some creating fan art and memes about the group, To celebrate Splatoon 3s release, the Splatoon France Twitter account held a poll on who was the most popular member of Deep Cut. A day after the poll was launched, Big Man received the most votes at around 8,200 votes, Shiver at around 3,000 votes and Frye received the least at 500 votes. However, the poll was scrutinised by Inside Games as not being the best way to measure the group's popularity as users would need to reply to the poll to vote for Frye. In an article for Xtra Magazine, V.S. Wells described Deep Cut's song Anarchy Rainbow as "a celebration of diverse perspectives" due to its Japanese odori, Brazilian Samba and Bollywood inspirations. Real Sounds Noi Mura described Deep Cut's discography as "creating a unique chaotic pop sound" and crediting it as "something that could only be achieved with Splatoon". Mura elaborated by writing that their music is so unique they could not truly compare it to anything else, using BTS's "Idol" as the closest example to Deep Cut's approach to mixing cultural influences in their songs. Out of the trio, Big Man was picked as a fan favourite, with GamesRadar+s Hope Bellingham owing this to his name and "lovably dorky appearance". In a comparison of the series' idol groups, Tim Rattray of Nintendo Life described Big Man as the highlight of Deep Cut, comparing his expression to that of a smiling emoji and noting how "everyone wants to hug him". Conversely, Shiver and Frye received a lukewarm reception, although critics still praised their designs. Writing for TheGamer, Jade King wrote about how Shiver's traditionalist design complemented Frye's more exuberant personality, describing how it was joyful to watch them perform. King added that the pair continued a trend in the series of the idols being relatable and having distinct and playful relationships. In an article for Inside Games, Tea Pudding discussed how Shiver was more popular than Frye in Japan because of her "slanted eyes, fair skin, and bewitching charm", which made her seem more mature. However, Tea Pudding later opined that although they initially believed Frye's design and mannerisms embodied childishness, Frye actually possessed a "hidden charm" and was the more mature and reliable member of the group that drives the overall dynamic, while Shiver served more as a frontman. Additionally, Tea Pudding suggested that Frye had a "quite unique design", commenting that "her belly-baring outfit accentuates her beautiful brown skin" and describing her overall charm as cool. Deep Cut have had an impact on how the Splatoon community performed during Splatfests, with fans opting to play for the team represented by its respective member, rather than the theme the team is representing. In an article written by associate professor at Brock University Derek Foster, he wrote how the Splatoon community equate Deep Cut to that of real-world celebrities, describing it as an example of parasocial relationships. He added that this was a continuation of Japan's 2.5D idol culture similar to Hatsune Miku and would lead to fan engagement through competition. He notes that this would lead to fans become more attached to members of Deep Cut, but it can also create discourse and division between the community. Foster observed that Shiver had won 8 out of the 11 Splatfests that had been held at the time of writing, compared to Frye's 1 win. Likewise, players were rooting for Frye to get her first Splatfest win, feeling sorry she had not won unlike her group. This culminated in the "Spicy vs. Sweet vs. Sour" Splatfest, in which Frye's team, Team Sweet, were announced as the winners; players responded positively following the publishing of the results, with Destructoids Chris Moyse writing that "it's nice to see this particular Deep Cut band member finally have their moment of glory." Supporters of the idea pointed to a lack of gender-specific language or pronouns unlike the other members. This was observed to be the case in multiple different localisations of trailers for the game, most notably Japanese. Additional factors pointed to her androgynous appearance as well as the colour scheme used by both the game and Deep Cut, which were heavily associated with purple, yellow, black, and white; the colour scheme of the non-binary flag. In response to the speculation, Nintendo's SVP of development and publishing Nate Bihldorff, spoke with The Verge and denied the theory, stating that Shiver was female; Reportedly both fans and critics were disappointed by the announcement, with Nintendo Lifes Gavin Lane stating that whilst Splatoon 3 already had a non-binary design to its character creator, he exclaimed that due to Splatoon being a new intellectual property, "it felt like the perfect game to introduce a little more diversity into the world of Nintendo." with some fans still choosing to headcanon Shiver as non-binary. Diaz observed fans on social media creating posts of Shiver and Frye with pride flags based on the former's speculated sexuality. ==Notes==