Character creation offers straightforward binary boy/girl options for Inklings and (post-DLC) Octolings, with skin tones and hairstyles that are mostly gender-locked but allow easy gender switching purely for customization fun. There are no romance systems, dating mechanics, pronoun selections, non-binary options, or focal LGBTQ+ characters.

Prominent female idols like the Squid Sisters and Off the Hook exist as organic franchise elements without feminist framing or activist intent. Nintendo, as a Japanese developer, shows no evidence of DEI consultancy involvement, sensitivity readers, or statements pushing representation mandates for this 2017 title.

Any perceived inclusivity stems from player-driven in-game messages and community behavior rather than game content or developer design. The result is pure entertainment with incidental colorful diversity that aligns with the series' whimsical aesthetic, free of ideological embedding or narrative centrality.