Tank 3
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In General
The main cast of the film, a group of edible fish who've been caught and placed in the restaurant's 3rd Tank.
- A Dog Named "Dog": Ms. Snapper, Jooldom and Anago all are named after their species.note
Padak
"Feel everything we can feel. By taking a deep breath"
A spirited wild atlantic mackerel that’s been caught and abused by the restaurant. She has a deep need to return to the sea and remarks fondly on her time there to the other fish, who often ignore it or are put off by her actions.- The Ace: Is capable of speaking multiple languages, including flying fish, squid, jellyfish, and King Crab (the latter backfiring). She's also claimed to have traveled all around the ocean and often shares her wisdom with Spotty.
- Berserk Button: Messing with Spotty is this to her. She bonds with Spotty over the course of the story. When she sees the Master hovering over Spotty's corpse, she naturally assumes he's the one who killed him, and attacks.
- Blue Is Heroic: Being an atlantic mackerel, her primary color is a bright blue, she's also the main protagonist of the story, as well as one of the more (If not the most) morally pure of the characters .
- Broken Bird: Has shades of becoming this over the course of the film.
- Bullying the Dragon: She's the dragon in this case. When Padak get put into the aquarium, a clown fish somehow thinks that it's a good idea to shoo Padak while mocking her for being edible for humans. It doesn't end too well for the clown fish (see Took a Level in Jerkass below).
- Cool Big Sis: Serves as this to Spotty. She regularly impresses him with her knowledge of the sea, and even inspires him to escape together with her.
- Cruel and Unusual Death: Eventually served as Ikizukuri - which means having most of her flesh chopped off for sashimi and served to the customers while still alive and aware of the fact that she's being eaten.
- The Determinator: She's willing to do anything get back to the sea. She's the only fish in Tank 3 to have never at any point lost the will to escape.
- Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep": She's called Padak (flip-flop in Korean) due to breaking out of the tank and flip-flopping on the ground.
- Good Scars, Evil Scars: Later in the film, Padak's body sports several claw marks from the King Crabs attacking her.
- The Hero Dies: She doesn't make it to the end of the story and instead becomes Ikizukuri.
- Inspirational Martyr: To the Master. Her death inspires him to try to escape. The Master actually does end up succeeding to escape.
- Jerkass Realization: Her song "I'm Sorry" is this to the Master, as she apologizes to him for mistakenly thinking that he killed Spotty.
- Post–Wake-Up Realization: Wakes up in horror to realize the nightmare of being captured, cramped into a small space, beaten, and having watched another of her kind die in front of her was NOT a dream.
- Rookie Red Ranger: Downplayed. She ends up serving as the leader of the tank (being the one to host the riddling), despite being the newest member. It doesn't last very long, however.
- Surprisingly Sudden Death: When the Master is about to be killed, the customer who ordered him decides to change their mind and get mackerel instead. This leads to Padak dying in his place.
- Took a Level in Jerkass: When Padak is put into the aquarium, she goes on a rampage and ends up eating all but one of the aquarium clown fishes. To be fair, at that time, she's starving and dazed from being brutalized by the king crabs, and to top it off, one of the clown fishes is trying to shoo her while telling her to "go die like an edible (for humans) fish".
- Undignified Death: It's bad enough she's served as Ikizukuri but on top of that, one of the human customers sticks a cigar inside her mouth.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: The other mackerel likely wouldn't have been picked and killed if she hadn't swam around in a frenzy while they and the other fish played dead, as her movements caught the attention of a pair of clients that decided to have mackerel for dinner, with Padak only being spared due to the restaurant staff choosing to pick the mackerel that had been longer in the restaurant.
The Master
"You've been dead ever since you came here. Don't delude yourself into thinking you're alive."
An old flatfish and the longest surviving fish of Tank #3. He’s kept himself alive by hiding under a grate and avoid being picked by humans. The other fish respect him for his advice helping them survive as well, and also because he claims to be from the sea. In actuality, he was born in a fish farm and most of his knowledge about the sea is wrong.- Anti-Villain: He rules over the other fish in the tank by lying to come from the surface and would even use force to stop them from escaping the tank. However, it turns out the only reason he does not let them escape is because he does not have hope it would be possible and teaches them how to avoid being served at the restaurant as much as possible. He also has lines he would not cross.
- Earn Your Happy Ending: He suffered a lot before it, but he escapes back to the sea and even reaches a beautiful coral reef to live in the rest of his days.
- Everyone Has Standards: Is disgusted when Anago eats Spotty's corpse, and then proceeds to castigate Anago and snatches Spotty's body away.
- Hidden Depths: Appears at first to be a domineering leader who is obviously lying about being from the sea and bosses the other fish around. As the film goes on, you learn that he's self aware of his cowardice and that much of his trauma and forlorn attitude comes from witnessing his mate's death.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: At first comes across as a somewhat tyrannous figure who rules over Tank 3, and is in general aloof and intimidating. But as shown later in the story, he does care about his fellow fishes. This last point is best shown when Padak becomes the host of riddling, she (thinking that the Master is no more than a liar) starts bad-mouthing him, which displeases the other fishes and causes Jooldom to attack.
- The Lost Lenore: Lost his mate in the past and still hasn't moved on from her death by the time the film takes place.
- Near-Death Experience: While on the chopping block. He only survives because the customers who chose him changed their mind at the last minute.
- Sole Survivor: He has survived being picked for years by hiding under a grate in the tank. In the end, he's the only fish to successfully escape the restaurant.
- Trauma Button: Padak recalling her life in the sea reminds him of his mate, who spoke similarly to Padak while trying to lift his spirits... right before she was picked and killed in front of him.
- Villainous Breakdown: He starts as somewhat of a villainous figure. He has one of these throughout the movie, as he is challenged by Padak, mourns Spotty, and remembers his mate.
- We All Die Someday: His justification for why the fish shouldn't try to escape - that it is no better than the sea. Padak retorts that the chance to live free is better than waiting to die.
- Worth Living For: After Padak's death, he comes to realize that living free in the sea is worth trying to escape his current situation, and does so.
Spotty
"Wow, is the ocean that huge?"
A young and child-like greenling fish who is the first and only one in the tank to truly listen to Padak.- Because You Were Nice to Me: Though initially friendly to Padak already, Spotty becomes especially motivated by Padak when she chooses not to abandon him as they're flopping across the dock.
- Beware the Nice Ones: He may be cute and child-like, but he's pretty eager to kill and eat fellow fish if he gets the chance.
- Cruel and Unusual Death: Killed by King Crabs stabbing and beating him over with their claws, until he ends up full of cuts all over his body.
- Keet: One of the more cheerful members of Tank 3.
- Morality Pet: A downplayed one for the rest of the fish in the tank. Jooldom is all too eager to bite chunks of his tail and beat him up, but when he gets killed by the crabs, everyone but Anago is distraught by the sight of his mauled corpse, and are horrified when Anago starts unhesitatingly eating him.
- Nice Guy: So much so that the other fish (sans Anago) refuse to eat his corpse.
- Only Friend: For Padak.
- Surprisingly Sudden Death: He is rather unceremoniously killed by the crabs when he tried to motivate them to unite together to escape.
- Worth Living For: The first fish to be inspired by Padak to attempt escape from the tank. Though he fails to leave, unlike the Master.
Anago
"It's settled then. Padak can ask the riddles from now on."
A particularly apathetic whitespotted conger eel who plays second-hand to the Master.- Affably Evil: Compared to the other fish Anago is, at worst, creepy. He mostly minds his own business rather than attempting to bite or beat the other fish and isn't as ravenous as Spotty, Jooldom, or Snapper. This is subverted in the third act, where he is the only fish to unhesitatingly eat Spotty's corpse.
- The Dragon: At first serves as this for the Master. This is subverted in the third act, when he simply responds with a calm "I am eating" and even challenges the Master, when the latter is clearly displeased by him being eager to devour Spotty's corpse.
- Dub Name Change: To Jooldom in the Steam release.
- Faux Affably Evil: Once Spotty dies, he has no issue eating his corpse, despite previously appearing to be more reserved than his fellow fish. It's telling that even Jooldom is horrified by that.
- Lack of Empathy: Looks bored (almost annoyed) while Jooldom is beating Padak. Later when the outraged Master asks what he's doing eating Spotty's carcass, his only response is "I was eating".
- More Despicable Minion: The Master is a somewhat tyrannous figure in the tank who won't let the other fish escape and keeps his authority by lying to come from the surface. However, deep down he cares about his fellow fishes; the reason he doesn't let them escape being that he is hopeless, and wants them to avoid getting killed as much as possible. He is also traumatized after his mate's death and would never eat any of his friends. Anago on the other hand never shows empathy for the other fishes and is the only fish who has no issue eating Spotty's corpse, an act for which the master calls him out.
- No Sense of Personal Space: Leans very uncomfortably close to Padak when pressuring her into making riddles for the fish. As well as during his Villain Song
- Lean and Mean: Being an eel, he's the leanest fish in the tank. And by far the least sympathetic of them all.
- No Party Like a Donner Party: While it might not be cannibalism, Anago shows his true colors when he begins eating Spotty's corpse with no hesitation. He defends himself with the rhetoric the other fish used throughout the film.
- Number Two: The Master's right-fin fish.
- "The Reason You Suck" Speech: Delivers a scathing one to the Master.
- Slippery as an Eel: Of course.
- Straw Nihilist: Definitely shows signs of being this. Throughout the entire film, the only emotions he has shown are apathy or mild amusement (usually when watching the suffering of the other fishes).
- This Cannot Be!: Anago is shocked that the Master is able to escape into the ocean. He hides his surprise before the other fish notice it.
- Took A Level In Jerk Ass: Is easily the cruelest fish in the tank, smiling as Spotty is struck by the Master and more than happy to feast on his corpse in front of the other fish. When his actions are protested by the Master, Anago uses the rhetoric the other fish used (which was also first taught by the Master). He then proceeds to pick the Master apart for his inability to follow through with his own words and hiding in his lair while everyone else remains exposed.
- Villain Song: "Think About It".
Nollaemi
"You know how Spotty is. He's crazy for fish flesh."
A sarcastic snapper fish who usually joins Jooldom in his mocking of Padak and Spotty.- Deadpan Snarker: She'll take potshots at all of the other fish in her Tank, except for the Master. Not even Jooldom is safe from them.
- Everyone Has Standards: Is noticeably disturbed seeing the Master beat Spotty and is even more distraught to see Anago eat his corpse after he is killed by the crabs.
- Those Two Guys: With Jooldom.
Jooldom
"Do you know how many brain cells I lost because of you?!"
A striped beakfish who enjoys nibbling off the other fish’s tails, Spotty’s in particular, and being right all the time.- Big Eater: He always thinks about food and tries to nibble some tails.
- Butt-Monkey: He gets his fair share of lumps throughout the film, such as being crushed accidentally by Sea Bass or knocked out by the Master rushing out of his hiding spot.
- Dub Name Change: To Bream in the subbed Steam release.
- Everyone Has Standards: Tries to beg Spotty not to jump into the King Crabs' tank and is visibly saddened by his death and is shown to be horrified when Anago eats his dead body in front of the other fish without hesitation.
- Hidden Heart of Gold: Deep down cared about Spotty, begging him not to risk his life to talk to the King Crabs and being horrified when Anago starts eating his corpse.
- Informed Species: In the Steam release he's identified as a rockfish, despite being explicitly named after striped beakfish and not looking like a rockfish at all.
- Jerkass: Is a persistent bully to both Spotty and Padak throughout the film, regularly trying to take bites out their tails and does nothing to hide his desires. He also nearly beats Padak to death when she questions the Master's authority with the help of Miss Snapper.
- Meaningful Name: His name literally means "Striped Beakfish" in Korean.
- Those Two Guys: With Miss Snapper.
Sea Bass
"..."
A tired green sea bass who is never fully awake.- A Lighter Shade of Black: He's not quite as malicious as the rest of his tankmates, though it's most likely due to his laziness and apathy.
- The Quiet One: He never speaks unless someone urges him to do so.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: He's the one who suggests using the King Crabs to break out, leading to the chain of events that get Spotty and Padak killed.
The Other Mackerel
The Mackerel that was in Tank 3 before Padak.
- Ambiguous Gender: Due to its short screentime and lack of dialogue, its gender is never stated nor mentioned.
- Forgotten Fallen Friend: None of the other tank mates seem all concerned about its death, and is only brought up once shortly after by Jooldom when talking about how weird Padak is.
- Gutted Like a Fish: Quite literally.
- No Name Given: Due to its tiny screentime, it doesn't get a name.
- Sacrificial Lamb: Killed off to show the horrors of the sushi shop.
- We Hardly Knew Ye: Killed off mere seconds after the introduction.
The Master's Mate
"If you listen carefully you can hear the ocean through the bubble pump"
An unnamed female flounder caught from the sea that the Master fell in love with.- Cynicism Catalyst: Her death made the Master into what he is today.
- The Lost Lenore: To the Master.
- Nice Girl: Unlike most of the fish at the tank, and like Padak, she was very much not a downer about their situation, and hoped to escape one day and go back to the sea. She even presumably planned to take her mate to the sea as well, and tried to lift his spirits as much as she could.
- No Name Given: Isn't given a name.
- Pink Means Feminine: Is colored a bright pink to emphasize her being a female, so as to differentiate her from the Master and other flatfish.
- Posthumous Character: Died long before the events of the film took place.
- Small Role, Big Impact: She only appears in 2 scenes, total. But her role is one of the biggest of the whole film, due to her death turning the Master into the cynical downer he is in the present.
- Too Good for This Sinful Earth: One of the nicest fish in the whole film, as she gave nothing but words of encouragement to her mate and even taught him how to survive all without losing hope of escaping, only to die unceremoniously as food.
The Dying Flatfish
A half-dead flatfish thrown into the Tank that gets killed by the Master.
- Face Death with Dignity: Knows he's going to die regardless of what happens after he's thrown in and doesn't care one bit.
- Laughing Mad: Knows he's not going to live and can only laugh in the face of death when the Master tells him he'll kill him, mocking the Master's cowardice and hypocrisy, spitting the latter's words back into his face.
Others
King Crabs
Padak among the King Crabs.
The King Crabs in the tank next to Tank 3.- Ambiguous Situation: It's ambiguous whether they are sentient like the other fish characters seen in the movie. While Padak can speak their language and believes she can talk with them, they just ignore and attack her, although it's not show whether this is due to territorial instinct or true malice.
- Giant Enemy Crab: They're already larger than the average crab, and from the perspective of the fish they're giant.
- Hero Killer: They are the ones who ultimately kill Spotty by wounding him through their claws.
- The Speechless: Despite Padak being able to speak their language, they don't say a word.
The Clownfish
"Get out and die like the edible fish you are!"
A group of pet clownfish living in the sushi restaurant's decorative tank.- Asshole Victim: Inverted. The Clownfish who was rude to Padak is the only one who survives.
- Break the Haughty: That one Clownfish is nothing less than a jerk but after what Padak put him and his friends through, he went into a fetal position, crying and begging for mercy.
- Eaten Alive: Most are gulped down by Padak.
- Fantastic Racism: The one that wakes up Padak seems to have a thing against "edible fish".
- Informed Species: An outrageous example that was not present in the original, they're called goldfish in the Steam release supplementary material, despite being clownfish.
- Jerkass: The one clownfish that wakes up Padak is utterly unpleasant in his short screentime.
- Too Dumb to Live: A clownfish has the bright idea to wake up a hungry fish bigger than them, and tell them to get out of their tank.
Humans
Seok/Seoh Joo, the restaurant owner
The humans in the sushi shop, such as the customers and owner.- Big Bad: While the Master presents the direct threat for most of the film, Seok Joo, the owner of the restaurant, is the real main antagonist of the story.
- Cel Shading: How they are animated, in comparison to the fish.
- Humans Are Cthulhu: Most of the humans that are portrayed here look and act unnatural, according to the fishes' point of view.
- Invincible Villain: Really. All the fish can do is escape from them. Neither the humans or the business they run can truly be stopped. Though the Master mildly nicks Seok Joo at the end with the little toy sword.
- Jerkass: A staff member at the restaurant catches another mackerel to cook for the couple even though they want the fresh mackerel. Although, this act spares Padak from death.
- Lazy Bum: One of the restaurant staff members would rather smoke than help Seok Joo with the customers.
- Kids Are Cruel: One child drops Padak into the fish tank belonging to the clownfish just to see if Padak would eat them. When she did, the child takes great delight in it.
- No Name Given: Almost all of the humans go unnamed. The only one to be named is the owner, Seok/Seoh Joo.
- Obliviously Evil: As far as most the humans are concerned they're just enjoying a snack. Though the child seems to enjoy the pain fish feel.
- Unwitting Instigator of Doom: For a given value of "Doom", but one of the patron's noticing Padak's first escape attempt and catching her before she can reach the ocean is what thwarts an otherwise quick escape by her and, given her final fate, seals her eventual death.
- Worthy Opponent: Rather than being angry, Joo seems impressed at how the Master escaped his grasp, chuckling before unceremoniously tossing the sword piece aside and continuing with his day.
