Link has come across all manner of fantasy creatures throughout The Legend of Zelda franchise. From tree- and rock-people to gods and ghosts, nothing is off the table. This includes, of course, talking fish. Though not the most common creature in Zelda history, talking fish find themselves gabbing with Link on several occasions.

Exploring the different talking fish of The Legend of Zelda first requires a definition of exactly what those are. In Zelda‘s world of magical impossibilities, there are a few talking aquatic characters that walk the line. Though it may be tempting to think of Zelda‘s Zora people as walking, talking fish, for example, they stray a bit too far from the legless body composition that defines actual fish. The same can be said for the Parella of Skyward Sword, who are more squid- or jellyfish-like than finned, bony fish.

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Of course, the most obvious example of talking fish in the Zelda series are the Fishmen from The Wind Waker. The main purpose of the Fishmen is to fill out different sections of Link’s sea chart in exchange for all-purpose bait. Once Link has the bow weapon, he can also shoot them midair as they jump out of the water, earning himself up to 200 rupees. Their ability to speak comes most in handy, though, in that they can inform him about points of interest on nearby islands.

How Many Talking Fish Link Meets In The Zelda Games

Those aren’t the only talking fish Wind Waker has to offer. Located in a cave around the backside of Outset Island is a giant fish named Jabun. A possible descendant of Ocarina of Time‘s silent Lord Jabu-Jabu, Jabun only speaks Ancient Hylian and is the Water Spirit responsible for granting Link Nyaru’s Pearl so that he may enter the Tower of the Gods. Jabun used to live at the appropriately-named Greatfish Isle. However, he was forced to migrate after Ganondorf destroyed his home.

The final two talking Zelda fish aren’t technically fish at all. Though they often appear fishlike (or, more accurately, whalelike), both are godlike entities beyond the ordinary aquatic creature. The first is Oshus, the Ocean King, of the Nintendo DS’s Phantom Hourglass. For the majority of the game, Oshus aids Link in the form of an old man, only to reveal himself in his true whale form at the game’s conclusion. Meanwhile, Skyward Sword‘s Levias is a massive sky whale with an affinity for pumpkin soup. He instructs Link to learn the Song of the Hero during his search for the Triforce. He’s also the only entry in this list that is never shown in the water.

Unsurprisingly, the number of talking fish in The Legend of Zelda drops dramatically if the Zora people are omitted as an option. Still, Link has met his fair share of conversational cod, especially in The Wind Waker.

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Jonah Schuhart
(148 Articles Published)

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Jonah Schuhart is a Freelance Writer at Screen Rant. Growing up as the stereotypical gamer, Jonah absorbed everything he could about his favorite video games until adulthood came knocking. He decided to become a games journalist after his dad purchased a subscription to Gameinformer when he was 10 years old. Now, he follows in the footsteps of his early influences, giving his two-cents on the games he loves.

You can also find Jonah on Looper, where he writes about his favorite TV and Movies. Follow him on Twitter @JonahSchuhart, or reach him by email at [email protected]

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