What Does the Squiggle Art on Yume Nikki Mean

Yume Nikki is a strange game which has no dialogue and an unique art style.

The creator of the game, KIKIYAMA, stated on their website that the game is meant to be an exploring game with a "dark atmosphere" only without plot or purpose. Still in that location are themes in Yume Nikki that fans collected to create different theories about the characters and locations. Those themes are displayed here.

A theory unique to a character, such every bit them beingness a possible reference to something or having a specific theme may also be found in the trivia section of their corresponding character pages.

Encounter: Mesoamerican Imagery, Monochrome

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1 Themes of Isolation
2 Themes of Anxiety
three Body themes
iv Themes of Violence
5 Themes of traffic accidents
6 Themes of escapism
vii Themes of Identity
8 Japanese Sociology
9 Native american imagery
x Lucid Dreaming
eleven Separation of dreams and reality
12 Theories regarding locations
- 12.1 Hospital themes
- 12.2 Parallels to the existent earth
- 12.3 The Pink Sea as a party

Themes of Isolation

Madotsuki does not exit her apartment for the entirety of the game. Going exterior her balcony at different points in the game shows that quite a bit of fourth dimension passes - it turns dark, then day once more. When the door in the real world is interacted with, she shakes her head, making information technology impossible to get out through it. In her dream world, she can not but exit through said door but is able to access the different dream locations through like looking doors in the Nexus. This can hateful that she has a want to explore, is nonetheless not able to do so in the real world and thus feels comfy to practice it in her dreams.

In her dream globe, the themes of isolation and loneliness proceed. There is no dialogue, nearly NPCs ignore Madotsuki and only few NPCs turn to her when the role player tries to interact with them. The locations themselves tin can feel isolating and lonely, due to beingness large and oftentimes looping, especially in the original locations, of which only incorporate few points of interests. The sombre soundtrack of the game is likewise a contributing a gene within this: with nearly other video games, longer pieces of music (effectually the typical ii to three minutes) can signify how much fourth dimension has passed since the player started playing the game, simply shorter ones can make time be lost easily.

Throughout the game Madotsuki encounters tall creatures (referred to as Toriningen past fans), of which are considered enemies in the game due to their nature of trapping Madotsuki in inescapable locations when in a "lunatic" state. They besides take the characteristic of having a group dynamic that goes beyond other multiple identical NPCs spawning in ane location (such equally the Wheelies).

The most significant example of this is the Toriningen Party, where a grouping of Toriningen are seen having a picnic together in the Wilderness, while dancing to cheerful music. This party cannot be accessed, as the plants of the Wilderness hinder Madotsuki from budgeted any closer. Other examples include all Toriningen going into the lunatic land when you use the Pocketknife on one of them, or the Toriningen in the Bed Room, who is implied to watch over the beds, activating the ああああああああ issue when you lot utilize the Knife on her, a much more severe reaction than usual. It is notable that the NPCs of which that are thought to be the enemies of the game human activity equally a team while Madotsuki herself is a sole effigy.

There are furthermore characters that also seem isolated from their environs.

Poniko, who is the but character of the Pink Body of water and like to Madotsuki, never leaves her room of which she seems to be the but inhabitant.
Mafurako, who is the only NPC roaming effectually Block Globe, and prefers to teleport to a random spot far away from Madotsuki when teleporting her back, with the exception of Madotsuki being in her snowman form, which makes Mafurako e'er teleport next to her.
Mars-san, who tin can be institute in the clandestine expanse of Mars, which tin can only be reached by crashing a spaceship into Mars and then using an effect to access the tiny hole to the hush-hush. This exit compared to the size of the grapheme themselves makes them seem trapped, equally it is incommunicable for even Madotsuki to enter if she is her normal size.

Another of import encounter in the dream world that may indicate to a theme of isolation is Closet Madotsuki, a sleeping Madotsuki hidden in a cupboard in the Checkered Tile Path. Also, the shoppers in the Mall run away from Madotsuki and become deformed upon interaction, making an odd sound every bit they get away.

Relating to this may exist the Hikikomori miracle, in which reclusive teens or adults carelessness social life completely.

Themes of Anxiety

A Floyag following Madotsuki with its eyes.

The theme of being watched seems prevalent in Madotsuki'southward dreams such as eyes post-obit y'all in the Dumbo Woods, Barracks Settlement and more on the way to the Witch outcome.

Easily are also scattered throughout the game ranging from a large theme of i globe to appearing a few times inside another. Some examples being the staircase lined with reaching easily on the way to Masada's spaceship, others sprouting out of the footing in Eyeball World and in the White Desert, and even large formations resembling them in Graffiti World and FC World A and FC Globe B. The room Uboa teleports y'all to has a nightmarish landscape where a monster with multiple hands grasps hills in the background. The implication may be that Madotsuki dislikes being touched and prefers a great amount of personal space.

A character who may tie into this is Organoid, who is the only NPC to swiftly teleport away upon approach. The many Mall Shoppers likewise run away from Madotsuki upon interaction.

Body themes

In Yume Nikki, it is common for NPCs or backgrounds to resemble body parts or inner organs. See as well the themes of anxiety above for a description of hands in this game. Other examples are the numerous body parts in Eyeball World, the Bloody Touching Monster found in the White Desert, and the uteri-shaped creatures on the Space Road.

Some fans suggest furthermore that KyuuKyuu-kun, a big colorful worm-shaped beast who is seen rubbing the handrail of a stairway, is phallic imagery, as to access them Madotsuki has to go through a zipper in the wall. For any reason, Madotsuki seems concerned or frightened with torso related things with how oftentimes they appear in her dreams, often in a horrific style.

Another prominent body related theme found is various strabismic NPCs (strabismus meaning to be unable or having problems with fixating both eyes on i bespeak at the same time, leading to the eyes not being aligned).

The most well known strabismic character of Yume Nikki is Seccom Masada-sensei, only other characters such every bit KyuuKyuu-kun are shown with strabismic eyes equally well.

A few fans suggest Madotsuki herself would be shown to be strabismic if she would open her eyes.

Themes of Violence

Madotsuki leaving a wound on Mars-san's foot

Depending on the player's actions, Madotsuki tin deport violently towards NPCs and sometimes inanimate objects. She is able to utilize the Knife upshot on almost all of the NPCs with varying results.

While this makes the Knife a prominent event in the game, information technology is however not necessary for gathering furnishings and thus achieving the ending, and most of the time, tin can be substituted past the Cat effect for exploring purposes. Regardless, the Knife is still perceived every bit a key object within the minds of many fans, leading to them interpreting that Madotsuki or other characters from the game can exist prone to acts of violence.

Themes of traffic accidents

Seemingly the victim of a traffic incident.

Different areas in Yume Nikki imply that Madotsuki ofttimes thinks nigh traffic accidents of some kind. Examples of this are Shitai-san, a expressionless person on the ground in the Dense Woods, surrounded by traffic cones, of whom the Stoplight can be gained. Seccom Masada-sensei is troubled by his spaceship crashing onto Mars, while Mars-san cries almost something that appears to be a crashed locomotive. In Dumbo Woods, Madotsuki tin can also lath a Traincar, taking her to the Witch'southward Island where a creature similar to Mars-san can be constitute.

Monoko, a girl found in one of the tunnels of the White Desert, drastically changes her appearance when the Stoplight is used: she has five artillery (one coming out of her head), a wound on her stomach, strabismic eyes with one of them spurting out liquid and her oral cavity is open up. Using the Stoplight again restores her appearance. Other possibly related characters in this location are the Severed Heads that bladder by when Madotsuki enters a small building at the finish of a path.

Themes of escapism

Is Madotsuki trapped within her room by something out of her control, or does she not desire to leave? Either mode someone could look at this question, information technology remains present that she remains stuck inside a room with nothing to do except play NASU, write her diary and sleep. For this reason, some fans believe Madotsuki remains in her dream world equally a way to escape the state of affairs that she finds herself in.

Whatsoever is behind that door, information technology is too much for her to confront.

While inside her dreams, she tin can explore far more interesting video games, hang out with friends and travel across the universe. But between all of these things that she can do, it always ends up going wrong somehow, as explained through diverse events.

For case, on the roof of the Mall, Madotsuki can turn into a witch and fly across a city sky. However, she can eventually fall, leading her to wake up. Spending fourth dimension with Poniko can lead to the Uboa event, which drastically changes the mood of the soundtrack and the surroundings. Boarding the space ship can atomic number 82 to a crash-landing.

This could all hateful that no matter how hard Madotsuki can try to escape the harsh reality that she lives in, the real world will e'er come up back to her in some shape or class, which is why her dreams go along ending this way.

Themes of Identity

Some factors plant inside the dream worlds could be seen as representing transgender or other queer identity. A indistinguishable Madotsuki can be found inside a closet at ii points in the game - one in the Checkered Tile Path and a ghost in the middle of Mini Hell. Many of the effects relating to appearance, such as the Hair furnishings, could be seen every bit representative of dysphoria. Also, many creatures throughout the dream globe could be seen as relating to body dysphoria too, such as the uterus-like Floyag, the phallic KyuuKyuu-kun, FACE, Henkei Shita, as well as the White Desert monsters.

Japanese Folklore

Diverse NPCs and effects are demons, ghosts and monsters from Japanese folklore. This suggests that Madotsuki is interested in or feels personally involved with information technology.

NPCs that definitely relate to Japanese sociology are:

Yuki-onna, who is modeled subsequently the Yuki-Onna youkai and bestows Madotsuki the Yuki-Onna effect when interacted with.
FC Demon, who might not await like a regular Oni, just the Demon upshot they give more and so.
Nopperabou Ghost, who references the legendary faceless Noppera-bō animal and also gives out the Nopperabou event.
Ittan-momen, fan-named after the Yokai of the aforementioned proper name. It is a Tsukumogami that has been said to be a long cloth that has come up to life and flies around, killing people by smothering them. It gives the Towel event.

Another effects that are associated with Japanese folklore are:

Cat, where Madotsuki becomes a humanoid Maneki-neko belongings a koban coin. As the Maneki-Neko is supposed to bring in customers with its proficient luck, it might explain why NPCs are drawn towards Madotsuki when she paws with her right paw.

Triangle Kerchief given out by Fleebie. When applying the consequence, Madotsuki appears with a Hitaikakushi, white triangle-shaped headbands which are often worn by Yūrei.

Native american imagery

Andean and mesoamerican historical native imagery from textiles and art such every bit of the Paracas civilization, Nazca culture, the Aztec and the Mayan culture appear in many instances in Madotsuki's dreams and even her real-life room (the carpet). Information technology is possible that KIKIYAMA chose these themes to farther give the game a dreamy feel, or because they just liked how they looked. Another theory, is that Madotsuki herself is a Japanese Peruvian, equally her dreams reflect many things from both cultures.

Some instances of this include the backgrounds of the Nexus, Eyeball World, Shield-Folk World and KyuuKyuu-kun, equally well as many characters like the Aztec Rave Monkey and NASU. It could point that Madotsuki feels connected with mesoamerican and andean culture and history. Some of the Paracas imagery is as well themed after dreams.

See: Mesoamerican Imagery

A Nazcan sand drawing of a monkey, which could be a possible inspiration for characters such as the Aztec Rave Monkey.

A Paracas textile featuring a character that resembles those by KyuuKyuu-kun.

Lucid Dreaming

As Madotsuki can wake herself upwards at any time in her dream and has control over her surround, she is by definition dreaming lucid dreams. Since she also keeps a dream diary, she remembers at least some things about them. Cocky-induced lucid dreaming is a successful therapy technique for dealing with sleep bike affecting mental disorders or illnesses.

She may accept been taught self-induced lucid dreaming to reduce frequency of nightmares and keeps a dream diary to keep runway of her dreams as a cocky-care practise.

Separation of dreams and reality

At all times during regular gameplay the dream world and the existent earth is kept split. Meaning, no "unreal" dream elements bear over in the awake moments. During the Witch's Flight event, Madotsuki even falls out of her bed in the existent world to bespeak that she moved effectually in her sleep while having a strong dream.

Notwithstanding, later on the ending, two Jellyfish appear, while the ending supposedly takes identify in the real world. This has raised doubts in fans' minds of the catastrophe being real and not another dream. In fact, some fans believe that Madotsuki is dreaming at every point in the game, citing her perpetually closed optics and the unrealistic nature of living in an apartment without food or a bathroom equally prove. Others encounter this equally a symbol that even in death, Madotsuki tin can't escape her nightmares.

Theories regarding locations

Hospital themes

The location dubbed the Mall past fans has several rooms that closely resemble a dr.'s or therapist's part, consummate with a reception, fitting wall posters that slightly resemble graphs of the human body, two couches and a graphic symbol sneezing. Inbound a second room from the room with the reception leads you to O-Man, a grapheme playing cheerful music. As the Flute upshot tin be found here, Madotsuki is able to perform music together with them. This suggests the Flute is given to you by O-Man themself. This may be a reference to music therapy.

In another room that is similarly structured to the in a higher place rooms, there is a grapheme who has a large amount of red liquid coming out of its head and falls over when interacted with, spilling said liquid on the floor. The sound of the liquid pouring out of it could be interpreted as the sound of a beating heart, adding to the hospital theme.

The main area contains colorful people that run away from the player when interacted with, as well equally condign distorted. This may also tie in with the traffic accidents theory, equally people who survive said accidents are normally taken to a hospital to recover.

Parallels to the real globe

Although the role player never sees much of the real earth in the game, besides Madotsuki'south Room and balcony, in that location are many interpretations about certain places/scenes in the game that could directly exist continued to it. Every bit mentioned in the themes of isolation above, one main character who could represent Madotsuki herself is Mars-san. One other possible connectedness is the Confront event, as the door opening to it looks the same equally the door that leads out of Madotsuki'due south real room. Face itself could be used to stand for Madotsuki's fear of the outside globe, or simply a actually abstract representation of what she thinks will happen to her out there.

Another point is the Falling Human event that tin can randomly happen equally Madotsuki walks up the Stairway to the Sky. As she goes upwards, there'due south a chance that one or rarely two small figures fall from the sky in the background. This potentially foreshadows the ending of the game. Other potential examples of foreshadowing are the blood stains that announced near each of the Mouth Monsters beingness the same 1 seen in the ending, and the fact that Madotsuki'south shoes are always seen on the balustrade (as taking off your shoes earlier committing suicide is mutual in Japan).

The Pink Ocean as a party

The conical structures on Poniko's island may be Japanese party poppers.

The pink and pastel colors, the floating balloons and the conical structures that resemble Japanese-mode party poppers in the Pink Ocean may represent a party. And as Poniko is the only inhabitant of the Pink Sea, it might be thrown for or by her.

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Source: https://yumenikki.fandom.com/wiki/Theories

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