I actually theorize that Poniko was the one sexually assaulted, or at least attacked in some way. She isolated herself too, and I view her transformation to Uboa as her trauma taking over and re-inacting what happened (A chase, groping). It's possible she told Madotsuki about it, confiding in her as a friend, but Madotsuki now fears it happening to her as one of the reasons she doesn't want to go outside.
This is a reasonable interpretation! The uboa sequence could definitely represent a lot of things; I've also seen people interpret it as Poniko being the one who attacked Mado, or even the other way around.
I think the jelly fish is supposed to resemble madotsuki’s corpse splattered on the ground as the jellyfish share similar colors to her and a bit more spread out
Yume nikki is my all time favourite comfort game. Me and my best friend played it during class and it was one of the best times of my life. The music brings me comfort, the gameplay, and it still is my favourite pixel game.
I've always considered the meaning/ point of yume nikki to be about self-discovery through how you interpret madotsuki's dreams. I've always noticed that people tend to put a bit of their own lived experiences into their theories about the game, and I think that's the point. To learn about yourself by seeing you in someone else
I really like that take, and I think you're totally right. People often do find parts of themselves in the media they enjoy, and when that media is as deliberately vague as YN, it makes it all that easier to see it as a mirror of your own experience.
Yumme Nikki is such a classic that Im always reminded, as it should. Open ended as can be, with most without rhyme or reason, as how dreams would be. While being a pile of ideas, muddled together to show something (?), that would only make sense to how the viewer would see it in relation to everything else. Oh and Great vid dude :)
Personally, I don’t think anything distinct happened to Madotsuki. I’m a firm believer that she’s a blank canvas, made for the player to project themselves onto, and thus experience and interpret the dream world in their own way. They’re experiencing their OWN dream world, and that’s what makes every theory canon. There’s no canon. It’s all up to the player and I find that to be a fascinating concept. Just my interpretation though. I love hearing other peoples interpretations
ok but what if the whole time madotsuki is high as a kite, and the hospital is meant to reference an overdose now that I think about it, a lot could be interpreted to match this theory, so consider this a crack theory I did not mean that pun
Thank you! I love how with this game, a lot of people find similar themes, but still have unique theories about it. I can totally see where yours comes from!
it may be that mado have a kind of mental sickness as long as deppression ( she never left her room, the think that u feel, everything its hard u cant get up from your bed feeling heavy and feeling like everything its defeculd to do as long as the suicide, peoples with deppresion can actualy have suicide thoughts) and her dream world was a kind of escape from the real world.
I always felt like the SA angle ties together the most details from across the worlds and comes in the highest frequency in this interpretation. I won't lie, for me it is hard for me to interpret Yume Nikki without considering that front and center,
also i dont really read about theories so theres a possibility someones already thought of this but , i think that this game is a reflection on the developers trauma , which would make sense why they dont want to be known and public . But yet again this is purely just a theory and im not saying its true at all it just kind of makes sense to me a little bit
It's possible, but I personally don't like to speculate on real people's trauma unless they say it's particularly relevant haha, especially when it comes to someone very private
once again very good! im happy to have found this channel as youve done videos on some of my favorite media one motif that gets missed in this game is that is a smiling face and distorted vomiting face the foremost example is monoe and monoko, but the faces on the walls of the fc maze that leads to white desert b showcase this as well. in a way uboa follows this too- going from smiling to distorted, deformed, and distraught after being interacted with the vomit part goes along with the background for eyeball world, the figure vomiting the snake alludes to the practice of ritual vomiting as a form of absolution, which i feel serves as a metaphor for the game as a whole on the one hand, the creator of the game seems to me to have used making the game as a sort of vent art- it reflects a lot of various insecurities and fears someone might have, and once the game reached 1.0 the dev simply left it behind secondly- throughout the game the player will project many of their own issues onto madotsuki before she is disposed of via the ending also i feel like the paracas-textile inspired imagery gets overlooked a lot, it seems to be very central to whatever is going on in the game as it is always depicted with some amount of importance or reverence, even incorporated into the nexus if you do another video on this game theres a ton of unused content to pour over
Some very very good points here! Since I was hesitant to do too long a video early on, there's a lot of more disconnected stuff in the game that I missed out on including. I'd definitely like to come back sometime in the future and go over some of the parts I didn't mention!
Great video! I just finished this game and I really appreciate how you cover several of the different key theories. I'm still trying to decide what to make of it - or even if I want to make anything of it at all, lol
I always assumed Madotsuki went over to Poniko's house for a birthday party, but Poniko got annoyed and locked her in the closet. Poniko transforms into Uboa because Madotsuki was now scared of her. Uboa's land is part of the white desert because Yume saw various creepy drawings and sketches in the closet, matching with White Deserts hand drawn theme.
Late to comment into this video. Obviously as stated, there is no definitive answer as it is all interpretive. But as observed from the game, much of these theories hold ground. Since most of the game takes place in the dream world, it is clear we can observe all factors being derived from her subconscious. It is actually pretty well known that the subconscious mind pertaining to dreams latch on to notable events as if reviewing things in illogical manners. As such it is also plausible that all events within the dream being illogical have no real bearing to her actual story. But taking what is known as if it is relevant to her actual life. It would suggest more likely a combination of the theories rather than being just one. The one thing I can gather clearly from this is that she does indeed want to isolate herself and is not being forced to stay in her room. There would be other ways that the game could communicate that she is forcefully incapable of leaving her room, but instead it communicates with her just shaking her head. She, herself, does not want to leave. So that is the beginning basis for what story would be entailed within the game. The question of "Why does she not want to leave?". The ending basis is also definitive to the story in the question of "Why does she jump from the balcony"? Taking all factors seen within her dream, there is a duality to what is observed. One side is how those within the dream observe her and the other being how she observes herself and her surroundings. It may or may not be related to bullying depending on which perspective is in place, but using the factor of disfigurement that is throughout the game. It can be implied that she is ashamed of her appearance. And with this shame, she not only isolates herself, but even shows that she can be judgemental of others appearance as well. If it were only that though, it would be unlikely to be enough to why she jumps from the balcony nor to explaining what the knife is for. It could be implied that the knife allows her to keep isolated from the beings in her dream, but there is a more likely answer to be fitting which combines the factor of isolation and her jumping from the building. Mental disorders known as Body Dysmorphic Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder are what would more likely lead to the ending. It is plausible it could be either one or combined in different levels. But that is what I believe is observable as an all encompassing story.
Great additional analysis! There's definitely common themes of appearance issues throughout the game - I'd be very surprised if they were unintended. But as you say, dreams are essentially warped recreations of memories in alternative format, so it's quite hard to nail down anything specific.
One thing I think should be noted, is the frequency of precolumbian imagery especially from mesoamerica and south america. Take for example the aztec rave monkey (which looks more paracas than aztec imo), or the stairway to the sky, which reminds of mayan temples
Yes! It's a really interesting element. I didn't mention it really cause I honestly wasn't sure how to tie it into any theories, but it's definitely a big part of the aesthetic design.
I am so surprised by how many points of view can be taken from this game. Literally every theory could make sense and the fact that it has it has so much room for interpretation makes it one of the most amazingly creative games that i have ever seen!!!
the game has so many believable theories but then theres just things in the game that i cant understand going with any theory at all like the spaceship event , maybe theres some sort underlying meaning to the spaceship event that im not understanding .
Yume Nikki is for the most part too vague to really make theories about it, unlike the other fangames at least like 2kki or dotflow, but I do have a couple ideas for the most solid moments of Nikki, uboa and the ending, hopefully more unique than the more popular ideas on the matter. About uboa, I do hate to say that's what I'm going with since I also find it of bad taste how easy anything symbolic in fandoms always jumps to that, but I think you'll appreciate the different angle of the "assault" thing uboa is associated with. Most people think uboa is the culprit/evil person in question under that lens, but looking more into it, I don't think it's the case. People jump to that conclusion since uboa sort of "jumpscares" you, but looking more into it, it's not really what's happening if we take into account some details. So, we have poniko's bedroom, and it honestly gives me more the impression of a panic attack that happens when the light of the bedroom is turned off, by someone who just came in the room, personified by us/madotsuki, in this case. So poniko being terrified by whoever entered and turned off the light causes the room and poniko to turn to reflect the event in question. I say that also because Uboa is stationary, and it's us, the one who entered and turned the lights off, who actually goes to confront them. Once we touch Uboa, uboa's face changes into a disgusted look and a weird sound to match, and that brings us to the trap, where both us and disgusted Uboa are under the white liquid that stretches over the screen, with the actually groping evil looking entity being in the background, which is I believe meant to be the actual thing that entered the bedroom and turned the lights off. I've seen other people say in the comments that say Uboa is the victim, but here's my actual reasoning why that is more likely the case! Now onto the ending, this is more based on symbolism than anything and I'm sure others have also said that, but basically. It's a but incongruous that you finding the effects, which are deposited as eggs, is what is needed to allow the stairs to appear and fall off the balcony. Mainly because eggs being pretty much universally seen as positive symbols of hope and rebirth. If the eggs were to be broken maybe, but when whole they should more likely give a way to rebirth or revelation to mado. The fact the stairs appear out of nowhere and the jellyfish being there at the end may be a hint that mado indeed died in the dream, to allow herself to wake up in the real world, symbolized by the eggs too. Simple but effective I think!
I kinda wished I talked about Uboa in this video cause I have a similar thought to you when it comes to that particular theory lol. It seems be be some sort of reactive thing to the lights (representative of harrassing or some sort of trigger in this theory?). I like that interpretation! It goes well with the idea that her eyes being closed means she's always still in a dream, and it's a little more positive than her just dying. Perhaps something to do with finding new parts of yourself (eggs?) and 'killing' your old self to move ahead? Idk, I like it.
@@panopticontheatre yeah, or well, if it is a se*ual assault, that sort of act kinda fits to be happening inside a bedroom with the lights off. But yeah, a trigger! Yup! Or just, forcing yourself to wake up by lucid dreaming the most violent thing you can imagine inside the "real world" bedroom. There's a very pretty Japanese animation on yt that shows the eggs breaking once she jumps off, which is a neat way to use the egg symbolism in the more sadder interpretation of the ending. Also, unrelated since lol isn't the one who made yume Nikki, they had a similar way of thinking of the effects in dotflw, since literally the only lore lol revealed in their let's play of dotflow was, I forget rn the exact wording, that by deleting the effects you can become rust, which they said it's like the pure or true version of sabitsuki or smth like that. It's always fun seeing how the fangames decide to use effects in the storytelling.
I think she was suffered some sort of abuse and sexual abuse sort of how Alyssa turned silent hill into a hellish town maybe this is how yummi copes escapes threw weird dream worlds
i wonder if her delving into the dream scape is like her going on a soul retrieval. her soul could be fractured by trauma, and through entering these other realms, she learns no matter what she may appear as, its possible something traumatic could have fractured her soul in any such way, or any kind of abuse severe enough to splinter her. the dream world is very plainly not like the waking world, with its twisted landscapes and looping destinations, but there is a semi-clear objective. she seems to interact with other dreaming souls, or parts, or entities in whatever sort of way she (or the dreamer) sees fit (like violence or pacifism). ive held a lot of dreams where ive seen pieces of people, like their legs or arms have been separated from them, and in one particular dream, the energy i was interacting with implied that all these people are forgoing parts of their souls (either by choice or due to complacency), represented by the important body parts they lacked just tossed carelessly in piles. funny enough, a lot of people gave up their arms and legs specifically (which i interpret as letting go of the power to leave a situation(legs), or change it(arms)). i walked side by side with this energy, and interacted with piles of people that were left over. all they could do was moan and groan about how they could no longer ‘move’, or how they were wanting my state of mobility. perhaps all the eyes imply how people stop seeing the good when they simply obsess over wanting to ‘see everything’. it could also be a sense of paranoia if she was being closely monitored due to her mental health in the waking world. the vomiting imagery could be representative of people being purged of their wickedness. i kind of interpret all the allusions of the sex organs as representation of dysfunction caused by such. its a strange, sex obsessed world we live in, and it must be alien and horrifying to those who only understand the organs for their basic properties (reproduction/hormone regulation for health), and have potentially faced sexual harm. i wonder if her seeing the car crash victim is her trying to understand that cruelty and tragedy could happen to anyone at any time. that may also be why she isnt keen on leaving her room. her last steps (off the roof) being taken during the day also make me wonder if it seemed like death was the closest she would get to being free from pain, or maybe it was a way for her to ‘permanently dream’, because perhaps that is where she felt the most free. the ‘jelly fish’ people surround her death shape? they could be entities that feed on death, or couriers awaiting her soul’s departure. this is all strictly based on the game, as i havent explored any of the alternative media, but this is just some of the theories i have about this fascinating game.
Well, it may sounds banal, but what about jellyfishes which also appeared in her dreams may symbolize Madotsuki still dreaming in moment of her death (like if she was in the dream cascade)? And then her "death" in the "real" world means the true escape from her dreams to reality.
@@quary7912 Not banal!! I’ve wondered this too!! It’s possible she killed off an aspect of herself that didn’t feel brave enough to actualize her dreams in the waking world, or something like that. The jellyfish could also represent how she kind of just floats around in the dreamscape learning how to avoid ‘conflict’ (or to engage) by observing and using tools/aspects she collects to change things. I also had a funny thought, like maybe the jellyfish represent the immortality of her soul considering jellies are very ancient creatures, so her death is entirely metaphorical.
@@dreamwarrior777 Wow! We`re thinking in the same vector! Right after answering on your comment 2 hours ago, I answered on other guys comment under this video where I said that Madotsuki`s death may mean that she`s "killed" traumatized part of herself and her jumping out of the balcony can symbolize she gained enough bravery to go outside despite of her traumas (which may feel like literally jumping of the window with her sociophobia)
@@dreamwarrior777 A little UPD: I also find it interesting that Madotsuki "kills herself" by falling, considering that probably everyone has experienced such an ultra-specific thing as "falling" while falling asleep or in a dream as such. Then this could also be a reference to the fact that Madotsuki was in a dream cascade at the time of the game and at the moment of her fall from the balcony she finally woke up.
When it comes to the FACE scene and people interpreting it as phallic, I fully understand you. It took me a long time (as well as better understanding the appearance of penis heads) to even remotely see it and even then it was very vague. Had I never heard this interpretation from others I wouldn't have any idea of the slightest possiblity it's phallic. I'm personally of the impression it's meant to be ambiguous and overwhelming, helping you feel Madotsuki's confusion and/or trauma.
Yeah, it took a few explanations for me to get what people meant by that, I can kinda see it now but let's be honest, it's not a clear thing lol It's definitely meant to be a very intense, 'attacking' feel tho, you're right
@@panopticontheatre Freud was right I'spose I think all of the theories are right in some fashion. It really is a shame that they get overshadowed by the SA theory
Cool analysis although these SA and sensitive themes are pretty common when it comes to analysing this game Don't get me wrong they do make sense but it's always what people theorize about
maybe it's about the struggles of an autistic person in a city where autism and the like aren't well understood. madotsuki stays indoors to avoid the easily-overstimulating outside, and comes up with scenarios in their mind to help them deal with the loneliness. the toriningen party represents wanting to be social, but fearing you might not be understood and accepted, so you just watch from the sidelines. lots of autistic people (including me) very easily get overstimulated, and find socializing difficult due to this. the phallic and yonic stuff, along with the madotsuki inside a closet, likens to struggling with gender identity, something also common in autism. and then there's the body parts everywhere. the thing you said about madotsuki likely not wanting to be touched is, you guessed it, something autistic people often experience. and the eyes might represent feeling like all eyes are on you due to being "different." however I'm probably going far too in-depth and this could be completely wrong 🤷 edit: jeez this is a long comment edit 2: just realized i misspelled madotsuki's name throughout this entire comment but i don't wanna go back and fix it edit 3: yeah whatever
This is definitely a valid interpretation! I'm autistic myself so I can definitely see the familiarity with Madotsuki's situation here haha. It's also an interpretation that works well with many other theories. Honestly, I've always interpreted Madotsuki as neuroatypical in some way.
I like to keep it simple: 1. Madotsuki is a person who is deeply unhappy, not just with her own life but with life as an abstract concept. She understands that the world can be beautiful at times, but it's also just not worth the risk of facing injury, sickness, rejection, and betrayal. She's reached the decision that the good does not outweigh the bad. 2. With nothing else to do, Madotsuki withdraws into her own mind. She plays video games; she sleeps 14 hours a day. Who can't relate. But she comes to a horrible realization; resting is neither helping her to escape her traumas and anxieties nor work through them. She can lock herself away from everything else but she is a prisoner of her own mind and memories. 3. After months of this, she doesn't feel any readier to face the world. Even her dreams are too exhausting. And she jumps. If the ending of this story was meant to be happy, you would be able to leave through the front door after collecting all the effects. It's one of the bleakest games ever written, because the player won't understand until the end, but their purpose is to help some one reach the conclusion that life isn't worth living. I don't like theories that try to condense the imagery all down into one traumatic event, because to me the point is how the little things pile up to break someone.
Glad you enjoyed the video! And that would track seeing as I am, in fact, British haha (specifically I have a mixed Midlands accent, which is pretty generic as British accents go)
You're probably already aware of it but i dunno if you watched the atrocity guide vídeo on Nasubi/Susunu Denpa Shonen because it strikes me that the NES with a single game (fittingly a game titled NASU), the bookshelf and arguably the bike effect are direct references to it, so Yume Nikki seems partially inspired by it. I don't think it's important enough to warrant a mention but I think it's an often overlooked detail Also this is a great channel!
I haven't seen that specific video but I am familiar with the story of it. I have seen some people make that connection wrt Yume Nikki, and if I'd remembered it at the time of writing this video I'd probably have included it but it was one of those things that slipped my mind at the time haha. But it certainly seems like a deliberate reference to me - even just in the general concept of someone being locked in a room with very little items! I wouldn't be surprised if it was a direct inspiration for those particular elements. And thank you, glad you're enjoying it :)
You forgot to mention the other one time she opens her eyes is in the medamaude effect (eyepalm), although its debatable on if the eye is madotsuki's or the eyepalm creature's. This MIGHT confirm that her eyes arent actually red?
i doubt that transgender identity was an issue since the game was made when the issue itself wasn't as discussed. The whole trans thing started poping up around 2019 ish. LGBT. womens right and the ME too movement were more prevalent around that time.
Just because something isn't a current prevalent discussion topic in society doesn't necessarily mean it can't or won't be the subject of media. Actually, it's perhaps more likely to be discussed in vaguer formats like this - it was more dangerous for people to outright discuss being trans in previous years, it's only been in very recent years where it's even been relatively safe to discuss it or include it in your work. People have been trans forever, and talked about it forever, it's only been explicit in modern (and western) society and a particular discussion point these last couple years.
@@panopticontheatre perhaps. However its more likely that between the two, the author would be leaning more toward events affecting his current surrounding. Yet again, due to the nature of the game itself and it being more of a work of art rather than an actual linear game, it could be ment to represent views of the then, now, and after. Many symbol meant to encapsule what people view into it instead. An interesting game for sure.
Make sure to let me know what you think - this is a new channel and I'm still developing the style for the videos. :)
I actually theorize that Poniko was the one sexually assaulted, or at least attacked in some way. She isolated herself too, and I view her transformation to Uboa as her trauma taking over and re-inacting what happened (A chase, groping). It's possible she told Madotsuki about it, confiding in her as a friend, but Madotsuki now fears it happening to her as one of the reasons she doesn't want to go outside.
This is a reasonable interpretation! The uboa sequence could definitely represent a lot of things; I've also seen people interpret it as Poniko being the one who attacked Mado, or even the other way around.
I think the jelly fish is supposed to resemble madotsuki’s corpse splattered on the ground as the jellyfish share similar colors to her and a bit more spread out
That's very possible!
Yume nikki is my all time favourite comfort game. Me and my best friend played it during class and it was one of the best times of my life. The music brings me comfort, the gameplay, and it still is my favourite pixel game.
It's interesting to see how some people find it so creepy and others so comforting haha. It's lovely to hear you had that experience with it!
I've always considered the meaning/ point of yume nikki to be about self-discovery through how you interpret madotsuki's dreams. I've always noticed that people tend to put a bit of their own lived experiences into their theories about the game, and I think that's the point. To learn about yourself by seeing you in someone else
I really like that take, and I think you're totally right. People often do find parts of themselves in the media they enjoy, and when that media is as deliberately vague as YN, it makes it all that easier to see it as a mirror of your own experience.
@@panopticontheatre I really like this video and your takes too! I always like seeing what people have to say about this game
So glad you enjoyed 😊
Yumme Nikki is such a classic that Im always reminded, as it should. Open ended as can be, with most without rhyme or reason, as how dreams would be. While being a pile of ideas, muddled together to show something (?), that would only make sense to how the viewer would see it in relation to everything else.
Oh and Great vid dude :)
It's such an interesting game to go back to and see different people's takes on it!
And thank you :)
Personally, I don’t think anything distinct happened to Madotsuki. I’m a firm believer that she’s a blank canvas, made for the player to project themselves onto, and thus experience and interpret the dream world in their own way. They’re experiencing their OWN dream world, and that’s what makes every theory canon. There’s no canon. It’s all up to the player and I find that to be a fascinating concept. Just my interpretation though. I love hearing other peoples interpretations
That's a valid interpretation! As I often say, there is no true meaning in any story, only what each person consuming it takes from it.
Finally, I have found someone of culture who can pronounce Madotsuki's name correct... I feel at peace🙃
I happen to speak Japanese, so it always bothers me when people say it wrong too haha
Omg 💯, the relief when she said it right;-;
My theory is that this is just a fever dream game made by some dude
Well yes, but that's not as interesting to talk about lol
ok but what if
the whole time madotsuki is high as a kite, and the hospital is meant to reference an overdose
now that I think about it, a lot could be interpreted to match this theory, so consider this a crack theory
I did not mean that pun
amazing video!!
Thank you!
I love how with this game, a lot of people find similar themes, but still have unique theories about it. I can totally see where yours comes from!
I personally don’t hunk that there is a deeper meaning to this game and it’s just supposed to be an exploration of the unconscious mind
That's also very possible! I like to read into things like this, but appreciating a more straightforward meaning like that is also good.
it may be that mado have a kind of mental sickness as long as deppression ( she never left her room, the think that u feel, everything its hard u cant get up from your bed feeling heavy and feeling like everything its defeculd to do as long as the suicide, peoples with deppresion can actualy have suicide thoughts) and her dream world was a kind of escape from the real world.
Very possible!
I always felt like the SA angle ties together the most details from across the worlds and comes in the highest frequency in this interpretation. I won't lie, for me it is hard for me to interpret Yume Nikki without considering that front and center,
Nothing wrong with interpreting it that way!
The madotsuki is pregnant is actually kinda covered in the light novel
The light novel is an interesting read
It is! Most people don't consider the light novel fully canon but nonetheless it does have a lot of theory support in it :)
@@panopticontheatreits way better if you think of it as someone's interpretation of yume nikki and not canon
Yeah that's the way I generally think of it haha
How so?
also i dont really read about theories so theres a possibility someones already thought of this but , i think that this game is a reflection on the developers trauma , which would make sense why they dont want to be known and public . But yet again this is purely just a theory and im not saying its true at all it just kind of makes sense to me a little bit
It's possible, but I personally don't like to speculate on real people's trauma unless they say it's particularly relevant haha, especially when it comes to someone very private
once again very good! im happy to have found this channel as youve done videos on some of my favorite media
one motif that gets missed in this game is that is a smiling face and distorted vomiting face
the foremost example is monoe and monoko, but the faces on the walls of the fc maze that leads to white desert b showcase this as well.
in a way uboa follows this too- going from smiling to distorted, deformed, and distraught after being interacted with
the vomit part goes along with the background for eyeball world, the figure vomiting the snake alludes to the practice of ritual vomiting as a form of absolution, which i feel serves as a metaphor for the game as a whole
on the one hand, the creator of the game seems to me to have used making the game as a sort of vent art- it reflects a lot of various insecurities and fears someone might have, and once the game reached 1.0 the dev simply left it behind
secondly- throughout the game the player will project many of their own issues onto madotsuki before she is disposed of via the ending
also i feel like the paracas-textile inspired imagery gets overlooked a lot, it seems to be very central to whatever is going on in the game as it is always depicted with some amount of importance or reverence, even incorporated into the nexus
if you do another video on this game theres a ton of unused content to pour over
Some very very good points here! Since I was hesitant to do too long a video early on, there's a lot of more disconnected stuff in the game that I missed out on including. I'd definitely like to come back sometime in the future and go over some of the parts I didn't mention!
7:03 the lower part kind of reminds me of a uterus with the fallopian tubes
Kiiiinda? Honestly I just don't see it lol
Great video! I just finished this game and I really appreciate how you cover several of the different key theories. I'm still trying to decide what to make of it - or even if I want to make anything of it at all, lol
Glad you enjoyed! It's really cool that everyone can have their own unique theories of the game :)
This game is still one of my favorites has a pretty big fan base as well its just a really well made game
I'm glad it still has such an engaged fan base so many years later!
Lovely video! This has been a superb introduction to your content
So glad you enjoyed it!
This Chanel is going to blow up one day. Trust me!
😳 maybe!
love the analysis!
Glad you enjoyed!
I always assumed Madotsuki went over to Poniko's house for a birthday party, but Poniko got annoyed and locked her in the closet. Poniko transforms into Uboa because Madotsuki was now scared of her. Uboa's land is part of the white desert because Yume saw various creepy drawings and sketches in the closet, matching with White Deserts hand drawn theme.
That's a good theory!
@@panopticontheatre :D Did not expect you to reply on a video you made two years ago. Thank you so much lol
Haha I'm always still here...
10:18 CRY OF FEAR THEORY
🤔
I somehow came from idksterling
I wanna know the lore
Enjoy your exploration!
999th sub! Hoping for you to get 1K
Thank you sm! We hit it :D 🍾
@@panopticontheatre what if I unsubscribe and resubscribe? Then I get the privilege 😈
I think that counts 🤔 lol
I like your voice! first time subscriber, first video watch besides your intro video. best of luck, looking forward to your work.
Thank you, I appreciate it :) Hope you enjoy everything!
Late to comment into this video. Obviously as stated, there is no definitive answer as it is all interpretive. But as observed from the game, much of these theories hold ground. Since most of the game takes place in the dream world, it is clear we can observe all factors being derived from her subconscious. It is actually pretty well known that the subconscious mind pertaining to dreams latch on to notable events as if reviewing things in illogical manners. As such it is also plausible that all events within the dream being illogical have no real bearing to her actual story. But taking what is known as if it is relevant to her actual life. It would suggest more likely a combination of the theories rather than being just one.
The one thing I can gather clearly from this is that she does indeed want to isolate herself and is not being forced to stay in her room. There would be other ways that the game could communicate that she is forcefully incapable of leaving her room, but instead it communicates with her just shaking her head. She, herself, does not want to leave. So that is the beginning basis for what story would be entailed within the game. The question of "Why does she not want to leave?". The ending basis is also definitive to the story in the question of "Why does she jump from the balcony"? Taking all factors seen within her dream, there is a duality to what is observed. One side is how those within the dream observe her and the other being how she observes herself and her surroundings. It may or may not be related to bullying depending on which perspective is in place, but using the factor of disfigurement that is throughout the game. It can be implied that she is ashamed of her appearance. And with this shame, she not only isolates herself, but even shows that she can be judgemental of others appearance as well.
If it were only that though, it would be unlikely to be enough to why she jumps from the balcony nor to explaining what the knife is for. It could be implied that the knife allows her to keep isolated from the beings in her dream, but there is a more likely answer to be fitting which combines the factor of isolation and her jumping from the building. Mental disorders known as Body Dysmorphic Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder are what would more likely lead to the ending. It is plausible it could be either one or combined in different levels. But that is what I believe is observable as an all encompassing story.
Great additional analysis! There's definitely common themes of appearance issues throughout the game - I'd be very surprised if they were unintended. But as you say, dreams are essentially warped recreations of memories in alternative format, so it's quite hard to nail down anything specific.
One thing I think should be noted, is the frequency of precolumbian imagery especially from mesoamerica and south america. Take for example the aztec rave monkey (which looks more paracas than aztec imo), or the stairway to the sky, which reminds of mayan temples
Yes! It's a really interesting element. I didn't mention it really cause I honestly wasn't sure how to tie it into any theories, but it's definitely a big part of the aesthetic design.
I am so surprised by how many points of view can be taken from this game. Literally every theory could make sense and the fact that it has it has so much room for interpretation makes it one of the most amazingly creative games that i have ever seen!!!
It's cool that it can be so open ended and value without losing any of its atmosphere!
8:58 this Medotsuki is dreaming, she just doesn't know it yet
🤔
OH HO HO🗣️🗣️🗣️UAHHH🤮☠️
@@mexikagesama2410 What is that alcohol
"Huh, this game is weird."
After this video:
"HOLY MOTHER OF GOD."
😅 it's a lot!
awesome video, can you explain another game called The Indigo Parallel?
I can certainly look into it!
@@panopticontheatre 😄
the game has so many believable theories but then theres just things in the game that i cant understand going with any theory at all like the spaceship event , maybe theres some sort underlying meaning to the spaceship event that im not understanding .
I think it fits pretty well with the car crash type of symbolism in the game!
great video! is this channel going to be just about games, or other stuff too?
Thank you! It'll focus around a variety of content, primarily indie/'online' media
theory: too much Melatonin.
Just too sleepy 😴
Yume Nikki is for the most part too vague to really make theories about it, unlike the other fangames at least like 2kki or dotflow, but I do have a couple ideas for the most solid moments of Nikki, uboa and the ending, hopefully more unique than the more popular ideas on the matter.
About uboa, I do hate to say that's what I'm going with since I also find it of bad taste how easy anything symbolic in fandoms always jumps to that, but I think you'll appreciate the different angle of the "assault" thing uboa is associated with.
Most people think uboa is the culprit/evil person in question under that lens, but looking more into it, I don't think it's the case. People jump to that conclusion since uboa sort of "jumpscares" you, but looking more into it, it's not really what's happening if we take into account some details. So, we have poniko's bedroom, and it honestly gives me more the impression of a panic attack that happens when the light of the bedroom is turned off, by someone who just came in the room, personified by us/madotsuki, in this case. So poniko being terrified by whoever entered and turned off the light causes the room and poniko to turn to reflect the event in question. I say that also because Uboa is stationary, and it's us, the one who entered and turned the lights off, who actually goes to confront them. Once we touch Uboa, uboa's face changes into a disgusted look and a weird sound to match, and that brings us to the trap, where both us and disgusted Uboa are under the white liquid that stretches over the screen, with the actually groping evil looking entity being in the background, which is I believe meant to be the actual thing that entered the bedroom and turned the lights off. I've seen other people say in the comments that say Uboa is the victim, but here's my actual reasoning why that is more likely the case!
Now onto the ending, this is more based on symbolism than anything and I'm sure others have also said that, but basically. It's a but incongruous that you finding the effects, which are deposited as eggs, is what is needed to allow the stairs to appear and fall off the balcony. Mainly because eggs being pretty much universally seen as positive symbols of hope and rebirth. If the eggs were to be broken maybe, but when whole they should more likely give a way to rebirth or revelation to mado. The fact the stairs appear out of nowhere and the jellyfish being there at the end may be a hint that mado indeed died in the dream, to allow herself to wake up in the real world, symbolized by the eggs too. Simple but effective I think!
I kinda wished I talked about Uboa in this video cause I have a similar thought to you when it comes to that particular theory lol. It seems be be some sort of reactive thing to the lights (representative of harrassing or some sort of trigger in this theory?).
I like that interpretation! It goes well with the idea that her eyes being closed means she's always still in a dream, and it's a little more positive than her just dying. Perhaps something to do with finding new parts of yourself (eggs?) and 'killing' your old self to move ahead? Idk, I like it.
@@panopticontheatre yeah, or well, if it is a se*ual assault, that sort of act kinda fits to be happening inside a bedroom with the lights off. But yeah, a trigger!
Yup! Or just, forcing yourself to wake up by lucid dreaming the most violent thing you can imagine inside the "real world" bedroom. There's a very pretty Japanese animation on yt that shows the eggs breaking once she jumps off, which is a neat way to use the egg symbolism in the more sadder interpretation of the ending.
Also, unrelated since lol isn't the one who made yume Nikki, they had a similar way of thinking of the effects in dotflw, since literally the only lore lol revealed in their let's play of dotflow was, I forget rn the exact wording, that by deleting the effects you can become rust, which they said it's like the pure or true version of sabitsuki or smth like that. It's always fun seeing how the fangames decide to use effects in the storytelling.
I think she was suffered some sort of abuse and sexual abuse sort of how Alyssa turned silent hill into a hellish town maybe this is how yummi copes escapes threw weird dream worlds
I think that's a good comparison!
i wonder if her delving into the dream scape is like her going on a soul retrieval. her soul could be fractured by trauma, and through entering these other realms, she learns no matter what she may appear as, its possible something traumatic could have fractured her soul in any such way, or any kind of abuse severe enough to splinter her.
the dream world is very plainly not like the waking world, with its twisted landscapes and looping destinations, but there is a semi-clear objective. she seems to interact with other dreaming souls, or parts, or entities in whatever sort of way she (or the dreamer) sees fit (like violence or pacifism).
ive held a lot of dreams where ive seen pieces of people, like their legs or arms have been separated from them, and in one particular dream, the energy i was interacting with implied that all these people are forgoing parts of their souls (either by choice or due to complacency), represented by the important body parts they lacked just tossed carelessly in piles. funny enough, a lot of people gave up their arms and legs specifically (which i interpret as letting go of the power to leave a situation(legs), or change it(arms)). i walked side by side with this energy, and interacted with piles of people that were left over. all they could do was moan and groan about how they could no longer ‘move’, or how they were wanting my state of mobility. perhaps all the eyes imply how people stop seeing the good when they simply obsess over wanting to ‘see everything’. it could also be a sense of paranoia if she was being closely monitored due to her mental health in the waking world.
the vomiting imagery could be representative of people being purged of their wickedness. i kind of interpret all the allusions of the sex organs as representation of dysfunction caused by such. its a strange, sex obsessed world we live in, and it must be alien and horrifying to those who only understand the organs for their basic properties (reproduction/hormone regulation for health), and have potentially faced sexual harm.
i wonder if her seeing the car crash victim is her trying to understand that cruelty and tragedy could happen to anyone at any time. that may also be why she isnt keen on leaving her room. her last steps (off the roof) being taken during the day also make me wonder if it seemed like death was the closest she would get to being free from pain, or maybe it was a way for her to ‘permanently dream’, because perhaps that is where she felt the most free.
the ‘jelly fish’ people surround her death shape? they could be entities that feed on death, or couriers awaiting her soul’s departure. this is all strictly based on the game, as i havent explored any of the alternative media, but this is just some of the theories i have about this fascinating game.
Ooh this is a very good theory! I like the idea of her looking for pieces of her soul in that way, it makes a lot of sense
Well, it may sounds banal, but what about jellyfishes which also appeared in her dreams may symbolize Madotsuki still dreaming in moment of her death (like if she was in the dream cascade)? And then her "death" in the "real" world means the true escape from her dreams to reality.
@@quary7912 Not banal!! I’ve wondered this too!! It’s possible she killed off an aspect of herself that didn’t feel brave enough to actualize her dreams in the waking world, or something like that. The jellyfish could also represent how she kind of just floats around in the dreamscape learning how to avoid ‘conflict’ (or to engage) by observing and using tools/aspects she collects to change things. I also had a funny thought, like maybe the jellyfish represent the immortality of her soul considering jellies are very ancient creatures, so her death is entirely metaphorical.
@@dreamwarrior777 Wow! We`re thinking in the same vector! Right after answering on your comment 2 hours ago, I answered on other guys comment under this video where I said that Madotsuki`s death may mean that she`s "killed" traumatized part of herself and her jumping out of the balcony can symbolize she gained enough bravery to go outside despite of her traumas (which may feel like literally jumping of the window with her sociophobia)
@@dreamwarrior777 A little UPD: I also find it interesting that Madotsuki "kills herself" by falling, considering that probably everyone has experienced such an ultra-specific thing as "falling" while falling asleep or in a dream as such. Then this could also be a reference to the fact that Madotsuki was in a dream cascade at the time of the game and at the moment of her fall from the balcony she finally woke up.
When it comes to the FACE scene and people interpreting it as phallic, I fully understand you. It took me a long time (as well as better understanding the appearance of penis heads) to even remotely see it and even then it was very vague. Had I never heard this interpretation from others I wouldn't have any idea of the slightest possiblity it's phallic.
I'm personally of the impression it's meant to be ambiguous and overwhelming, helping you feel Madotsuki's confusion and/or trauma.
Yeah, it took a few explanations for me to get what people meant by that, I can kinda see it now but let's be honest, it's not a clear thing lol
It's definitely meant to be a very intense, 'attacking' feel tho, you're right
@@panopticontheatre Freud was right I'spose
I think all of the theories are right in some fashion. It really is a shame that they get overshadowed by the SA theory
Poggers video :D what's ur Favourite theory
Personally I've always been most attached to the bullying theory, there's a lot of elements you can bring into it
Amazing video bro
Glad you enjoyed!
Cool analysis although these SA and sensitive themes are pretty common when it comes to analysing this game
Don't get me wrong they do make sense but it's always what people theorize about
Well, when people talk about the same subject, it's often that they'll come to the same conclusions haha. That's also why I gave various theories too.
maybe it's about the struggles of an autistic person in a city where autism and the like aren't well understood. madotsuki stays indoors to avoid the easily-overstimulating outside, and comes up with scenarios in their mind to help them deal with the loneliness. the toriningen party represents wanting to be social, but fearing you might not be understood and accepted, so you just watch from the sidelines. lots of autistic people (including me) very easily get overstimulated, and find socializing difficult due to this. the phallic and yonic stuff, along with the madotsuki inside a closet, likens to struggling with gender identity, something also common in autism. and then there's the body parts everywhere. the thing you said about madotsuki likely not wanting to be touched is, you guessed it, something autistic people often experience. and the eyes might represent feeling like all eyes are on you due to being "different." however I'm probably going far too in-depth and this could be completely wrong 🤷
edit: jeez this is a long comment
edit 2: just realized i misspelled madotsuki's name throughout this entire comment but i don't wanna go back and fix it
edit 3: yeah whatever
This is definitely a valid interpretation! I'm autistic myself so I can definitely see the familiarity with Madotsuki's situation here haha. It's also an interpretation that works well with many other theories. Honestly, I've always interpreted Madotsuki as neuroatypical in some way.
@@panopticontheatre yeah im also autistic :)
I like to keep it simple:
1. Madotsuki is a person who is deeply unhappy, not just with her own life but with life as an abstract concept. She understands that the world can be beautiful at times, but it's also just not worth the risk of facing injury, sickness, rejection, and betrayal. She's reached the decision that the good does not outweigh the bad.
2. With nothing else to do, Madotsuki withdraws into her own mind. She plays video games; she sleeps 14 hours a day. Who can't relate. But she comes to a horrible realization; resting is neither helping her to escape her traumas and anxieties nor work through them. She can lock herself away from everything else but she is a prisoner of her own mind and memories.
3. After months of this, she doesn't feel any readier to face the world. Even her dreams are too exhausting. And she jumps. If the ending of this story was meant to be happy, you would be able to leave through the front door after collecting all the effects.
It's one of the bleakest games ever written, because the player won't understand until the end, but their purpose is to help some one reach the conclusion that life isn't worth living. I don't like theories that try to condense the imagery all down into one traumatic event, because to me the point is how the little things pile up to break someone.
I think that's a fair interpretation!
love your voice
Thank you :)
* sorry if this is a bit unrelated but what's the song you used in the outro?
The outro music was made for the channel by @Hiyimi and you can find the full version on their channel! :)
* @@panopticontheatre thank you!!!!
you have the most british voice ever lol, great video btw
Glad you enjoyed the video! And that would track seeing as I am, in fact, British haha (specifically I have a mixed Midlands accent, which is pretty generic as British accents go)
You're probably already aware of it but i dunno if you watched the atrocity guide vídeo on Nasubi/Susunu Denpa Shonen because it strikes me that the NES with a single game (fittingly a game titled NASU), the bookshelf and arguably the bike effect are direct references to it, so Yume Nikki seems partially inspired by it. I don't think it's important enough to warrant a mention but I think it's an often overlooked detail
Also this is a great channel!
I haven't seen that specific video but I am familiar with the story of it. I have seen some people make that connection wrt Yume Nikki, and if I'd remembered it at the time of writing this video I'd probably have included it but it was one of those things that slipped my mind at the time haha. But it certainly seems like a deliberate reference to me - even just in the general concept of someone being locked in a room with very little items! I wouldn't be surprised if it was a direct inspiration for those particular elements.
And thank you, glad you're enjoying it :)
My theory is that friend inside me
🤔
I like how your voice sounds sort of British.
I am from England (British/Irish) so 😅
geometry dash reference (to the blue moon)
◽️◻️⏹️
I adore your voice
Thank you so much :D
You forgot to mention the other one time she opens her eyes is in the medamaude effect (eyepalm), although its debatable on if the eye is madotsuki's or the eyepalm creature's.
This MIGHT confirm that her eyes arent actually red?
It's possible! I've always been of the opinion that that's not really *her* eye, but it is a good point none the less
Ayo sexual assult ?? If thought it was a normal horror game not a sad one 😭😭😭😭
Of course it's just theorising :) it doesn't necessarily mean it's canon, if you want to interpret it less sad then you can
Interesting fact(maybe):yumi nikki (a Japanese word)means dream journal.
Yep! Yume means dream, nikki is diary/journal
good first video
Cheers!
The alien invasion theory is interesting
But i guess i have an idea of what this game is about
This game probably has the most variety of theories that I've ever seen haha
@@panopticontheatre yep
Your voice sounds like Winnie the pooh in the best way possible
😅
Yeah or she might just be like Brock from pokemon and just had his eyes permanently closed for no reason
Perhaps!
So this is the game that inspired OMORI.
And many other similar games too!
i doubt that transgender identity was an issue since the game was made when the issue itself wasn't as discussed. The whole trans thing started poping up around 2019 ish. LGBT. womens right and the ME too movement were more prevalent around that time.
Just because something isn't a current prevalent discussion topic in society doesn't necessarily mean it can't or won't be the subject of media. Actually, it's perhaps more likely to be discussed in vaguer formats like this - it was more dangerous for people to outright discuss being trans in previous years, it's only been in very recent years where it's even been relatively safe to discuss it or include it in your work. People have been trans forever, and talked about it forever, it's only been explicit in modern (and western) society and a particular discussion point these last couple years.
@@panopticontheatre perhaps. However its more likely that between the two, the author would be leaning more toward events affecting his current surrounding. Yet again, due to the nature of the game itself and it being more of a work of art rather than an actual linear game, it could be ment to represent views of the then, now, and after. Many symbol meant to encapsule what people view into it instead. An interesting game for sure.
The title appeared to me in spanish, i thought the video was going to be in spanish haha
There are translated Spanish subtitles available! However, the video itself is indeed in English :)
Maybe they aren't Eyes but a Moustache.
She's just been French all along...
Or that one Italian plumber who keeps jumping on my god damn head and saving princesses@@panopticontheatre
What a game
Truly 👌
Awesome
Glad you enjoyed!
😭🙏🏿 thought this was a cool dancing character BRO
She can dance if she wants to... she can leave her dreams behind 💃
Now
Yume 2kki
🤔🤔
noice.
:)
👍👍
😌
I was here
☝️
I like your voice :)
Thank you! 💜
teeheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
🤭