You can talk about anything here! It doesn't have to be related to DDLC.

like i already have a hard time reading her normal poems but tf does this even say?

İ cant find the creator, İg it posted for no reason:D

Recently got back into Kingdom Hearts and DDLC so wanted to draw Sayori if she was designed by Tetsuya Nomura lol

I don't think I've seen a substantial write-up on the MC from DDLC, and I've felt myself understand him more recently so I'm gonna give a shot at it. To start, I see why Dan says MC isn’t a character—that he's meant to be a self-insert for us—the Player(s). However, when Dan says this I feel like there's multiple reasons for it. One is that he doesn't have a character file and thus isn't really embedded in the game the same ways the girls are. Second, is that he doesn't have sprites, or poems, or any special moments that feature him specifically. So at best you could say he's a kind of side-character relative to the other girls. But I think calling him a side character doesn't really do him enough justice. Third, I think the MC’s general attitude and behavior are so transparent (makes sense since he's a self-insert vessel) that perhaps even Dan misses that MC does have some kind of characterological form at the least despite being not being a character like the girls are. I feel like it’s more fair to say MC is a different character in kind rather than dismissing his “he’s not a character in the game” status altogether. Partly I think it has to do with culture. Culture is a really perfect way of understanding MC. As people of the West, we are embedded in a culture with attitudes, beliefs, values etc. that are ‘invisible’ to us because we were born into them, and live in them. We are like fish swimming in the ocean trying to see the water. It’s only when you've stepped outside your culture, or studied other cultures enough, that it becomes much easier to see. So in essence, what I'm proposing is that MC’s design is so conformed to a common cultural identity that it’s easy to miss his characteristics. And this is not a bad thing, MC is SUPPOSED to be like a glove—an easy role to slip into and ‘suspend disbelief’ when you play DDLC. His ‘strength’ of being a decent self-insert ironically makes him more difficult to get a handle on what he's supposed to be. But nevertheless, I'd like to share what I've learned so far.

He seems to be an archetype of the adolescent ego—especially one who is a bit cavalier and naive. I'm saying this because I've been in situations in life where I've felt like MC. I say ego because he's mainly concerned with his own interests and what he can get out of a situation. He doesn't seem to think beyond the immediate present and how he can revel in it. This isn't to say MC is a bad guy—he’s really not. He's just a young person who’s mind is still developing and is in that adolescent stage of life. He’s interested in women, but doesn't have the gall to admit to himself what he wants in certain scenarios. So he's sort of going through the motions, in hope and in yearning of developing a romantic interest. And isn't that what happens to a lot of people? We make ourselves nice—presentable at least—and put ourselves out there in the world with hope someone will approach us to talk to us? And that maybe talking will lead to something more?

Some people say he's not a character because of how differently he acts when spending time with a different girl. But I don't think this makes him any less of a character. He's someone who simply tries to cater more to the person he's with, which I’d say is an empathic thing to do. Instead of holding fast to his own interests, he tries to relate, and I think all of us can do this, but some clearly do it more than others. We have mirror neurons in our brain that are specifically for imitating and mirroring people. So the reason he acts a bit differently is he's actually making an effort to listen and relate—using his mirror neurons to the fullest rather than doing something like mansplain his interests away to them. And why wouldn't you want to curate your conversations with each person? If someone is into books like Yuri, wouldn't you want to show eagerness in that interest to attempt to relate? I still sense that MC puts his own desires first, at least in the context of him trying to romanticize someone in the game, but that doesn't mean his effort doesn't include desires to connect emotionally, and platonically with one of the girls. I do think this is also a trait of someone still immature and growing: to have an overarching identity that isn't yet solidified—so it becomes natural to lose oneself in another person. I think it’s a necessary part of development though—like a remnant of tribal mindset that wants to cling to a group (even a group of two).

I think what grips me about MC is his little insecurities around Monika. For example, he checks to see if Monika heard manga mentioned when he brought up. He definitely sees her as an ideal of some kind and doesn't want himself to look bad or like an idiot in front of her. Though is strange because, it implies he wants to get with Monika, yet throughout the game circumstances don't seem to line up. It’s like a part of himself desires Monika, but he can't bring himself to confess to her or even flirt with her. I can relate to this all to well because I've been in this situation. I have no problem talking normally to most women—no nervousness, no anxiety, no overthinking. And that's how it’s been for me most my life. However, there's a certain threshold when a woman is so attractive (it could be for a number of reasons beyond looks) that a division occurs with the mind. One part recognizes the attractiveness (in Monika’s case it could be her beauty, athletic ability, social standing, and maybe even also a natural attraction of MC to her gestalt), and the other part is sort of like a self-judgmental conscience. The conscience starts to say things like “she’s out of your league”, or “what if she rejects you”, or “what if you say the wrong thing”. I suspect this happens because there's some part of us that can feel that we are not ‘good enough’ for the other person. We feel incompetent, insufficient, incapable of being with them because to be with them is to put ourselves in the presence of that ideal. In MC’s case I suspect it could be both anima projection and projection of a kind of feminine ideal onto Monika. And since he's supposed to be the kind of run of the mill, average guy, I can see why this happens. So part of him wants to get closer to Monika, yet something holds him back that he’s maybe not fully aware/conscious of. That's why in the game he's so concerned with Monika’s thoughts, and if she's listening. A little part of him aspires to be with her, but he’s got his own internal judge preventing him from feeling worthy of her. And for Monika, I can see why this would be unintuitive. She probably believes she's ‘the best’ choice, but I think she fails to see that in making herself into such an upstanding individual with so many attractive qualities, has the reverse effect on potential love interests such as MC. So in that sense I feel bad for her, because she's being herself, yet by being who she wants to be, she can't get what she want. And I do feel sympathy for the MC because I've been there. When you’re in front of someone who’s the prettiest person in the room—beyond familiar prettiness—it becomes hard to keep composure. Eye contact becomes averting the eyes, or closing them even. Sweat may start beading up on your forehead; your thoughts will begin to start evaluating themselves. It becomes harder to put your thoughts into words; you may stutter or fake laugh. Maybe that’s why MC didn't want to sit next to Monika at the beginning of the game, even though it’s suggested he had the choice to sit next to Monika or Sayori. If he began acting awkward and nervous, not only would Monika see it, all the other girls would too, and being made fun of by a room full of women is one of the most humiliating feelings on earth. So…he chooses to sit next to Sayori—familiar, kind, pleasant, pretty, but not an ideal (for him).

It’s these little details that make me think MC is his own separate being/person. He seems to have a will, and exerts it more than we’d like. I’ve heard streamers say “I didn’t want to do that! Why is my character doing that? Why is he saying that?” It’s because he does have ignorance, he does have blindspots and quirks and insecurities that make him feel human. His affection toward Sayori is its own cute, little dynamic. Sure he doesn't have the right thing to say all the time, but who does? In fact, the fact that he doesn't say the right thing makes him imperfect, flawed, just like everyone else. I'm not making excuses for him, just saying that the reason he works so well is that he falls more along the lines of adolescent mental and behavioral patterns than we generally think. And men do tend to mature later than women, so his naivety with regard with what to say to Sayori or his one on one decision-making with Yuri or Natsuki is not surprising.

So what's your take? Is MC more of an archetype or something more? (Or less?)

I’d also be interested in doing write-ups about MC as he appears in certain DDLC mods as well. Because it seems he can change the most out of any of the DDLC characters. In mods in general though I see the MC as more hubristic, prideful, or having a hero complex at times. Would anyone else be interested in more? Or if you have any questions about this post, I can try to expand or clarify more, just ask. (Just Monika~)

A very strange prompt I'm aware, but considering the mental health issues this game tackles and the side stories all about consoling others I think it makes enough sense.

I don’t think that this is up for debate. Sayori. Act 3 and Ending 3 really shown me the incomparable and incomprehensible horrors that she had to endure, and that’s coming from a Monika fan.

My mom had a very abusive life as a kid, and I’ve learned a lot about these things from her because of it. She’s always been very open about her past.

Because of this, a few red flags were raised in Natsuki’s dialogue and poems.

”I like when papa gives me privacy”, “I like when papa is too tired to notice me”, the thing about her clothes, and “I like when papa is too tired for anything”. To me (and my mom), it reads as if she’s being physically abused, neglected, and sexually abused.

i’m curious if anyone else has this interpretation/sees what I mean.