Sayori (Doki Doki Literature Club!)

Last updated
Sayori
Doki Doki Literature Club! character
Sayori Illustration.png
Sayori in Doki Doki Literature Club!
First appearance Doki Doki Literature Club! (2017)
Created by Dan Salvato
Designed bySatchely
In-universe information
NationalityJapanese

Sayori is a character in the 2017 video game Doki Doki Literature Club! She is the childhood friend and neighbor of the protagonist, pushing him into joining the literature club, of which she is a member. Over the course of the game, Sayori's cheerful personality is shown to be forced, with symptoms of depression becoming more evident. This culminates in Sayori committing suicide and being deleted from the game by the game's antagonist, Monika. She is ultimately restored by the end of the game, though her fate depends on the player's actions.

Contents

Of the cast, Sayori was the character who had the most real-world influence, with creator Dan Salvato noting that her depression was inspired by those in his life. He found that, as he wrote the cast, he found himself recognizing their "reality", wanting to explore that. Critical reception of Sayori was positive, with the way her depression was depicted being praised for its accuracy. Some critics saw themselves in Sayori, with commentary about how Sayori's depression was not something that could be fixed by the player.

Concept and creation

Sayori is one of the characters created by Dan Salvato for his video game, Doki Doki Literature Club! . She is the neighbor of the player's character, and is noted by her positive personality, clumsiness, and tendency to be late. As the player progresses through the game, they discover that Sayori suffers from depression, exhibiting symptoms like forced positivity, overeating, oversleeping, forgetfulness, difficulty getting out of bed, and suicidal thoughts. [1]

Salvato created stock characters based on anime archetypes that were given Japanese names to emphasize a pseudo-Japanese atmosphere. The name Sayori is a fusion of the Japanese names "Sayuri" and "Saori". [2] When writing the game, Salvato found that he was recognizing the "reality" of characters like Sayori. He wanted to connect more with the characters, and thus explored things like their "insecurities and realistic personality traits" on top of their "stock archetypes". She was the strongest case of real-world inspiration, with her being inspired directly by those around Salvato with depression. [3] Due to Salvato's lack of artistic skills at the time, he created the designs of Sayori and other characters in a free anime-creation program, which were used in a test version of the game. [4] Salvato recognized that a product of such quality would not satisfy potential players. [4] Her final design in-game was handled by freelance artist Satchely. [5]

Appearances

Sayori is one of the four non-playable characters in Doki Doki Literature Club!, alongside Yuri, Natsuki, and Monika, all of whom belong to the literature club. She is the best friend of the protagonist, and convinces him to join the club. She, along with other members, write poetry throughout the game, with Sayori's poetry progressively revealing darker feelings of depression. She eventually confides in the protagonist, telling him about her depression, and later confessing her love, which he can either accept or reject. Regardless of the response, she commits suicide by hanging, causing the game to restart after the protagonist finds her corpse.

When the game is reopened, Sayori's existence is removed. Monika eventually deletes Yuri and Natsuki, revealing that she has an obsessive love for the player as opposed to the character they controlled. She also reveals that she went into the game's code to modify the parameters of the characters in order to make them less appealing, causing her depression trait to increase. Afterward, Monika's file is deleted by the player, which ultimately causes her to regret her behavior towards the player and the game's characters. She restores the game to its previous state, minus herself.

There are two possible endings, both of which involving Sayori becoming self aware like Monika after becoming the club President in Monika's stead. In one, she behaves similarly to Monika, prompting Monika to delete Sayori and then the rest of the game, believing the game couldn't continue to exist. The other is achieved by seeing all content by the player reloading their save before Sayori's death, where Sayori thanks the player for making everyone happy. A third earlier ending may occur if the player deletes Monika before the beginning of the game, which causes Sayori to become self-aware in the first scene, panic, and ultimately close the game. If the player reopens the game, an image of Sayori hanging from a noose is displayed.

Sayori also appears in the enhanced version of the game, Doki Doki Literature Club Plus!. This version of the game features multiple "side stories" depicting the origin of the club, albeit in an alternate reality where Monika was never self-aware.

Sayori has received multiple pieces of merchandise. She received two figures, one in the Pop Up Parade line and the other in the Nendoroid line, as well as a wrist watch themed after her. [6] [7] [8] A Youtooz figure of Sayori was released in October 2022, along with figures for the other characters. [9] A second figure was released in December 2023. [10]

Reception

Sayori has been generally well received, particularly for how her mental illnesses are depicted. Kotaku writer Gita Jackson grew attached to Sayori, seeing "a little of my confused, sad teenage self in her". They discussed one of her poems, Bottles, which they felt spoke of Sayori's desire to make others happy, only for her efforts to be rejected, leaving her with no happiness for herself. They contrasted Sayori's depression to other visual novels; where characters will have emotional problems that need to be solved by the player, Sayori's is not so easily solved. [11]

Fanbyte writer Kara Dennison discussed Sayori's depression, commenting that her aversion to being helped reflected her feeling that it's wasted on her rather than believing she's undeserving of love. She discussed how this is a real struggle that she herself suffered through, finding her story and characters valuable for both sufferers and those around them. She also felt that Sayori's story was an "intelligent take" on mental illness, where the rest of the game falls flat. [12] Writer Sky LaRell Anderson, while feeling that the portrayal of her mental illnesses was accurate, begrudged that the game did not take advantage of the interactivity of its medium in depicting them. [1]

The Daily Dot writer Ana Valens considered Sayori her favorite character in the game, interpreting her as a pansexual character. She cited a scene where Sayori called Natsuki cute and put her hands on her shoulders; while acknowledging that girls calling each other cute is normal for straight people, the physical interaction was less so. This, combined with a later scene, suggested to her that gender was not a relevant factor to attraction for Sayori. She also felt that this could be relevant to Sayori's depression, commenting that a society that expects women to date men can be difficult for non-straight women, feeling that Sayori mirrors herself in these aspects. [13] Valens also felt that her struggles were the most memorable of the cast's, talking about how no matter what, Sayori will die, either to suicide or the game breaking. [14] IGN Japan writer Shohei Fujita felt that the way the confession and suicide was handled was more ethical than how it could be, suggesting that being able to save Sayori by staying by her side would be objectifying. [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fourth wall</span> Concept in performing arts separating performers from the audience

The fourth wall is a performance convention in which an invisible, imaginary wall separates actors from the audience. While the audience can see through this "wall", the convention assumes the actors act as if they cannot. From the 16th century onward, the rise of illusionism in staging practices, which culminated in the realism and naturalism of the theatre of the 19th century, led to the development of the fourth wall concept.

Alis Landale, also known as Arisa, is the protagonist of the 1987 video game Phantasy Star. In this game, she seeks vengeance after the death of her assassinated brother while assuming his duties. She appears in various other Phantasy Star video games in different roles in their stories. She was designed by Rieko Kodama, who intended to make a game that did things that were unusual at the time, such as having a female protagonist.

Natsuki is a common Japanese given name. While it is a unisex name, it is more commonly used by women. It can also be used as a surname.

<i>Fatal Frame III: The Tormented</i> 2005 video game

Fatal Frame III: The Tormented is a survival horror video game developed by Tecmo for the PlayStation 2. The third entry in the Fatal Frame series, it was published by Tecmo in 2005 in Japan and North America, and by Take-Two Interactive in Europe in 2006. Set after the events of the first two games, the story revolves around three characters who lost loved ones and are drawn into the supernatural Manor of Sleep. The gameplay revolves around exploring the Manor and tackling hostile ghosts using the Camera Obscura. Each character has different strengths and weaknesses, such as stronger attack or stealth elements.

Atlus's 2006 role-playing video game Persona 3 focuses on the exploits of the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad (SEES), a group of high-schoolers defending their home city from monsters known as Shadows. Persona 3 is set in a fictional Japanese city in the year 2009. Due to past events, there is a hidden period between one day and the next, known as the "Dark Hour", during which most people become unconscious, and Shadows feed on the minds of those still aware of their surroundings. In addition, a large tower called Tartarus, filled with Shadows, rises out of the ground during the Dark Hour. SEES is composed of students attending Gekkoukan High School. The player names and controls the game's protagonist, who leads SEES in its exploration of Tartarus. Persona 3 mixes elements of role-playing and simulation games: during the day, the player attends school, and is able to spend time with other characters, forming relationships known as Social Links. These Social Links, when formed, have gameplay benefits, increasing the player's proficiency in battle.

<i>Musashi no Ken</i> Japanese manga and anime series

Musashi no Ken is a Japanese sports manga series written and illustrated by Motoka Murakami that focuses on kendo. It was serialized by Shogakukan in Weekly Shōnen Sunday between April 1981 and October 1985. Musashi no Ken received the 1984 Shogakukan Manga Award for shōnen manga.

<i>Nier</i> 2010 video game

Nier is an action role-playing video game developed by Cavia and published in 2010 by Square Enix for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. In Japan, the game was released as Nier Replicant for the PlayStation 3 with a younger main character, while an alternative version titled Nier Gestalt with an older main character was released for the Xbox 360; Gestalt was released outside of Japan as Nier for both platforms. A remaster of the Japanese version, Nier Replicant ver.1.22474487139... was released for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows in 2021.

<i>Yume Nikki</i> 2004 video game

Yume Nikki is a 2004 adventure game created by the pseudonymous Japanese developer Kikiyama. The player controls a girl named Madotsuki and explores her dreams, collecting 24 effects that change her appearance and equipment. Random events also occur throughout the game in the form of cutscenes and unique gameplay sequences. The game was developed using RPG Maker 2003 without a traditional plot or battle system. Gameplay instead focuses on exploration of the dream world.

<i>Eversion</i> (video game) 2008 video game

Eversion is a platform game by British indie studio Zaratustra Productions for Microsoft Windows. It was originally released as freeware in 2008, with a high-definition remake being released on Steam and Humble Bundle in 2010.

<i>Sound! Euphonium</i> Japanese media franchise

Sound! Euphonium is a Japanese novel series written by Ayano Takeda. The story is set in Uji, Kyoto and focuses on the Kitauji High School Music Club, whose concert band is steadily improving thanks to the newly appointed adviser's strict instruction.

<i>Nekopara</i> 2014 visual novel series

Nekopara, taglined Cats Paradise, is a series of adult visual novels developed by NEKO WORKs and published by Sekai Project. The first game in the series, Nekopara Vol. 1, was released in December 2014, taking place in a world where humans live alongside catgirls. The series follows Kashou Minaduki and Shigure Minaduki, siblings who have a family of catgirls named Chocola, Vanilla, Azuki, Maple, Coconut, and Cinnamon. It is centered around work life at Kashou's pâtisserie and home life at Shigure's family house.

<i>Doki Doki Literature Club!</i> 2017 video game

Doki Doki Literature Club! is a 2017 visual novel video game developed by Team Salvato for personal computers. The story follows a student who reluctantly joins his high school's literature club at the insistence of his friend Sayori, and is given the option to romantically pursue her, Yuri, or Natsuki. Club president Monika also features heavily in the game's plot. The game features a non-traditional plot structure with multiple endings and unlockable cutscenes with each of the main characters. Although it initially appears to be a light-hearted dating sim, it is actually a metafictional psychological horror game that extensively breaks the fourth wall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Makoto Niijima</span> Persona 5 character

Makoto Niijima, whose Phantom Thief code name is Queen, is a character in the Persona series, first appearing in Persona 5 as one of its main characters. She is the student council president of Shujin Academy who lives a double life as a Phantom Thief.

Lillie (<i>Pokémon</i>) Central character in Pokémon

Lillie is a character in Nintendo and Game Freak's Pokémon franchise, introduced in the 2016 video games Pokémon Sun and Moon, being a central character in the story, and has appeared in numerous Pokémon media.

Monika (<i>Doki Doki Literature Club!</i>) Visual novel character

Monika is a fictional character and the main antagonist of the visual novel Doki Doki Literature Club! The character was created by Dan Salvato and voiced by Jillian Ashcraft. While Monika initially appears as the main tutor and supporting character that guides the player on their path to romance the three provided love interests, she is later revealed to be self-aware of her existence as a video game character; her words, actions and surroundings become increasingly malicious as she makes her intentions clear. She is apparently deleted at the end of the game, but returns to destroy the game itself to protect the player after the character Sayori becomes sentient in Monika's absence.

<i>Hardcoded</i> (video game) 2018 video game

Hardcoded is an erotic dating simulator visual novel game developed and published by Ghosthug Games for Windows, macOS, and Linux. The game follows a droid named HC who runs away from her owners and joins the local trans community.

Kainé is a character from the 2010 video game Nier, a spin-off of the Drakengard series developed by Cavia and published by Square Enix. She is a lead character and player companion in Nier, and prominent in related media and merchandise. During Nier she accompanies the unnamed protagonist in his quest to help a young girl called Yonah, first to cure her disease and then to rescue her from a being called the Shadowlord in a post-apocalyptic world beset by creatures called Shades. Kainé's storyline focuses around her quest for revenge against a monstrous Shade called Hook, and her history of discrimination due to being possessed by a Shade and being born intersex.

Yuri (<i>Doki Doki Literature Club!</i>) Fictional character

Yuri is a character in the 2017 video game Doki Doki Literature Club! She is a shy girl and someone romantically interested in the protagonist of the game. Over time, her mental illnesses become evident, including her self-harm tendencies. Described as both a dandere and kuudere, she is a member of the literature club, and a frequent rival to fellow member Natsuki. Her self-harm tendencies become more pronounced due to the game's antagonist Monika influencing the in-game files, which culminates in her stabbing herself to death after confessing her love for the protagonist.

Natsuki is a character in the 2017 video game Doki Doki Literature Club! She is one of four girls in the titular literature club, alongside Sayori, Yuri, and Monika. She is a tsundere and a victim of domestic abuse by her father, with her traits ultimately becoming more pronounced due to Monika's intervention in the game's files. She was created by Dan Salvato, who recognized the "reality" behind her and the others. Her character was inspired by people with depression in Salvato's life.

Marianne von Edmund is a character in the 2019 video game Fire Emblem: Three Houses. She is a member of the Golden Deer house, led by Claude, and has self-worth issues influenced by a curse tied to her Crest. She has multiple relationships she can form in the game, including Hilda, Dimitri, and the protagonist, Byleth. She was designed by Chinatsu Kurahana. Marianne also appears in the side story Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes as well as the crossover mobile game Fire Emblem Heroes. She was voiced by Sawako Hata in Japanese, and Xanthe Huynh in English.

References

  1. 1 2 Anderson, Sky LaRell. "Portraying Mental Illness in Video Games: Exploratory Case Studies for Improving Interactive Depictions". University of St. Thomas . Archived from the original on October 7, 2022. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  2. ↑ Salvato, Dan (2017) Doki Doki Literature Club! Concept Art Booklet, p. 4
  3. ↑ Lee, Otter (January 3, 2018). "Interviews We Interviewed DOKI DOKI LITERATURE CLUB'S Twisted Creator, Dan Salvato". Asian Crush. Archived from the original on February 24, 2019. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  4. 1 2 Salvato, Dan (2017) Doki Doki Literature Club! Concept Art Booklet, p. 5
  5. ↑ Salvato, Dan (2017) Doki Doki Literature Club! Concept Art Booklet, p. 16
  6. ↑ Bueno, Daniel (September 28, 2023). "Doki Doki Literature Club Sayori Nendoroid Available for Pre-Order". Siliconera. Archived from the original on February 4, 2024. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  7. ↑ Liu, Stephanie (November 8, 2023). "DDLC Sayori Pop Up Parade Figure Looks Cheery". Siliconera. Archived from the original on February 4, 2024. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  8. ↑ Kataoka, Ryuichi (May 30, 2023). "『ドキドキ文芸部！』のキャラクターをイメージしたグッズが販売！腕時計は4キャラクターそれぞれのモデルが販売". IGN Japan . Archived from the original on February 4, 2024. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  9. ↑ Youtooz Collectibles [@youtooz] (October 8, 2022). "join the club 🐮 the #ddlctooz collection releases oct 14th" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  10. ↑ "Picnic Sayori – Youtooz Collectibles". Youtooz. Archived from the original on 2024-02-29. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
  11. ↑ Jackson, Gita (December 11, 2017). "Doki Doki Literature Club's Darkest Moment". Archived from the original on December 11, 2017. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  12. ↑ Dennison, Kara (March 5, 2020). "The Four Faces of Doki Doki Literature Club". Fanbyte. Archived from the original on February 4, 2024. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  13. ↑ Valens, Ana (May 9, 2019). "Why fandoms love claiming characters as queer". The Daily Dot . Archived from the original on February 4, 2024. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  14. ↑ Valens, Ana (February 14, 2018). "How Games Mess up Romance". VG247. Archived from the original on February 1, 2023. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  15. ↑ Fujita, Shohei (March 4, 2018). "【完全ネタバレコラム】世界を大いに盛り上げる「Doki Doki Literature Club」の真の目的と少女たちからの救難信号". IGN Japan . Archived from the original on June 26, 2018. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.