can we talk about ddlc being such a perfect callout of the objectification of women
like, the game was originally set up as a cookie cutter otome for a REASON- the reason being, attract creeps who want to date high school girls and traumatize the shit out of them. And that aspect of it goes even deeper than just the psychological horror part- like you can see it in the ddlc+ side stories too, although I haven't gotten to finish seeing those yet.
Like let's unpack the stereotypes of each character real quick.
Sayori, the "bubbly girl next door" - Often, these kinds of characters are portrayed as bringing the light into the dull, sad life of the male protagonist. Frequently, they're the butt of a lot of jokes, essentially the comic relief meant to lighten everything up, and used at everyone else's expense, and they usually don't seem to mind. The genius of Sayori's arc in ddlc is not just that Sayori is "secretly sad"- it's that a lot of the shit that was used as the humor of her character is actually caused by her internal issues. Constantly being late to school? The wrinkled up papers? The messed up ribbon on her shirt that was used as a plot device to get you a romance scene with her? All of them actually caused by her severe depression. She's not dumbed down for the purpose of the man, like these characters are usually made out to be. She's 'dumbed down' because she's suffering.
Natsuki, the "tsundere"- The plot regarding tsundere characters in media, especially revolving around women, is that you end up 'taming' them in a sense- and also, that the whole reason for their behavior is you. You're the reason behind everything they do, and all of their actions. With Natsuki, you slowly figure out that's not true. She acts in this way because, well, she's genuinely concerned. Notice how Natsuki's the one that never confesses? You're not the cause for her behavior. She's just LIKE THAT. And in fact, the people who get her to open up are often her friends in the club. WOMEN. People she's not afraid to talk to, because the prevalent man in her life, her father, is a piece of shit (in the corrupted acts. we don't know what her life is like if her files weren't fucked with). She gets even more "bratty" in Act Two because the people she actually trusts are becoming warped. She's not mean because she secretly likes you. She's mean because she feels unsafe.
Yuri, the hot shy girl- Now Yuri is an especially intriguing case, because I think she's the closest to being percieved as her original trope out of the four- and it SHOWS in how the fandom views her. Unlike Sayori or Natsuki, her worst state is the one where she's obsessed with you, the player, and harms herself over it.
Now, guess who the most sexualized character in ddlc is. Yep, Yuri. And it's not just because of the big titties. It's because Yuri's the one you can most easily twist to being all about the male MC- YOU help her open up. YOU help her feel more comfortable. You have the control. But notice how the most positive description of her is when her friends in the club help her stand up and read her poem out loud, confidently? Yeah. The thing is, when her life DOES revolve around you, it ends in her death.
And Monika is the final girl- essentially, the final missing piece of the puzzle in the theory. Monika's the only one who made it overtly obvious that you did not control her. She was sentient, therefore, independent.
And what do you, the male mc, do? You kill her.
Because you want the other three back.
The ones you think are under YOUR control.
Because men who want to date high school girls want to because they can't stand being with someone who wasn't molded by them from the beginning.
