User:WikiOdd/Sandbox

Welcome to my sandbox. This is where I'll put stuff when I'm experimenting with wiki assets, constructing new pages, or just doing trivial analytical things for fun.

Specific World Exploration

Documenting how the dream world can be explored under certain conditions and other various things related to the dream world. Click Expand to view contents.

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The Chair

This table lists locations that are accessible with the Chair, obtained in Madotsuki's Dream Bedroom, and nothing else. Effect combination glitches with the Chair will not be included, as this list only compiles what can be achieved with the Chair alone with no effects obtained prior. Notes and ranking are also based on the availability of rooms and events in a given area.

• "Yes" means everything here works normally.
• "Partially" means you can get to this world and only do some things available there.
• "No" means you can't get to this world at all.

This list will also not count areas you get trapped in by already-hostile Toriningen.

World	Functional?	Notes
Madotsuki's Dream Room	Yes	This is where you obtain the Chair. KALIMBA event can be experienced.
The Nexus	Yes
Forest World	Yes	Frog Characters can still be interacted with. Gate to Face Carpet Plaza works.
Block World	Partially	The bed here can't be slept in. The men's Restroom here can not be used. Mafurako can still be interacted with and can teleport you, including to the White Desert gate, which also works.
Puddle World	Yes	The lampposts can still be turned on and off. Tunnel to Dense Woods A works.
Dark World	Yes	The gate to the Wilderness works.
Snow World	Partially	The bed here can't be slept in. The igloos can be entered, so you can visit Kamakurako. Warp to the Pink Sea also works.
Mural World	Yes	The manhole to the Sewers works.
Graffiti World	Partially	The women's Restroom here can not be used. The elevator to the Mall works.
Eyeball World	Yes	Can interact with the pair of lips found here normally. Severed Blue Head warp also works.
Candle World	Partially	The bed here can't be slept in.
Shield-folk World	Partially	Can not climb the ladder in the static maze.
Neon World	Yes	Doorway to Neon Tile Path works.
Number World	Partially	The bed here can't be slept in. Lamp World door and Guillotine World warp both work.
Face Carpet Plaza	Yes	Both warps back to Forest World work. The Nenrikido here also works.
Footprint Path	Yes	Can interact with all of the Goppa bumps normally. The Nenrikido here also works.
Checkered Tile Path	Yes	Can enter from Lamp World and interact with Closet Madotsuki. The Nenrikido here also works.
Neon Tile Path	Yes	The warp back to Neon World and the Nenrikido here works.
Hell	Yes	Vending Machine still functions. The staircase to the Docks and the gate to the Dense Woods both work.
The Sewers	Partially	Can experience the Sewer Drawings and visit the Nopperabou Ghost. You can visit Big Red, but you can't go over the tiny slope required to go into his mouth.
Windmill World	No	Can not enter Big Red's mouth, so you can not get to Windmill World.
The Docks A	No	Can not enter through the Sewers or Windmill World warps, so you can not access Docks A.
The Dock B	Yes	Stairway to Hell works. Pirori warp to Barracks Settlement works.
The Wilderness	Partially	Aztec Rave Monkey and Toriningen Party event can be experienced. You can enter the Infinite Wilderness and the bathhouse containing Onsen-san but you can't go up the stairs in the bathhouse. You can also not get onto the Staircase to the Sky, meaning you can not experience the Falling Men event. Warp to the Barracks Settlement works. Static path to FC World A does not work.
Barracks Settlement	Partially	The Pirori will not teleport you to FC World B. You can still visit the Seahorse and go through the Isee tunnel to Mural World.
Sky Garden	No	Can not go up the Staircase to the Sky, so you can not access the Sky Garden.
Ghost World	No	Can not access Sky Garden, so you can not access Ghost World.
The Mall	Partially	You can still interact with the Mall Shoppers, Tokuto-kun, and the Toriningen which changes your menu style. You can not sit in the chair in Tokuto-kun's room. You can head to the Mall's roof and interact with The Black Cat too. The Dense Woods manhole works.
Pink Sea	Yes	Balloon warps work and you can enter the house with Poniko. The Uboa event can also be experienced and Uboa's Trap can be entered.
Dense Woods A	Yes	Vending Machine still functions. Jellyfish that lets you go to the Infinite Road also works, giving you access.
Dense Woods B	Yes	Can enter the White Desert manhole as well as get to the forested areas from the Mall and Hell. Jellyfish that lets you go to the Teleport Maze also works.
Traincar	Partially	Can enter the blue-skied Traincar area, but you can not sit down inside of the Traincar, making it so you can not travel to the red-skied area.
Witch's Island	No	Can not sit down in the Traincar, so you can not get to Witch's Island.
Lamp World	Yes	Door to Steve 'Leif' Kareha works. Lamp warp to the Checkered Tile Path also works.
Guillotine World	Yes	Closet warps work.
Mini Hell	No	Requires use of the Knife effect.
White Desert A	Partially	Can enter the tunnel with Monoko and can see Takofuusen flying by.
White Desert B	Partially	Can visit Roary Straw, the isolated ring in the main section, the Brain Creature, and The Thing with the Quivering Jaw. Can not enter the lagoon or non-isolated main areas.
Teleport Maze	Yes	All teleporting tiles work normally.
FC House	No	Can not climb the ladder in the static maze, so you can not enter FC House.
FC World A	No	Can not go up the stairs in the static tunnel, so you can not enter FC World A.
FC World B	No	Pirori can not warp you to FC World B while in the Chair, so you can not enter FC World B.
FC Dungeon	No	Can not enter FC World A, so you can not enter FC Dungeon.
Staircase of Hands	No	Can not get into any of the beds in the dream world, so you can not get to the Staircase of Hands.
Underground World	No	Can not get to the Staircase of Hands, so you can not get to Underground World.
The Spaceship	No	Can not get to Underground World, so you can not get to the Spaceship.
Mars	No	Can not get to the Spaceship, so you can not get to Mars.

No-Clip Glitch

This table lists locations that are accessible when the No-Clip Glitch is used.

World	Notes
Madotsuki's Room	KALIMBA TV Channel event can be triggered. Balcony can not be accessed. Getting in the Bed here deactivates the glitch, even if it sends you to the Staircase of Hands. You can get stuck here by interacting with the chair while on top of the desk.
Forest World	You can still interact with the ghosts here. The gate to Face Carpet Plaza does not work.
Block World	Getting in the Bed here deactivates the glitch, even if it sends you to the Staircase of Hands. The gate to White Desert does not work. You can still teleport around with Mafurako, even when using the Snowman combo. Teleporting with Mafurako to a higher place and then leaving her will make X-marks appear on some of the blocks. The Restroom here still works.
Puddle World	The path to Dense Woods does not work.
Dark World	The gate to The Wilderness does not work.
Snow World	Getting in the Bed here deactivates the glitch, even if it sends you to the Staircase of Hands. None of the igloos can be entered. The Toriningen here allows you to access Hell freely, since the isolated section can be escaped with the glitch.
Mural World	The Sewers manhole does not work.
Graffiti World	The Restroom here still works. The elevator to the Mall still works.
Eyeball World	The gate to The Footprint Path does not work.
Candle World	Getting in the Bed here deactivates the glitch, even if it sends you to the Staircase of Hands. The pyramid to The Checkered Tile Path does not work. The Toriningen here allows you to access Hell freely, since the isolated section can be escaped with the glitch.
Shield-Folk World	The gate to Static Tunnel does not work.
Neon World	The doorway to The Neon Tile Path does not work.
Number World	First room: The first room loops, which can't be seen during normal gameplay. You can also access the water portion at the bottom of the room, which makes the "water step" noise, despite being unable to step on it during normal gameplay. The Zippertile leading to the FACE event can be interacted with and stabbed, but the tunnel to the event does not work. The Stabbing Room and the Lamp World door can be used. Second room: Getting in the Bed here deactivates the glitch, even if it sends you to the Staircase of Hands. You also can't use the unoccupied beds that are normally unreachable due to the surrounding beds. Guillotine World and Mini Hell can both be accessed. The Toriningen here allows you to access both ああああああああ event variants, and they can both be escaped with the glitch.
The Staircase of Hands	Accessible through the beds, but entering a bed deactivates the glitch, so it can not be used here.
Hell	Only accessible through the Snow World, Candle World, and Guillotine World Toriningen. The Nenrikido here can be interacted with to teleport you to other worlds. The Toriningen here can also help you access other worlds, as their isolated traps can be escaped with the glitch. The Henkei Shita here can be stabbed to access The Footprint Path's first section. The gate to Dense Woods and the stairway to The Docks do not work. The Vending Machine can be interacted with.
Mini Hell	Accessed through the same process as normal gameplay. The closets still work.
The Neon Tile Path	Both sections can be accessed, though not normally, as the transition between the two sections does not work. The top section with the smaller pyramids is only accessible through a Nenrikido in Hell. The bottom section with the larger pyramid is only accessible after getting caught by the Face Carpet Plaza Toriningen.
The Footprint Path	Both sections can be accessed, though not normally, as the transition between the two sections does not work. The Henkei Shita section is only accessible through stabbing the red Henkei Shita in Hell, while the Goppa section is only accessible through a Nenrikido in Hell. The Goppa can still be interacted with, though only when standing on the path.
The Checkered Tile Path	Both sections can be accessed, though not normally, as the transition between the two sections does not work. The top section is only accessible through a Nenrikido in Hell. The bottom section is only accessible through the small lamp in Lamp World. The pyramid to Candle World does not work. The Toriningen here allows you to access The Docks freely, since the isolated section can be escaped with the glitch.
Face Carpet Plaza	Only accessible through a Nenrikido in Hell. The gate to Forest World does not work. The Toriningen here allows you to access the Neon Tile Path's first section freely, since the isolated section can be escaped with the glitch.
Dense Woods	Only accessible through a Toriningen in Hell, as the isolated area can be escaped with the glitch. Only Dense Woods A can be accessed. The path to Puddle World does not work. The Vending Machine can be interacted with. The Infinite Road can not be accessed, even after interacting with the Jellyfish. There is a glitched Jellyfish out-of-bounds to the south that causes the game to lock when loading anything.
Teleport Maze	Only accessible through a Toriningen in Hell, as the isolated area can be escaped with the glitch. The teleport tiles work, but you have to manually interact with them instead of stepping on them. Teleporting with any of them deactivates the glitch.
Sky Garden	Only accessible through a Toriningen in Hell, as the isolated area can be escaped with the glitch. The staircase to The Wilderness and the doorway to the Crossover Garden do not work. Unlike a lot of worlds, the transition to the second area works with the glitch. Sitting on the benches in the first section deactivates the glitch.
The Mall	Only one room can be accessed (the one from the Graffiti World elevator). The escalators do not work, even if the one leading to the rooftop is not blocked.
The Docks	Only accessible through a Toriningen in The Checkered Tile Path, as the isolated area can be escaped with the glitch. The entire area loops, which can't be seen during normal gameplay. The stairways to The Sewers and Hell do not work. Interacting with the Pirori here is the only way to get to The Wilderness. The Vending Machine can be interacted with.
The Wilderness	Only accessible through a Pirori in The Docks. Only one room can be accessed, which is the one before the Barracks Settlement. The transition at the bottom of the room and the transition through the gate to the Barracks Settlement both do not work.
Lamp World	Accessible through the door in Number World. The Toriningen in Number World allows you to access the ああああああああ event variant here, and it can be escaped with the glitch. Interacting with the small lamp allows access to the bottom section of The Checkered Tile Path.
Guillotine World	Accessible through the hole in Number World. The closets here can still be interacted with, whether they send you to Number World or not. The Toriningen here allows you to access Hell and Dense Woods freely since the isolated sections can be escaped with the glitch.

Name Articles

The "Name" articles are a series of articles originally created by Mt.kiki on the old Yume Nikki Wiki. These pages list various theories relating to Yume Nikki and possible design inspirations for various aspects of the game. As the articles (likely) provide a Japanese point-of-view on the game's visuals and themes, they are likely to give better insight into possible design processes while creating Yume Nikki.

As the articles are either largely written in Japanese, have broken Google-Translated English, or are copy-pasted from other websites, I'd like to try and see if I could decode what each of the article's sections intends to communicate. This is also done to squeeze the contents of the articles into a smaller, usually multi-paragraph, state so that it can be read from a single section rather than an entire article.

Not all of the articles have currently been analyzed or translated, so this is still a work-in-progress section. Once one has been completed, an image will accompany the section.

Click Expand to view contents.

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Bed Room

The article makes a connection between the Number World Bed Room and "Naraka", a Buddhist term that is basically the Buddhism equivalent of Hell or purgatory. A being is usually born in Naraka as a result of karma, which may relate to how the Number World Toriningen must be stabbed in order to enter Mini Hell, where a ghost of Madotsuki resides.

The Eight Fiery Hells appear to relate to the eight closets found in the Bed Room. There are also four gates on the four sides of the Eight Fiery Hells, which is similar to how there are four closets (gates) in the four cardinal directions of Mini Hell. The text also mentions an "Equal Life Hell" in which people who have killed birds and animals fall into, which may reference the Toriningen's bird-like appearance.

Note from the sandbox owner: Mini Hell also appears to be based on the Blood Pool Hell in Buddhism. While texts of this punishment, called the Blood Bowl Sutra, originated in China, it grew quite popular in Japan. The belief was that women who died during childbirth were sent to this blood pool as a form of punishment (which may explain the red drip effect seen in Mini Hell, and why it shares a similar appearance to the normal Hell map). This may also relate to Aztec themes seen in the game, as the Aztecs considered childbirth to be a form of battle that women faced. The Aztecs believes that women who suffered the same fate would be sent to Paradise alongside those that died in physical battle, a much more peaceful ending.

Bloody Touching Monster

The Bloody Touching Monster may be based on the Daidarabotchi of Japanese mythology, a giant who weighed Mount Fuji and Mount Tsukuba on a great scale to see which was heavier. This is similar to how the Bloody Touching Monster is large in size and grabs onto the mountains in the background of Uboa's Trap. The picture in the article also depicts Daidarabotchi as fully black, almost shadow-like, much like the Bloody Touching Monster.

The article also makes an odd connection between Myristica fragrans and bloodletting. The Bloody Touching Monster appears to have small spurts of blood coming from its arms/legs, which may allude to bloodletting. This process is a treatment for "nutmeg liver", the chronic congestion of the liver that gives it the appearance of nutmeg. The article then uses this connection between blood and nutmeg to bring up Myristica fragrans, a nutmeg tree that has yellow fruit with black and red seeds. The yellow hair may symbolize Poniko (blonde hair) and her room (yellow door and carpet) being transformed into Uboa's Trap (black and red, the same colors as the Bloody Touching Monster).

Candle World

The article first relates Candle World to The Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, which is also known as Candlemas. There are also the Twelve Great Feasts, related to the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, which the article links to the twelve Nexus doors. It seems that each of the twelve doors in the Nexus represent an event that the Twelve Great Feasts are based on (though the article's table does not just use Nexus doors, it states other non-Nexus worlds like the Pink Sea and Sky Garden Stairway).

The pyramid in Candle World is also taken into consideration in the article. One of the first instances of a candle-like object was in Ancient Egypt. Egypt is well known for its pyramid structures. The pyramid also links back to the religious theme discussed earlier. There is a Slavic dish known as Paskha, which is typically eaten at Easter, is molded into a pyramid shape, and is often decorated with a single candle atop it.

The article also links the fairy tale Snow White to the Candle World. The characters located there seem to represent the characters in Snow White. The Dwarf represents the Seven Dwarfs, the Toriningen represents the Evil Queen, and Madotsuki represents Snow White. It should also be noted that there are seven Walking Candles in Candle World, the same number of dwarfs in the tale. In the tale, Snow White is offered a poisoned apple by the Evil Queen in disguise, which causes her to go into a coma/fall asleep, which may explain why there is a Bed in the Candle World near the Toriningen. The Toriningen are also considered "enemies" in the game and the Evil Queen is considered the antagonist of the Snow White fairy tale.

The last section involving the Walking Candles simply links it to wax sculptures.

Note from the sandbox owner: This table is in the original Name article and might be expanded upon by me in the future, as it seems unfinished or unsure on the locations in some areas.

The Twelve Great Feasts		12 doors
Pascha(Easter)		The Nexus
1	September 8, the Nativity of the Theotokos	(Undecidedness)
2	September 14, the Exaltation of the Cross	(Undecidedness)
3	November 21, the Presentation of the Theotokos	The Stairway to the Sky Garden
4	December 25, the Nativity of Christ/Christmas	Snow World
5	January 6, the Baptism of Christ -- Theophany, also called Epiphany	The Pink Sea
6	February 2, the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple/Candlemas	Candle World
7	March 25, the Annunciation	(Undecided)
8	The Sunday before Pascha (Easter) -- Flowery/Willow/Palm Sunday	(Undecided)
9	Forty Days after Pascha (Easter) -- the Ascension of Christ	(Undecided)
10	Fifty Days after Pascha (Easter) -- Pentecost	(Undecided)
11	August 6, the Transfiguration	(Undecided)
12	August 15, the Dormition (Falling Asleep) of the Theotokos	The Bed Room

Dave Spector

The article suspects that Dave Spector may be another instance of indigenous imagery in the game. They resemble a Nazca female effigy figure (picture viewable here) which is made of hair, shell, and whale tooth.

Dave Spector is also compared to the children's game Manhunt, which is like a combination of hide & seek and tag. Madotsuki is considered "it" and Dave Spector is "tagged" by being stabbed with the Knife effect, allowing access to the Monoe and Severed Head tunnels. The "manhunt is sometimes played with teams" addition may relate to how there are two Dave Spectors. More about the White Desert and how it may be based on children's games is detailed in the White Desert's Name article.

Effects

Effects take the form of eggs when they are dropped in the Nexus. The article relates this to Easter eggs, which are special eggs given out around springtime to celebrate Easter. Eggs, which are often used to symbolize rebirth, are used in Christianity to symbolize the empty tomb of Jesus of which he was resurrected from. This could relate to the ending of the game, as many fans view Madotsuki's death as a "rebirth" or "reawakening", and the only way to achieve the ending is through dropping all of the effects (eggs) in the Nexus. The Name article also relates the time that Easter eggs are given out (spring) to a section in the Wilderness article detailing Batsu's similarity to the Asian royal fern, which sprouts in the spring. Batsu also resembles a spiral shape, which is noticed in the Wilderness Name article. In some ancient civilizations, spirals are regarded as a symbol for the cycle of life and death, which could also relate to the "reawakening" ending theory.

The connection to eggs does not stop at the theories of rebirth and reawakening. The Floyag in the Dense Woods are stated to resemble a uterus, though the article suggests that their appearance may come from the Earthly Branch symbol for the rabbit zodiac sign (卯). The symbol also vaguely resembles a uterus, which also fits into the egg and "rebirth" themes of the article. The article also brings up the symbol for a fertilized egg (卵), which shares a similar resemblance.

The article also notes the presence of an "Easter egg" in the game itself. A code similar to the Konami code is input into NASU to play the eggplant-headed NASU mode. It should be noted that inputting the Easter egg causes increased bonus eggplants.

Fabergé eggs may have also been an inspiration for some of the effects and their egg design when left in the Nexus. Fabergé eggs were jeweled eggs made by the House of Fabergé from 1885 to 1917. They were typically given as gifts during Easter. A table is even given in the Name article to compare some of the eggs. A simplified version is put below:

Midget egg	Yuki-onna egg	Bicycle egg	Triangle Kerchief egg
First Hen Fabergé Egg	Winter Fabergé Egg	Steel Military Fabergé Egg	Twilight Fabergé Egg

Another Fabergé egg that is brought up is the Bouquet of Lilies Clock egg, which has roman numerals up to twelve surrounding it. The egg is also split into 12 sections. Notably, there are also twelve doors in the Nexus (excluding Madotsuki's door). The lilies may have also inspired the presence of the white lilies in the Crossover Garden. White lilies are also associated with death in Japanese culture, which may allude to the ending, which requires leaving the effect eggs.

The final parts of the article relate to the ending, resurrection, and the directions that two events in the game symbolize. The article first mentions the Feast of the Ascension, a feast meant to commemorate the ascension of Jesus that usually takes place during Eastertide. There are two different events which the article associates with "ascension": the Witch's Flight and the Ending. The Name article also relates this to the cycle of the Sun and Moon, and how they could symbolize positivity and negativity, respectively:

• The Sun rises in the east, symbolizing brightness/positivity/good. The Witch's Flight, which is a happier event compared to a lot of what happens in the game, could symbolize this positivity. It should be noted that when Madotsuki has her effects, she travels East and has a more positive experience. When you fall from the event by unequipping the effect, Madotsuki wakes up while facing east, which could relate to the resurrection (waking up) and Christ (Easter).
• The Sun sets in the west, symbolizing darkness/negativity/bad. The Ending, which is a more negative experience and literal ending of Madotsuki's life, could symbolize this negativity. It should be noted that when Madotsuki does not have her effects, she jumps West and has a more negative experience.

Eyeball World

The Medamaude NPC that gives the Medamaude effect resembles the hamsa, a palm-shaped amulet depicting an open right hand with an eye on the palm. The sign represents protection, which could relate to how the Medamaude effect returns Madotsuki to the peaceful Nexus while remaining asleep, especially in a situation where she is lost or trapped by characters such as Uboa or the Toriningen.

The Eyeball World background also heavily resembles Paracas textile work, depicting a dream being that is an often reoccurring design throughout Paracas textiles. This being represents the dreamer and acts as a sort of self-awareness during dreams to signify that the person is in fact dreaming. The figure also holds the head of the dreamer.

While the background obviously takes inspiration from the Paracas, it may also be inspired by the Native American sun dance ritual. One of the members of the dance wears a red loincloth with no upper-body wear, face paint, a packet of tobacco around their neck, and sage rings around their head and wrists. This description slightly fits the Eyeball World background, as it wears red, has rings around its wrists (and ankles), and also some sort of neck attachment. The sun dancer also holds an eagle bone flute in their mouth during the sun dance, blowing it in order to attract eagles. It was considered good luck if eagles flew down due to the flute's sound, as they were considered the eyes of the heavens.

FACE

FACE resembles various drawings and paintings by the artist Louis Wain, who particularly drew cats. Some of his later works depicted more surreal and abstract representations of cat faces.

The Name article relates FACE's connection to Louis Wain's works to the Cat effect, suggesting that the two may have a connection. Due to these similarities, it suggests that FACE may be an interpretation of someone in Madotsuki's life, possibly a family member or her parents.

FC House

FC World obviously takes inspiration from classic Famicom/NES games, though Mother (also known as EarthBound Beginnings) appears to be one of the more significant and obvious inspirations.

The next installment in the Mother series, Mother 2/EarthBound, has the beginning of the story start with a meteor crash. This may have inspired the NPC Merutomaro, who resembles star jelly. Star jelly is a gelatinous substance that, in folklore, is stated to fall during meteor showers. The substance also often takes a primarily white color, matching Merutomaro's appearance. Considering this slime and meteor connection to Merutomaro, they may also be based on the monster from The Blob, who comes from outer space on a meteorite. The term "blob" can also stand for "binary large object", a collection of binary data in a single entity, which is befitting of the retro/digital/game-theme of the world Merutomaro lives in.

The mushrooms in the FC Basement, know as Kinoko-san, appear to be based on a kyōgen performance known as "Mushroom" or "Fungus". The play centers around a man who grows annoyed due to the large mushrooms growing around his house, so he orders a Yamabushi to pray in order to get rid of the mushrooms. However, the more that the Yamabushi prays, the bigger the mushrooms grow and move. One of the characters in the play, Oni Mushroom, may also relate to why they surround the FC Demon's room. Their place near the FC Demon may also relate to how mushrooms have stimulated growth when exposed to jolts of electricity or large sounds simulating lightning strikes, as the FC Demon gives the Demon effect, which creates lightning.

The inclusion of the Goblins in the basement appears to interpret them as computer viruses in the article. Their brighter appearance and them wielding weapons may indicate they are intended to represent this. They also have a noticeably higher chance of giving Yen, which may indicate that eradicating them is good because they are "evil" or "bad". The castle wall they find themselves by may be intended to be a pun on a firewall, a network system intended to keep a network secure.

Graffiti World

Graffiti World's tile-like layout appears to be inspired by the game LSD: Dream Emulator, which is based on a dream journal kept by Hiroko Nishikawa. The game has a similar feel to Yume Nikki, relying on dream-like visuals and player exploration. This inspiration may be why the Bicycle effect can be found here, as "LSD" is also a drug. The first recorded LSD trip is known as "Bicycle Day" where Swiss chemist Dr. Albert Hofmann ingested the substance and reported intense perception changes. His assistant helped escort him out, and the two rode on bicycles in order for Hofmann to reach his house.

The left design in Graffiti World (the more monkey-like one) appears to have a mudrā-like design on its hand. References to Buddhist beliefs appear throughout the game, and this appears to be one of them. One of the mudrās known as a seal gesture involves facing one's full hands up and forward. The figure seems to make this gesture, considering both of its hands can be seen facing forward in the graffiti.

The right design in Graffiti World (the more face-like one) appears to be representative of evil, which the left figure is warding off. The article draws similarities to its design and Linophryne lucifer, also known as the devilfish. This particular fish can be found in the Indian ocean, which is relevant to the theme of mudrās, as they are practiced particularly in Indian religions. The devilfish also has two appendages on its face, one resembling the lure of an anglerfish and one resembling a long beard. These are both seen in the right design, as the lure holds the Bicycle effect and the end of the "beard" has a Restroom. The connection between this figure and Buddhism is also furthered by the name of the anglerfish/monkfish in Japanese: "アンコウ" (Ankō). The word appears to be derived from "ango" which is a term for a Japanese period of training that Zen Buddhist monks undergo. The English name "monkfish" also literally has "monk" in the name.

Graffiti World overall also seems to be based on chakra, which are vital points associated with a person's life force. The colorful tiles can be compared to the seven rainbow chakras and chakra is also a part of Buddhism (see mudrā section), though Buddhist texts usually only refer to five chakras. The name "chakra" also means "wheel" or "cycle", which may be another explanation for why the Bicycle effect can be found here.

Hell

The maze-like structure of Hell appears to be inspired by the "Man in Maze" symbol created by the Papago Indians of Arizona. Though interpretations of the symbol vary between families, the general consensus is that it represents life, death, and the afterlife. The man in the symbol represents life and the center of death while the maze represents the various choices made during life. The symbol also correlates to I'itoi bring people to the earth from the underworld.

The red Henkei Shita found in Hell may reference a supernatural being described in various religions known as the "preta" or "gaki" (both literally meaning "hungry ghost"). They are often described as having very sunken skin and narrow limbs, though their belly has become overly bloated. They are reincarnations of people who were previously greedy or jealous in a previous life and have been reborn as entities with seemingly insatiable hunger and thirst. Even food and drinks are unable to relieve this suffering, as they turn into fire when touched by a preta, which may align with the common "fire" theme often associated with the underworld. The concept of the preta is described in Taoism, Hinduism, and Buddhism, the latter of which has common themes throughout Yume Nikki.

The article also mentions how the mouth of the Henkei Shita, and how its large stomach could represent a pregnant person, could allude to a caesarean section delivery (more commonly known as simply a C-section).

The staircase leading to the Docks and the gate leading to the Dense Woods may refer to punishments in the lowest layer of Hell in Buddhism. There are areas of boiling hot water (The Docks) and trees made of sword blades that must be climbed (Dense Woods).