Overview
Shitai-san (死体さん, 'Mr. Corpse', pronounced like "shee-tai") is an effect NPC found in Madotsuki's dreams.
He is found after traveling on the Infinite Road of the Dense Woods B surrounded by traffic cones. Interacting with him gives the player the Stoplight effect. It could symbolize a traffic incident due to reckless driving.
Using the Cat effect near him causes him to twitch. Other than that, he doesn't react to anything.
Interpretation
One seemingly reoccurring theme throughout the game is the theme of traffic accidents, which have lead to a multitude of theories. It's possible Madotsuki had been in some kind of car accident, and Shitai-san could represent this by showing her past, or could even be the corpse of someone she knew that died in the same crash. Other characters that are seemingly connected to the theme of car accidents include Monoko's event and Seccom Masada-sensei's Spaceship crash, as well as characters that have odd reactions to the Stoplight effect such as Buyo Buyo and the Wheelies.
It should also be noted that, upon closer inspection of Shitai-san's sprite, they appear to have a bone sticking out of their arm. This could draw a connection to Monoko, as she sprouts several arms when the Stoplight effect is used near her, which are often speculated by fans to be less grotesque depictions of car accident injuries.
Some other details to note are elements nearby Shitai-san. A Jellyfish is located just northeast of the corpse, similarly to how they appear in the game's ending. It's possible that the Jellyfish are able to sense when death occurs and will locate the source. A train track is also seen nearby, and a Traincar can be found elsewhere in the Dense Woods, relating to the car accident theory mentioned above.
Trivia
- Shitai-san is one of two effect NPCs that does not react to the Knife effect, with the other being the Guillotine.
- Shitai-san is one of the more popular characters in the Yume Nikki fandom, often featured in theories and fan art.
- If the player enters the Dense Woods through the Mall and goes to the southmost section of the Frog Path, one can slightly see Shitai-san at the bottom of the screen.
Gallery
The corpse of Shitai-san in the Dense Woods B
Shitai-san in the manga
Its appearance in YUMENIKKI –DREAM_DIARY–
