Mars-san (火星さん, also known as Tasei-san, Kasei-san or just the Martian by some fans), is an NPC found underground on Mars.
Mars-san is a tall, indigo creature with a single large eye and a single foot, interpreted to be some sort of alien. It is found weeping near what appears to be a crashed locomotive all by itself while a depressing, piano tune plays.
Interaction
Mars-san produces a remorseful three-tone chime (high B flat - E flat - F) when Madotsuki interacts with it, coupled with a small darkening of the screen. Additionally, Mars-san can be stabbed with the Knife. Instead of dying, it leaves a red wound on its foot and changes the color of the eye from red to green with a blue pupil; a second stabbing will change the eye color back to red with a pink pupil.
Interpretation
Some fans have interpreted Mars-san as representing Madotsuki herself, as it is all by itself in an isolated location and weeping (although her state of mind can be vastly debated). Mars-san's isolation could be a representation of Madotsuki's own reclusiveness, as she always remains in her room in the real world, or a literal or mental symbolism for feeling "trapped", as Mars-san is clearly too big to leave its room itself due to the only exit being a small hole.
The fact that Madotsuki must fall asleep in three different beds in order to reach Mars-san could mean that they represent a repressed memory in Madotsuki's subconscious, as Madotsuki would be dreaming in a dream in a dream, leading to a deeper part of her mind.
Mars-san may also heavily connect to the traffic accident theory: the machinery next to Mars-san and its tears could represent a crashed vehicle and Madotsuki's possible remorse from losing someone close to her in some sort of accident. The green mark in which it produces tears could also be interpreted as a bleeding scar, which could both symbolize a physical injury from a hypothetical accidental and a psychological scar from experiencing a vehicle crash, especially in the case of another dying during such an event. It should also be noted that the only way to reach Mars, and by extension Mars-san, is through the Spaceship itself crashing.
Trivia
- Despite not having any role in Yume Nikki whatsoever, it is one of the most popular characters in the fandom, mostly due to the theories surrounding it and the atmosphere of its room.
- Some fans consider the creature that is sometimes seen in the pond on Witch's Island to be the child of Mars-san due to their shared likeness.
- Mars-san is a significant character and a large source of speculation, being included in most theories about the game.
- In the manga, Mars-san behaves similar to a supercomputer or a security system, as it talks like a robot in it.
- Mars-san bears a resemblance to the 1926 surrealist painting "Person Throwing a Stone at a Bird" by Joan Miró. Other characters also resemble famous surrealist paintings, such as Tokuto-kun and FACE.
- In the files of the game, there is an unused door meant for its location, meaning that the underground area was meant to be expanded at one point or another.
- The name of the creator of the game, KIKIYAMA (ききやま), can be translated as "machine mountain", with "KIKI" (機器) meaning machine/equipment, and "YAMA" (山) meaning mountain/hill. This could possibly allude to Mars-san.
Gallery
Mars-san's eye turns green when stabbed.
The machines near it.
An unused door, meaning there could've been more to the area.
Mars-san in the manga.
Mars-san bears a resemblance to Person Throwing a Stone at a Bird.
