The Aztec Rave Monkey is an NPC that triggers a full-screen event, occurring when Madotsuki looks into a conspicuous hollow totem sculpture found in the "Rave Box" area of the Wilderness.
Overview
When Madotsuki interacts with the "Rave Box", the screen fades to black, and an animation of a strange monkey-like design resembling Aztec- or Paracas-style art appears. It constantly cycles through various "states" very quickly as a lively synth beat plays. Unsuspecting players are likely to be taken aback by the sudden explosion of vibrant color that stands in stark contrast to the bland hues of the Wilderness area. The animation continues until it is dismissed by the player.
Individual slides of the Aztec Rave Monkey animation can also be seen in the scrolling parallax backgrounds of other worlds. A red and yellow frame appears as the background of Forest World and a black and white, slightly blurred, frame appears as the background of Block World.
The BGM that plays on the Aztec Rave Monkey's encounter is also played in the Teleport Maze at 50% speed.
Theories
There are numerous instances of indigenous imagery blended with postmodern art styles throughout Yume Nikki, including the KALIMBA TV channel, the Nexus's floor pattern, the paintings in Mural World, and various parallax backgrounds (such as the ones of Shield-Folk World and Eyeball World) of which the Aztec Rave Monkey is probably the most popular among fans.
This recurring theme in Madotsuki's dreams may be a result of the Nazcan-style carpet pattern in her room - one of the few sources of visual stimulation in her waking world. Madotsuki may even feel connected with the art of these cultures as they would often have surreal interpretations of dreams in their artwork, especially the Paracas society, and would often hail dreams as important visions.
It is also possible that KIKIYAMA selected this theme as it is a relatively 'alien' art style in most cultures and is therefore an effective way to demonstrate the bizarre nature of dreams to the player, and is also a flexible visual tool that can be seen as either intimidating or humorous depending on the nature of the image and the context of the environment. The Aztec Rave Monkey could be based on Ozomatli, an Aztec monkey considered the servant of the Aztec god Xochipilli, the god of song and dance.
Gallery
The Aztec Rave Monkey as the background of Forest World.
Its appearance in the background of Block World.
Forest World's Aztec Rave Monkey background in the manga.
Block World's Aztec Rave Monkey background in the manga.
Another manga panel featuring the Aztec Rave Monkey, scattered into the trees of Witch's Island.
- Yume Nikki Rave Box
A video showing the event.
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