Many things in Yume Nikki are monochromatic, specifically black-and-white monochromatic. While the term "monochrome" can mean any visual composed of only one color alongside varying tones of said color, this article will cover the notable instances of black-and-white monochromatic visuals in the game. What this represents, like much of the rest of the game, is up to the player's interpretation.
Instances
White Desert
The White Desert and all of its inhabitants are monochromatic. Most of the world's backgrounds are either composed of the desert's white objects (like the ground or cacti) or a black void that has several uses, taking the form of the ground, the sky, and the walls of tunnels in different instances. Even some connections that lead to the White Desert are monochromatic, such as the gate in Block World and the entrance room in FC Dungeon.
While the desert is mainly black and white, some red objects also appear, making them stand out greatly. Some instances include the blood of the Severed Heads and the Bloody Touching Monster.
Spaceship
The Spaceship is another location that uses a black-and-white scheme. The interior (and exterior, as seen when on Mars) of the Spaceship are all white. The Spaceship's windows also give a view of outer space, which adds a bit of black to the completely pale location. Even the sole resident of the Spaceship, Seccom Masada-sensei, is monochromatic.
In a similar manner to how the White Desert uses sudden red objects, the Spaceship uses a red light that flashes when the Spaceship Crash event begins.
Footprint Path
The Footprint Path is yet another location that primarily uses black and white for its visuals, as the background is completely black while the path is made of white footprints. However, unlike the two locations listed above, the inhabitants of this part of the dream world use bright colors to make them stand out. For example, the Henkei Shita can be found in bright orange and pink and the Goppa can be seen in light yellow and purple.
Just like the other two locations, this area also uses an instance of red that stands out from the monochromatic path: a single Nenrikido, which takes Madotsuki to Hell.
Interpretation
One possible interpretation for the black-and-white monochrome scheme is that it symbolizes past events, much like how grayscale imagery in media is used to symbolize something in the past nowadays. The occasional red bits found in these black-and-white areas are possibly meant to draw attention towards objects or alert the player with how they stand out.
Continuing with this theory, the White Desert's monochrome design could be suggested as a representation of past events in Madotsuki's life. In these speculations, Monoko and Monoe are typically seen as siblings Madotsuki knew before shutting herself off from the world.
It should also be noted that the three areas listed above tie into the body themes frequently seen throughout the game. Seccom Masada is one of the most popular strabismic characters among fans, many structures in the White Desert resemble limbs or body parts, and the Footprint Path is home to the fat/pregnant-looking Henkei Shita and the strabismic Goppa. However, the connection between these two themes is unknown and could possibly just be coincidental due to the sheer amount of body imagery in the game.
Trivia
- In the files of the game, there are sprites of a monochromatic Madotsuki that are used for her ghost found in Mini Hell. However, alongside the other mugshots for the effects, there is one featuring this appearance. This has lead to speculation that originally, she was going to appear like this while in the White Desert, as it does not have sprites for the FC Worlds.