| Sayori | |
|---|---|
| Doki Doki Literature Club! character | |
&sq=&lang=&file=File:Sayori_Illustration.png) Sayori in Doki Doki Literature Club! | |
| First appearance | Doki Doki Literature Club! (2017) |
| Created by | Dan Salvato |
| Designed by | Satchely |
| In-universe information | |
| Nationality | Japanese |
Sayori is a character in the 2017 video game Doki Doki Literature Club! She is the childhood friend and neighbor of the protagonist, pushing him into joining the literature club, of which she is a member. Over the course of the game, Sayori's cheerful personality is shown to be forced, with symptoms of depression becoming more evident. This culminates in Sayori committing suicide and being deleted from the game by the game's antagonist, Monika. She is ultimately restored by the end of the game, though her fate depends on the player's actions.
Of the cast, Sayori was the character who had the most real-world influence, with creator Dan Salvato noting that her depression was inspired by those in his life. He found that, as he wrote the cast, he found himself recognizing their "reality", wanting to explore that. Critical reception of Sayori was positive, with the way her depression was depicted being praised for its accuracy. Some critics saw themselves in Sayori, with commentary about how Sayori's depression was not something that could be fixed by the player.