Datsunzoku
(There is no NSFW content in this story!)
This is a psychological drama that LIGHTLY discusses things like addiction, depression, self-harm, and suicidal ideation, but ultimately tells a positive message about overcoming one's problems and being a good person.
It also includes a lot of scenes that are atmospheric, introspective, emotional, dramatic, and/or intense/action-packed.
It can also be classified as a slice of life, light romance, and action story.
It's based on the story of Doki Doki Literature Club, but very quickly develops into its own unique story, with each chapter progressively getting more and more distinctive and soulful.
(Note: You don't need to have seen Doki Doki Literature Club to understand this story, but it does give you just a little extra context)
Please consider reading the Google Docs version for better formatting! Link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fS5_h4ALCNUd5O0Un0CgcycVcOQcX-3m1HIUyq-RdNE/edit?usp=sharing
This should take around 2 hours and 30 minutes to read in full. It's a lot, but it's worth it in my opinion.
This is mainly inspired by DDLC, DDLC Side Stories, and Wangan Midnight, so if you enjoy any of those series then you might like this.
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PLOT SUMMARY:
A high school student named Daiki gets introduced to a new group of friends by his childhood friend Sayori. Although distant at first, they soon find a way to get to know each other.
However, each of these friends carries their fair share of burdens, which Daiki slowly discovers through his interactions with them. He tries his best to help them, but not without difficulty, as he too struggles with some of the same issues.
These scenarios grow increasingly demanding until Daiki suddenly has to face a conundrum seemingly impossible to solve.
It's a matter of life and death with no easy way out. People who cannot live without eachother are going to have to make the toughest decision of them all: To dance with death, or to live life in boredom and misery.