History VisualNovel / DRAMAticalMurder

The fourth BoysLove VisualNovel created by [[Creator/{{Nitroplus}} Nitro+CHiRAL]], ''[=DRAMAtical=] Murder'', also known amongst fans as ''DMMD'', features crisp, clean and fluid art style, ElectronicMusic soundtrack, various character expressions and elaborate [=CGs=], a dark sci-fi story rendered bright and colorful, and of course, tons and tons of Boys' Love, with four main routes and one unlockable one. A first press edition was released on March 23, 2012, and a regular edition came out on the 27th of the following May. A sequel, ''[=DRAMAtical=] Murder re:connect'' was released on April 26, 2013. ''[=DRAMAtical=] Murder re:code'', a UsefulNotes/PlayStationVita remake (with one more route) of the original game tailored for a younger audience, was released on October 30, 2014.

* BleachedUnderpants:
** The anime adaptation lacks sexual content and overt BL aside from Noiz kissing Aoba in episode 3. This is not the case with the bad ending OVA, which is more explicit than the TV anime, although the explicitness is still toned down compared to the games.
** ''re:code'' replaces the sex scenes with tamer content and tones down the violence and gore, but the sexual content was replaced with more homoromantic scenes. General nudity is also censored (e.g. Clear's naked apron scene now has him wearing boxers). Additionally, Mizuki has his own route in ''re:code''.

Twenty years in the future, in Midorijima, an island southwest of Japan, a guy named Aoba lives with his tough-as-nails doctor granny, Tae, and his dog-type [[ArtificialIntelligence [=AllMate=]]][[note]]a form of AI who work primarily as information networks, and implicitly, companions for those who have them[[/note]], Ren. Aoba's always found it odd [[ArousedByTheirVoice how dropping his voice to a certain inflection]] could drive people to call up Heibon, the shop he's working at, to hear it again and again, buying Heibon's mechanical goods every time. But hey, it does its job, so why not make use of it? Sadly, said power can't really help him with that trio of rambunctious children that always show up at the store just to make a mess. He also has to contend with his unusual friends that are involved in gang activity that he's long since left behind. [[CrapsaccharineWorld His life is an amicable one, although as with all who've been left to carry their lives out in the Old Resident District in the years of Toue's acquisition of Midorijima, it is by no means prosperous.]] In those ensuing years, a game called "Ribsteez" (also known as "Rib") rose in popularity, in which gangs of young men would go out of their way to engage in turf wars against one another. More recently, another competitor have been taking over people's interests; a game called "Rhyme," whose participants and their watchers scatter throughout the city to engage in fights that unfold on a VirtualReality but are seen right before their eyes. Anyone can play "Rhyme" if they have an [=AllMate=] and the fights are mediated and started by Usui, a judge with a female appearance and a male voice who randomly appears to signal the start of a match. Recently, a trend of "drive-by" matches have started, where people can force others into a "Rhyme" match with no mediation by Usui and most dangerously, any injuries taken during the game can impact the player's health in real life.

** All of Clear's theme songs, which are sung by Kanako Itou, are purely in English. Granted, it is in SurprisinglyGoodEnglish.

An anime was announced as part of the [[Summer2014Anime summer 2014 anime]] lineup, the PV can be watched [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GlN_oxV4oI here]]. A stageplay adaptation was announced in 2019 where it had successful runs in 2020.

* {{Sequel}}: ''re:connect'' is the first one, as it shows what happens between Aoba and any of his love interests after the end of their good endings (while expanding what happened in their bad endings). The second sequel is the drama [=CDs=], which covers what happens in each route ''after'' the events of ''re:connect''.

* LighterAndSofter: Zigzagged. ''[=DRAMAtical=] Murder'' still features plenty of dark and disturbing themes, and doesn't hold back on the horror and gore factor in the bad endings. But in contrast to Nitro+[=CHiRAL=]'s [[VisualNovel/SweetPool previous game]] which, simply put, is a blood-stained {{Utsuge}} to the core, ''[=DRAMAtical=] Murder'' has its moments of fluff and levity, and also has a bad ending ''and'' a good ending for each of Aoba's potential love interests.

The fourth [[YaoiGenre BL]] VisualNovel created by [[Creator/{{Nitroplus}} Nitro+CHiRAL]], ''[=DRAMAtical=] Murder'', also known amongst fans as ''DMMD'', features crisp, clean and fluid art style, ElectronicMusic soundtrack, various character expressions and elaborate [=CGs=], a dark sci-fi story rendered bright and colorful, and of course, tons and tons of Boys' Love, with four main routes and one unlockable one. A first press edition was released on March 23, 2012, and a regular edition came out on the 27th of the following May. A sequel, ''[=DRAMAtical=] Murder re:connect'' was released on April 26, 2013. ''[=DRAMAtical=] Murder re:code'', a UsefulNotes/PlayStationVita remake (with one more route) of the original game tailored for a younger audience, was released on October 30, 2014.

** All of Clear's theme songs, which are sung by Kanako Itou, are purely in English.

* LighterAndSofter: Zigzagged. ''[=DRAMAtical=] Murder'' still features plenty of dark and disturbing themes, and doesn't hold back on the horror and gore factor in the bad endings. But in contrast to Nitro+[=CHiRAL=]'s [[VisualNovel/SweetPool previous game]] which, simply put, is a blood-stained {{Utsuge}} to the core, ''[=DRAMAtical=] Murder'' has its fair share of lighthearted moments, and has a bad ending ''and'' a good ending for each of Aoba's potential love interests.

The fourth [[YaoiGenre BL]] VisualNovel created by [[Creator/{{Nitroplus}} nitro+CHiRAL]], ''[=DRAMAtical=] Murder'', also known amongst fans as ''DMMD'', features crisp, clean and fluid art style, ElectronicMusic soundtrack, various character expressions and elaborate [=CGs=], a dark sci-fi story rendered bright and colorful, and of course, tons and tons of Boys' Love, with four main routes and one unlockable one. A first press edition was released on March 23, 2012, and a regular edition came out on the 27th of the following May. A sequel, ''[=DRAMAtical=] Murder re:connect'' was released on April 26, 2013. ''[=DRAMAtical=] Murder re:code'', a UsefulNotes/PlayStationVita remake (with one more route) of the original game tailored for a younger audience, was released on October 30, 2014.

* FirstPersonPerspective: Compared to nitro+[=CHiRAL=]'s other visual novels, ''[=DRAMAtical=] Murder'' is told through a first-person narration rather than a third-person one.

* LighterAndSofter: Zigzagged. ''[=DRAMAtical=] Murder'' still features plenty of dark and disturbing themes, and doesn't hold back on the horror and gore factor in the bad endings. But in contrast to nitro+[=CHiRAL=]'s [[VisualNovel/SweetPool previous game]] which, simply put, is a blood-stained {{Utsuge}} to the core, ''[=DRAMAtical=] Murder'' has its fair share of lighthearted moments, and has a bad ending ''and'' a good ending for each of Aoba's potential love interests.

* MindScrew: It ''is'' a nitro+[=CHiRAL=] game after all. [[spoiler:Ren's route gets the lion's share though]].

* FirstPersonPerspective: Compared nitro+[=CHiRAL=]'s previous visual novels, ''[=DRAMAtical=] Murder'' is told through a first-person narration rather than a third-person one.

* LighterAndSofter: Zigzagged. ''[=DRAMAtical=] Murder'' still features plenty of dark and disturbing themes, and doesn't hold back on the horror and gore factor in the bad endings. But in contrast to nitro+[=CHiRAL=]'s [[VisualNovel/SweetPool previous game]] which, simply put, is a blood-stained {{Utsuge}} to the core, ''[=DRAMAtical=] Murder'' has its fair share of lighthearted moments, and has a good ending ''and'' a bad ending for each of Aoba's potential love interests.

* MassHypnosis: Toue plans to do this to the entirety of Midorijima.

* FreudianTrio: Aoba. Yes, just Aoba, since [[spoiler:he has three split personalities. The normal Aoba is TheEgo which cares for morality and other people's perceptions of himself, his SuperpoweredEvilSide is TheId that embodies his more primal and destructive urges, and Ren is TheSuperego who was originally created to maintain balance between the Ego and Id]].

[[labelnote: Clockwise from top left]] [[{{Cloudcuckoolander}} Clear]], [[TechnoWizard Noiz]], [[TheUnfettered Mink]], [[CanineCompanion Ren]], [[BadPowersGoodPeople Aoba]], and [[TattooedCrook Koujaku]][[/labelnote]]]]

* MultipleEndings: It's a visual novel, so of course there's more than one possible ending. Thankfully, in contrast to nitro+[=CHiRAL=]'s [[VisualNovel/SweetPool previous game]], ''[=DRAMAtical=] Murder'' has a good ending ''and'' a bad ending for each of Aoba's potential love interests.
* MythologyGag: In the [[AnimeOfTheGame anime]], a sign in Heibon reads "It's a daisuki shonen," essentially spelling out the series' BoysLove roots.

** Koujaku, when he met [[spoiler:Ryuuhou in his route]].
** [[spoiler:Ren]], in his bad ending.

* {{Pixellation}}: Most [=CGs=] of the sex scenes have this. {{Justified|Trope}} since this is a normal rule in most {{Eroge}}. The official English release on the game, on the other hand, has an uncensored patch that allows the players to see the [=CGs=] in full, and yes, without the pixels getting in the way; although this is only available if you buy the patch on JAST's website.

* {{Pixellation}}: Most [=CGs=] of the sex scenes have this. {{Justified|Trope}} since this is a normal rule in most {{Eroge}}. The official English release on the game, on the other hand, has an uncensored patch that allows the players to see the [=CGs=] in full, and yes, without the pixels getting in the way.
* PokemonSpeak: Sort of. Haga's [=AllMate=] says only one word: "Cleaning!". Though the way it speaks the word depends on whether it's calm or rattled.

* TheStoic:
** Ren, though adorably so.
** Noiz also qualifies.

* {{Tsundere}}: Sure, Noiz doesn't really care for the rest of them, okay, but Aoba asked him really nicely to help him, so he did (...reveal himself to be totally eavesdropping on them)... Tch, whatever...

* PragmaticAdaptation: The AnimatedAdaptation follows the overall plot of the secret route, but still makes time to involve the plotlines of the four main love interests and integrate it into the main story.

** Aoba and Noiz fly to Germany in the latter's route after they reveal their relationship to Tae.
** In Mink's route, Aoba leaves Midorijima for an unspecified country in order to search for Mink and confirm whether he's alive or not.

* ShoutOut: '2106 CR-L' is written in the Oval Tower's back entrance. [[Main/GoroawaseNumber 2106]] can be read as '[[Creator/{{Nitroplus}} Nitro]]' (ni-to-ro), while CR-L is (obviously) '[[Main/FunWithAcronyms Chiral]]'

** Most of the themes sung by GOATBED are completely in English. This shows in the opening theme, and in [[spoiler:Ren]]'s and [[spoiler: Virus and Trip]]'s ending themes.
** The lyrics of Noiz's bad ending theme is entirely in English.

%%* MindControlConspiracy

* TroubleFollowsYouHome

** Ren. For a cute, little dog [=AllMate=], he has a really deep voice.

* FateWorseThanDeath: Aoba is subjected to this in some of the bad endings.
** In [[spoiler:Noiz and Ren's]] routes, Aoba is permanently stuck in the respective character's [[PlaceWorseThanDeath mind]]. In the former's route, [[spoiler:Aoba is subject to intense pain with Noiz in a void, both bleeding and getting cup open nonstop as they are stuck with each other]]. In the latter's route, [[spoiler:a berserk Ren continually devours Aoba while sexually assaulting him, obsessed with the idea of being closer to Aoba. Literally]].
** In [[spoiler:Clear's]] route, [[spoiler:experimental data is extracted from Aoba, and a reprogrammed Clear treats him like a doll, going so far as to amputate his legs and [[EyeScream gouging his eyes]] out of obsession of making Aoba more like him: devoid of free will. Clear]] is happy, but at the cost of Aoba's well-being.
** [[spoiler:Koujaku]]'s bad ending involves [[spoiler:Aoba losing his mind because of Scrap and obeying Toue's wish for control. Koujaku himself goes insane from his tattoos, being kept like a animal in the basement by Aoba who is engaged in a violent romance with the mad man.]]
** In [[spoiler:Virus and Trip's]] bad ending, [[spoiler:both of them abduct Aoba and keep him as their SexSlave to toy with]] whenever they please. And ''re:connect'' goes into unforgivingly explicit detail to show exactly why this is such a horrifying ideal for Aoba.
** Surprisingly, the only exception to this trope is [[spoiler:Mink's]] bad ending. When Aoba fails to [[spoiler:correctly use Scrap on Mink and they remain trapped in the other's mindscape, Mink resolves to beheading Aoba (which would render him comatose in the real world)]] in order to ''spare'' him from a long and painful fate.

** [[spoiler:Koujaku's tattooing process]] is very bloody.