Parents and teachers have been told to be on guard against the dangers of Doki Doki Literature Club, after a 15-year-old boy who played the game committed suicide.

Head teachers in schools across the northern English city of Sunderland have been told to warn parents about the evils of Doki Doki Literature Club, after the death of a teenage boy who played the suicide-themed game.

The Manchester coroner’s office, which had been tasked with investigating the boy’s death, informed local authorities across the country about the dangers of the visual novel. This has led the Sunderland Safeguarding Children Board to issue a warning to teachers, who have in some cases passed the information on to parents.

While conceding that the game clearly states from the beginning that it is not suitable for children or people who are easily disturbed, concerned citizens have nevertheless claimed that the cute female characters appeal to children, expressing fear that the game’s dark themes may lead to further bloodshed.

Upon learning about the visual novel, the Manchester coroner said:

I believe the information is so concerning that this warrants my writing at this stage to make the local authorities aware of the issue so appropriate information can be disseminated. This has arisen due to the fact I am conducting the inquest into the death of a 15-year-old-boy who died earlier this year. Evidence obtained suggested he had used an online game called Doki Doki.

The chairman of The Sunderland Safeguarding Children Board, Sir Paul Ennals, stated:

The Sunderland Safeguarding Children Board and its national and regional partners all work together to protect children and young people and promote their welfare. Part of this is sharing concerns about issues and community safety messages on how they might be addressed. On this occasion it was to share information with schools about the death of a young person outside of our area, which the coroner at the inquest felt it was relevant to share with colleagues across the country.

The warning has apparently been heeded by some head teachers, with the head of Hetton Primary School, which teaches children aged 4 to 11, issuing a warning to parents on the school’s Facebook page:

I wanted to warn parents, especially those who might have older children, about this game. The internet is a great thing, but it is also a minefield.

This is the latest in a long line of moral panics in Great Britain concerning anime and video games that feature cute girls, although it may be the first case in which a game has had any links whatsoever to a child being harmed.

No information has been given about any other factors that may have led to the boy’s suicide.