Ao Oni Theory- LGBT Teens

Ao Oni is about LGBT teenagers trying to come out of the closet to a society that looks down on the gay community.

The Oni represents the public; if the characters aren't in the closet or if it sees the  character enter the closet, the Oni will try to turn the character into another Oni in the same way homophobic societies will attempt to change an LGBT individual's orientation.

The closet represents... well, the closet. The character is only safe from the Oni if they are in a closet and the Oni doesn't know they're hiding in the same way LGBT individuals will often hide their orientation from the public to avoid backlash.

The puzzles represent the characters attempting to earn public support or to prove that they're able to function in normal society despite the fact that they don't fit in with the public's idea of "normal".

---THIS SECTION IS ABOUT THE CHARACTERS AND MAY CONTAIN GAME SPOILERS---

Hiroshi is the only character to survive the Oni, possibly because he was more emotionally or mentally stable than the others, or possibly because he wanted to live on and keep the memory of his friends alive.

Takeshi is the character who suggested everyone try to come out in the first place even though he knew what might happen. When the first signs of public disapproval showed themselves, Takeshi suggested that they shouldn't come out after all, but his friends tried to comfort him by telling him that "monsters aren't real", or that nothing bad would happen and that they would be fine. Takeshi hangs himself because he feels it was his fault that his friends were suffering so much.

Mika is found hiding in a bedroom and refuses to leave. She's not in the closet, but she is hiding from the Oni, so there's a chance that this means she came out to close friends and family members. She ends up being eaten by the Oni, but she does not transform until much later in the game, possibly meaning that she was able to ignore the public opinion of her for some time but either eventually gave in or was ultimately killed by a boy who had liked her before he knew she was a lesbian.

Takuro is strong and insists on helping Hiroshi find a way out, but ends up breaking his ankle and is eaten even though he was hiding in a closet. It's possible that he tried to come out to a close friend or family member, but was deeply hurt when they told him that his lifestyle "choice" was wrong and that he should be ashamed. Takuro attempted to hide in the closet again, but the friend he came out to revealed his orientation to the public and he was ultimately killed.