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Sayoko UeharaSocial Link

"So... I'm going. I'm going to find that path I gave up on. I thought I couldn't do it... But, I will walk that road. I'm going to be my own guide. Thinking, walking, taking responsibility for myself... Once I've done all that, I think I can finally say that I've truly lived."
—Sayoko Uehara, Persona 4

Sayoko Uehara is a character in Persona 4.

Appearances[]

Design[]

Sayoko works as a nurse at the Inaba Municipal Hospital. She has short black hair tied into a ponytail, brown eyes and a mole on the upper left side of her chin. She wears a white nurse outfit with accompanying pink blazer. In the animation, her outfit changes to a light pink.

In Persona 4 The Animation, outside her work uniform, she wears a light purple long sleeved shirt with a dark purple bowtie, a tan skirt, open toe dark brown heels, and a light pink bracelet. During the summer festival, she wears a purple kimono.

Personality[]

"Life... It's filled with so many things that are dirty, grotesque and painful... There's no way you can stand it alone..."
—Sayoko Uehara, Persona 4

Sayoko on the surface is mischievous and flirtatious, often making advances on the protagonist. Beneath this, she is lonely and depressed that all patients leave her once they are better, or once they die. She did have a genuine love of helping others in need, which at some point was overshadowed by her own loneliness.

Profile[]

Persona 4[]

Main article: Social Link/Sayoko Uehara
"I grew to hate hospitals... All the life and death... In the end, everyone leaves, leaving me behind. I was lonely... Then I remembered. I remembered that... I wanted to help. I became a nurse because I wanted to save people's lives. I couldn't see that it was as simple as that. No... I probably didn't want to see it."
—Sayoko Uehara, Persona 4

Sayoko Uehara represents the Devil Arcana Social Link, however, she does not create one with the protagonist during their first meeting. As Sayoko is working as a nurse, she can only be interacted with should the protagonist take up the part-time job of working as a janitor in the hospital. Furthermore, the protagonist's "Diligence" stat must be at least Rank 3 (Strong) before being able to take the job, as the job is only available at night.

During the protagonist's first encounter with Sayoko, he witnesses a doctor talking to her about a meeting. Noticing the protagonist, Sayoko teases him by flirting with him because he's a high-school student and declares that she'll continue the next time he comes for work. Upon his second meeting with her, she openly tries to seduce him and takes a liking to him, saying that she might change her time shift just to meet with him, thus creating the Devil Arcana Social Link.

Through the protagonist's interaction with Sayoko, she reveals that she has lost her goal in life, her motivation of taking care of others. Although having had a mischievous cruelty to her that she's self-aware of and honest about, her circumstances made her question why she became a nurse in the first place, as she genuinely feels lonely from her job.

She also reveals that before she was transferred to the hospital in Inaba, she had a relationship with one of the doctors. However, the doctor was already married, and under the circumstances, she was forced to break up with him and transfer to Inaba's hospital. Afterwards, the doctor continues to flirt with other women anyways, which leads to his wife confronting Sayoko in the hospital, calling her a "slutty bitch" to her face.

Later, Sayoko's dilemma grows deeper after hearing of the death of a young patient of hers in her previous hospital that she genuinely cared for. After hearing about the incident, Sayoko becomes a workaholic, constantly demanding others to work harder as well, becoming so fierce that the other nurses grow frightened of her. Under the constant strain, Sayoko eventually collapses.

Sayoko gradually realizes that her sudden change of attitude about her work was actually a way to escape her true feelings, and in reality, she herself was the main reason why she has lost her original motivation. Realizing the protagonist is responsible for this realization, she cheekily remarks that a "kid with a rag in his hand" was the one helping her to recognize her faults, but nonetheless thanks the protagonist from the bottom of her heart.

By the end of the Social Link, Sayoko informs the protagonist that she will be transferring to another hospital soon, and claims that even though she felt that she was just a temporary item to take care of a patient, her original motive of becoming a nurse was because of a simple reason, she cared for others, and so hoped to take a job about caring for people. Thanking the protagonist, Sayoko gives him her Hospital ID as a token of her gratitude, and bids him farewell. Before leaving, Sayoko tells him that one's purpose of existing is hidden inside oneself, and it is up to them to decide their roles.

Completing the Devil Arcana Social Link with Sayoko also bestows the ultimate form of the Devil Arcana, Beelzebub, the Prince of Lies.

Persona 4 The Animation[]

In the anime on August 18th, Sayoko is seen stringing Yu along somewhere. During the Summer Festival, she was seen with a different man, and she notes that Nanako was cute, after the girl runs past her. During the firework show, she happily greeted Nanako while the child blushed.

Previously, on August 17th, Sayoko explained to Yu that an older woman had been admitted after a thief knocked her down. Disregarding this soon enough, she starts to flirt with Yu, trying to cajole him into taking her out on the town. He refuses her offer, saying he had too much work. He leaves, and she, apparently unfazed by his rejection, playfully calls out it was "too bad."

Sayoko meets Yu again later that day, and drags him to a restaurant. Drunk from excessive drinking, Sayoko complains about men who leer at her, and how her boss is too demanding. She laments the fact patients leave her once they’ve fully recovered, something she resents due to abandonment issues. She gives Yu her phone number, in case he changed his mind and invited her to the Summer festival.

At the summer festival, Sayoko receives a call from Yu, who asks for her advice on how to help Eri Minami, who has been grievously injured. She instructs him to stanch the blood, and says she’ll be there shortly. When she arrives, she is relieved the injured woman is alright. She thanks Yu, and realizes that saving people is a truly wondrous thing; it helps her remember why she became a nurse to begin with, and her passion for helping others is renewed.

During the end credits, Sayoko is last seen in the hospital, escorting an unconscious patient to the emergency room.

Persona 4 The Golden Animation []

In the opening intro, Sayoko can be seen shopping at Saki and Naoki's family's store.

Persona 5 / Royal[]

In the Rank 4 Death Arcana event, Tae Takemi calls a hospital, and speaks to someone named "Uehara-san," while asking for a doctor there.

Etymology[]

  • The name Sayoko means "small" (小) (sa), "night" (夜) (yo) and "child" (子) (ko).
  • Sayoko's surname Uehara means "above, top, upper" (上) (ue) and "field, plain" (原) (hara).

Gallery[]

Persona 4
 
Sayoko-Concept
Concept artwork
Persona 4 The Animation
 
Persona 4 anime Sayoko
Sayoko Uehara in Persona 4 The Animation
 
Persona 4 Sayoko 2
Sayoko is seen taking Yu somewhere
 
Persona 4 Sayoko 3
Sayoko flirting with Yu
 
Persona 4 sayoko 4
Sayoko, while drunk, thinks about quitting her job
 
Persona 4 Sayoko 5
Sayoko gives Yu advice to prevent Eri's injury from worsening
 
Persona 4 Eri 4
Sayoko and the others seeing Eri and Yuuta hugging
 
Persona 4 Sayoko
Sayoko smiles at Nanako
 
Persona 4 Sayoko 6
Sayoko helping to take an unconscious patient to the emergency room during the credits

In Other Languages[]

Language Title
Flag of Japan Japanese 上原 小夜子 (Uehara Sayoko)
Flag of South Korea Korean 우에하라 사요코 (Uehara Sayoko)
Flag of Hong KongFlag of the Republic of China Traditional Chinese 上原 小夜子 (Shàngyuán xiǎoyèzi)

Trivia[]

  • Sayoko is implied to be in her late 20s.[1]

References[]

  1. "...High schoolers are so young. They're only ten years younger, but they seem so far away..."
    —Sayoko Uehara, Persona 4


Characters
Playable Protagonist - Yosuke Hanamura - Chie Satonaka - Yukiko Amagi - Kanji Tatsumi - Rise Kujikawa - Teddie - Naoto Shirogane
Social Link Margaret - Nanako Dojima - Ryotaro Dojima - Naoki Konishi - Kou Ichijo - Daisuke Nagase - Hisano Kuroda - Sayoko Uehara - Yumi Ozawa - Ayane Matsunaga - Ai Ebihara - Fox - Shu Nakajima - Eri Minami - Marie - Tohru Adachi
Major Igor - Mayumi Yamano - Misuzu Hiiragi - Saki Konishi - Mitsuo Kubo - Hanako Ohtani - Kinshiro Morooka - Noriko Kashiwagi - Taro Namatame - Old Lady Shiroku - Master Daidara - Minoru Inoue - Yuuta Minami - Kaneko - Aika Nakamura - President Tanaka - Chihiro Fushimi - Mr. Edogawa - Kanami Mashita - Moel Gas Station Attendant
Major enemies Shadow Yosuke - Shadow Chie - Shadow Yukiko - Shadow Kanji - Shadow Rise - Shadow Teddie - Shadow Mitsuo - Shadow Naoto - Kunino-sagiri - Ameno-sagiri - Kusumi-no-Okami - Izanami
Locations
Inaba Central Shopping District - Dojima Residence - Junes Department Store - Samegawa Flood Plain - Velvet Room - Yasogami High School
Midnight Channel Twisted Shopping District - Yukiko's Castle - Steamy Bathhouse - Marukyu Striptease - Void Quest - Secret Laboratory - Heaven - Magatsu Inaba - Hollow Forest - Yomotsu Hirasaka
Other Okina City - Shichiri Beach - Midnight Trivia Miracle Quiz - Tatsumi Port Island (Gekkoukan High School - Club Escapade - Iwatodai Station)
Music
Albums Original Soundtrack (Persona 4 / Golden / The Animation) - Never More -Reincarnation- - Persona 4: The Golden Animation Special Arrange CD - Persona 20th Anniversary All Time Best Album - Re:BRiLLiANCE
Songs "Ain't Nobody Can Hold Me Down" - "Alone in this World" - "Aria of the Soul" - "Studio Backlot/Backside of the TV" - "Beauty of Destiny" - "Dazzling Smile" - "Falling into Right Places" - "Heartbeat, Heartbreak" - "Heaven" - "I'll Face Myself" - "Just Like The Wind" - "Key Plus Words" - "Koisuru Meitantei" - "Never More" - "Next Chance to Move On" - "Pursuing My True Self" - "Reach Out To The Truth" - "Shadow World" - "Signs of Love" - "Sky's The Limit" - "SNOWFLAKES" - "Someone Else's Man" - "Time For True Revelation" - "Time To Make History" - "True Feelings" - "True Story" - "The Way of Memories" - "We Are One and All" - "Ying Yang" - "Your Affection"
Archives
Terminology Persona (Initial / Ultimate) - Persona user - Glasses - Fog - Shadow - Shadow Self - Party - Tactics - All-out Attack - Shuffle Time - Arcana Chance - Fusion Forecast - Weather Forecast - Investigation Team - Mystery Food X - Phoenix Ranger Featherman R
Lists Arcana - Personas - Shadows - Skills - Items (Persona 4 / Golden) - Requests - Status Changes - Activities - Calendar - Golden Trophies - The Animation / Golden Animation Episodes - Patches and Updates - Steam Profile Items
School Life Weather Forecast - Seasons - Social Link - Social Stats - Yen - Class - Studying - Books - Movie Theater - Bed - Fishing - Cooking - Part-time Jobs - Shrine - Scooter - Gardening - School Club - Bug Catching - Refrigerator - Crane Machine - Chagall Café - Tanaka's Amazing Commodities - Cat
Other Media
Games Golden - Arena - Arena Ultimax - Dancing All Night
Productions The Animation / -The Factor of Hope- / The Golden Animation - Visualive / the Evolution - Persona Stalker Club - 「PERSORA AWARDS」 - PERSORA AWARDS 2 - PERSORA AWARDS 3 - Persora -The Golden Best- - Persona VS
Publications Manga - The Magician - Dengeki Comic Anthology (the Animation / The Golden / The Golden Animation) - Kiri no Amnesia - Your Affection - Persona x Detective Naoto (manga) - Yasoinaba Case File - Persona Magazine
Drama CDs Persona 4 (Vol.1 / Vol.2 / Vol.3) - Persona 4 The Animation (Vol.1 / Vol.2) - Persona 4 Golden (Vol.1 / Vol.2)
Mobile Games The Card Battle - Colors - Persona 4: The Slot - Persona 4 the Pachinko
Events Music Live 2008 - Music Live 2009 - Music Tour 2010 - Music Live 2012 - Music Fes 2013 - Music Box 2014 - Super Live 2015 - Livehouse Tour 2015 - Super Live 2017 - Super Live 2019- 25th Anniversary Symphonic Concert
20th Anniversary Festival - 25th Anniversary - 25th FES
Miscellaneous Merchandise
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