Yuka Ohta

:File:EY9HIdUXsAAmKDd.jpghttps://twitter.com/rima_matsuda/status/1307250351330832384/photo/2 is a scientist of the team STORAGE.
==Personality==
Yuka possesses a cheerful and optimistic personality, occasionally accompanied by a touch of eccentricity. She exhibits a profound interest in monsters and machinery, with an impressively detailed knowledge of monster biology and historical legends. In particular, she exhibits immense enthusiasm for the anatomical aspects of monsters. Thus, when encountering monsters or extraterrestrial beings, she radiates an extreme sense of excitement. Despite her rich emotions, she sometimes experiences intense feelings of frustration.
Fueled by her fervent interests, Yuka holds multiple master's degrees and demonstrates exceptional talent in areas like independently developing covert weaponry, executing counteroffensive hacking maneuvers exploiting enemy vulnerabilities, and resolving power issues within SC Units. These unique abilities have rightfully earned her the moniker of a "genius scientist." While she is deeply dedicated to science, she never compromises her ethical principles and maintains genuine concern for her friends when interacting with others.
At times, she displays an innocent side, including instances where she approaches monsters disregarding the context and potential danger. However, during actual missions, Yuka leverages her tablet and computer skills to gather pertinent information, serving as a navigator to provide strategic support for the team in combat situations. Her proficiency in analysis allows her to devise solutions and her exceptional observational skills shine through.
In addition to giving a hand in creating the anti-monster combat robots, she joined STORAGE as an opportunity to work closer with monsters. She often makes a questionable juice mix for nutrients and offers it to others, despite the mysterious nature of its ingredients.https://m-78.jp/news/post-5509/https://en.tsuburaya-prod.co.jp/news/2029
==History==
===Pre-Ultraman Z===
Yuka was born on March 3, 1998, in Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture『ウルトラマンZ完全超全集』構成・間宮尚彦 執筆・大石真司、小学館〈てれびくんデラックス 愛蔵版〉ISBN 978-4-09-105171-4. At the age of 4, she accidentally ventured into the forbidden mountainous area of Shishigaoka in Chiba Prefecture, where she witnessed the dormant monster "Horoboros." This experience ignited her desire to explore the unknown world, ultimately shaping her motivation to pursue her current profession and join STORAGE.
During her upbringing, Yuka lived in the United States, which led her to adopt "Bingo" as her catchphrase.
In June 2015, SC1 Sevenger was officially introduced into service and was first deployed to combat the two-week Namegon attack in Japan. The live broadcast of this inaugural battle reached a global audience and had a significant impact on Yuka, who was watching the fight in real-time.
After focusing on the study of giant biology at the Castle Southern University's Graduate School of Science, Yuka obtained a master's degree in a diverse range of fields, including natural sciences, theoretical physics, legends, history, and languages. Subsequently, leveraging her authority in the field of giant biology and expertise in robotic engineering for combating monsters, she joined the GAFJ and became a member of STORAGE.
===Ultraman Z===
Upon joining STORAGE, Yuka consistently contributed to the development of SC Units. Upon her initial appearance, Yuka collaborated with Captain Hebikura to closely monitor the activities of Sevenger, Genegarg, and Ultraman Z. She expressed excitement over Z's combat performance against Genegarg, referring to him with rapid speech as the "50-meter-class humanoid extraterrestrial."
Following the Genegarg attack incident in Japan, Yuka promptly communicated the global awakening of monsters to her colleagues at the base. She christened a stealth-capable creature sighted in Atayama City, Shizuoka, as Neronga and adeptly tracked its movements through diverse reports of power disruptions. The primary target of Neronga's assault was identified as the Clean Infinity Power Plant in Tsukuba, Ibaraki. Yuka devised a strategy to neutralize Neronga's power, leveraging her field emission bullet to target its horn. However, due to time constraints, only one bullet could be produced, underscoring the necessity for meticulous execution by the team.
In pursuit of this strategy, she teamed up with Haruki to discreetly position themselves at a power station believed to be the predicted location of Neronga's appearance, awaiting its arrival. Following the conclusion of the battle between Z and Neronga, Yuka enthusiastically proceeded to study the recovered samples for further research and analysis.
Upon learning of the Deputy Director General of GAF's approval of the budget proposal for SC2 Windom's development, Yuka exhibited remarkable excitement. However, despite her involvement in Windom's design and development, the challenge arose due to the disparate sourcing of its components from different companies. This resulted in severe power losses and an activation time spanning four days, leaving her quite vexed. She earnestly dedicated herself to resolving Windom's charging issues, working into the late hours of the night under self-imposed pressure. Yet, she remained unable to identify any viable solutions.
Amid her period of despondency, she coincidentally encountered Inaba, who was taking a break. During their interaction, Yuka humbly suggested an energy-saving approach by curtailing certain Windom functions, but Inaba countered with the advice, "One should not easily abandon their ideals" and "items may possess unexpected applications." These words of wisdom rekindled her confidence and inspiration. As Telesdon resurfaced, she devised a plan based on Inaba's counsel and her personal collection. Leveraging Neronga cells with the capacity to react to electricity, she successfully enabled Windom to complete its charging process in a single instance. With the assistance of the maintenance team, the charging strategy was effectively executed.
Upon the battle's conclusion, through further research, she applied Neronga's mechanism to artificial technology, ultimately resolving Windom's power dilemma.
One day, during a mecha simulation exercise, Yuka took on the role of commanding officer on-site at STORAGE, overseeing the simulated battles of Sevenger and Windom. Meanwhile, her mind was engrossed in contemplating the Riemann Hypothesis, a millennium prize problem, with the aspiration of resolving it to secure increased funding for STORAGE. However, this endeavor was unexpectedly disrupted by an attack launched by Gillvalis, forcing the exercise to come to a temporary halt. It was during this chaotic situation that she bore witness to the appearance of Ultraman Geed.
Subsequently, she astutely determined that Gillvalis's core was an embodiment of artificial intelligence. Capitalizing on Gillvalis's employment of silicon web positioning maneuvers for internal circuit restoration, she formulated an operational strategy named "Dissemination of Misinformation to Lure Gillvalis." As Z and Geed engaged in their confrontation against Gillvalis, Yuka orchestrated a pivotal move: she transmitted the data related to the millennium problem to Windom's right arm, and further introduced this data into the depths of Gillvalis's structure. This orchestrated intervention significantly hampered Gillvalis's combat speed, effectively buying precious time for two Ultras beings in their struggle.
During a training session, Yuka reluctantly accepted Yoko's challenge based on the rule of "losing means going shopping," only to be swiftly defeated. While shopping, she witnessed the appearance of Tri-King in the city and fortuitously stumbled upon the Z Riser. Upon reuniting with Yoko, she proudly displayed her find. Paradoxically, this led to them being mistaken by the Alien Pitt sisters as "Ultraman Z" and subsequently kidnapped. When Haruki arrived to help them release from their restraints, Yuka and Yoko collaborated to confront the Alien Pitt sisters. Yoko approached the enemy, evading attacks while closing in, and once she seized their weak point, she forcefully slammed them onto a table.
In the end, while apprehending Alien Pitt together with Yoko, Yuka also witnessed Z's transformation into "Gamma Future."
After STORAGE repelled King Joe and repurposed it into a defensive robot, when faced with Inaba's concerns about King Joe's overly advanced technology, Yuka cited examples from the Industrial Revolution and steam engines to illustrate that such advancements also bring benefits for humanity's future. Later, as she proceeded to the control room for connection adjustments, she caught wind of an intrusion alarm indicating the presence of Alien Barossa. Compounded by the fact that Alien Barossa held Yoko hostage and, even though Yuka initially resisted his demands, when Alien Barossa threatened Yoko's life, she was compelled to activate King Joe. Despite being on the brink of being slain subsequently, they were abruptly saved by the unexpected intervention of Jugglus Juggler. Consequently, she instructed Haruki, who had arrived on the scene, to halt the main power source in order to immobilize King Joe.
After Z defeated Alien Barossa, she became engrossed while gazing at a photograph of Jugglus Juggler, even going so far as to express a desire to "dissect him."
After the battle between STORAGE and Grigio Raiden, she retrieved a monster sample at the base and analyzed that Grigio Raiden's genes had been artificially modified, suggesting it was an extraterrestrial bioengineered weapon. Confronted with Director Kurayama's order to kill the monster, she sarcastically remarked, "Even Z might not be able to defeat him, it's not that easy." Prior to the operation, she installed a control system for King Joe SC and formulated a battle plan.
Through investigating documents from "Pacific Records," she learned that the 333rd anniversary of Horoboros' resurrection, which would trigger the expansion of solar blackspots, was approaching in Shishigaoka. Motivated both by the desire to prevent this phenomenon and her personal connection since childhood, she prepared herself with determination. After playfully coaxing Hebikura Captain, she successfully persuaded him to allow her to investigate the monster's activity and requested Haruki to accompany her.
Despite the extensive development that Shishigaoka's environment had already undergone, she managed to locate the spot where she had witnessed Horoboros as a child. Unearthing an ancient seashell buried underground, she remained unaware of its purpose. As noon arrived, Horoboros was resurrected. Attempting to prevent Horoboros from wreaking havoc on the city, she utilized the concept of "The murmur of the tide" mentioned in the "Pacific Records" to try to calm it using the sound of ocean waves. However, her efforts backfired, causing it to become even more violent and devastating the city. Nearly losing her confidence, Haruki's encouragement spurred her to drink a mixed juice and regain her spirits to continue deciphering the "Pacific Records."
During the battle between Z and Horoboros, she dropped the fossilized seashell when she stumbled. Remembering a song hummed by her great-grandmother, "The murmur of the tide," she speculated that it might refer to the sound of seashells. She decided to analyze the fossilized seashell. Successfully deducing its significance, Horoboros grew quiet and attempted to sleep.
Due to the intervention of Shinya Kaburagi/Celebro, Horoboros transformed into Metsuboros. Observing its frequent displays of pain, Yuka attempted to save it once more by playing "The murmur of the tide." However, the effect proved to be ineffective. Eventually, she sorrowfully pleaded with Z to end Horoboros' suffering, and she witnessed Z using the Deathcium Slash to put an end to its life. As she watched Horoboros' soul ascend into the sky, Yuka realized that it had found liberation and bid it farewell.
With the arrival of Inaba's daughter Ruri in Japan, she excitedly proclaimed herself to be a devoted fan of Inaba. Upon Ruri's arrival at the base, she eagerly requested handshakes and photos with her. Later on, in their efforts to save the enormous M1, she collaborated with Ruri to develop a cellular regressor.
When GAFJ ordered the installation of the dimension-annihilating weapon "D4" on King Joe SC, she recognized its danger through experimental imagery and opposed its use. However, due to her continued refusal to carry out the "D4 ray deployment" command and a change in leadership, STORAGE was eventually disbanded.
She and Inaba were temporarily reassigned to the Public Relations Division, serving as hosts for the "Sevenger Exhibition Festival" at a museum. During the battle with Alien Barossa, she piloted a transport vehicle and, working in tandem with Yoko piloting Sevenger, successfully defeated Alien Barossa. Subsequently, she was reassigned to work at the Monster Research Center.
During the activation experiment of Ultroid Zero, Yuka detected that five dormant monsters were awakening during the testing of Ultroid Zero. She promptly reported this situation to Commander Kurayama, hoping he would postpone the Ultroid Zero test. However, she was reprimanded by Commander Kurayama.
After sending the injured and unconscious Haruki to the hospital, she complained to Inaba about JAFJ's refusal to heed her warnings and proceed with the Ultroid Zero test. She reiterated the dangers of D4 and returned to the center to continue working. Upon hearing news of Ultroid Zero going out of control, she hurriedly initiated an analysis and called for Yoko, who was the pilot.
However, Ultroid Zero transformed into Destrudos, and Yoko's cockpit location became unclear. She searched desperately but due to Celebro's manipulation, she came under suspicion of colluding with hostile aliens, resulting in her detainment by GAFJ. Just as she was about to be apprehended, Juggler intervened once again to rescue her. Subsequently, all members of STORAGE regrouped to formulate a plan to reclaim the base and rescue Yoko.
After successfully retaking the base alongside Captain Hebikura, she learned of his true identity as Juggler. Filled with excitement, she expressed her eagerness to collect a sample of his hair, though her enthusiasm was disregarded by him. While in the base, after listening to Hebikura's speech, she and the others made a pact to celebrate again with a tuna feast once the battle concluded.
As Hebikura, Inaba, and Haruki went on the offensive, she employed her analytical skills to locate Yoko's position. Subsequently, on the ground, she and the other STORAGE members provided support for Z and Haruki during their attack. After the battle's conclusion, although she stood with her teammates around Haruki, she realized that Hebikura was missing.
Not long after, she and the memory-restored Kaburagi used a bug-catching net to capture Celebro. She encountered Juggler once more, and as Juggler was preparing to leave Earth, she asked him, "We"ll see you again, right?" to which Juggler smiled and replied, "bye." Upon parting, despite a slightly melancholic expression, she quickly changed the subject, announcing her intention to dissect Celebro.
Three months later, she bid farewell to Haruki alongside the rest of STORAGE, who were seeing him off as he was leaving Earth.
==Profile==
:;Stats
*Height: 160 cm
*Age: 22
*Blood Type: AB
:;Powers and Weapons
*Genius Level Intellect: The true extent behind this is unknown, but Yuka is proficient in the field of science and knowledgeable in history.
**Technology Acuity: Yuka is said to be the one behind SAA units' creation, having lend a hand in designing them.
**Biology Proficiency: Partly from her interest in monsters, Yuka is knowledgeable in the field of biology. In certain occasions, she would bring a sample from a monster into the base for analysis.https://news.dwango.jp/gravure/50429-2006 In a smaller scale, she can create nutritious drinks for others or in Kuriyama's case, a drink to ease his aching stomach.
==Other Media==
===Ultraman New Generation Stars===
In this series, Yuka returns as the main MC and, together with Ignis and Mountain Gulliver II-V, revisits the Ultras featured in various series.
In the storyline, Yuka mainly stays in her research room. At the moment, she is troubled by the task of presenting the proposal for the Sevenger enhancement equipment plan. Due to this, she visits Ignis, who can traverse dimensions, and Mountain Gulliver II-V, which possesses various temporal data. Through conversations with them, she learns about the existence of Ultras other than Z, Zero, and Geed, and gains knowledge about defense teams and people in other universes through data. However, during the exploration of the data, Yuka also requires assistance in finding the ideal ultimate GUTS Hyper Keys. 
As the story progresses, Yuka discovers that the true identity of Mountain Gulliver II-V is Ediom, leading to a new partnership. After watching the stories of defense forces and Ultraman battles across various multiverses, Yuka proposes the concept of creating the "ultimate Sevenger" by equipping it with various SC Unit weapons and draws up blueprints. However, as she strives to achieve this goal, Ediom, standing by her side, seems somewhat uneasy. He showed Yuka the past cases of UPG's overreliance on the powerful Victorium Cannon, as well as examples of devil weapons threatening peace in other universes. This caused Yuka to fall into despair.
Upon learning the truth, Yuka falls into a state of depression. At this moment, Ignis comes to her room and shows her the past of Evil Trigger, born from the power of Ultraman Trigger, and how he himself became Trigger Dark but gradually changed with the support of friends. These insights and revelations prompt Yuka to reconsider. After witnessing the final battles across the entire spacetime, seeing the warriors proudly fighting until the last moment, Yuka finally finds her answer.
By reflecting on her past battles against Destrudos with the STORAGE team members, Yuka realizes the true meaning of fighting. This time, she creates the final GUTS Hyper Key—the "STORAGE Key," which originates from Yuka's inner strength and her pride in protecting life.
Yuka asks Ignis to erase all her memories, stating that her friends in the other dimension are still fighting. She hopes to design a better Sevenger on her own, making her friends proud. Therefore, she wants to find the answers through her own efforts.
In the end, Ignis erases Yuka's memories of the past few days, but she still feels a sense of fulfillment and is determined to create a Sevenger for peace.
==Merchandise==
*Ultraman Z Deformed Pattern Acrylic Charm (2021)
**Release Date(s): November 2021 (Premium Bandai)
**Price: 550 yen for each piece
**Materials: Acrylic, metal (chain)
:Released as part of the Z themed Deformed Pattern Acrylic Charm series, Yuka (which is drawn in an Anime-fied style) is one of the items to be produced as a hanging acrylic keychain.
:Yuka (and the rest of the characters) is available as a made-for-order item (where the customers can choose one during purchase) for Premium Bandai in November 2021.
==Trivia==
*Hikari Kuroki had auditioned for the role of Pirika Asahikawa in Ultraman Taiga previously. While she did not secure that role, her audition drew the attention of Kiyotaka Taguchi. Thanks to his recommendation, she was subsequently cast as Yuka without the need for another audition.
*The Jugglus Juggler Chronicle photobook has Biranki sharing Yuka's actress. In fact, according to director Kiyotaka Taguchi, this similarity is also acknowledged in-universe whenever Jugglus Juggler came across Yuka.https://twitter.com/TaguchiKiyotaka/status/1416369203523702789?s=20
*In the initial concept, Yuka was originally designed to develop a favorable impression towards Juggler. However, due to the potential instability this storyline could introduce to the character dynamics of Haruki and Yoko, it was eventually removed.『ジャグラス ジャグラークロニクル写真集』構成・間宮尚彦 執筆・大石真司、小学館〈てれびくんデラックス 愛蔵版〉
==References==
Category:Ultraman Z
Category:Ultraman Z Characters
Category:Human Characters
Category:Female Characters
Category:Allies
Category:STORAGE
Category:STORAGE Members
Category:Scientists
Category:Heroines