Riko Saida

is a character who appeared in Ultraman Nexus. She unwillingly became the human host of Dark Faust, a dark giant created by Dark Zagi.
==Personality==
Riko is an affectionate and gentle woman who has a cheerful and frank personality. She often encourages Komon and has a good relationship with her family. However, when she discovers the truth of being used, she cannot bear this heavy reality and shows a vulnerable and collapsing side, gradually developing distrust and fear towards herself.
Nevertheless, she and Komon show a quiet, silent love between them. They care for each other, although there is still some awkwardness in their contact with each other, they are the most precious people to each other. They often miss each other and thus show deep affection.
==History==
===Pre-Ultraman Nexus===
Riko was born into a middle-class family and is the eldest daughter of the Saida family. She is also a university student majoring in art. Six months ago, she went to the zoo to paint the parental lives of animals and their offspring to complete her graduation project, "Family Portrait." It was during this time that she met Komon.
At that time, Komon found Riko's artwork being blown away by the wind and picked it up to return it to her. To thank him, Riko gave Komon a bottle of drink. When they said goodbye, they introduced themselves by name. At that time, Riko became interested in Komon, who was warm and gazed at the smiles of his family and children.
Prior to this, because Shinya Mizorogi obtained the power of precognition, he knew that Komon would one day join NR. To achieve his goal, he used the relationship between Komon and Riko. By pushing Komon into the depths of despair, he showed the dark power to his former colleague Nagi.
On the night when Komon and Riko first met, Riko and her family were driving home but encountered an attack by Nosferu. In this event, Riko's entire family was killed by Nosferu. When Mizorogi appeared in front of Riko, he shot and killed her. He then used dark power to resurrect Riko and used her body as the vessel of the Dark Faust. This event caused the tragic death of Riko and her family, and also opened a series of conspiracies of dark forces.
As time passed, Riko and Komon gradually got to know each other better and learned more about each other's lives. Even when under the control of the consciousness of Dark Faust, Riko was able to maintain her own consciousness and continue to communicate with Komon. 
Later, she became Komon's girlfriend and held the most precious position in his heart. In order to carry out his own plans, Mizorogi created a fantasy world for her, making Riko believe that her family was still alive. However, whenever the consciousness of Dark Faust took over Riko's body, her memories and personality would disappear.
===Ultraman Nexus===
At the beginning of the series, Riko and Komon often went on dates, and their feelings for each other grew deeper. When Komon wanted to give up being a rescue worker, Riko encouraged him and hoped that he would continue his rescue work to protect people's happiness.
After Komon completed his training with NR, Riko specially gave him a charm called "Ganbarukuina-kun" as a gift, hoping it would become a symbol of his efforts and a talisman for protection. This charm later held a special meaning in Komon's heart and inspired him to continue working hard.
However, with the continued activity of Dark Faust, Mizorogi began to try to erase Riko's memories in order to completely control her. 
During a vacation, Riko invited Komon to her home and introduced him to her family. However, when Komon agreed, he received a message requesting NR members to mobilize. Just as Komon was about to leave, a glass window fell from high above. Komon successfully pushed Riko away, saving her from harm, but her right leg was still scratched by glass fragments.
At this time, Komon received a message through his communication device from Mizorogi, conveying the message "that was a warning", making Komon deeply uneasy. After Komon left, Riko felt somewhat dazed about his departure.
Dark Faust was defeated by Ultraman in battle, Riko briefly returned to her human form and was found unconscious on the ground the next morning by Komon, who was investigating the scene. She was then urgently sent to the hospital.
According to MP's investigation, she lost any memory of what happened after she parted ways with Komon on the day she was injured, including introducing her family to Komon and the attack. In the hospital, Komon had a deep conversation with Riko. Riko felt quite uneasy about her experiences, and Komon tried to comfort and support her. During the process of expressing their concerns to each other, Riko took the initiative to confide in Komon about her innermost feelings and expressed her affection for him. Finally, with Riko's initiative, the two kissed.
MP is monitoring Riko's treatment in the hospital and has discovered that her physical examination results are abnormal: her immune system judgment value is +90, and her physical condition has reached the level required to join NR. Through Shuto's investigation, it was discovered that six months ago, Tohto Daily News reported that the Saida family of four had disappeared.
At the same time, Riko's main personality was gradually being controlled by the consciousness of Dark Faust. She began to recognize her true identity in confusion and remembered her past memories. However, the fear and hatred brought by these memories ultimately led to her complete mental breakdown, completely under the control of Dark Faust.
When Komon received the address of the Saida family from the MP and prepared to look for Riko, he was scared by the sight of the painting "Family Portrait" in Riko's house. With the help of Himeya, he regained his composure. However, he still worried about Riko and finally went to the place where he first encountered the Space beasts, and together with Himeya, found Riko in the forest. But at this time, Riko had already been controlled by Dark Faust and revealed the truth from six months ago to Komon. The two giants then transformed and engaged in a battle in the Meta Fields.
During the battle, when Dark Faust began absorbing Ultraman's energy, Komon fired at Dark Faust in an attempt to save Ultraman. Komon's presence also awakened Riko's memories. When Mizorogi ordered Nosferu's claws to attack Komon, Riko regained consciousness and stood up to protect Komon, taking the blow meant for him and receiving a fatal injury.
After Nosferu was defeated, Riko, who had reverted to her human form, returned to Komon's side. Before passing away, she expressed to Komon that she had no regrets about meeting him. In the end, Riko died in Komon's arms and dissipated into particles of light.
After Riko's passing, Komon fell into endless grief. Mizorogi continuously created illusions of Riko to torture Komon and lead him into darkness. Mizorogi even cast another illusion to try and make Komon forget everything and enter a world of happiness.
However, during this time, Komon was constantly encouraged by Nagi, Hikariya, and others. When Komon once again fell into Mizorogi's illusions, he accidentally stepped on the Ganbarukuina-kun charm that he and Riko considered their "bond," which brought Komon's consciousness back to reality.
Subsequently, Komon succeeded in letting go and shaking off the evil illusions constantly created by Mizorogi, and regained his normal rationality. Later, Komon returned alone to the zoo where he had met Riko, and even though he saw Riko's illusion again, he decided to let go of his emotions, letting Riko live forever in his heart and continue to be his motivation to move forward. At this point, Riko's illusion also disappeared.
Through this experience, Komon became even more determined and often carried Ganbarukuina-kun, symbolizing the bond between him and Riko, with him when he went on missions.
When Ultraman Noa defeated Dark Zagi in the final battle, Riko appeared in Komon's consciousness. This Riko was not an illusion or a memory, but appeared in her true form in Komon's consciousness. She said a crucial sentence to Komon: "I... believed in you. Komon-kun, I know you would be able to protect everyone."
==Powers and Weapons==
*Unlike the other Dunamists and Dark Ultra Hosts, Riko demonstrated no physical or mental superhuman abilities nor a transformation item/weapon. However, as Dark Faust's host, she showed remarkable stamina as she shared her injuries and healed very quickly between battles.
==Gallery==
===Ultraman Nexus===
Riko Saida 001.png
Riko Saida 2.png
Riko Saida 003.png
Riko Saida 004.png
Riko Saida 005.png
Riko Saida 007.png
Riko Saida 008.png
Riko Saida 009.png
Riko Saida 011.png
Riko Saida 012.png
Riko Saida 013.png
Riko Saida 014.png
Riko Saida 022.png
Riko Saida 016.png
Riko Saida 017.png
Riko Saida 018.png
Riko Saida 019.png
Riko Saida 020.png
Riko Saida 021.png
Riko Saida 023.png|Riko transforms into Dark Faust
Riko Saida 024.png
Riko Saida 026.png
Riko Saida 027.png
Riko Saida 39.png|Riko Archives In The Unknown Hand
Riko Saida 37.png|Riko appeared in Komon's consciousness
Ganbarukuina kun.png|Ganbarukuina-kun
===Miscellaneous===
Riko Saida Miscellaneous 1.png
Riko Saida 21.png
UltraSaidaRiko.jpg
Riko Saida 50.png
Riko Saida 51.png
Riko Saida 52.png
Riko Saida 54.png
Kazuki Komon HD 071.jpg
Riko Saida 20.png
Family Portrait.jpeg|Family Portrait
==Trivia==
*Her actress, Shion Nakamaru also appeared in  Ultra Galaxy Mega Monster Battle: Never Ending Odyssey as Commander Harlan the leader of the Alien Pedan Reionics Hunters and Dail's superior. She also appeared in Ultraman Saga at the end as Takeru's mother.
*Just like Yuko Minami, Beth O'Brian and Julie, she is the female host of an Ultra but is the second to share genders after Beth and is the first one whose counterpart is a Dark Ultra.
*She gave Komon the bird-like keychain that he uses as his amulet. The amulet would later be what saved him from Mizorogi's attempts to control him and breaking him out of his depression. 
*As revealed in episode 32, Riko was grouped with the Dunamists alongside Hiroyuki Misawa. This hinted the fact that Riko is similar to Mizorogi, being potential candidates of Nexus' host but turned into an expendable for the Unknown's plan to come into fruition.
id:Riko Saida
Category:Ultra N Project
Category:Ultra N Project Characters
Category:Female Characters
Category:Human Hosts
Category:Revived Characters
Category:Deceased Characters
Category:Evil Ultra Hosts
Category:Former Villains
Category:Human Characters
Category:Civilians
Category:Heroines