Ulala Serizawa

Ulala Serizawa
Japanese Name	芹沢(せりざわ) ウララ
Romaji	Serizawa Urara
First Appearance	Persona 2: Innocent Sin
Date of Birth	November 30 c. 1974
Age	24
Zodiac	Sagittarius
Height	165 cm (5'5")
Weight	52 kg (115 lbs)
Blood Type	A
Weapon	Fists
Arcana	Star
Secondary Arcana	Priestess, Lovers, Temperance, Suit of Swords, Suit of Coins
Shadow Self	Shadow Ulala
Persona	Callisto, Astria Joker (controlled by)
Japanese VA	Noriko Kaneko
English VA	Amanda Winn-Lee

"It's probably that...I'm not satisfied with myself... I don't have my place in this world..."

—Ulala grumbling of her aimless life in a pub, Persona 2: Eternal Punishment

Ulala Serizawa is a minor character in Persona 2: Innocent Sin and one of the main characters from Persona 2: Eternal Punishment.

Appearances

• Persona 2: Innocent Sin: Minor Character
• Persona 2: Eternal Punishment: Playable Character, Boss (as JOKER Ulala)
• Persona 3: "Who's Who" guest

Design

Ulala wears purple lipstick, dyes her hair vivid red and rolls a bun at the top of her head with the strands resembling a star with white highlights. She has a beauty spot under her right eye.

She dresses in a set of a dark green blouse and a long skirt with a spider web pattern, which symbolizes that Ulala is trapped in her own issues and could not escape from those troubles. She also wears dark boots and bandages on her hands.

Personality

Ulala is riddled with self-confidence issues, usually depending on men as a self-esteem boost. She is a habitual drinker and also likes to cook; she cleans and cooks for herself and Maya. She's obsessed with fortune telling and loves to go to matchmaking parties.

Ulala is particularly worried with how her intelligence, or lack thereof, is regarded by the rest of the party; in addition to having repeated a year in school due to her poor grades, she is openly concerned at one point that the party, particularly Baofu, think her to be moronic, and will ask Maya to console her. Ulala seems to work through her neuroses through physical activity, finding an outlet in boxing, and is extremely foul mouthed. Once it is revealed that Ulala had drunkenly placed a Joker curse on Maya, she is overcome with guilt for some time though resolves to become a better friend to Maya and keep her insecurities in check.

She clashes with Baofu in numerous other ways, particularly due to Baofu's reserved and mordant nature ill-fitting with Ulala's short temper, superstitious beliefs and various insecurities, though the two are able to bond over their dependency on alcohol, tendency to feel extreme guilt and the genuine trust they come to place in one another over time, similar to Lisa Silverman and Eikichi Mishina's constant back and forths.

Profile

Ulala Serizawa is Maya's roommate and friend since high school. She failed a grade which explains their age difference. In the Persona 2 duology, she gains a Persona. She has a minor role as an NPC in Persona 2: Innocent Sin and later as a party member in Persona 2: Eternal Punishment.

It is explained that Ulala had the potential to awaken her Persona due to having played the Persona game with Maya long ago. Along with her abilities as a Persona user, she is an expert boxer capable of demolishing a punching bag in a few blows. She is known to have bad luck with men which is referenced in the faux Persona 2: Eternal Punishment anime trailer on the fan disc where a photo of Youichi Makimura is seen attached onto a punching bag during practice.

Persona 2

Innocent Sin

"Maya's friend who works at a lingerie company. A quick-tempered beauty who's frustrated by her bad luck with men..."

—Introductory Paragraph

Ulala has all of her savings taken away by con artist Makimura, who has become a member of the Masked Circle and has manipulated other women. While Ulala was at Gold Gym, she correctly assumed he was behind the events and engaged in a chase with him separately from Tatsuya's group. She manages to summon a Persona having been taught by Maya and is implied to defeat him unscathed seeing as she shows up at her and Maya's apartment unharmed.

Eternal Punishment

"Maya's friend who sells lingerie. A ceramic girl infatuated with fortunes. Her bad luck with men has given her a complex."

—Her introduction, Persona 2: Eternal Punishment

"Maya's best friend who likes fortune telling. Tends to get excited easily."

—Initial Profile Description

She becomes involved with the JOKER case when she goes to Seven Sisters High School with Maya. It is there where her Persona awakens. She and Maya have somewhat of a strained relationship, despite being close friends; she is jealous of Maya's success, and seeing as Ulala puts all her effort in varying fields, she cannot seem to decide on a career. Thus, she drunk dials JOKER on Maya. But upon knowing Maya is actually targeted by JOKER, instead of running away, she stays with her and protects her until Tatsuya Sudou, the first JOKER, is defeated on the blimp.

Following Chizuru Ishigami's announcement of the Joker curse, the party investigates Ulala holing herself up in GOLD gym. When confronted, she reveals herself as an infectee whose resentment towards Maya makes her engage the party in battle. Along with the usual Joker boss attacks like Old Maid, she also possesses the ability to use Gigantic Fist, Pulinpa and Maha Garu. She will begin to use Fata Morgana to inflict the Illusion status on all party members and Maha Garula in place of Maha Garu when she is near defeat.

Once defeated, Baofu suggests she be taken to the Velvet Room where Igor suppresses the Joker curse's influence and explains that it is up to Ulala to keep it in check. She decides to make amends for the disastrous incident and speak honestly with Maya, allowing her to resolve her envy issues. After the event, she and Maya become much closer friends.

In Monado Mandala, Ulala faces her Shadow Self, Shadow Ulala.

In the ending, Ulala and Baofu are seen visiting the grave of Miki Asai.

Persona 3

She is a guest on Trish's show Who's Who, described as a lady in her 30s with a beauty spot under her eye who can dance the flamenco. Trish wonders what Ulala would look like with a rose in her mouth.

Stats

As a party member

This lists Ulala's base stats; the level bonuses from each Persona are not shown as they depend on the player.

• Level 1
• Level 99

Arcana Type Level SP cost Bonus Returns ° Star None 1 None None None Atk Def Matk Mdef Strength 3 Vitality 3 Technique 3 Agility 4 Luck 2 Varies Varies Varies Varies

Arcana Type Level SP cost Bonus Returns ° Star None 99 None None None Atk Def Matk Mdef Strength 57 Vitality 70 Technique 58 Agility 79 Luck 45 Varies Varies Varies Varies

JOKER Ulala

You piss me off‼ Arcana Type Level HP Normal Drop Rare Drop - Wind 20 940 - - Traits None Ulala who turned into a Joker user. Atk Def Matk Mdef Strength 19 Vitality 21 Technique 15 Agility 23 Luck 13 78 82 46 48 Sw Sh Sk Th Ak Fi Wt Wi Er Ic Ln Nc Ho Dk Al Nr Mn - - - - - - - 1／4 2× - - - 2／4 2／4 - 2／4 2／4 List of Skills Skill Effect Maha Garu Inflicts small Wind damage to a group of enemies. Maha Garula Inflicts medium Wind damage to a group of enemies. Pulinpa Renders an enemy Confused. (52% chance) [Mind-element] Fata Morgana Puts a group of enemies under an Illusion. (52% chance) [Almighty-element] Gigantic Fist Inflicts large Strike damage to an enemy. Old Maid Forces one random foe to cast the "Joker" spell.

Contacts

Solo Contact

• Fortune Telling: Ulala tells the enemy their fortune.

Group Contacts

• Radiant Women, Unite!: Select Maya and Ulala in order to activate this contact. They will ask the enemy who of the two they like more.
• Persuade Special: Choose Katsuya, Maya and Ulala. All three of them will try to persuade the enemy.
• Costing a Fortune?!: Select either Ulala and Baofu or Ulala, Baofu and Kei Nanjo. Ulala will offer to read the enemy's fortune, while Baofu and Nanjo remark on how expensive and nonsensical fortune telling is.
• Flamenco de la Pasion: Select Ulala and Katsuya. Ulala dances while Katsuya plays the guitar. In order to unlock this contact, you need to talk to Ulala in the Lunar Palace before entering the Sky Museum and talk to Katsuya in Sumaru Prison before entering GOLD.

Battle Quotes

Normal

• "So, who wants to have their face smashed in?" (when entering a battle)
• "Don't underestimate me you *beep*ing bastard!" (when entering a battle)
• "Someone throw in the towel!" (when entering a battle with low HP)
• "Body blow, body blow!" (when attacking)
• "One, two!" (when attacking)
• "Ciao!" (when summoning a Persona)
• "Get 'em!" (when summoning a Persona)
• "Persona!" (when summoning a Persona)
• "Astria--!" (when summoning Astria to cast Twinkle Nebula)
• "Everyone! Get in! Get in!" (when using Fusion Spells)
• "Alright, go!" (when using Fusion Spells)
• "Go get 'em!" (when using Fusion Spells)
• "K.O!" (after winning a battle)
• "I am the champion!" (after winning a battle)
• "Why does everyone around me have to be like this?" (rare victory quote)
• "Bring me back a hunk of a man!" (rare victory quote)
• "You left your body wide open!" (rare victory quote)
• "Mmm... I feel refreshed!" (rare victory quote)
• "Not good!" (when retreating)
• "Run away! Run away!" (when retreating)
• "Uhhhh!" (when KO'ed)
• "Was my guard down...?" (game over)
• "And I wasn't even married yet..." (game over)

Joker Ulala

• "You finally get it?... YOU'RE the one I wanna kill, Ma-ya! Ahahahahahaha!" (Before Initiating Battle - First Option)
• "You idiot! Don't you get it...? YOU'RE the one I wanna kill, Ma-ya! Ahahahaha!" (Before Initiating Battle - Second Option)
• "You piss me off!" (Contact)
• "You can't escape, Ma-ya!" (Escape)
• "Take that, that, and that!" (Normal Attack)
• "Hah, hah!" (Normal Attack)
• "Ciao!" (Casting Maha Garula)
• "It feels 'good'!" (Casting Maha Garu)
• "The voices...!" (Casting Pulinpa)
• "DIE!" (Casting Gigantic Fist)
• "Joker--!" (Using Old Maid)
• "Aghhhhh!" (Defeat)
• "Ahahahahahahha! It's FATE!" (Victory)

Gallery

Persona 2: Eternal Punishment
Ulala's artwork in the PSP remake of Eternal Punishment Attack render Ulala Serizawa as a Joker Ulala with the group Baofu and Ulala visiting Miki's grave in the ending of Eternal Punishment Promotional art Promotional art Ulala's character bio in the official Persona 2: Eternal Punishment guide book

Persona 2: Innocent Sin and Eternal Punishment Portraits
Ulala's portrait from the PSP release of Innocent Sin Concerned portrait Smile portrait Neutral portrait

Persona 2 Comic Anthology Art
Ulala and Maya appearing in the Persona 2 Eternal Punishment comic anthology Ulala on the cover of Persona 2: Eternal Punishment Comic Anthology Atonement Illustration by Sumino Hirune Maya, Ulala, Tatsuya and Katsuya illustrated by Chimaki Kuori

Persona 20th Anniversary Festival

Persona 25th Anniversary Festival
Promotional artwork for the Persona 25th Anniversary x Sega Collaboration Cafe collaboration

Other
Ulala boxing in the anime trailer Ulala in the Digital Devil Story Card Game Margaret as Ulala in Persona 4: Dancing All Night

Etymology

• Urara is derived from the adjective 麗らか (uraraka) meaning "bright, clear, beautiful, glorious."
• Serizawa means "celery" (芹) (seri) and "marsh" (沢) (sawa/zawa).

Trivia

• Ulala is modeled after Makiko Esumi, a former model and actress known for her role in the TV drama series Power Office Girls, which aired shortly before Innocent Sin was released.^{[citation needed]} Makiko is also a Sagittarius.
• Both exclusive Personas of Ulala (Callisto and Astria) are miserable because their beauties have attracted Zeus in their originating mythology, a direct reference to Ulala's misfortune at the hands of dating certain men.
• Ulala, along with Baofu, appears in Persona 4 Arena as one of Kanji Tatsumi's palette swaps. Unlike Odysseus, however, neither Callisto nor Astria's palette is reflected on Kanji's Persona, Take-Mikazuchi.
• Character designer Kazuma Kaneko explains Ulala's design saying, "The motif of her wear is a spider web, because it depicts the way she handles love. She’s kind, reliable, skillful and good at cooking; all the men that go out with her get caught up in her before they know it." As well as explaining the reason she wears tape around her fists all the time is so that she's prepared to fight the conman who broke her heart.