Yuma Valya

From Gensopedia

Yuma Valya (ユマ・ヴァルヤ), more commonly known as Josephine (ジョセフィーヌ) away from home, is a character from Suikoden V. A member of the prominent Valya family within the New Armes Kingdom, Yuma ran away to Falena under an assumed name in rebellion at what she viewed as New Armes' backwards culture. She is the only Narcissist in Suikoden V, and the first playable female Narcissist in the series.

Biography

Sister to Shula Valya and therefore a high-ranking member of the Valya family, a powerful family within the Madra Clan. Obsessed with the nature of artistic beauty and narcissism from a young age, Yuma eventually grew overly frustrated at what she viewed as the provincial tastes of her fellow nationals and so fled from her family, changing her name to Josephine and eventually making her way to Falena Queendom. There, she ended up in Haud Village, a location being most appealing to her in her search for what she considered real culture.

In 449, she was very much impressed by Sialeeds Falenas' clothes, designed by herself. So much so, in fact, that she overlooked Freyjadour Falenas' supposed lack of taste to join his group as they struggled to repel Godwin's forces with the aid of the Barows faction. It was later noted that it was probably very lucky that Salum Barows, and indeed everyone else, had no idea of the nature of 'Josephine's' heritage at the time. When the Loyalist Army was founded and a base established at Ceras Lake, Yuma was given her own room, appropriate for someone of her distinguished rank.

An avid fashion designer, she actually designed, as well as created, her own clothes and parasols. She also sent many such designs to the Prince, hoping that he would have the costumes tailored in order to make him more stylish in her eyes. She got along well with Cornelio, both of them seeing the other as high-class, and thus worthy of respect. Bastan was another person who she found worthy to talk with, with Bastan appreciating her style but not agreeing with her views that her homeland was a backwards and barbaric place. The detective Oboro seemed to find her to be relatively boring, stating a jolly "good for her" upon finding out that she makes all her clothing, although her bigger secret made her more interesting.

Josephine grew increasingly nervous as the New Armes Kingdom increased their involvement in the Falenan Civil War until her secret was revealed when Shula Valya accidentally came across her while entering Ceras Lake Castle. After being scolded for putting the Valya name in such danger by running around Falena unprotected and without a care, Yuma, as was her real name, burst into tears before running to her room. There, she angrily demanded that the Prince not refer to her by her real name and refused to discuss the matter further.

Following the end of the Falenan Civil War in 450, Yuma Valya returned home for a very short spell before once again running away, this time heading north.

Trivia

• Yuma's weapon (parasol) names come from three girls in an old European myth: Palatyne, Melior, and Melusine. While appearing in several different languages, one name for this myth is Chronique de la Princesse.
• Her entry in the official Suikoden V guide seemingly cuts off in mid-sentence, one of the many errors in said guide.
• No, she's not Esmeralda, shut up.
• Yuma can be recruited either very early in the game (with Sialeeds), or very late (with Shula Valya).
• The name "Josephine", along with her snobbish personality could be a reference to Empress Josephine of France, the first wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, who amusingly was once said to own 666 winter dresses when her possessions were inventoried.