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Persona 3 Reload: Yuko Nishiwaki (Strength) Social Link choices & unlock guide

by Chao Min Wu on 02 February, 2024

Of all of the friendships in Persona 3 Portable, only a handful can go beyond friends to the romantic - and of those, even fewer still are with characters that aren't full-time party members of the SEES Shadow-battling squad. One such storyline is the Yuko Nishiwaki Social Link, a friendship developed via the school sports team. This Yuko S-Link guide aims to give you all the info you need to unlock and max out the relationship - and turn it into a romance if you're so inclined.

It's very important to note right at the outset of this guide that like all of the social links in Persona 3 Reload, the Yuko S-Link is different in Reload to other versions of the game, with slightly different mathematics under the hood, and a tweaked script and localization. That means this guide only works for Reload; though we also have a Yuko guide for P3 Portable, if you're on that game. For P3 Reload, stick with this page, and pait it with the rest of our Persona 3 Reload S-Link guides and with our 100% Max Social Link Walkthrough for a truly comprehensive helping hand.

Yuko S-Link Guide - Strength (Persona 3 Reload)

While S-Links are basically storylines, they are nevertheless governed by an RPG mechanic - a hidden stat that defines the level and rank of your relationship and determines when you rank up. Like any good RPG mechanic it can be min-maxed and optimized to some degree - and that's what this guide is here to help you do, listing all dialogue options for every rank of the Yuko Nishiwaki social link in Persona 3 Reload. By following it, you'll rank up fast.

The guide is spoiler-free, for the record. The points next to the answers list how much extra gets added to your S-Link's invisible stat for each answer - but keep in mind this includes the Arcana Bonus. To get this Bonus for Yuko, make sure you have a Strength Arcana Persona in your current stock every time you spend time with Yuko. With that bonus in hand, this guide will tally perfectly for Reload.

You'll meet Yuko via Persona 3 Reload's school sports storyline - but there's more to her than that. This guide will help you to max out her social link fast.

Key Information about Yuko Nishiwaki

  • Prerequisite: April 25th.
  • Available Days: Wednesday, Saturday
  • Location: 2F Hallway
  • Possible Love Interest: Yes
  • Max Social Link Persona: Atavaka
Yuko's Social Link is one of the more difficult Social Links to max for a perfect run in Persona 3 Reload. There are a lot of changes and nuisances that happen with her social link, making it require extra days to max out compared to the FES or Portable version of Persona 3. Some of the stories have been rearranged, and many of the earlier Social Link ranks give very low bonding points, even with a matching Arcana. This will require players to completely rearrange their schedule if they were just copying their FES routine. To make matters worse, Yuko only appears two days out of the week compared to most of the other social links. So, to be efficient and go for a maxed social link run on the 1st playthrough, it may take up to the fall semester to max her social link if you want to go for efficiency.

Social Link Choices

Unlocking Social Link & Rank 1

To start the Strength Social Link, you will need to attend the Chariot Social Link. At the end of the 1st rank, you have the option to invite Yuko to walk home with you. She will decline the first time, but by doing the Chariot Social Link again, you are given the same option again, and this time she will accept your invitation. This is a bit quicker to trigger than the Portable version of Persona 3.

Rank 1 → Rank 2

The following choices can impact your relationship with this rank.

  • Also, I wasn't really in the mental state to do this alone today.
    • “What happened?” +3
  • And before I knew it, I'd dozed off. I ended up handing in a blank paper.
    • “It wasn't your fault.” +1
  • But come on, it's way too early to worry about the future, isn't it? We're still just teenagers!
    • “That’s true.” +3

Rank 2 → Rank 3

The following choices can impact your relationship with this rank.

  • Sorry you got dragged into that.
    • “Don't worry about it.” +1
  • They call you my boyfriend. That must have made you feel awkward, huh?
    • “I'm honored.” +1
    • “I don't mind.” +1

Rank 3 → Rank 4

The following choices can impact your relationship with this rank

  •  mean, why not, right? Please? Honestly, I don't think I can handle it on my own.
    • “Sure thing” +1

Rank 4 → Rank 5

The following choices can impact your relationship with this rank

  • Elementary school kids really learn fast, don't you think?
    • “It's because you teach so well” +2
    • "You're right, it's impressive" +1
  • Should I change the training routine? Maybe they shouldn't be running more.
    • "You shouldn't change it" +1
    • "I trust whatever you decide, Yuko" +1

Rank 5 → Rank 6

The following choices can impact your relationship with this rank

  • Oh, Yuuki-Kun, why don't you give them some advice too?
    • “You guys got this” +1
    • "Show some guts" +1
  • Age difference really matters when you're as young as they are. Do you really think they can beat the sixth graders?
    • "As long as we believe in them." +1

Rank 6 → Rank 7

The following choices can impact your relationship with this rank

  • It's like the kids have left the nest...
    • "Are you relieved?" +1
  • Maybe we should throw a little party. You know, to celebrate our first attempt at coaching.
    • "Let's do it." +3

Rank 7 → Rank 8

The following choices can impact your relationship with this rank.

  • Would you want it to be a boy or a girl?
    • “A boy.” +1
    • “A girl.” +1

Rank 8 → Rank 9

The following choices can impact your relationship with this rank.

  • Can you guess what it is?
    • “An instructor?” +3
    • “A track and field star?” +1
    • “A nursery teacher?” +1
  • Are you like this... just with me? N-No, no, th-that can't be it, huh...
    • It's because I love you.  - Enter a Dating Relationship
      • I love you, Yuko. +1
    • It's because you're a close friend. - Enter a Platonic Relationship
      • "Okay, I will" +1

Rank 9 → Rank 10 (Romance)

The following choices can impact your relationship with this rank.

  • I guess I could've told you this next part at school, but I wanted to talk somewhere quiet.
    • “Is it important?” +1
    • “What is it?” +1
  • I know they were kind of a handful, but they also have an endearing side to them, don't you think?
    • "Yeah" +1
    • "Not really" +1
  • Because today... Well, my parents aren't home, so...
    • What does that mean? +1

Rank 9 → Rank 10 (Platonic)

The following choices can impact your relationship with this rank.

  • Ugh, this is so heavy. I shouldn't have crammed everything in there...
    • Want me to carry it? +1
  • It hasn't even been that long since we coached those kids though, huh?
    • “That's just how fulfilling it was.” +1
  • Kinda makes me wanna do it all again. What about you?
    • If the opportunity arises +3

Phone Calls

  • 5/31 - What!? No way! That's such bull! This has to be rigged or something!
    • "Let's just calm down first".+3
    • “Want me to give it a shot?” +3
  • 7/5 - Sure, I'm team manager and all, but I dunno if I'm ready to be a coach... What do you think?
    • "You're too nice".+3
    • “You're very responsible?” +3