Sayaka Sasayama

Sayaka Sasayama (サヤカ Sasayama Sayaka) is a character in the Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V anime. She is a friend of Ruri Kurosaki and Allen Kozuki and is a surviving resident of the Xyz Dimension as well as one of few remaining members of Resistance.

Appearance
Sayaka is a bespectacled young girl with blue eyes and short light-purple and lilac hair that is restrained by light green and orange hair clips that resemble bicycle helmets. Sayaka wears a light blue dress with a teal turtleneck under a tan dress held up with brown shoulder straps and a blue belt that has a golden symbol resembling twin birds back to-back and green and orange punches at both hips. She also wears brown tights, blue boots, and white gloves.

Personality
Sayaka has shown herself to be kind and caring; handing out soup rations to people despite not being on shift at the time. Allen claims that Sayaka is quite shy, but she seems to be more cheerful and open with her close friend Ruri. She has low self-esteem, constantly worrying if she'll make mistake and quickly lose confidence when someone points out her faults, something that her opponent able to take advantage as it would affect her performance in Duel. After watching Shun's determination and receiving Allen's encouragement in their Tag Duel, Sayaka regained her courage and confidence as she determines to fight not only for her sake, but also for her friends.

Past
Prior to Academia's invasion, Sayaka, together with Allen and Kaito Tenjō, were students of Heartland Duel School's Clover Branch who studied under Yūshō's guidance, who was the teacher of their branch, and the three of them were close friends. She also befriended a student from Spade Branch, Ruri Kurosaki, despite the rivalry of their Branch, often having a friendly Duel and hanging out together. She was the one who told Ruri about Yūshō's philosophy to bring smiles with Duels. One day, Academia attacked and nearly annihilated the entire population of Heartland City. During this invasion, Yūshō suddenly disappeared, leading them to believe that Yūshō had abandoned them. One night after the first Academia attack, Sayaka witnessed Ruri Dueling against Yūri, but was too afraid to help her and could only watched Ruri got kidnapped. Since then, she blamed herself for unable to do anything to save Ruri.

While Shun and Yūto went to Standard Dimension to look for Reiji, the Resistance continued to fight. Despite their best efforts, both Spade and Clover branches were nearly wiped out, forcing them to into hiding.

Yūya vs. Kaito
Sayaka and Allen were reunited with Shun, who separated himself to find the Resistance after he got transported back to Heartland along with Yūya, Gongenzaka, and Shingo. The three of them then looked for Yūya and the others, arriving just in time to stop the Duel between Kaito and Yūya after the refugees that Yūya and the others had saved earlier revealed their location. Together with Shun and Allen, she assured Kaito that Yūya and the others are a few allies that Shun brought with him to help them. Sayaka asked Kaito to return and fight together with them again, but Kaito refused and left the scene.

Resistance Hideout
Back at their hideout, Sayaka helped in distributing foods for the refugees even though it's not her shift. Allen, who was talking with Shun and Lancers, told her not to overwork herself and told her to rest, something that Sayaka reluctantly relented. Sayaka then listened to their discussion and revealed that Kaito's entire family had been carded by Academia while Shun and Yūto were away. While Yūya was lamenting over this, she remembered Yūya's last name and asked does he has any connection with Yūshō, explaining that Yūshō was their teacher and disappeared during the invasion, and Allen believed that Yūshō has abandoned them.

Shun vs. Kaito
Sayaka and Allen arrived just as Kaito defeated and turned another group of Academia Duelists into cards. She and Allen tried to convince Kaito to stop fighting alone and return to them, but Kaito remained adamant on his decision to fight alone as he now believed that allies and such are nothing but a burden. Shun decided to Duel Kaito, hoping to open his heart once more. As the Duel went on, Shun's speech about his newfound comrades reminded Sayaka of her happy times with Yūshō and Ruri and she started to cry, concerning Allen. When Shun lost the Duel and was about to be turned into card by Kaito, Sayaka cried out to Kaito to spare Shun as she broke down into tears and revealed that she had witnessed Ruri's abduction and blamed herself since then for being a coward, prompting Kaito to leave.

Duel Against Tyler Sisters
After witnessing Shun's Duel against Kaito and remembered how important comrades are, Sayaka suddenly decided to once again look for Kaito and bring him back without telling anyone. While looking for Kaito, she was spotted by Academia Duelists, the Tyler Sisters, who mistook her as Lancers. Allen then came and accepted their challenge to Duel, resolving to protect Sayaka. However, not wanting to run away again, Sayaka also joined the Duel, beginning a tag Duel with Allen against the Tyler Sisters. In her turn, Sayaka performed Xyz Summon, summoning "Fairy Cheer Girl". Unfortunately, they were defeated by the overwhelming combo of the sisters. Just before the sisters could turn them into cards, Shingo and Gongenzaka arrived to Duel them, protecting the unconscious Allen and Sayaka.

Yūya & Shun vs. Tyler Sisters
Sayaka and Allen regained consciousness just as Yūya and Shun accepted Tyler Sisters' challenge for a Tag Duel. Sayaka and Allen worriedly watched Yūya and Shun got cornered by the sisters' combo that continuously increased their LP. Yūya then came up with a counter attack by summoning "Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon", which increased the sisters' LP to 10100, worrying Sayaka and Allen even more. However, Yūya then activated his spell cards to negate the sisters' Fusion monsters' destruction and increased each of their monster's ATK before using "Dark Rebellion" and Shun's "Raid Raptors - Rise Falcon's" effects to increase their own ATK higher than the Fusion monsters. As Yūya declared his battle phase, Sayaka and Allen were amazed by the beauty that the spell card produced. Much their shock and relief, Yūya successfully reduced the sisters' entire LP in one attack with the final effect of his "Miracle Rocket Show" spell card's final effect, defeating the sisters.

Yūya & Shun vs. Obelisk Force
While on their way back to hideout, Sayaka silently urged Allen to do as Shun said to be honest and accept Yūya as his ally. When Allen did, she was relieved and together with the others affirmed their friendship. They were interrupted by the Obelisk Force who challenged them. Since Sayaka and the others were still injured from the Tag Duel, Yūya and Shun were the only ones who Duel the Obelisk Force. The Duel went well until the Obelisk Force summoned "Antique Gear Chaos Giant", triggering Sayaka's trauma of the Academia's first attack. As Sayaka ran away in fear, a debris fell above her, prompting Shun to rush over to protect her. He succeeded, something that Sayaka was grateful for, but Shun immediately collapsed from the wounds, worrying her and the others. They were saved by Kaito's arrival who then defeated the Obelisk Force. As she and the others were tending Shun, Edo Phoenix and his Academia squad arrived to challenge them.

Yūya vs. Edo & Kaito vs. Academia Squad
While Yūya Dueled Edo, Kaito defeated the entire Academia squad alone and took Shun back to their hideout along with the others. Sayaka then stayed and watched over Shun with Shingo and Gongnenzaka, while Kaito and Allen returned to assist Yūya with several of their Resistance comrades.

Fusion Dimension Arc
After the Academia in Heartland decided to abandon ARC Area Project and joined forces with Lancers and Resistance by helping the refugees, Allen expressed his doubt in their sincerity and asked whether they were truly okay with allowing them to move Shun to their base to tend his injuries. Sayaka understood Allen's concern, but agreed with the plan because their medical supply won't be enough heal Shun's injuries. She then listened to Yūto's explanation of what Yūya told him to end the conflict and Edo's revelation there's a way to change back the people who were carded. However, since the carded people were sent to Academia in Fusion Dimension, they first must retrieve back all the cards from Academia, which means going to Fusion Dimension. Sayaka urged Kaito, Yūya, Gongenzaka, and Shingo to go rescue Ruri and all the carded people, and asked them to trust her and Edo in helping Shun to recover. Before they departed, she gave "Little Fairy" to Kaito as a way to fight together along side him, and Kaito promised that he will save Ruri with her card. She then watched along with Allen and Edo as Kaito and the others were transported to Fusion Dimension.

Deck
Sayaka uses a "Fairy" Deck, which focuses on defensive tactics, such as damage negation, is spearheaded by "Fairy Cheer Girl".

Trivia

 * She shares the same Deck with Kotori Mizuki from Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL.
 * She and Allen are the only Resistance members who're not wearing any red scarf.