Yume Nikki:Uboa

Uboa
Uboa's Initial Sprite
Location	• Poniko's Room • Uboa's Trap World
Role	Traps Madotsuki in an inescapable world
Size	Standard

Uboa sound effect

If you turn off the light in Poniko's Room, there is a 1 in 64 chance that the 'Uboa Event' will occur. Whether the event will occur is determined when the player enters the room (leave and enter again for next chance), or to wait 5 seconds after the switch is flipped. Uboa was added along with the Pink Sea in Ver.0.08.

Description

Uboa as they appear in the manga

Uboa (ウボァ) is a strange creature, usually considered male or genderless. Contrary to popular belief, Uboa may actually be female due to its eventual replacement of Poniko's sprite. There is a chance that they will replace Poniko when you turn off the light, and plays a continuous filtered "Aah" sound. When the event happens a bright flash fills the room, similar to a blowing light bulb, then the entire room changes and Uboa replaces Poniko (if you kill her before triggering the event, Uboa is not going to appear. However, you will be locked in Poniko's room). You cannot leave the room, and flipping the light switch only causes another flash of light. If you touch Uboa, you will be sent to a Monochrome Street highly similar to the White Desert (with even its soundtrack playing); which is a looped area flooded with white liquid (potentially a swamp or marsh), a strange monster in the background bleeding, and Uboa's face will become strangely warped. Despite this location's atmosphere being identical to the White Desert's, there are no routes that lead away from this area and into the White Desert itself. The only way to escape Uboa's Trap World is by pinching Madotsuki awake or by using the Medamaude effect.

Reception

Uboa is likely a major factor for the success of the game, especially in the English version. Many non-Japanese players were introduced to Uboa through YouTube. Uboa itself may very well be the number one inspiration to download and explore Yume Nikki by most fans.

Discovery

On July 30, 2005, someone discovered both Uboa and FACE and posted about it in the second iteration of the Yume Nikki thread on 2ch. The poster was unlucky enough to get Uboa the very first time he flipped the switch. He described his reaction with the sound "Uboar", which was the infamous death cry of the Emperor in the Japanese version of Final Fantasy II. "Uboar" caught on as the name of the character, and was later shortened to "Uboa".

Fan Speculation

Hopelessness - Due to the aspect of being trapped, Uboa could be interpreted as a feeling of hopelessness.

Poniko's True Form - A common interpretation is that Uboa is Poniko's true form, mostly because they replace her sprite.

Frustration - A theory based on the correlation between the game Mischief Makers and Uboa's face, Uboa may be based on Kikiyama's and/or Madotsuki's frustration. Uboa is thematically similar to near-hopeless gameplay since it is very hard to trigger the event and even harder to accidentally discover. This may be Kikiyama's way of projecting game frustration.

Revenge - Since Poniko could be interpreted as Madotsuki's emotional side, which she is locking away, bothering her (switching the lights on and off) causes Uboa to appear, giving a fright to the player.

Molestation - The white liquid that fills the Monochrome Street/Uboa's Trap World may in fact be semen. The hills (which may also be covered in semen) that the Bloody Touching Monster is groping could also potentially represent breasts or the body in general. It appears to be more likely however that KyuuKyuu-kun is a metaphor for this potential theme in Madotsuki's past.

Madotsuki's Abusive Mother - With the manga appearance of Uboa, it is possible that Poniko is Madotsuki's mother and Uboa is supposed to represent Poniko's abusive side.

Trivia

• This is lost in English, but the syllables that make up Uboa's name (ウボァ) do not normally go together in Japanese, with the effect of the name being similar to Cthulhu or Astfgl in its "wrongness".
• When the Uboa event activates, some of the items in the room change. The dresser gets a "face"
  

  Dogboa (Yume 2kki)
   with googly eyes that may remind players of those of Masada and what seems to be a creepy smile. The two pictures change, the one over the desk turns from what looks like a mouse to a face which has googly eyes as well, and what could be either a moustache or a creepy-looking smile, and the one over Poniko's bed that changes from one shape to another. The window gets eyes and the rug's design also changes, showing a pattern with eyes as well. The lamp on the desk turns on, showing a light beam.

• Uboa has been one of the most popular characters from the game. Uboa has also made cameos or inspired for other characters in some fangames.
  

  Uboa's marking (.flow)
  • Yume 2kki - In the Sky Kingdom world there is a dog-like character that resembles Uboa. This character has been called "Dogboa" by fans.
  • .flow - Uboa makes a cameo as a marking in the dead end room in the Underwater Temple.
    

    Mask Effect (Me)
  • Me - the Mask effect is a clear reference to Uboa's face, and the location it's found in is quite similar to Poniko's room.

• Uboa might have been inspired by the Hollow from Bleach, as they and some Hollows look very similar.
• According to some, Uboa's design (that of its initial sprite) was likely inspired by Spirited Away's No-Face.
• Uboa's name originated from a type of scream in Japan. Originally pronounced 'uhoa' (ooo-hwha) when said in a manner resembling a scream, the name certainly suits its appearance and situation.
• The origin of Uboa's face design prior to its distortion when the player touches it may have come from a 1997 Treasure game called Mischief Makers. This may be coincidental however. In Mischief Makers, the denizens of the planet Clancer as well as most objects on the planet all have black, hollow-looking eyes similar to Uboa's that may be both curved inward or one curving outward. These creatures also possess gaping black mouths and white faces, much like Uboa.

Uboa's interaction with Madostuki

• In the walfas'  create.swf (despite being being Touhou in origin but because of Uboa's meme status) Uboa's face is an option to use on a character.
• In the manga, Uboa was given a ponytail (and arms) and, possibly hinting towards a theory and while they attack her, Madotsuki calls them "Mom" (depicted left). 
• In the game Undertale  by Toby Fox, a very secret and well-hidden character by the name of "W. D. Gaster " bears a striking similarity to Uboa. Considering the creator's other references to Uboa in his previous works, it is most likely not a coincidence.
• In the game LISA: The Joyful by Dingaling Games, the character Mr. Beautiful has a mask that appears similar to Uboa once cracked in battle.
  • However, Dingaling stated on Twitter that the similarities weren't intentional, and that the character was instead based on Shoko Ashara.