Yumiko (The Walking Dead)

Appearances

Yumiko is part of a group of survivors from Richmond who arrive at the Alexandria Safe-Zone two years after the fall of Negan and the Saviors. At the beginning of the apocalypse, she was among survivors who reached a nursing home near Washington D.C. While moving through the east side of Washington, a massive herd of walkers being routed by Jesus and other Alexandria residents surprised Magna's group, causing them to lose their trailer, belongings, and one member.

After being rescued and taken to Alexandria, Yumiko and her group were interviewed by Rick and Andrea to allow them to stay; they initially felt comfortable but soon distrusted the idyllic life. When Rick was absent, the group discovered a prison and found Negan, who claimed Rick's people tortured him and begged for release, but Magna refused, knowing he was lying. During the war against the Whisperers, Yumiko was an important militia member, helping win the war.

Yumiko first appears in "What Comes After" while escaping a herd of walkers; she hurts her head, and her group struggles to fight, eventually being surrounded and rescued by an unknown person. They discover a little girl who had rescued them, later introducing herself as Judith Grimes.

Development and reception

Yumiko is portrayed by Eleanor Matsuura, who entered the recurring cast beginning with the episode "What Comes After" of the ninth season and was promoted to a series regular starting the tenth season. In an interview, Matsuura expressed excitement about joining the show, calling it a crazy honor to be part of an established family that had been slaying it for nine years. Ryan DeVault of Monsters and Critics praised Matsuura's work, noting that Yumiko was already making an important impact on the cast and that foreshadowing suggested she would have an important part in the coming conflict with the Whisperers.

In another interview, Matsuura discussed Yumiko's character development, saying she had a conversation with Angela at the beginning of the season about where Yumiko was going. She mentioned that Hilltop was undergoing huge change with attacks and the loss of Tara, and Maggie was not around. Matsuura stated that Yumiko naturally stepped into a leadership role when the tree fell and walkers overwhelmed them, because she was capable and passionate about her new community, though it was never pre-planned that she would become the next leader of Hilltop.