Usada Pekora in Death Stranding 2: My Guide to The Data Scientist

When I first heard that Kojima Productions had hidden Hololive Vtuber Usada Pekora inside Death Stranding 2 as a prepper, I assumed she would be a missable Easter egg tucked away on some forgotten cliff. I was wrong. Now that the game has been out on PS5 for a while and I am revisiting it in 2026, I can say that she is one of the easiest optional characters to stumble across in the main campaign. She appears under the name The Data Scientist, and she is the recipient of Main Order 25. If you are following the story, you will meet her whether you are actively hunting for cameos or not.

Her bunker sits in a very convenient spot in Australia. It is not far from Heartman's Lab and The Pizza Chef. That placement matters because one of the missions tied to her involves The Pizza Chef asking you to deliver a piping hot pizza to The Data Scientist. The pizza must stay flat, which means you should use a vehicle, and you have ten minutes to complete the delivery. I have done plenty of pizza orders in this series, and this one is genuinely forgiving compared with some of the nightmares from the first game. The timer is tight enough to make you move, but not so cruel that you need a perfectly planned route.

The catch is that bombs and attacks will come after you on the way. They move relatively fast, so a vehicle is not just for carrying the pizza flat; it is also your best evasion tool. I learned that the hard way when I tried to sprint the final stretch on foot. The attacks can even hit you as you approach her bunker, so do not relax until the order is complete. Keep the truck steady, avoid sharp turns, and do not panic if a blast lands nearby. If you keep moving, the delivery is very manageable.

When you first encounter Usada Pekora, she may not look like herself. Because her bunker is not yet connected to the Chiral Network, she appears as a pixelated version of the Nousagi bunny mascot. It is a cute and clever way to represent an offline prepper, and it also makes the moment of connection feel more rewarding. Once you bring her online, her normal character model appears, and the hologram outside her bunker changes to reflect her typical appearance. For a Hololive fan, that reveal is a small but delightful payoff.

There is no garage at Usada Pekora's bunker, which is a minor annoyance if you arrive in a vehicle and want to swap it out. However, I still found her home to be a handy place to stop and store items. Because she is positioned between Heartman, The Pizza Chef, and The Motherhood, she works as a natural rest point when you are moving between different locations in Australia. I often dropped off extra cargo there, grabbed a quick rest, and then continued on my route. It is not a full-service facility, but it is useful enough that I kept coming back.

If you make enough deliveries to her, you can increase your star rating with The Data Scientist. Doing so unlocks a Nousagi hat for Sam and other cosmetics. I am not usually a completionist when it comes to prepper rewards, but this one felt worth chasing. The hat is a fun visual nod to Usada Pekora, and it gives Sam a little more personality during long deliveries. If you already like her streams, you will probably want it. If you do not know her, the reward is still a nice trophy of your effort.

Here is a quick summary of what I wish I had known before I met her:

Detail	What to expect
Character name	The Data Scientist
Real identity	Hololive Vtuber Usada Pekora
Main mission	Main Order 25
Nearby locations	Heartman's Lab, The Pizza Chef, The Motherhood
Delivery challenge	Pizza must stay flat and arrive within ten minutes
Main hazard	Fast-moving bombs and attacks
Best vehicle	Any reliable truck or bike
First appearance	Pixelated Nousagi bunny
After connection	Normal character model and updated hologram
Rewards	Nousagi hat for Sam and other cosmetics
Garage	None
Best use	Rest stop and item storage between nearby locations

My advice is simple: do not overthink this one. Bring a vehicle, keep the pizza flat, drive steadily, and stay alert for bombs near the bunker. If you are already in the area for Heartman or The Pizza Chef, swing by Usada Pekora's bunker and start building your connection. The mission is easy by Death Stranding standards, but the character cameo and rewards make it memorable. In 2026, with Death Stranding 2 available on PS5, she remains one of the most charming surprises in the game. I am glad I did not skip her.