Shinku is the Cosmos-type S-Class headliner for Neverness to Everness Version 1.2, and preparing for her well before the banner opens comes down to two things: banking enough pull currency and lining up the teammates that make her work. She is an aggressive on-field main DPS from the Bureau of Anomaly Control’s CSU-2, the same unit as Mint, and she is the second limited S-Class Cosmos character in the game after Hotori.
Quick answer: Save your Annulith and Riftcrystal now, finish your Version 1.1 content for extra pulls, and keep a healer plus a Charge-reaction partner ready. Shinku launches on July 8, 2026 as the Version 1.2 Phase 1 banner character, right after the Chaos banner ends.
Shinku release date and banner window
Shinku becomes available on July 8, 2026, immediately after Chaos’ banner closes, as confirmed during the Version 1.2 Preview Special Program livestream on June 27. She occupies the Phase 1 slot of Version 1.2, with Iroi following in Phase 2.
That gives you a clear deadline. Everything you do to prepare should be finished before July 8 so you can pull on day one if you decide she is your priority.
| Detail | Confirmed info |
|---|---|
| Character | Shinku |
| Rarity | S-Class |
| Element | Cosmos |
| Affiliation | Anomaly Control Bureau CSU-2 (teamed with Mint) |
| Banner | Version 1.2, Phase 1 |
| Release date | July 8, 2026 |
What to save before Shinku’s banner
Shinku is a limited-time S-Class, so pulling her depends on how much Annulith you have stockpiled. There is no shortcut here. The more you bank before July 8, the higher your odds of securing her without overspending.
Note: Shinku is functional without duplicates based on what is currently known about her base kit, so you do not need to budget for copies beyond her first pull unless you specifically want them.
Teammates to line up for Shinku
Shinku is a melee, on-field main DPS who builds a resource called Wrath, spends it to enter a Frenzy state, then fires a Breath Finisher before resetting the loop. Her passive shares on-field energy with standby characters, which makes her strongest in rotation-heavy and Charge-reaction teams. Prepare the supports that feed that loop.
| Partner | Why prepare them |
|---|---|
| Iroi (Anima) | Ranged healer who scales off Max HP, buffs ally attack and crit damage, and keeps Shinku alive during aggressive frontline play. Iroi arrives in Version 1.2 Phase 2. |
| Mint | Same CSU-2 unit as Shinku; fits the flex slot as sub-DPS or utility to round out the core trio. |
| A Lakshana character | Pairs with Shinku’s Cosmos to trigger Remora for follow-up damage. Players with Hathor or Chaos should keep them ready. |
| An Anima character | Extends the reaction chain into Charge after Remora, completing the rotation. |
The Charge reaction in NTE combines Lakshana, Cosmos, and Anemo elements to grant the active character extra ultimate energy. Because Shinku’s passive copies that energy to her bench, a Charge-focused setup speeds up the whole team’s ultimates and tightens her rotation windows.
Shinku vs Chiz and Iroi: who to prioritize
If your account lacks a reliable main DPS, Shinku should be your top Version 1.2 priority. She gives you a Cosmos on-field attacker with a distinct build-transform-finish loop and team-wide energy value.
The case is weaker if Chiz already fills your Cosmos DPS slot. Chiz is free and fully awakeable, which makes her hard to beat on resource efficiency, especially for free-to-play accounts. If you have already invested heavily into an A6 Chiz, the upgrade to Shinku is less urgent.
You might also hold for Iroi in Phase 2 if you would rather invest in a support kit with broader use across team types. Her healing and buffs slot into more compositions than a single dedicated DPS.
One detail to keep in mind: the Frenzy skill portion of Shinku’s kit is still incomplete in early data, so her exact damage ceiling is not fully settled. Nothing known so far is a red flag, but if you want certainty before committing your savings, waiting until her full kit is live is a reasonable call.
The practical move is simple. Bank everything between now and July 8, finish your outstanding Version 1.1 rewards, and decide whether your roster needs a Cosmos main DPS more than it needs a flexible support. That single decision is what should drive how much you pull when Shinku’s banner opens.
