Akane is a non-playable character in Neverness to Everness (NTE), Hotta Studio's open-world urban gacha title. She first appears during the Version 1.0 spinoff story content tied to Illusion Town and is connected to the StarSign music venue, where the band-focused side narrative takes place.
Quick answer: Akane is encountered during the spinoff mission "A Legendary(?) Band's First Page" at the StarSign music venue in Illusion Town. She is not on any current banner, and Hotta Studio has not announced a playable release window for her.
Where to find Akane in NTE
Akane's main story appearance happens inside the spinoff quest "A Legendary(?) Band's First Page," which centers on Haniel, Nanally, and the Esper Zero protagonist preparing the band's debut performance. During the cutscene, Haniel freezes from stage fright, and Akane steps in to keep the show going, which is how most players first see her on screen.
Outside of that quest, Akane works at the StarSign music venue in Illusion Town. Visiting the venue after triggering the spinoff is the most reliable way to see her in the world.
Playable status and banner availability
Akane is currently a story NPC. She has been teased for a future update along with other upcoming characters such as Alphard, Black Bird, Chaos, Elyms, Exe, Irai, Lingka, and Shinku, but Hotta Studio has not confirmed a banner date, rarity, element, or weapon type for her in any official announcement.
The confirmed limited banner schedule following launch focuses on Hotori's "Misty Tipsy Style" rate-up, which runs from May 13, 2026, to June 3, 2026 (server time). Lacrimosa (Chaos) and Chaos (Lakshana) have received drip marketing as the likely next additions, possibly as early as Version 1.1. Akane is not part of either of those announced waves.
Akane quick reference
| Detail | Status |
|---|---|
| Role in game | Non-playable story character |
| First appearance | Spinoff mission "A Legendary(?) Band's First Page" |
| Location | StarSign music venue, Illusion Town |
| Connected characters | Haniel, Nanally, Esper Zero (band performance scene) |
| Playable banner | Not announced |
| Rarity / element / weapon | Not officially confirmed |
| Game version introduced | 1.0 (global launch, April 29, 2026) |
How to trigger Akane's scene
Step 1: Progress the main story past the prologue and unlock open exploration of Hethereau. The spinoff missions tied to Illusion Town only appear once the world map and side content are available to you.
Step 2: Travel to Illusion Town and accept the spinoff mission "A Legendary(?) Band's First Page." It is a band-focused side quest involving Haniel and Nanally, so make sure both characters are unlocked through normal story progress and the gacha tutorial.
Step 3: Play through the quest to the StarSign music venue performance. Akane appears during the on-stage sequence when Haniel hesitates, which serves as her introductory cutscene.
How to confirm you triggered the right scene
You will know the encounter registered when the cutscene shows Akane stepping onto the StarSign stage to back up Haniel during the band's debut. The quest log for "A Legendary(?) Band's First Page" updates immediately after the performance segment, and Akane remains visible at the venue afterward as a standing NPC.
If the cutscene does not play, the most common reason is that the spinoff mission has not been accepted yet, or earlier prerequisite story beats involving Haniel's recruitment and band setup are still incomplete.
For now, treat Akane as a recurring NPC tied to Illusion Town's music storyline rather than a roster pick. Any confirmed rarity, element, or banner timing for her would come through Hotta Studio's official drip marketing on the NTE social channels, and no such announcement has been made yet.