Shinku and Iroi headline Neverness to Everness 1.2, and they pull in opposite directions. Shinku is a Cosmos DMG carry built to end fights fast, while Iroi is the game’s first premium S-Class Support with healing, a revive, and an attack buff. The right choice depends on what your roster is missing rather than raw power numbers.
Quick answer: If you only have pulls for one, choose Iroi. Meta-relevant supports are far scarcer than damage units, and a built free Chiz already covers the Cosmos DPS slot for most players. Pull Shinku only if you want the strongest single-target Cosmos carry and can invest heavily.
Shinku and Iroi banner windows in NTE 1.2
Shinku’s banner is live now and closes soon, so it is the more urgent decision. Iroi follows immediately after, which means you can watch Shinku’s run end before committing to the support you may actually prefer.
| Banner | Availability |
|---|---|
| Shinku | July 8 – July 29, 2026 |
| Iroi | Starts July 29, 2026 |
Because the two windows sit back to back, saving through Shinku’s run keeps the option open. If your team needs a healer more than another damage dealer, holding for the Iroi banner costs you nothing extra.
What Shinku brings as a Cosmos DPS
Shinku is currently the best Cosmos DMG carry in the game and is posting some of the fastest clears in Beyond the Rails, though those results assume heavy investment. Her gameplay loop is straightforward, which makes her a good fit if you dislike quickswap-style DPS units.
- Top Cosmos damage: She outperforms Chiz, the only other primary Cosmos DPS, once she is properly built.
- Lone Stride passive: Grants off-field units the same Charge at the same time as her, adding useful team utility.
- Charge Esper synergy: Teams built around Charge with strong Anima and Lakasha units gain the most from slotting her in.
- Boss killer: She shreds endgame PvE bosses, which is where her single-target ceiling matters most.
The trade-offs are real. Damage units are more exposed to powercreep than supports, so her niche is less future-proof as new carries arrive. She also demands a large investment, which is hard to justify if you already have a maxed Chiz and are not hitting a damage wall.
What Iroi brings as an S-Class Support
Iroi is the first premium S-Class Support in Neverness to Everness, and her value comes from how few strong supports exist. She keeps a team alive while still contributing damage and buffs, so she rarely feels like a dead slot.
- Revive in her Ultimate: She can bring back one downed ally, and the Ultimate still deals damage. If nobody is down, it simply heals the whole team.
- Reliable healing: Beyond the Ultimate, she heals through her Skill and Support Skill.
- Attack buff for your carry: Her Skill raises an ally’s ATK, and managing her Regression state well pushes team damage higher.
- Anima damage: She is not a pure healer; her ATK buff scales off her own ATK, so she can contribute Anima DMG too.
The revive matters more for casual players than for optimized end-game teams, which usually avoid deaths entirely. But even setting that aside, healing plus an ATK buff on a single unit is scarce, and that scarcity is her main selling point.
Free alternatives that change the decision
Before spending on either banner, weigh the units you can get for free. They cover both roles well enough that neither Shinku nor Iroi is mandatory for average, low-budget, or F2P players.
| Role | Free option | Effect on the pull |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmos DPS | Chiz (free to obtain) | A built Chiz reduces the need for Shinku, even though she is weaker overall. |
| Support | Sakiri (via free S-Class Selectors) | A solid support that softens the need to pull Iroi for non-whales. |
Sakiri and Haniel rank among the best supports but do not heal, and Edgar heals yet sits low on the tier list. That gap is exactly what makes Iroi stand out, since she combines survivability tools that the free options cannot fully replicate.
Which one to pull
Pull Shinku if you want the fastest boss clears, enjoy a simple damage loop, and are ready to invest in a second Cosmos carry. She is a safe, meta-relevant pick for players who specifically need more damage output.
Wait for Iroi if you value team survival, healing, and an attack buff, or if your damage slot is already handled by a built Chiz. With supports thin on the ground and less prone to powercreep, she is the more durable long-term investment. For anyone forced to choose a single unit in 1.2, Iroi is the stronger call.
