NTE New Characters — Zankou, Linko & What's Coming Next
Neverness to Everness is moving fast. Version 1.2 brought Shinku, and the roster isn't stopping there. Hotta Studio has officially revealed two new characters for Version 1.3 via drip marketing — Zankou in Phase 1 and Linko in Phase 2. Hotta Studio has since officially revealed Blackbird and Akane Rin through drip marketing for Version 1.4. Here is everything we know.
Table of Contents
Current Banner: Linko (Version 1.3 Phase 2)
The current NTE banner is Linko's Surfing All Channels! board, live from September 9 to September 30, 2026 at 05:59 (UTC+8), alongside a rerun of Hotori on Misty Tipsy Style. Phase 1 — Zankou plus a Nanally rerun — closed on September 9.
Both boards share the same cutoff. The full NTE banner schedule tracks what is running now and what we expect next.
Version 1.3 — Phase 1: Zankou
Officially confirmed
Hotta Studio officially revealed Zankou as the first new character of Version 1.3 via the NTE Global Twitter account. She opened the Phase 1 slot on the Alluring Shadows board, confirmed at the August 8 Preview Special Program. Her banner ran August 19 to September 9, 2026, and her kit is fully live now — she sits T0 on our tier list.
Neverness to Everness (Global)
@NTE_GL · Jul 2026
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What we know about Zankou
- Confirmed for Version 1.3 Phase 1 via official drip marketing
- Official reveal from the NTE Global account — high visibility character
- Full kit, element, arc and module details to be announced ahead of launch
- As a Phase 1 character, Zankou's banner will open on the first day of v1.3
Version 1.3 — Phase 2: Linko
Officially confirmed
The second character confirmed for Version 1.3 is Linko, revealed through an official drip marketing post from the NTE JP account rather than the Global one — Hotta hasn't explained the split, and nothing about the reveal channel is known to predict kit complexity, so treat it as a marketing detail, not a signal. Linko takes the Phase 2 slot, following Zankou's banner in the second half of Version 1.3. Her kit is live now: see the full Linko build for skills, arc and team fit.
Neverness to Everness (JP)
@NTE_JP · Jul 2026
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What we know about Linko
- Confirmed for Version 1.3 Phase 2 via official NTE JP drip marketing
- Phase 2 banner typically opens 2–3 weeks after the patch launch
- Revealed at the Version 1.3 livestream on August 8, 2026 — see the NTE 1.3 livestream: release date, banners and codes
- Save your pulls after Zankou's window if Linko's kit appeals to you
Officially Revealed: Blackbird & Akane Rin
Official drip marketing · Version 1.4
Hotta Studio has officially revealed the next two S-rank characters through drip marketing: Blackbird and Akane Rin. The Version 1.4 Preview Special Program confirmed the version launches September 30, 2026, and gave each character a partial kit reveal — tags, not numbers. Hotta hasn't published either banner's own dates; the September 30 → October 21 → November 11 split below comes from the Research Program and Celestial Special windows announced alongside them, not from an official banner calendar.
The Preview Special Program aired September 16, 2026 at 19:30 (UTC+8).
Blackbird
Officially revealed
Blackbird opens Version 1.4 on the Foretold Finale board, shown in the reveal art as a crow-themed witch. The September 16 Preview Special Program confirmed her as a Psyche Main DPS tagged Instant Cycle · Main DPS · DMG Boost, fighting in two combat forms — full skill numbers are still unpublished. See her Blackbird build as it fills in. Hotta hasn't announced her banner dates; expect them to run September 30 to October 21, 2026.
Akane Rin
Officially revealed
Akane Rin follows as Phase 2 on the Dazzling Star board, pictured with an electric guitar. The same program tagged her a Lakshana Main DPS built around music and rhythm, hitting in AoE — a different playstyle from Blackbird, not a variation on it. Check her Akane Rin build once numbers land. Her window is expected to open October 21, 2026 — Hotta has not announced it.
Who Should You Pull?
Pull Linko now
Her Surfing All Channels! board is live to September 30, 2026 at 05:59 (UTC+8) and she lands straight in T0. After the cutoff she is gone until a rerun.
Pull Hotori's rerun
Same window, to September 30, 2026 at 05:59 (UTC+8). T0 Cosmos Burst DPS and buffer — the cheapest way to fix a team that lacks one.
Save for Blackbird
You want the Version 1.4 opener. Her tags are known (Instant Cycle · Main DPS · DMG Boost) but the numbers aren't — her banner starts September 30, 2026.
Save for Akane Rin
You'd rather hold for Phase 2. Her kit direction (Lakshana AoE, music and rhythm) is known but unquantified, and her dates aren't announced — we expect her from October 21, 2026.
General rule: Always wait for a character's full kit reveal before spending pulls. Drip marketing shows aesthetic and theme — actual damage numbers and team synergy come from the kit reveal livestream. Check back on our tier list and character guides as soon as new details drop.
FAQ · 5 questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the next NTE character?
Blackbird is next. The September 16 Preview Special Program confirmed her as an S-rank Psyche Main DPS and set Version 1.4's launch for September 30, 2026, right after Linko's Phase 2 board closes at 05:59 (UTC+8). Hotta hasn't published her banner's own end date; we expect it to run to October 21, 2026.
When did Zankou release in NTE?
Zankou released on August 19, 2026 in Version 1.3 Phase 1, on the Alluring Shadows banner. The date was confirmed at the Version 1.3 Preview Special Program on August 8, 2026. Her banner closed on September 9, 2026.
Who is Linko in NTE?
Linko is an S-rank Anima Main DPS, first revealed via drip marketing from the NTE JP Twitter account and released on September 9, 2026 as Version 1.3 Phase 2. Her Surfing All Channels! board runs to September 30, 2026 at 05:59 (UTC+8).
Are Blackbird and Akane Rin confirmed for NTE?
Yes, and both got a partial kit reveal at the September 16 Preview Special Program: Blackbird as an S-rank Psyche Main DPS, Akane Rin as an S-rank Lakshana Main DPS built around music and rhythm. Hotta hasn't announced either banner's own dates — based on the Research Program windows running alongside them we expect Blackbird from September 30 to October 21, 2026, then Akane Rin from October 21.
Should I save pulls for Blackbird or Akane Rin?
Neither kit is fully known — the Preview Special Program gave tags, not numbers — so there's nothing solid to judge them on yet. If Linko or her Hotori rerun fill a gap in your roster, pull now; otherwise save until the full kit reveal.