Honkai Nexus Anima Sparks Pokemon Comparisons in Star Rail Fan Theories

MiHoYo has unveiled a potentially revolutionary approach to its Honkai universe with a new Pokémon-inspired concept. During Honkai Star Rail's concert livestream, developers previewed gameplay that strongly suggests creature-collecting mechanics may be central to their next release - possibly the trademarked Honkai Nexus Anima project.

Honkai Nexus Anima May Be Pokemon-Like, According to Star Rail LIVE 2025 Fan Theories

Brand-New Honkai Game Teased

Possibly a Pokémon-like Game

The 20-second preview showcased Honkai Impact 3rd's Kiana and Star Rail's Blade commanding mystical creatures in battle. This unexpected direction suggests three potential gameplay styles: turn-based creature battlers (à la Pokémon), auto-chess strategy mechanics, or deep monster-collection systems.

This evolution makes perfect sense considering miHoYo's recent creature-focused content. Genshin Impact's "Fabulous Fungus Frenzy" event and housing-based monster capture, plus Star Rail's "Aetherium Wars" tournament (featuring turn-based monster battles), demonstrate the company's growing interest in creature mechanics.

The teaser's closing sequence revealed shadowed figures resembling Star Rail's Aventurine and other franchise favorites. While Genshin characters' inclusion remains uncertain, the trailer confirms crossovers between Honkai Impact 3rd and Star Rail characters.

Is this Honkai Nexus Anima?

Fans speculate this project is the recently trademarked Honkai Nexus Anima. September 2024 job listings support this theory, requesting artists for "Anthropomorphic Animals" and "fantasy spirit companions" - language that aligns perfectly with the teaser's creature companions.

While unconfirmed, the timing of the trademark filing and teaser release strongly suggests this is indeed Nexus Anima. However, miHoYo maintains secrecy about specific details, leaving fans to analyze clues from the preview and prior developments.