Blue Archive January Banners: Toki, Nagisa, Kanna & Chiaki R
Blue Archive’s new 1/6 banners feature Toki, Nagisa, Kanna, and Chiaki. Should you pull? Dates, rates, and team tips for F2P and collectors.
Lumine Lee Schale Secretariat Announces Key January 2024 Banners: Toki, Nagisa, Kanna, & Chiaki Return
Blue Archive’s January 2024 line-up delivers dual-banner reruns featuring some of the most coveted students in the current meta. For players watching their Pyroxene budget or looking to fine-tune roster depth, the latest Unique Pick-Up Recruitment for Toki and Nagisa—alongside the regular Pick-Up spotlight for Kanna and Chiaki—marks a crucial opportunity. All banners go live on 2024-01-06 02:00 (UTC) and conclude 2024-01-13 01:59 (UTC), per official patch notes.
Veteran’s Take
These banners aren’t just reruns; they represent some of Blue Archive’s top-tier PvE and PvP picks, returning during a generally Pyroxene-poor stretch. The simultaneous availability—and the Unique Pick-Up mechanics—position this as a prime moment for account upgrades, especially for veterans seeking event-clear speed or ranked ladder edge. Schedule discipline will matter, as banner overlap with upcoming content might influence optimal pulls.
At a Glance: Key Details for January Banners
- Banner Period: 2024-01-06 02:00 to 2024-01-13 01:59 (UTC)
- Unique Pick-Up Banners: Toki (3★), Nagisa (3★)
- Pick-Up Banners: Kanna (3★), Chiaki (3★)
- Unique Pick-Up students also available via Regular Recruitment during event
- Pity System: Recruitment Points grant guaranteed Pick-Up students during banner (see mechanics)
Banner Schedule & Details
| Banner Type | Students Featured | Start | End | Mechanic Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unique Pick-Up | Toki (3★), Nagisa (3★) | 2024-01-06 02:00 UTC | 2024-01-13 01:59 UTC | Exclusive rate-up for banner duration |
| Pick-Up | Kanna (3★), Chiaki (3★) | 2024-01-06 02:00 UTC | 2024-01-13 01:59 UTC | Standard rate-up; remain in pool after |
— Banner end time can fluctuate by 1–2 minutes by device (official notice); spend Recruitment Points 5+ min early.
Should You Pull? Banner Analysis & F2P Guidance
Unique Pick-Up: Toki & Nagisa
- Toki (3★): Sought after for her utility in endgame raids and flexible support & DPS roles. Her initial release saw high meta usage due to unique EX Skill scaling and break mechanics.
- Nagisa (3★): Renowned for top-tier DPS in militaristic content and flexible enough to slot in diverse teams. Her reappearance allows newer accounts to finally fill a common roster gap noted since her prior banner.
Unique Pick-Up Banner Dynamics:
– Higher-than-average rates for banner student.
– Pity/guarantee: Recruitment Points (not detailed in odds here; refer to official resources)
– Critical: These students are only available in both Unique and Regular Recruitment during this period; their next rerun date is officially listed as "not determined."
– F2P/Low-Spend: Highly recommended for those focusing on account flexibility; both units have historically offered longevity, especially for raid event clears. Do not overextend on both—choose based on your existing team gap.
Standard Pick-Up: Kanna & Chiaki
- Kanna (3★): Solid AoE control and synergy with several recent event comps. Secondary in value to Toki/Nagisa for most, but useful if you lack strong Mystic coverage.
- Chiaki (3★): Niche disruptor; saw meta play in the last two competitive PvP patches. Her unique debuff options are situational but occasionally invaluable.
- Drop-rates mirror standard Pick-Ups. These units remain accessible in Regular Recruitment even after the banner.
Should F2P skip? Unless you specifically missed Chiaki or Kanna and need them for ex-stage clears, prioritize Unique Pick-Up targets this patch cycle. Resource conservation is prudent, as upcoming banners may bring newer, more synergistic options; plan for potential reruns or powercreep.
Synergy & Team-Building Context
Toki remains a linchpin in mixed-element raid teams, synergizing well with burst and sustain supports (notably Akane, Serina, Koharu). Nagisa often headlines blue-typed challenge clears, frequently paired with cost accelerators.
| Core Synergists | Best Team Roles |
|---|---|
| Akane, Serina | Raid, AoE, Event Clear |
| Koharu | Sustain, Burst |
| Neru, Iori | Flex DPS, Story stages |
Kanna and Chiaki are more specialized. Kanna excels where AoE suppression is needed; Chiaki can turn the tide in PvP with turn-economy manipulation.
Preparation Checklist
- Recruitment Points: Stock up to mitigate pity risk.
- Skill Books: Check event shops and dailies.
- Tech Materials: Farm supplies for immediate promotion upon pull.
- Pyroxene: Budget for at least 120 pulls per banner if aiming for guarantee.
- Event Currency: Monitor overlap with in-game events for efficiency.
Community Insights & Broader Context
Across major Blue Archive community spaces, anticipation for this banner cycle has centered on the question of value versus now-standard power inflation. The dual-Unique format recalls the 2023 "Back-to-Back Stars" event, when players who skipped out were forced to wait nearly a year for key units. This rerun, notably, arrives in a quieter patch window—and after a ho-hum holiday update (see Blue Archive 12/30 Update: Summer Swimsuits Return, Say-Bing), making the decision sharper for Pyroxene conservationists.
Unconfirmed — subject to change: While there is persistent chatter of upcoming collaborations and power-shifting new students, there is no official statement on the next banner line-up beyond these.
Key Visuals & Art Direction
- Toki Unique Banner
- Alt text: Blue Archive promotional artwork for Toki, featuring her mid-action in thematic setting, banner details overlaid at the bottom.
- Nagisa Unique Banner
- Alt text: Official Nagisa Pick-Up Recruitment splash with character in focus, deployment background, event text in English.
- Kanna Banner
- Alt text: Kanna's banner visual; Kanna in action with dramatic background, banner timeframe listed.
- Chiaki Banner
- Alt text: Chiaki’s unique Pick-Up event graphic, classroom-themed visual cues, English UI.
Final Thoughts & What’s Next
This January marks a rare "double rerun" moment that will help both new and returning Blue Archive players shore up their rosters for upcoming events and high-end content. The combination of Toki and Nagisa in Unique Pick-Up sets a high bar for value; Kanna and Chiaki are strong, if less transformative, additions for those seeking complete collections.
Monitor EarlyGG’s Blue Archive news feed as details emerge around the next banner phase, including expected event overlaps and any announcement of future collaboration cycles. With Pyroxene at a premium, making informed pull choices this week is critical.