From cartoons to video games, there are certain types of characters that always seem to show up. The same is true for Honkai: Star Rail.
There is a reason why archetypes exist, especially character models in anime and other media like anime. In this case, archetypes are a group of different figures who all follow the same basic idea, whether it’s in how they look or how they act. Some people may be tired of seeing the same kind of “hot-blooded delinquent” character in most anime, but street punks like Josuke Joestar only show up so often because people like to see them.
So far, Honkai: Star Rail has 24 characters, and a lot of archetypes have already been shown in their looks, attitudes, and fighting styles. And if that huge leak of more than 20 characters is true, figures like Luka and Xueyi are probably already working on a lot of the archetypes we’re about to talk about. But let’s go over a few more well-known stereotypes that Honkai: Star Rail must use at some point to make a usable character.
Airheaded Or Too ‘Pure’ For This World Casanova
Let’s start with a fun one: Honkai should be able to play as a big, dumb friend. To be more specific, this archetype is of a stereotypically beautiful or overly muscular man, woman, or non-gendered person who is either too nice for their own good or doesn’t have much going on in their heads. Even though “himbo-type” isn’t the most charming term, most people would use it to describe this kind of person.
Usually, these kinds of characters play the role of a reliable ally who is obsessed with fitness or food (like Raphael from Fire Emblem: Three Houses), a “street punk” who does a lot more good than he or she wants to admit (like Arataki Itto from Genshin Impact), or a head-empty-charge-forward protagonist like Kamina from Gurren Lagann. Gepard is the only HSR character who comes close to any of these, but he’s way too smart and serious for his own good. Sampo is also in the mix.
The ‘Larger Than Life’ Performer
Even though Serval is already in the game and is a “rocker” archetype like Xinyan from Genshin Impact, that’s not the only fine arts-based archetype that’s popular in these kinds of games and anime. Dorothea from Three Houses and Barbara from Genshin Impact are two examples of how creators can use the “idol” or “singer” archetype in different ways while keeping the main idea the same. Even Azura, a sad but talented singer from Fire Emblem: Fates (both Conquest and Birthright), could work, though she is a bit more serious and less “bubbly.”
Since Honkai: Star Rail is set in space, it should have a future opera singer to match the Space Opera vibe. For instance, Diva Plavalaguna from the movie The Fifth Element is a great example of this archetype, and Honkai’s try could even have a manager character like Ruby Rhod working with her. It would be really interesting to see how the idea of “idol” works when everyone lives in space.
The Unhinged & (Sometimes) Incomprehensible Explosives Expert
So far, Honkai: Star Rail has done a pretty good job of giving characters a wide range of regular and special weapons. Because the game uses Light Cones and Paths instead of limiting characters to a small number of weapon types (like Genshin Impact), characters have a bit more choice in what they use to fight the creatures of the Fragmentum. Himeko, for instance, uses a battle drone that can also be used as what can only be described as a big pizza cutter. Also, Hook, who looks like a child, fights for her life with a claw-shaped digging tool called the Diggertron that is bigger than her whole body.
And while Hook’s Ultimate Attack is very powerful, that’s about where the similarities between her and Klee in Genshin end. She’s not an expert on explosives like Klee, and even when she plays pretend, Hook usually makes sense. Still, people love to play as characters like Ziggs in League of Legends or Junkrat in Overwatch who like to make a lot of noise.If HoYoverse does add a character who knows how to use explosives to Honkai: Star Rail, it will probably be more like Tiny Tina from Borderlands than Junkrat.
The All-Flair No Substance Wrestler
This next archetype might sound a lot like the “larger-than-life” performer archetype, since both of these characters work in the entertainment business, but this one is even more specific than the others. Basically, it would be great if Honkai: Star Rail had a character who fit the standard stereotype of a professional wrestler. Usually, this archetype is shown by a character who has given their whole body, soul, and spirit to becoming a masterclass wrestler or performer. They’re the kind of people who always act like they’re putting on a show, even when no one else is around. Even in life-or-death situations, they’re all about putting on a show. And people might be surprised to find out how many characters, like:
- Beowulf from Skullgirls.
- Rainbow Mika (and Znagief) from the Street Fighter games.
- King and Armor King from the Tekken games.
There are a lot more cases, but these are by far the most famous. HoYoverse should never pass up on the idea of a Destruction-Path character who fights with a chair and suplexes their enemies as their ultimate.HoYoverse gave information about Luka, who may be the closest thing players get to this pattern. However, until Luka is out and can be played, no one will know how entertaining he really is.
Sociopathic Jester Or Clown
So far, all of the character archetypes that have been suggested are just ones that would be cool to see or could be written easily to fit into the Honkai: Star Rail setting. The next idea, on the other hand, is about an Aeon in the HSR world. This Aeon’s name is Aha, and he is in charge of the Path of Elation. Aha is pretty much the god of jokes, chaos, tragedy, and even a little bit of nihilism. For comparison, he’s like the Norse God Loki (not the version from the Marvel movies) or the Laughing God Cegorach from the Warhammer 40k world.
It would be very interesting to see what Mihoyo would do with a figure like a jester or joker who follows Aha and does everything “for the laughs.” A typical figure who fits this archetype is someone like Harley Quinn, the Joker, Shaco from League of Legends, or even Buggy the Clown from One Piece, though he’s a bit less serious. However, lore entries in HSR show that Aha will often recognize and give powers of Elation to those who stand in direct opposition to Aha and do the opposite of what everyone would expect a joker to do, like the Mourning Actors. This could be another archetype route for an Aha-related character.
A ‘Fish Out Of Water’ Alien Character
This next class probably has the least chance of showing up in Honkai: Star Rail out of all the ones on this list.The main characters in HSR are a group of people who ride a space train across the galaxy to fix problems on different planets. In a way, they’re like a cartoon version of the Star Trek Enterprise.
But what the Enterprise has that the Astral Express sadly lacks are “real” alien species. Tunnel Rush players have already met non-human races like the Foxians (Tingyun) and the Vidyadhara (Bailu), but they look so much like humans that they don’t really count. It would be very interesting to see what Mihoyo does with an extraterrestrial figure who looks more alien. It doesn’t have to look like an H.R. Giger alien, but something like Gamora from Guardians of the Galaxy, Liara T’Soni from Mass Effect, or even Starfire from Teen Titans would be enough.
The ‘Fallen Diety’ Or A Forgotten Aeon
Last but not least, it would be amazing if the HoYoverse team found a way to make an Aeon usable. This is sure to happen at some point in the future of Honkai. Even so, Aeons like Aha, Qlipoth, and Nanook are way too powerful to be playable, and it wouldn’t make sense for them to travel with a group of people. These are beings that give power to everyone who follows their Path, so someone with ice arrows like March 7th would be too strong for them. From a story point of view, this could easily work, since it’s always fun to see godlike beings interact with regular people, like Beerus did with Bulma in Dragon Ball Super. However, from a gameplay point of view, they’d have to work hard to make the Aeon ‘nerfed’ enough to be playable and on par with other characters.
But this doesn’t mean that a fallen Aeon like Tayzzyronth, who is thought to be dead, can’t still work. Even though Tayzzyronth was thought to be a never-ending swarm of insects, that probably wouldn’t work as a character with cute anime girls. However, an avatar of Tayzzyronth or a nearly forgotten or amnesic Aeon, like Screwllum, who is a member of the Genius Society and follows the Erudition Path of Nous, would work perfectly. But information that got out about Honkai: Star Rail shows that his phone case has a bug on the back, which could be a hint at Tayzzyronth.
Honkai: Star Rail is now available for PCs and phones. Versions for the PS4 and PS5 are being made.