Chromatic Anima: the shiny-style rare variants
Updated 2026-07-13. Chromatic Anima are the reason this site is named the way it is — here’s what’s actually known about Nexus Anima’s rarest creatures.
Also called
Chroma Anima · the game’s “shiny”-style variants
How you get them
Luck-based — no confirmed rate. Found by chance while exploring.
What are Chromatic Anima?
Chromatic Anima — also written Chroma Anima — are Honkai: Nexus Anima's take on shiny-style rare variants: standout versions of standard Anima that appear at random while you explore. Beta coverage describes them as more than a plain recolor — a Chromatic can look distinct enough to spot on sight — and HoYoverse frames running into one as a lucky-day encounter. They add a collectible rarity layer on top of the normal roster: even if another player owns the same Anima, a Chromatic one always feels one of a kind.
They’re the rarity chase in a game built around bonding with Anima— the standout version of a creature you’d otherwise pass by. That “rare variant you actually want” is exactly what the Chromatic Anima name on this tracker points to.
Are they like shiny Pokémon?
Yes, that’s the clearest comparison — outlets covering the Evolution Test have likened a Chromatic Anima to a shiny. Like shinies, they are rare variants of a normal creature, they don’t change what the Anima fundamentally is, and the appeal is bragging-rights rarity rather than a guaranteed power jump. Where they go a step further is presentation: beta coverage describes a Chromatic as more than a plain palette swap, distinct enough to notice the moment it appears. And unlike a straight clone, they’re woven into Nexus Anima’s own systems — you meet them through play, not a menu.
How to find Chromatic Anima
There is no confirmed encounter rate and no trick to force one. Evolution Test coverage describes Chromatic Anima as luck-based finds during ordinary play — you cross paths with one by chance while exploring, winning battles to forge bonds, running missions or street encounters, or clearing challenges in content like the Apex Club.
Once you do cross paths with one, the bonding flow is the same as any Anima. Bonding with any Anima lets you take a commemorative photo and give it a custom name; a Chromatic variant just makes that moment rarer.
Is there a Chromatic Anima encounter rate?
No official odds have been published. Everything known about Chromatic Anima comes from the Evolution Test closed beta (July 9 – 27, 2026), which ends in a data wipe. Exact odds, any dedicated Chromatic-hunting mechanics, and which Anima have Chromatic forms may all change before the dated global launch — which HoYoverse has not announced.
A confirmed example: Vulberry
The clearest example revealed so far is Vulberry: HoYoverse's reveal showed a Chromatic Vulberry recolored pink instead of its usual red — same creature design, shifted palette. It's the best look yet at what a Chromatic swap actually does.
Which Anima have Chromatic forms?
HoYoverse hasn’t published a Chromatic checklist. What we can pin down is the base roster: the Anidex already catalogs all 82 revealed Anima with their Aspect, height, energy and lore — any of which could turn up as a Chromatic variant in the wild. As confirmed Chromatic forms surface, they’ll be tagged there.

Apollinis
Apollinis strides with a knight's honor, its radiance blazing like the sun.

Atragasus
A winged horse that records the past in ink, its wings spread wide as it soars above the skies.

Baggle
The No.1 must-have Nexus Anima for any journey: Baggle.

Batnyss
Although Batnyss often draws people's attention with its cute appearance, it is never quite able to accept their affection.

Beaubeanie
Dangling jellyfish-like in midair, this Anima delights in masquerading as a genuine floofy hat.

Bladehound
This giant canine bears a bone blade on its head, striking in appearance. It has a dog's natural loyalty and strong sense of duty, and its bones are exceptionally hard.
The base Anima in their standard official art — a Chromatic is a rare variant of one of these, not a separate creature. Art © HoYoverse, shown for identification (see disclaimer).
Browse the full Anidex — all 82 Anima →
Frequently asked
What is a Chromatic Anima in Honkai: Nexus Anima?
The same creature as a normal Anima, in a rare standout form — Nexus Anima’s shiny-style variant. It looks distinct rather than just recolored, it’s luck-only, and that scarcity is the whole appeal. Some beta coverage spells it “Chroma Anima.”
How do you get a shiny (Chromatic) Anima?
By luck during normal exploration and encounters. There is no confirmed method, rate, or farming trick as of the Evolution Test.
Do Chromatic Anima carry over after the Evolution Test?
No. The Evolution Test ends July 27, 2026 in a full data wipe, so anything you catch in the beta — Chromatic or not — doesn’t carry to later builds or to launch. See the Evolution Test guide.
Are Chromatic Anima stronger?
Nothing confirms a Chromatic variant is mechanically stronger. As with shinies elsewhere, the draw is rarity and collection value — see how Anima work for the systems that actually decide combat.
Anima art and terminology © HoYoverse, referenced for identification (see disclaimer). Track the release date and the Evolution Test.
Sources
- Honkai: Nexus Anima Wiki — release/beta dates (Evolution Test July 9–27, 2026)
- DayOne — Evolution closed beta kicks off 9 July
- Pocket Gamer — Evolution Test (Chromatic Anima are lucky-day shiny-style finds)
- Inven Global — Evolution Test begins (Chroma Anima, Anima Synergy System, photos & naming)
- GamingonPhone — Evolution Test starts July 9, recruitment open
- Mobalytics — Honkai: Nexus Anima preview (gameplay explained)
- GameSpot — everything we know
- Sportskeeda — Evolution Test release date, how to apply, system requirements
- Icy Veins — closed beta hardware requirements
- Siliconera — Vulberry Anima and factions revealed
- Honkai: Nexus Anima official site
