Blue Archive has just switched up their banners again for another one week event. This time Shun (Small), Shun, Saya (Casual), and a new character Kokona are available for pick-up!

With only one new character, this banner isn’t as exciting as the Kazusa and Moe banner from last month, but with four 3-stars on the banner is it worth pulling?

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Sunohara Kokona

Kokona is another teacher at Plum Blossom Garden and the little sister of Shun; she’s also a debut character making her premiere in this banner.

Kokona is a battlefield healer with a unique mechanic where she collects “Stamps of Praise” for using her abilities. When she reaches five stamps the next EX skill cost is reduced by half and the user receives some healing.

This makes Kokona a relatively straightforward healer with the ability to make a big impact on teams with high cost abilities.

Ultimately she’s pullable in the situation where you don’t have a decent Striker healer already and can fit on raid teams where your Special slots are taken by damage buffer/dealers.

Sunohara Shun (Small)

Shun (Small) is… a character. She does decent damage, has a weird mechanic where her attack is debuffed briefly after using an EX skill only to be buffed afterwards, and that’s about it.

Ultimately she’s just there to collect and other characters can easily take her place.

Nakatsukasa Kirino

Similar to Natsu and Mari, Kirino is a 2-star unit bundled with the Shun (Small) banner. But unlike Mari Kirino unfortunately has no real meta spot in any activities.

Like Mari, there’s no universe where you should be pulling EXCLUSIVELY for a 2-star. If you really want Shun (Small) and you like Kirino, it’s a nice bonus.

Yakushi Saya (Casual)

Saya is an unexceptional unit and her Casual version does nothing to change that. She has a damage over time effect that’s fired in a line, which is one of the weakest AoE shapes in the game and gives a crit boost passively.

Ultimately other units do what Saya does but at least they have better EX Abilities. There’s no universe where you would take Saya (Casual) over units like Ako as far as damage goes, but even healer units like Hanae can give a crit boost while reducing the need for healing among your Strikers.

Sunohara Shun

Shun (or I guess “Big” Shun) has a self-buff that reduces her attack speed while drastically increasing her attack and range, giving her more oomph to her auto attacks. As a damage dealing unit there are better choices, but it’s one of her abilities that gives her a weird niche in PvP.

At the start of a battle, Shun casts an ability that instantly raises the EX meter by 2-3.8 bars depending on the skill’s level. In PvP EX abilities are cast automatically so Shun can help your team get a lucky early ability that can drastically alter the outcome of a match.

She’s skippable unless you’re super serious about the PvP meta; but even if you don’t have her it’s entirely possible to get into at least Gold tier.

Should I Pull?

This week is unfortunately another easy skip. If you weren’t aware, Global servers are going to be getting a rerun of Bunny Chasers On Board, and the premiere of the sports festival event. Both banners will have Unique units with meta applications so your pyroxenes are better off being saved.

To sum it up: Do not pull!

Waifu Clause

As always, if you really like the student’s design then more power to you. These guides are more about the student’s place in the meta.