Honkai Star Rai Yao Guang Release Date, Voice Actors, and Lore
•February 16, 2026
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Why It Matters
Yao Guang’s release extends player engagement and monetization through a long‑running banner, while her unique abilities reshape the Elation meta and reinforce HoYoverse’s cross‑title storytelling.
Key Takeaways
- •Yao Guang released Feb 13, 2026 in version 4.0.
- •Five‑star physical Elation character, strong in Elation comps.
- •Banner lasted entire version 4.0, longer than typical.
- •English voice by Ari Thrash; Japanese by Kana Hanazawa.
- •Adds strategic depth to Xianzhou Alliance storyline.
Pulse Analysis
The debut of Yao Guang in Honkai Star Rail’s version 4.0 reflects miHoYo’s strategic use of character banners to sustain revenue streams. By extending her banner for the full update cycle, the company gives players a rare window to obtain a five‑star unit without the usual time pressure, encouraging continued spending and daily activity. This approach aligns with broader live‑service trends where prolonged banners act as both content hooks and financial drivers, reinforcing the game’s long‑term monetization model.
From a gameplay perspective, Yao Guang’s Elation path and physical damage profile fill a niche that has been underrepresented in recent meta discussions. Her synergy with Elation Light Cones and support characters amplifies burst potential, prompting teams to re‑evaluate composition strategies. Players seeking to maximize damage output now have a compelling alternative to the traditionally dominant Quantum and Imaginary units, which could shift tier lists and influence future balance patches. The character’s design also showcases miHoYo’s commitment to diversifying playstyles within the same elemental framework.
Beyond mechanics, the casting of Ari Thrash for English and seasoned Asian voice actors like Kana Hanazawa underscores HoYoverse’s focus on cross‑regional appeal. Recognizable talent bridges fanbases across anime, gaming, and streaming platforms, enhancing brand loyalty and media coverage. Such casting decisions often generate additional buzz on social channels, driving organic promotion and reinforcing the franchise’s cultural footprint. Together, Yao Guang’s launch exemplifies how content, monetization, and talent integration converge to sustain growth in the competitive live‑service market.
Honkai Star Rai Yao Guang release date, voice actors, and lore
Everything we know about Honkai Star Rail's Yao Guang
In version 4.0, we finally meet Honkai Star Rail's Yao Guang face‑to‑face after hearing so much about the Yuque's Seer Strategist from our allies in the Xianzhou Alliance. We've gathered everything you need to know about who she is, her element and path, as well as her voice actors, so keep reading.
Here's everything we know about Honkai Star Rail's Yao Guang:
When did Honkai Star Rail Yao Guang release?
Yao Guang joined Honkai Star Rail's playable roster on February 13, 2026.
Her banner took place in phase one of the update alongside reruns of Honkai Star Rail's Hysilens, Honkai Star Rail's Evernight, and Honkai Star Rail's Black Swan.
Yao Guang's banner ran for the entirety of version 4.0, so you have a little bit longer than usual to add her to your team, which is good, as she's a really good unit—but really only for Elation‑based comps.
Who is Yao Guang?
Yao Guang is a five‑star physical character who treads the path of Elation.
She’s the Seer Strategist of the Xianzhou Yuque, a Cloud Knight Arbiter‑General, and Honorary Dean of the Omniscience Sapientia Academe, amongst other things. Despite her many titles, she prefers to go by Madam Yao.
As she leads a different ship in the Xianzhou Alliance, we haven’t met her on our adventures before, but she’s always been there in the background. We saw her remotely interrogating Jingliu and Luocha with Jing Yuan, and we heard her voice during a previous Trailblaze Continuance.
Much like Fu Xuan, Yao Guang is a master diviner, so the two have crossed paths in the past, as we can see from the Elation Light Cone, Today's Good Luck. A key part of her personality is that, despite knowing what fate has in store for her, she chooses to step forth into danger.
Who are Yao Guang's voice actors?
Ari Thrash is Yao Guang's English voice actor. She’s best known for her work in anime as Deux Murasame in Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX and Ai Kisugi in Cat's Eye. However, Yao Guang's Chinese, Korean, and Japanese voice actors have all voiced HoYoverse characters in the past.
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Japanese: Hanazawa Kana – also the voice of Bronya Zaychik in Houkai Gakuen 2
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Korean: Lee Seul – also the voice of Sunna in Zenless Zone Zero and Qiqi in Genshin Impact
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Chinese: Qin Ziyi – also the voice of Trigger in Zenless Zone Zero, Shenhe in Genshin Impact, and Natasha in Honkai Star Rail
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