Wikipedia

Castorice

Castorice (/ˈkæsˌtərəs/, CAST-er-iss, Chinese: 遐蝶; pinyin: Xiádié; lit. 'distant butterfly') is a character in the video game Honkai: Star Rail, developed by miHoYo. In the game, she is the demigod of death and one of the key figures in the Amphoreus story arc. She is afflicted with a curse that kills any living thing that comes into contact with her, and serves as an executioner because of this. She was released in version 3.2 of the game in April 2025.

Castorice
Honkai character
Official artwork
First gameHonkai: Star Rail (2025)
Voiced by
In-universe information
AliasEpieiKeia216
WeaponScythe
HomeAmphoreus
TypeQuantum
Combat PathRemembrance

The character has received positive reviews from players and critics; commentators praised her character development centered around death and the tragic tone of her promotional videos, and also discussed her storyline involving the "dead dragon" Pollux. Her gameplay design, which sacrifices the entire team's health to maximize damage output and prevent teammates from falling, has also been well-received.

Creation and design

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Castorice made her first appearance ingame in version 3.0, which was released on January 15, 2025,[2] with the release of the Greek mythology-inspired planet of Amphoreus.[3] On March 31, HoYoverse released a 2D hand-drawn short film titled "The Long Night of Serenity" which featured Castorice and explained her backstory.[4] She was released in version 3.2 of the game on April 8 alongside her signature Light Cone, "Make Farewells More Beautiful".[5][6] Her English name is derived from Castor, one of the stars of the Gemini constellation in Greek mythology, and is a feminine version of that name.[7][8]

Castorice's Japanese voice is provided by Chiwa Saitō, pictured.

Castorice is voiced in Japanese by Chiwa Saitō.[1] In an interview, Saitō stated that Castorice is one of the heroes of Amphoreus, and that she appears quite delicate, however in battle she wields a giant scythe and summons a dragon to fight alongside her.[9] She said that the curse, known as the touch of death,[10] profoundly affects her way of life; when Castorice first appears, she asks others to keep their distance not out of coldness but to prevent others from being harmed by it. Saitō believes that Castorice, seemingly cold on the outside, actually cares about those around her, and that this concern for others despite being unable to control the curse is part of her charm. She also mentioned that Castorice enjoys reading, writing, and arts and crafts; these hobbies fit the character's fragile image and reflect her inability to deeply connect with life due to the curse. During recording sessions, Saitō deliberately avoided portraying Castorice with large emotional fluctuations, instead expressing emotions via pauses, breathing, and variations in tone; for example, adding a brief silence when someone tries to approach her, and slightly emphasizing her tone when stating her goal. She also mentioned that the scene in the main story where Castorice walks and takes pictures with the protagonist, the Trailblazer, is impressive. Castorice's preference for black-and-white photography allows people to see her values in the details of daily life, as well as her enjoyment of life outside of her duties.[9] Castorice is voiced in English by Melody Muze, in Chinese by Ruan Congqing, and in Korean by Serena Lee [ko].[1]

Appearances

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Story

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Originally designed as an experimental entity called "EpieiKeia216", Castorice originally hails from a land called Aidonia, where she was revered as a goddess of death.[1][11] Amphoreus is a world caught in a cycle of recurrence; the Chrysos Heirs are an organization whose mission is to seize the authority of the Twelve Titans, become demigods, save Amphoreus, and complete its "re-creation".[a] In a previous life, Castorice was the twin sister of Polyxia, the demigod of Death. In order for Polyxia to pass her trial, Castorice chose to sacrifice herself, leading Polyxia to revive her sister in the next life. At the beginning of the present cycle, Polyxia, who had reincarnated as Thanatos, the Titan of Death, used alchemy taught to her by Calypso, the former demigod of Reason, to resurrect Castorice at the cost of her own life. Because alchemy follows the principle of equivalent exchange, the authority of the Titan of Death was split in two: Thanatos's remains blocked the entrance to the River of Souls, preventing the souls of the dead from entering the nether realm for thousands of years, while Castorice gained the power to "grant death", causing any living being she touched to die.[12]

After her rebirth, Castorice, who had no memories of her previous life, eventually arrived in Aidonia, a city-state that worshiped the Titan of Death, where she was revered as a goddess.[1][11] She was afflicted with a curse known as the Touch of Death, which caused any living being she touched to die.[10] The curse caused her long-term suffering, but also made her a feared and respected executioner and saint in Aidonia.[4][13] Because she could not touch others without killing them, she lost many of the ordinary joys of life that most people take for granted, and this caused her personality to appear shy.[1][13] Later, Castorice went to the holy city of Okhema and joined the Chrysos Heirs, who were tasked with saving Amphoreus, setting out on the Flame-Chase Journey.[b][1][12]

In the main story, after the Trailblazer and Dan Heng arrive in Amphoreus, Aglaea, leader of the Chrysos Heirs, treats them as dangerous outsiders and orders Castorice to execute them if they lie during questioning. Castorice outwardly obeys, but Phainon, another Chrysos Heir, soon intervenes and argues that the two had helped defend the city, which was enough to prove they were not a threat. Castorice therefore argues that they should be spared; the story later reveals that she had sent someone to bring Phainon before the interrogation began, outwardly obeying Aglaea's order while actually trying to prevent the execution. Afterward, she apologizes to the Trailblazer and Dan Heng, explaining that Aglaea chose her as executioner because of her close connection with death.[12]

Castorice later travels to the nether realm at the urging of another Chrysos Heir, Anaxa. In the River of Souls, she encounters lingering souls and learns that the curse of death did not come from the "Dead Dragon" Pollux as she had originally thought, but from the split authority of Death. She later frees Thanatos's remains, meets Polyxia's soul, and learns the full truth of their past and present lives. Polyxia gives the Coreflame of Death to Castorice, making her the new demigod of death. To atone for the mistake Polyxia made earlier and watch over the River of Souls, Castorice decides to remain in the nether realm and ferry the souls that had been barred from entering it for thousands of years.[12]

Gameplay

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Castorice is a 5-star Quantum damage dealer who walks the Path of the Remembrance.[14] Her Basic Attack deals Quantum damage to a single enemy. One of her Talents, "Sanctuary of Mooncocoon", takes effect immediately after obtaining Castorice regardless of whether she is on the team; once per battle, when an ally character receives a fatal blow, all allied characters who would otherwise be downed enter the "Mooncocoon" state and take actions normally, delaying becoming downed. After the action and before the start of the next turn, if their current hit points increase or they gain a shield, the "Mooncocoon" state is removed; otherwise, they will be downed immediately. Her Skill consumes a percentage of all allies' current hit points and deals a significant amount of damage to an enemy proportional to Castorice's maximum hit points; If her memosprite is on the field, they launch a joint attack on the target instead.[c] Her Ultimate summons her memosprite, Netherwing (a dragon), and advances its action.[15]

Promotion

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People ordering in line at a Luckin Coffee branch during a Honkai: Star Rail collaboration event.

In April 2025, HoYoverse launched a collaboration with the Japanese convenience store chain Lawson, in which clear files and stickers centered around Castorice and other Chrysos Heirs were released, and Castorice also made in-store announcements.[16] HoYoverse released a figure of Castorice playing the harp in July 2025, after a concert in May which featured music from the game and for which Castorice was displayed on promotional materials.[17] The Chinese coffee brand Luckin Coffee released merchandise including gift bags and drinkware with Castorice and Phainon on them in autumn 2025.[18]

Reception and impact

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Castorice was generally received well by players and critics. Fans have expressed their appreciation by cosplaying as her.[19] The game saw a significant increase in sales revenue following her release, and by April 14 it occupied the top slot in the Google Play Store sales list, according to data from Sensor Tower.[20]

Characterization and story

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In regards to characterization, Ah Qi of Chinese gaming site YXRB wrote that Castorice's eyes were empty and did not display much emotion. They added that considering Castorice's association with death, she has likely become numb to the idea of death over time based on the number of people she has seen die, arguing that "only responsibility and vows are driving her forward".[7] Writer Jisuroma of Denfaminico Gamer wrote that, despite Castorice receiving heavy promotion, they initially found it hard to understand what kind of character she was meant to be. Once Chiwa Saitō was revealed as her Japanese voice actress, however, they felt the intended character image immediately became clear. Jisuroma wrote that pairing Saitō's voice with Castorice's appearance made the character's direction instantly legible, calling HoYoverse's casting choice "just too otaku" and saying that Saitō's voice alone made Castorice feel charged with dramatic potential.[21] YXRB commentator Guan Fang argued that the curse of the Touch of Death shaped Castorice's personality and was the reason she was so unwilling to form close relationships with others. Although this caused her to be seen as a monster, the other Chrysos Heirs still accepted her. Guan wrote that perhaps few characters understand the subject of death as well as Castorice does, but that her nature was not changed by death. Castorice understands that death should not be treated lightly, and living alongside death instead allowed her to preserve her kindness. Even when Castorice has to execute someone, she hopes the process will not cause pain, and she "strives to let people feel a trace of care and peace before death." Guan argued that this shows Castorice's compassion, while also becoming the core of the problem that had troubled her for years.[13] Ah Qi said that Castorice's outfit was designed with elements of butterflies, which in ancient Greece, people believed could carry the souls of the deceased and symbolized death. Also prevalent in her outfit are flowers which are intended to represent beauty.[7]

Cosplays of Castorice (left) and of Frieren (right), to whom Castorice was compared due to their similar appearance

Bruno Yonezawa of Screen Rant criticized Castorice's design as too similar to that of another character, Fu Xuan, because both characters have pink hair, head garments, and pink-and-white dresses with long white sleeves. He said it was as if Fu Xuan had an alternative outfit instead of a separate character.[22] He also correctly speculated that Castorice's memosprite would be a dragon.[23] Fu Xuan was not the only character to whom Castorice was compared, as according to INSIDE, when Castorice was implemented in version 3.2 of the game, she also appeared in issue 19 of Weekly Shonen Sunday, released on the same day. The magazine's official Twitter account therefore posted that she was similar to the titular protagonist from Frieren, while the official Honkai: Star Rail account replied that both characters are powerful women who have lived for over a thousand years and have distinctive long ears. The official account for Frieren later posted a Venn diagram listing similarities between the two, including longevity, strength, long ears, death-related titles, and a love of reading; the differences were that Frieren fights or runs away from dragons while Castorice summons them to fight.[24] Dengeki Online reported that the interaction between the official accounts caused the term "Frieren collaboration" to trend on Twitter, and wrote that it would be amusing to see the characters from Frieren appear in Honkai: Star Rail's "beautiful graphics".[25]

Castorice's story was received mostly positively. After her trailer was released, many players worried that her story would be too tragic for their expectations.[4] Catherine Daro of GameSpace called her backstory "heartbreaking".[26] Ah Qi correctly speculated that Castorice can bring death to others since she is referred to as "the daughter of the River Styx" in her promotional video. They also guessed that if Castorice had a sister (which was unknown at the time and later proven true) that their relationship may be important in the game's plot. They mentioned that the character's English name comes from one of the stars of the Gemini constellation in Greek mythology, but clarified that it was not yet known whether that implied she had a twin sister or not.[7] Yonezawa praised Pollux's design as one of the game's most memorable so far for an NPC, and for bringing representation to the game because the character uses a wheelchair. He theorized that it was possible that Pollux may be Castorice's memosprite in humanoid form.[27] Guan Fang also interpreted Castorice’s story through the depiction of executions carried out using the Touch of Death. Guan argued that Castorice could send the condemned painlessly to the far side of the River of Souls with a touch of her fingertips, making the execution appear merciful; however, death itself remained cruel, and this silent form of execution deepened Castorice's mental suffering as the executioner. Guan also cited the animated short's scenes of Castorice bidding farewell to a dying old deer and a childhood playmate, arguing that the work uses them to present the idea that "death is both parting and rebirth."[13]

Castorice's promotional trailers and other videos were generally well-received. Many players praised the animation quality of her trailer, "The Long Night of Serenity", believing miHoYo should release a feature-length animation based on it.[4] Ah Qi called her debut trailer "stunning", noting that the decaying fish, withered flowers and fallen crows in certain scenes all refer to death.[7] The character's English name "Castorice" was originally supposed to be a female version of "Castor", but players broke it down into "castor" and "rice", resulting in memes which involve her cooking or eating rice. This can even be seen in collaborations and videos; one April Fools' Day video posted by miHoYo even had her in a chef's uniform. One Sohu author interpreted the fact that her name possibly referred to castor oil in English as Castorice preferring to use it to fry rice. Castor oil is generally used for medicinal or industrial purposes, so commentors pointed out that they were not surprised that rice fried thusly would taste strange.[8]

Gameplay

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Castorice's gameplay was received very well by reviewers and critics. Yonezawa called her "the most controversial character yet" in the game due to the "Sanctuary of Mooncocoon" mechanic.[14] X.C. Enriquez of Esports wrote that Castorice was "broken" due to this ability, which he characterized as negating death for the entire team.[28] Similarly, Daz Skubich of Pocket Tactics called Castorice an "incredibly valuable character to have" due to her ability to revive characters, which he classified as "ridiculously strong".[1]

Notes

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  1. ↑ In the setting of Amphoreus, Titans are divine beings who hold various authorities; demigods are people who acquire a Titan’s authority and inherit their power.
  2. ↑ "Coreflame" refers to a power containing a Titan's authority; the journey in which the Chrysos Heirs obtain Coreflames and inherit the Titans' authorities is known as the "Flame-Chase Journey."
  3. ↑ Memosprites are a type of familiar or summon belonging to characters who follow the Path of Remembrance.
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References

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  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Skubich, Daz (April 9, 2025). "Honkai Star Rail Castorice release date, voice actors, and lore". Pocket Tactics. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  2. ↑ Lee, Julia (January 13, 2025). "What time does Honkai: Star Rail 3.0 release?". Polygon.com. Retrieved May 5, 2026.
  3. ↑ Lorich, Megan (December 1, 2024). "Honkai: Star Rail's Greek Myth-Inspired Amphoreus Characters Should Be the Tip of the Iceberg". Game Rant. Retrieved February 25, 2026.
  4. 1 2 3 4 MrSun (March 31, 2025). "《崩壞：星穹鐵道》「遐蝶」2D手繪動畫公開！7分鐘高品質讓網回：什麼時候出長篇". Yahoo News (in Chinese). Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  5. ↑ Koepp, Brent (June 16, 2025). "HoYoverse Sues 'Honkai Star Rail' Player for $150K Over Character Leak". VICE. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  6. ↑ Lada, Jenni (February 11, 2025). "Castorice Will Be a Playable Character in Honkai: Star Rail 3.2". Siliconera. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Ah, Qi (December 15, 2024). 【翁法罗斯】遐蝶惊艳亮相，《崩坏：星穹铁道》PV登上TGA现场 [Amphoreus: Castorice makes a stunning debut - Honkai: Star Rail PV featured live at the Game Awards]. YXRB (in Chinese). Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  8. 1 2 "冻梨游研社" 还能这样玩儿？高人气的遐蝶，在外网成了“米饭仙人” [You can do what with it? The highly popular Castorice has become the "rice master" on international social media]. Sohu (in Chinese). April 15, 2025. Archived from the original on May 6, 2026. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  9. 1 2 Honkai: Star Rail (April 9, 2025). 【崩壊：スターレイル】声優列車の旅　キャストインタビューVol.23 斎藤千和（キャストリス役） (in Japanese). Retrieved May 6, 2026 – via YouTube.
  10. 1 2 Spiers-Unwin, Ruby (November 28, 2024). "Every playable Honkai Star Rail character". Pocket Tactics. Archived from the original on October 27, 2023. Retrieved March 4, 2026.
  11. 1 2 Tuting, Kristine "Kurisu" (December 16, 2024). "Who is Castorice in Honkai Star Rail? Lore, background | ONE Esports". www.oneesports.gg. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  12. 1 2 3 4 miHoYo. Honkai: Star Rail. Scene: Amphoreus Trailblaze Mission.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Guan, Fang (April 9, 2025). 星铁最“阴间”的少女，却是游戏里最仁慈的角色？ [The most 'sinister' maiden in Honkai: Star Rail — is the actually the most benevolent character in the game?]. YXRB (in Chinese). Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  14. 1 2 Yonezawa, Bruno (February 8, 2025). "Honkai Star Rail 3.2 Leaks: Castorice May Be The Most Controversial Character Yet". ScreenRant. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  15. ↑ Orr, Jessica (February 28, 2025). "Honkai Star Rail Castorice materials, kit, and Eidolons". Eurogamer.net. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  16. ↑ Dengeki Online Editorial Department (April 8, 2025). 『崩壊：スターレイル』×ローソンコラボは本日（4/8）から。キャストリスの店内放送やクリアファイル・ステッカーがもらえるキャンペーンなどが実施 [The Honkai: Star Rail-Lawson collaboration kicks off today, April 8. The campaign features in-store broadcasts by Castorice, as well as promotions where customers can receive clear files, stickers, and other rewards.]. 電撃オンライン (in Japanese). Retrieved May 5, 2026.
  17. ↑ Lada, Jenni (July 21, 2025). "New Honkai: Star Rail Castorice Figure Based on Concert Art". Siliconera. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  18. ↑ Alice, Holly (September 5, 2025). "I have a craving for this Honkai Star Rail coffee collab merch". Pocket Tactics. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  19. ↑ 【コスプレ】華のある美貌にチャーミングな笑顔が最高！『崩スタ』キャストリスの美人レイヤーは衣装もハイクオリティー【写真8枚】 [Cosplay: Stunning beauty and a charming smile — simply perfection! This gorgeous cosplayer as Honkai: Star Rail's Castorice boasts a high-quality costume (8 photos)]. エキサイトニュース (in Japanese). August 27, 2025. Retrieved May 5, 2026.
  20. ↑ 【Google Play(4/14)】「キャストリス」追加の『崩壊：スターレイル』が首位獲得 DBコラボ第5弾開催の『DQウォーク』もTOP3復帰 [[Google Play (4/14)] Honkai: Star Rail takes the top spot following the addition of Castorice; Dragon Quest Walk returns to the top 3 with its 5th "Dragon Ball" collaboration event]. gamebiz【ゲームビズ】 (in Japanese). April 14, 2025. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  21. ↑ ジスロマ (February 5, 2025). 黄金裔のことが好きすぎて、まだ出揃ってもいないのに『崩壊：スターレイル』のオンパロス編に出てくる「黄金裔」の感想を全員分書いてみた [I love the Chrysos Heirs so much that, even though the full roster hasn't even been revealed yet, I went ahead and wrote down my impressions of every single Chrysos Heir character appearing in the Honkai: Star Rail Amphoreus arc.]. 電ファミニコゲーマー – ゲームの面白い記事読んでみない？ (in Japanese). Retrieved May 5, 2026.
  22. ↑ Yonezawa, Bruno (November 15, 2024). "Honkai Star Rail 3.2 Leaks: Castorice's Design Seems Too Similar To An Existing Character". ScreenRant. Retrieved May 4, 2026.
  23. ↑ Yonezawa, Bruno (January 30, 2025). "Honkai Star Rail 3.2 Leaks: Castorice's Splash Art Sketch May Seem Ludicrous, But It Holds One Important Secret About Her Gameplay Kit". ScreenRant. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  24. ↑ SIGH (April 9, 2025). 『崩壊：スターレイル』キャストリスと、フリーレン様は似てる…？「1,000年以上生きてる」「特徴的な耳」など思わず納得の共通点 [Honkai: Star Rail's Castorice: does she really resemble Frieren? Striking similarities that just make sense: "over 1,000 years old", "distinctive ears" and more]. インサイド (in Japanese). Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  25. ↑ Dengeki Online Editorial Team (April 9, 2025). 【フリーレンコラボ？】『崩壊：スターレイル』のキャストリスは『葬送のフリーレン』のフリーレンに似ている…!? 意外な共通点（？）が判明 [[A Frieren collab?] Honkai: Star Rail's Castorice bears a resemblance to Frieren from Frieren: Beyond Journey's End...!? Unexpected similarities(?) revealed]. 電撃オンライン (in Japanese). Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  26. ↑ Daro, Catherine (March 31, 2025). "Honkai: Star Rail – Castorice Animated Short Shows Her Heartbreaking Backstory". GameSpace.com. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  27. ↑ Yonezawa, Bruno (March 12, 2025). "Honkai Star Rail 3.2's New NPC Is The Best Designed Character In A While But They're Not (Entirely) Playable". ScreenRant. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
  28. ↑ Enriquez, X. C. (February 25, 2025). "Castorice's kit leaks - she might be the most broken Honkai Star Rail character". Esports. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
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