Evolutions are the biggest power spikes in Anime Guardians. Base Sung is good. Shadow Monarch Sung is broken. I spent two weeks grinding the evolution and it was worth every hour.
This guide covers every evolution in the game, what materials you need, and where to farm them efficiently.
How Evolution Works
Not every unit can evolve. Only specific Mythic, Secret, and Limited units have evolution paths.
Evolution requires:
- The base unit (obviously)
- Evolution materials (specific to each unit)
- Coins or currency (varies by unit)
- Sometimes quest completion
Go to the Evolution menu in the lobby to see what you’re missing. The game shows all requirements.
Priority Evolutions
Not all evolutions are equal. Here’s what to focus on first.
Tier 1 Priority (Game Changers)
Sung Jin Woo → Shadow Monarch The best evolution in the game. Transforms a good unit into the best unit.
Satella → Witch of Jealousy Farmable from the Re:Zero event. Strong AoE with low cooldowns.
Guts → Berserk Bleed damage and lifesteal. Becomes self-sustaining.
Tier 2 Priority (Strong Upgrades)
Ichongo → True Bankai Higher DPS than Vasto Lorde. Multi-target attacks.
Rimosu → Demon Lord Better shield damage. Good for Update 21 meta.
Alon → Demon Lord Massive damage boost. Still has range issues though.
Tier 3 Priority (Nice to Have)
Tio → Over Heaven Time manipulation gets stronger. Already good base form.
Rukia → Bankai Status effects improve. Niche but useful.
Sung Jin Woo Evolution
The most important evolution. Here’s exactly how to get Shadow Monarch.
Requirements
- Base Sung Jin Woo unit
- 2,000 Monarch Tokens
- 50,000 Coins
- Complete the Shadow Monarch quest chain
Step-by-Step
Step 1: Get Base Sung
Sung drops from the standard banner and rate-up banners. He’s Mythic rarity so not impossible to pull. I got mine around pull 80.
Step 2: Farm Monarch Tokens
Monarch Tokens drop from the Double Dungeon raid. You need 2,000 total.
Farm method:
- Join Double Dungeon raids (unlocks at Level 50)
- Each clear gives 50-100 tokens depending on difficulty
- Nightmare difficulty gives the most
- Expect 20-30 clears minimum
I farmed this over about 5 days playing 2-3 hours daily.
Step 3: Complete the Quest Chain
Once you have enough tokens, a quest appears:
- Kill 500 enemies with Sung in your party
- Clear Double Dungeon Legend Stage with Sung
- Defeat the Ant King boss 10 times
The Ant King spawns in Double Dungeon Legend Stage. He’s tough. Bring a full team, not just Sung.
Step 4: Evolve
Go to Evolution menu, select Sung, and evolve. Welcome to easy mode.
Total Time Estimate
If you’re efficient: 1-2 weeks If you’re casual: 3-4 weeks
The token farming is the bottleneck. Everything else is fast.
Satella Evolution
The farmable Re:Zero evolution. No gacha required.
Requirements
- Base Satella unit (from Re:Zero event)
- 500 Witch Fragments
- 10,000 Cursed Coins
- Complete Witch of Jealousy quest
How to Get Base Satella
Farm the Re:Zero event stages. Satella drops from:
- Forbidden Forest (Normal) - 5% drop rate
- Forbidden Forest (Hard) - 10% drop rate
- Forbidden Forest (Nightmare) - 15% drop rate
I got her after about 40 Nightmare runs. RNG varies.
Farm Witch Fragments
Witch Fragments drop from:
- Re:Zero event stages (all difficulties)
- Worldline 3 (Re:Zero themed)
- Event shop (buy with Snowflakes)
Fastest method: Run Forbidden Forest Nightmare on repeat. You get fragments and a chance at more Satella dupes for limit breaking.
Evolution Quest
- Kill 1,000 enemies with Satella in party
- Clear Worldline 3 with Satella
- Defeat Satella boss form 5 times
The boss spawns in Worldline 3 after Wave 20. She hits hard. Bring shield breakers.
Guts Evolution
Berserk Guts is a lifesteal monster.
Requirements
- Base Guts unit
- 300 Dragon Slayer Fragments
- 30,000 Coins
- Complete Berserk quest
Farm Dragon Slayer Fragments
Fragments drop from:
- Berserk event stages (if active)
- Worldline 2
- Raid boss drops
Current best method: Worldline 2 farming. Fragments drop from Wave 30+ bosses.
Evolution Quest
- Kill 500 enemies with Guts
- Clear Worldline 2 on Nightmare
- Survive 50 waves in Infinite Mode with Guts
The Infinite Mode requirement is the hardest part. Guts needs support to survive that long.
Ichongo Evolution (True Bankai)
Higher DPS than Vasto Lorde form.
Requirements
- Ichongo (Vasto Lorde) - yes, you need the first evolution
- 400 Bankai Fragments
- 40,000 Coins
Getting Vasto Lorde First
Base Ichongo → Vasto Lorde requires:
- 200 Hollow Fragments
- 20,000 Coins
- Kill 300 enemies with Ichongo
Then Vasto Lorde → True Bankai requires the materials above.
Farm Bankai Fragments
Fragments drop from:
- Bleach-themed Worldline
- Raid bosses
- Event shops (occasionally)
Two evolutions means double the grind. Budget 2-3 weeks for the full chain.
Rimosu Evolution (Demon Lord)
Better shield damage for Update 21 meta.
Requirements
- Base Rimosu (Tempest form works too)
- 350 Demon Lord Fragments
- 35,000 Coins
Farm Demon Lord Fragments
Fragments drop from:
- Slime-themed event stages
- Worldline 1
- Raid boss Rimuru
Worldline 1 is the most consistent farm spot.
General Evolution Tips
Material Farming
Worldlines are your main source for evolution materials. Each Worldline drops specific fragments:
- Worldline 1: Slime/Demon Lord materials
- Worldline 2: Berserk materials
- Worldline 3: Re:Zero materials
Raids drop tokens and rare materials. Join public raids when they’re available.
Event shops sometimes sell evolution materials. Check during limited events.
Resource Management
Don’t spread yourself thin. Focus on one evolution at a time.
I made the mistake of trying to evolve 3 units at once. Took forever. When I focused on just Sung, I finished in 2 weeks.
Priority order:
- Your main DPS (probably Sung)
- Your main support
- Event units before events end
Kill Count Farming
Most evolutions require killing enemies with the unit in your party.
Fastest method: Story Mode Act 1 on Normal. Low enemy HP, fast clears, still counts.
AFK method: Infinite Mode with auto-play. Set it and forget it.
Evolution Checklist
Before starting any evolution:
- Do I have the base unit?
- Do I know all requirements?
- Do I know the best farm spots?
- Is this evolution worth the time?
Check our Anime Guardians Tier List to see if the evolved form is actually good. Some evolutions aren’t worth the grind.
Common Mistakes
Starting evolutions you can’t finish. Check all requirements first. Some need specific quest completions or rare drops.
Ignoring kill requirements. These take the longest. Start farming kills immediately, even before you have materials.
Wrong farm spots. Worldlines are usually best. Don’t waste time on inefficient stages.
Evolving bad units. Not every evolution is worth it. Check tier lists first.
Missing limited events. Re:Zero materials are only available during the event. Farm now or wait months for a rerun.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which evolution should I do first?
Sung Jin Woo to Shadow Monarch. No contest. He goes from “good” to “best unit in the game.” If you don’t have Sung, do Satella since she’s farmable from the Re:Zero event.
How long does the Sung evolution take?
About 1-2 weeks if you’re focused. The Monarch Token farming is the bottleneck. You need 2,000 tokens and each raid gives 50-100. Budget 20-30 raid clears.
Can I evolve any unit?
No. Only specific Mythic, Secret, and Limited units have evolution paths. Check the Evolution menu to see which of your units can evolve. Most Legendaries and below can’t.
Do I lose my traits when I evolve?
No. Traits carry over. Evolve first, then reroll traits. Or reroll before if you want, doesn’t matter. The traits stick.
What if I miss the Re:Zero event for Satella materials?
You wait. Events rerun eventually but it could be months. Farm what you can now. Even if you don’t finish, partial progress saves time later.
Is it worth evolving B-tier units?
Usually no. Evolution takes weeks of grinding. Spend that time on S-tier evolutions instead. Check the tier list before committing.
Related Content
- Anime Guardians Codes - Free materials and rerolls
- Anime Guardians Tier List - Which evolutions are worth it
- Anime Guardians Guide - Full progression guide
- Anime Guardians Artifacts Guide - Best artifacts
- Anime Vanguards Evolution Guide - Similar TD game
