Anime Vanguards Update 15.0 (October 2026): True Shadow Monarch, the 4 New Units, Ascension Removal, and Codes
Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2026 4:14 am
Quick Summary
Update 15.0 is the 2nd Anniversary update for Anime Vanguards, the Roblox tower defense game from Kitawari. Both the official changelog and the official wiki archive date it October 12, 2026, and it is not a small patch. The changelog runs to 26 numbered sections and states that over 700 reported bugs were fixed.
To put that in context, the wiki's update archive shows the gap before this one. 25th Hour (14.5) landed August 10, 2026, and Extermination Event Part 2 landed July 27, 2026. So 15.0 arrives roughly two months after the previous major update, which is longer than the usual cadence.
The headline additions, taken straight from the changelog's own menu, are a new lobby, the Shadow Army system, five new Memorias plus a Memoria Maker, 14 new Vanguard Familiars, a Returned Dungeon raid, The First Commander dungeon, Shadow Trials, Card Battle, Apostles Vs Vanguards, a Pirate Dynasty Arena, a reworked Story Mode, Battle Towers, and an AV Arcade. If you are returning after a break, expect a different game in the menus even before you touch a tower.
True Shadow Monarch: The System You Play As
True Shadow Monarch is a new Transcendent evolution of Song Jinwu and Igros, unlocked through a Player Quest rather than through a banner. Its base numbers from the changelog are a placement cost of 3,000 Yen, 1.50K damage, 30 range, 7 seconds SPA, and a single placement in the Monarch slot.
The interesting part is what it does to your team. When you equip it in the first slot it opens a 7th unit slot and shares its trait, stats, familiar and memoria with the rest of your team. That turns it into a force multiplier instead of just another damage unit.
The System has a level cap of 100, and levelling is driven by takedowns, which earn System EXP and System Gold. Stat points from levelling are yours to allocate. Shadow slots unlock on a fixed schedule:
There is also a direct-control mode called Form of the Monarch. You take the Monarch over yourself, chain combos with dashes, jumps and lock on, and equip three of seven special attacks: Stealth, Bloodlust, Quick Silver, Mutilation, Dagger Rush, Ruler's Authority and Dragon's Fear. Shadow Trials is the mode built around this, pitting you in real-time arena battles against Shadows.
One thing to keep straight: True Shadow Monarch (Pirate Dynasty) is a separate release from October 12, 2026, and it is a Pirate Dynasty fighter playable only in the 3v3 Arena modes. It cannot be placed in a tower defense team. Do not confuse it with Song Jinwu (Monarch), which is the placeable unit that comes off the Special Banner.
The Four New Units and How to Get Them
Update 15.0 added four tower defense units, and every one of them is a buffer for a specific unit category. That means their value is not universal.
The Two Changes That Will Surprise Returning Players
Ascension is gone. The Unit Ascension feature and its window were removed entirely, and units that were previously ascended no longer receive the ascension bonuses they used to have. Friran now handles Masteries and the Memoria Maker instead. If you spent resources on ascensions, that investment is not coming back, and there is no compensation announced in the changelog.
Elemental Towers lost their skill tree. The towers now have a separate solo version and a 2 to 4 player version, tower floors and levels were reset, and the skill tree was removed. In its place the update added 17 Battle Towers, one for each of the 11 elements plus Dragon Sphere, Crusader, Crimson Moon, Video Games, Pirates and Peroxide. Only matching units can be placed in a given tower, each tower has 10 floors, and each pays 50 Trait Rerolls on a first clear. The changelog scheduled them to open one week after launch, so they were not available on day one.
Balance: Lower Damage and Category Shuffles
Unit damage was lowered evenly across the board, and enemy health in Lunar Bridge, Sorcerer Battlefield, Ruined City, the Extermination Event, the Wrath Event, Trials and the Cursed Copycat boss event was rebalanced around the new numbers. The stated goal was to bring values down to more manageable levels while keeping the meta the same.
Category moves are the part that breaks existing builds. Bean, Delusional Demon, Demon Hunter, Demon Hybrid, Explosive Demon, Demon Leader and their evolved forms moved from the Demon Investigator category to Demon Hunter. Alocard and Alocard (Vampire King) joined Demon Hunter, and Cat and Cat (Stupid) joined Crimson Moon.
Category and element buffs from familiars, memorias and units now only apply to your own units, which removes a chunk of indirect team value. Cursed Doctor's base damage buff was lowered from 1,000 per upgrade to 200, and from 5,000 maximum to 1,000. On the friendlier side, Trait Rerolls in the Guild shop cost 1 Guild Coin again.
What Is Actually Good Right Now
The official wiki tier list ranks units best to worst within each role rather than using letter grades. Its overall Top 8 at the time of writing, in its order, is:
Traits are the biggest power swing in the game. Monarch rolls at 0.1%, which is 1 in 1,000, with a pity of 1,500 rolls. It gives +300% Damage, -10% SPA and +5% Range, but limits the unit to a single placement. Ethereal rolls at 0.175% with a pity of 858 and gives +20% Damage, -20% SPA and +5% Range. The wiki notes that for units with three or more placements, Ethereal will out-damage Monarch, although cost, passives and ability cooldowns often still favour Monarch. Deadeye rolls at 0.375% with a pity of 400 and gives +45% Crit Rate and +50% Crit Damage. Marksman rolls at 6.5% and gives +30% Range, which is why supports like Divalo (Requiem) list it.
Be careful with any list that ranks the four new 15.0 units. As of the October 19 check, the official wiki tier list had not placed any of them, so a ranking for God Ascended, Yuvi, Seiloshibo or Death's Grasp is a guess rather than a sourced claim.
Codes Worth Redeeming Right Now
FAQ
Is Anime Vanguards update 15.0 out yet?
Yes. The official changelog and the official wiki both date the 2nd Anniversary update, version 15.0, to October 12, 2026. Some third-party tier list coverage describes it as an October 11 launch, so the 11th is the day the promotion and trailer started rather than the patch itself.
Did update 15.0 remove ascension?
Yes. The changelog states the Unit Ascension feature and its window were removed, and units that were ascended no longer receive those bonuses. Friran now handles Masteries and the Memoria Maker. The changelog does not mention compensation for players who already ascended units.
What is the secret unit on the anniversary banner?
The changelog names God as the Secret unit on the anniversary banner. Pity on that banner is 50 summons for Legendary, 400 for Exclusive and 5,000 for the Secret, and each summon pays 150 Cake Slices '26.
Is True Shadow Monarch a tower defense unit?
No, not the Pirate Dynasty version. True Shadow Monarch (Pirate Dynasty) is a fighter released October 12, 2026, playable only in the 3v3 Arena modes, where anyone can use it without owning it. The tower defense unit is Song Jinwu (Monarch) from the Special Banner. The Transcendent evolution that adds the System menu and Shadow Army is a separate thing again, evolved from Song Jinwu and Igros.
When do the new Battle Towers open?
The changelog scheduled them to open one week after the update, so they were not available on October 12. There are 17 of them, each restricted to one element or category, with 10 floors each and 50 Trait Rerolls on a first clear. Elemental Tower floors and levels were reset in the same patch.
Which new unit should I chase first?
If you are not sure, take the free ones. Yuvi is the Day 1 reward of the 2nd Anniversary Daily Rewards, and Death's Grasp is a Tier 50 reward on the Season 4 Event Pass, so neither costs Gems. Spend your Gems on Seiloshibo only if you already run Demon Hunter units, since its 150% buff does nothing for a roster without them. God Ascended is the one to work toward slowly, because God (Standless) is back on the Anniversary Banner and the evolution needs 50,000 Gold plus the four Saint parts.
Sources
- Update 15.0, the 2nd Anniversary, went live on October 12, 2026, and it is the largest overhaul Anime Vanguards has had so far.
- True Shadow Monarch is a new Transcendent evolution with a level cap of 100, its own System menu, a skill tree, a shop and a Shadow Army you command.
- Four new units arrived: Yuvi, Seiloshibo, Death's Grasp and God Ascended. All four are category buffers, so their real value depends on what you already own.
- Unit Ascension was removed outright and Elemental Tower progress reset, which is the change that will surprise returning players most.
- The Elemental Towers skill tree is gone. In its place are 17 new Battle Towers, each paying 50 Trait Rerolls on a first clear.
Update 15.0 is the 2nd Anniversary update for Anime Vanguards, the Roblox tower defense game from Kitawari. Both the official changelog and the official wiki archive date it October 12, 2026, and it is not a small patch. The changelog runs to 26 numbered sections and states that over 700 reported bugs were fixed.
To put that in context, the wiki's update archive shows the gap before this one. 25th Hour (14.5) landed August 10, 2026, and Extermination Event Part 2 landed July 27, 2026. So 15.0 arrives roughly two months after the previous major update, which is longer than the usual cadence.
The headline additions, taken straight from the changelog's own menu, are a new lobby, the Shadow Army system, five new Memorias plus a Memoria Maker, 14 new Vanguard Familiars, a Returned Dungeon raid, The First Commander dungeon, Shadow Trials, Card Battle, Apostles Vs Vanguards, a Pirate Dynasty Arena, a reworked Story Mode, Battle Towers, and an AV Arcade. If you are returning after a break, expect a different game in the menus even before you touch a tower.
True Shadow Monarch: The System You Play As
True Shadow Monarch is a new Transcendent evolution of Song Jinwu and Igros, unlocked through a Player Quest rather than through a banner. Its base numbers from the changelog are a placement cost of 3,000 Yen, 1.50K damage, 30 range, 7 seconds SPA, and a single placement in the Monarch slot.
The interesting part is what it does to your team. When you equip it in the first slot it opens a 7th unit slot and shares its trait, stats, familiar and memoria with the rest of your team. That turns it into a force multiplier instead of just another damage unit.
The System has a level cap of 100, and levelling is driven by takedowns, which earn System EXP and System Gold. Stat points from levelling are yours to allocate. Shadow slots unlock on a fixed schedule:
- Level 1 unlocks Shadow slot 1
- Level 10 unlocks Shadow slot 2
- Level 25 unlocks Shadow slot 3
- Level 40 unlocks Shadow slot 4
- Level 60 unlocks Shadow slot 5
- Level 80 unlocks Shadow slot 6
- Level 100 is the cap
There is also a direct-control mode called Form of the Monarch. You take the Monarch over yourself, chain combos with dashes, jumps and lock on, and equip three of seven special attacks: Stealth, Bloodlust, Quick Silver, Mutilation, Dagger Rush, Ruler's Authority and Dragon's Fear. Shadow Trials is the mode built around this, pitting you in real-time arena battles against Shadows.
One thing to keep straight: True Shadow Monarch (Pirate Dynasty) is a separate release from October 12, 2026, and it is a Pirate Dynasty fighter playable only in the 3v3 Arena modes. It cannot be placed in a tower defense team. Do not confuse it with Song Jinwu (Monarch), which is the placeable unit that comes off the Special Banner.
The Four New Units and How to Get Them
Update 15.0 added four tower defense units, and every one of them is a buffer for a specific unit category. That means their value is not universal.
- God Ascended (Anniversary) carries the new Vanguard rarity. You get it by evolving God (Standless) with 50,000 Gold and the four Saint parts. Its passive buffs Holy units' damage by 80% and adds 50% Active Damage to Crusader units. God (Standless) is back on the Anniversary Banner, so new players can actually work toward this one.
- Yuvi (Gauntlets) is an Exclusive unit from the Anniversary 26 Banner, and it is also the Day 1 reward of the 2nd Anniversary Daily Rewards. It buffs Video Game and Spark units' damage by 80% each, and its attacks stun, slow and stack a Damage Reduction debuff. Since there is a free route through the Daily Rewards, every active player should claim it.
- Seiloshibo (Moon) is an Exclusive unit from the Anniversary 26 Banner, and it also has a 5% drop chance from Web Demon Ex in the Spider Forest Raid, with a pity of 30. It buffs Demon Hunter allies' damage by 150% and gains damage against enemies carrying status effects.
- Death's Grasp (Remembrance) is an Exclusive unit unlocked at Tier 50 of the Season 4 Event Pass. It buffs Cosmic units' damage by 80% and builds a meter that summons a Dragon.
The Two Changes That Will Surprise Returning Players
Ascension is gone. The Unit Ascension feature and its window were removed entirely, and units that were previously ascended no longer receive the ascension bonuses they used to have. Friran now handles Masteries and the Memoria Maker instead. If you spent resources on ascensions, that investment is not coming back, and there is no compensation announced in the changelog.
Elemental Towers lost their skill tree. The towers now have a separate solo version and a 2 to 4 player version, tower floors and levels were reset, and the skill tree was removed. In its place the update added 17 Battle Towers, one for each of the 11 elements plus Dragon Sphere, Crusader, Crimson Moon, Video Games, Pirates and Peroxide. Only matching units can be placed in a given tower, each tower has 10 floors, and each pays 50 Trait Rerolls on a first clear. The changelog scheduled them to open one week after launch, so they were not available on day one.
Balance: Lower Damage and Category Shuffles
Unit damage was lowered evenly across the board, and enemy health in Lunar Bridge, Sorcerer Battlefield, Ruined City, the Extermination Event, the Wrath Event, Trials and the Cursed Copycat boss event was rebalanced around the new numbers. The stated goal was to bring values down to more manageable levels while keeping the meta the same.
Category moves are the part that breaks existing builds. Bean, Delusional Demon, Demon Hunter, Demon Hybrid, Explosive Demon, Demon Leader and their evolved forms moved from the Demon Investigator category to Demon Hunter. Alocard and Alocard (Vampire King) joined Demon Hunter, and Cat and Cat (Stupid) joined Crimson Moon.
Category and element buffs from familiars, memorias and units now only apply to your own units, which removes a chunk of indirect team value. Cursed Doctor's base damage buff was lowered from 1,000 per upgrade to 200, and from 5,000 maximum to 1,000. On the friendlier side, Trait Rerolls in the Guild shop cost 1 Guild Coin again.
What Is Actually Good Right Now
The official wiki tier list ranks units best to worst within each role rather than using letter grades. Its overall Top 8 at the time of writing, in its order, is:
- 1. Apathetic Savior (Door), optimal trait Monarch or Marksman, optimal familiar Chosen Savior or Foo
- 2. Holy Deceiver (Dark), optimal trait Monarch, optimal familiar Birb
- 3. Super Vogito, optimal trait Monarch, optimal familiar Turtle Symbol
- 4. Rogita (Super 4), optimal trait Marksman or Monarch, optimal familiar Cell Phone
- 5. Divalo (Requiem), optimal trait Monarch, optimal familiar Iron Helmet
- 6. The Falcon (of Light), optimal trait Monarch, optimal familiar Iron Helmet
- 7. Wrath (Assault), optimal trait Monarch, optimal familiar Birb
- 8. Rebel Fighter (Gauntlet), optimal trait Monarch, optimal familiar Birb
Traits are the biggest power swing in the game. Monarch rolls at 0.1%, which is 1 in 1,000, with a pity of 1,500 rolls. It gives +300% Damage, -10% SPA and +5% Range, but limits the unit to a single placement. Ethereal rolls at 0.175% with a pity of 858 and gives +20% Damage, -20% SPA and +5% Range. The wiki notes that for units with three or more placements, Ethereal will out-damage Monarch, although cost, passives and ability cooldowns often still favour Monarch. Deadeye rolls at 0.375% with a pity of 400 and gives +45% Crit Rate and +50% Crit Damage. Marksman rolls at 6.5% and gives +30% Range, which is why supports like Divalo (Requiem) list it.
Be careful with any list that ranks the four new 15.0 units. As of the October 19 check, the official wiki tier list had not placed any of them, so a ranking for God Ascended, Yuvi, Seiloshibo or Death's Grasp is a guess rather than a sourced claim.
Codes Worth Redeeming Right Now
- Finally gives 1,000 Memoria Shards, 100,000 Gold and 30 Rainbow Essences
- 2ndAnniversary gives 1,000 Rerolls
- TrueShadowMonarch gives a Red Key, 50,000 Gems and 500 Stat Chips
- HappyAnniversary gives 1 Memoria Maker Puzzle Piece
- 2ndAnniDay1 through 2ndAnniDay6 alternate between 100 Rerolls and 100 Memoria Shards
- Assault gives 100 Trait Rerolls
- AnniNextHopefully gives 100 Rerolls, 100 Memoria Shards and 5,000 Gems, but requires Level 30
FAQ
Is Anime Vanguards update 15.0 out yet?
Yes. The official changelog and the official wiki both date the 2nd Anniversary update, version 15.0, to October 12, 2026. Some third-party tier list coverage describes it as an October 11 launch, so the 11th is the day the promotion and trailer started rather than the patch itself.
Did update 15.0 remove ascension?
Yes. The changelog states the Unit Ascension feature and its window were removed, and units that were ascended no longer receive those bonuses. Friran now handles Masteries and the Memoria Maker. The changelog does not mention compensation for players who already ascended units.
What is the secret unit on the anniversary banner?
The changelog names God as the Secret unit on the anniversary banner. Pity on that banner is 50 summons for Legendary, 400 for Exclusive and 5,000 for the Secret, and each summon pays 150 Cake Slices '26.
Is True Shadow Monarch a tower defense unit?
No, not the Pirate Dynasty version. True Shadow Monarch (Pirate Dynasty) is a fighter released October 12, 2026, playable only in the 3v3 Arena modes, where anyone can use it without owning it. The tower defense unit is Song Jinwu (Monarch) from the Special Banner. The Transcendent evolution that adds the System menu and Shadow Army is a separate thing again, evolved from Song Jinwu and Igros.
When do the new Battle Towers open?
The changelog scheduled them to open one week after the update, so they were not available on October 12. There are 17 of them, each restricted to one element or category, with 10 floors each and 50 Trait Rerolls on a first clear. Elemental Tower floors and levels were reset in the same patch.
Which new unit should I chase first?
If you are not sure, take the free ones. Yuvi is the Day 1 reward of the 2nd Anniversary Daily Rewards, and Death's Grasp is a Tier 50 reward on the Season 4 Event Pass, so neither costs Gems. Spend your Gems on Seiloshibo only if you already run Demon Hunter units, since its 150% buff does nothing for a roster without them. God Ascended is the one to work toward slowly, because God (Standless) is back on the Anniversary Banner and the evolution needs 50,000 Gold plus the four Saint parts.
Sources
- Official Anime Vanguards changelog, 2nd Anniversary, v15.0
- Official Vanguards Wiki update archive, including the 2nd Anniversary (15.0) date
- Official Vanguards Wiki tier list, Top 8 and role rankings
- Pro Game Guides, Anime Vanguards active codes and redemption steps
- Beebom, Anime Vanguards code list and rewards
- Timesaver, Anime Vanguards tier list for update 15.0 with trait and new unit detail
- Vanguards Run, independent summary of the update 15.0 patch notes
- Anime Vanguards on the official Roblox game page