Evolving a unit in Anime Expeditions changes its form, raises its stats, and unlocks a new passive ability that can decide whether a boss dies or leaks through your defense. Only a small set of units can evolve, and each one needs its own mix of Evolution Sprites, Gold, and a unique special item. The payoff is worth planning for, because an evolved carry usually clears several modes instead of one narrow stage.
Quick answer: Go to the Upgrades room in the lobby, open the Evolve station with the E key, select the unit, gather or Quick Craft the listed Sprites plus its special item, then press Evolve Unit once you have enough Gold.
What unit evolution does
Evolution is a permanent upgrade that gives a unit a stronger form and a brand-new passive on top of better base attributes. Every recipe is tied to a specific unit, so you cannot spend generic materials across the roster. You pick the unit first, then farm exactly what its recipe lists rather than collecting unrelated drops.
Because materials are limited early on, it pays to invest in one dependable carry before spreading resources thin. Avoid pouring rare items into a unit you plan to replace after your next banner pull.
How to evolve a unit
Every evolvable unit, requirements, and passive
The units below can currently reach a second form. Each row lists the exact materials and Gold cost, plus the passive that form unlocks.
| Evolution | Requirements | Passive gained |
|---|---|---|
| Shadow → Shadow (Divine) | 20x Blue, 20x Green, 20x Red Sprites, 3x Rainbow Sprites, 10,000 Gold | Divine Spirit: summons a divine spirit that stuns Shadow for 15 seconds and mirrors its damage to enemies. It cannot despawn, be killed, or be stunned. |
| Crimson → Crimson (Brother) | 20x Red, 20x Pink Sprites, 1x Rainbow Sprite, 5,000 Gold | Piercing Crimson: fires at a chosen point in range for 10 seconds, dealing 7755 of the unit’s damage each second and applying Crimson Mark. |
| True Saint → True Saint (Holy) | 1x Holy Pendant, 5x each of Red, Blue, Green, Purple, Yellow, Pink Sprites, 1x Rainbow Sprite, 5,000 Gold | Seize: steals 20% of the damage from the 3 strongest units in range for 60 seconds. |
| Cursed Student → Cursed Student (True Love) | 1x Student ID, 20x Blue, 20x Purple Sprites, 1x Rainbow Sprite, 5,000 Gold | Cursed Mimicry: every 3 regular attacks triggers a bonus follow-up. Spirit Bats: every 20 Bleed stacks in range summons a Bat Spirit dealing 15% of current damage per attack. |
| Salmon Sorcerer → Salmon Sorcerer (Grade 1) | 1x Salmon, 20x Green, 20x Blue Sprites, 1x Rainbow Sprite, 5,000 Gold | Crumble Away: applies 20% Slow on all upgrades. Plummet: enemies within 50% of range get Stagger for 2 seconds. |
| Flame Emperor → Flame Emperor (Reincarnate) | 1x Burning Fruit, 20x Red, 20x Yellow Sprites, 1x Rainbow Sprite, 5,000 Gold | Wall of Fire: places a fire wall on a path in range; enemies passing through are Burned. |
| Puppet → Puppet (Telekinetic) | 1x Puppet Heart, 20x Pink, 20x Purple Sprites, 1x Rainbow Sprite, 5,000 Gold | Complete Control: rewinds all enemies in range for 2 seconds. |
| Elf Mage → Elf Mage (Unleashed) | 1x Cosmic Magic, 20x Blue, 20x Purple Sprites, 1x Rainbow Sprite, 5,000 Gold | Arcane Magic / Overcharge: attacks build Arcane charges; each reset raises Arcane Spell damage by 5%, powering follow-ups Old Magic, Eruption, and Storm. |
| String Demon → String Demon (Awakened) | 1x Joker of the Nonsensical Pirates, 20x Yellow, 20x Pink Sprites, 1x Rainbow Sprite, 5,000 Gold | String Sync: attaches a string to the nearest unit; on its next attack, strung units perform a follow-up before the string breaks. |
Note: the evolution menu previews every requirement and the resulting passive before you spend a single material, so you can judge whether a unit is worth the investment first.
Where to farm Evolution Sprites and special items
Evolution Sprites are the shared currency across most recipes, and they drop from active play rather than a single source. You earn them through Story mode, challenges, weekly challenges, mastery stages, Expeditions, and Raids. Rainbow Sprites are the scarce component, so treat them as the limiting factor when you plan which unit to evolve first.
The one-of-a-kind items such as the Student ID, Salmon, Burning Fruit, Puppet Heart, Cosmic Magic, Holy Pendant, and Joker of the Nonsensical Pirates are tied to their specific units. Confirm the exact recipe in the Evolution menu, then farm only what that unit needs. If you are short a common material, Quick Craft can convert what you have without leaving the screen.
Is evolving worth it
Evolving is worth the grind because you get more than a stat bump. Each evolved form carries a new passive that reshapes how the unit performs in a wave, from Shadow’s permanent Divine Spirit to Cursed Student’s Bleed-fueled Bat Spirits. Prioritize the carry that shows up in most of your winning teams, complete one recipe at a time, and hold your rarest Sprites and special items for units you intend to keep long term.
