Anime Guardians drops a lot of recognizable faces on you very quickly, and most of them look strong at first glance. The gap between a top‑tier carry and a starter unit is huge, though, especially once you push into harder raids and late‑game stages. The rankings below reflect how units perform in the current meta around late 2025, with a focus on raw power, utility, and how realistic they are to obtain and use.
How the Anime Guardians tiers work
Different communities and the official Discord use slightly different labels, but they all describe the same rough power curve:
- GOD / Meta / SS / SSS – Best-in-slot picks for clears, farming, or bossing. These units define strategies.
- S / A – Strong and flexible. Great if you don’t own the very top options.
- B / C – Playable, usually early–mid game or niche picks.
- D – Starters and outclassed units. Fine to begin with, but replace as soon as you can.
- Support – Dedicated buffers, debuffers, and economy units that you slot around your main DPS.
Tiers assume units are fully evolved with strong traits (for example, Exodia) and no artifact bonuses. Artifacts, red stats, and better traits can push individual units a tier higher in practice, but their relative order stays similar.
Top DPS units in the current meta
The units below sit at the top of most competitive lists and are treated as long‑term investments. They offer either extreme damage, unique mechanics, or both.
| Tier | Unit | Why it’s meta |
|---|---|---|
| GOD | Sukuna (Heian) | Central late‑game carry with very high damage and strong performance in Infinite Castle content. |
| Meta | Hu Tao (Ghostly March) | Premium single‑target damage with a strong end‑game profile. |
| Meta | Death (The Scary Wolfman) | High sustained DPS and strong boss pressure. |
| Meta | Boros (Final Form) | Raid‑ready DPS with scaling that suits long waves. |
| Meta | Featherine (Aurora) | Top‑end damage with powerful late‑wave potential. |
| Meta | Makima (Control Devil) | Event unit with strong damage and valuable control‑themed kit. |
| Meta | Darkness Devil (Fear of Dark) | Secret unit with hard‑hitting nukes that excel in dense waves. |
| Meta | Sonic (Speed Sound) | Fast attacker with strong traits that keep it relevant in raids. |
| Meta | Genos (Dragon Form) | Reliable AoE damage dealer that scales into high‑end content. |
| Meta | Hajun (God of Universe) | Secret capsule unit with high burst and a powerful passive “nuke” style effect. |
| Meta | Rudo (Shuaburekku) | High‑tier DPS that also shows up in support‑oriented rankings. |
| SSS | Metal Bat | Top melee carry that still shows up in high‑tier damage rankings. |
| SSS | Aki (Gun Devil) | Strong meta‑relevant ranged DPS from the Chainsaw Man banner. |
| SSS | Power (Blood Devil) | Event DPS with high output and bleed interactions. |
| SSS | Kafka (HSR) | Well‑rounded damage dealer valued in multiple content types. |
| SSS | Ellen Joe (ZZZ) | Strong multi‑target damage and good synergy with meta traits. |
| SSS | Miyabi (ZZZ / Hoshimi) | Applies Frostburn and periodic explosions, shredding clustered enemies. |
| SSS | Beerus (Destroyer) | Buffed event unit with strong boss damage. |
| SSS | Vegeta (Ultra Ego) | Event‑buffed late‑game DPS that pairs well with traits. |
| SSS | Goku (Ultra Instinct) | Buffed all‑round damage dealer for raids and Infinite. |
| SSS | TIO (Over Heaven) | DPS ramps up with each attack, giving huge damage over long fights. |
| SSS | Gojo (Final) | Extremely strong ranged AoE carry with high scaling. |
| SSS | Regna (Silver Saint) | High‑tier DPS choice for story and raid content. |
| SSS | Itachi (Uchiha) | Summons a clone and can freeze all enemies, combining damage and control. |
| SSS | Kenshin (Battosai) | Single‑target slayer with strong wave clear potential. |
| SSS | Griffith (Sacrifice) | Chooses powerful Light or Darkness forms after charging its Sacrifice mechanic. |
Other SS‑tier names like Lofy (Gear 5), Rukia (Bankai), Zid (Atomic), Milim (Lord), Gilgamesh (King of the Heroes), Yhwach (Almighty), Emeya (Archer), Alucard (Vampire King), Igros (Shadow Monarch), Sung (Shadow Monarch), Bero (Shadow Monarch), and several Demon Lord or Tempest variants also sit right below this group and are worth building when you can get them.
Strong but more accessible DPS and hybrid units
If you are still building out your roster, S and A ranks are where many realistic early and mid‑game carries live. They often share mechanics with the top tier, but with slightly less damage or range, or they are easier to pull.
| Tier | Unit | Role and strengths |
|---|---|---|
| SS | Guts (Berserk) | Bleed DPS with lifesteal‑style sustain and multiple damage modes. |
| SS | Castorice (HSR) | High damage pick with good end‑game value. |
| SS | Reze (Bomb Devil) | Chainsaw Man event unit with strong AoE damage. |
| SS | Lofy (Gear 5) | Meta unit that resists stuns and can extend attack range. |
| SS | Kiro | Solid overall DPS; Kiro (Aura) appears as a mid‑tier grind unit elsewhere. |
| SS | Gohan (Ultra Beast) | High‑damage option placed in SS–A range depending on ranking. |
| SS | Shigeru (Gachi Fighter) | Strong melee unit for early raids. |
| SS | Miwalk (Dracule) | Applies burn and deals steady area damage. |
| SS | Zid (Atomic) | Stacks “atomic power” with kills, ramping damage each time and gaining extra power from bosses. |
| SS | Susuna (Curse King) | Burn‑oriented damage dealer that stays relevant late into story. |
| SS | Gintoki (Sekata) | Flexible DPS option around the edge of meta tiers. |
| S | Rukia (Bankai) | SS in some lists; applies status effects that help drain enemy HP faster. |
| S | Vivian (ZZZ) | Ranged unit with good wave clear for mid–late game. |
| S | Elizabeth / Elisobeth (Blood Queen) | Mid‑upper tier DPS with blood‑themed mechanics. |
| S | Velda | Solid damage and coverage in standard content. |
| S | Void (God Hand) | Summons demons from God Hand and scales damage with waypoint coverage. |
| S | Milim (Lord) | Increases boss damage with each attack, up to very high bonuses. |
| S | bolm / Bolm | Appears as both a damage pick and one of the best money‑farming units. |
| A | Sai | Large‑radius AoE attacks that hit multiple enemies with strong damage. |
| A | Gogo (Infinity) | Long‑range AoE output and very flexible positioning; a classic high S-tier DPS elsewhere. |
| A | Ichango (True Bankai) | Higher DPS than Vasto Lorde form and hits multiple targets. |
| A | Ichango (Vasto Lorde / Veste Lorde) | Good at deleting shielded enemies. |
| A | Cha | Mid‑high tier attacker for generic clears. |
| A | Shalltear | Mythic‑style DPS with dependable damage. |
| A | Rom (Powerful) | Better than other C‑tier options in some lists thanks to long‑range attacks. |
| A | Fleeren (Full Power) | Hits flying units and keeps up well during grind stages. |
| A | Yuei (Dark) / Yugi (Dark) | Exodia‑based skill can massively boost damage and range for a short window. |
| A | Saber (Alter) | Area attacker with strong wave clearing for story. |
| A | Hamura / Homuro (Devil) | Gains damage every time it uses a skill and can cut its own cooldowns. |
| A | Kafla (Overpower) | Maps‑wide AoE that can wipe entire waves when set up. |
| A | Monica (Silent Witch) | Extends stun and bleed durations on affected enemies. |
Units like Sung (Shadow Monarch), Anos, Alon (Demon Lord), and Satalan (Witch of Jealousy) also sit at the top of S rank in several lists and are worth slotting when you lack GOD/Meta units.
Mid and low tiers: who to use temporarily and who to drop
B, C, and D tiers aren’t unplayable; they are simply outclassed once you can pull better units. For new players, they help you clear early chapters and start farming.
| Tier | Unit | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| B | Rudy (Element) | Early game DPS; later replaced by stronger elemental units. |
| B | Beauty (Dilema) | Can hit flying enemies but falls off in late game. |
| B | Mish (Muscle) | Average long‑range attacker for starter grind stages. |
| B | Lancor (Bolg) | Mid‑tier physical DPS with limited late‑game presence. |
| B | Goblin Slayer | Serviceable damage but overshadowed by higher rarity options. |
| B | Matsuri (Love Pillar) | Reduces enemies’ max HP through flower stacks and stays relevant in mid game. |
| B | Ai (Idols) | Boosts team and boss damage by modest percentages, doubles as partial support. |
| B | Kurume (Time Spirit) | Reduces cooldowns and slightly increases damage; better as a utility pick than a main carry. |
| C | Ichango (Bankai) | Weaker version of True Bankai and Vasto Lorde forms; mainly a stepping stone. |
| C | Emilian | Provides slows in early game but loses value later. |
| C | Senko | Basic DPS used early before you unlock stronger units. |
| C | Lew (Room) | Deals extra damage when enemies are inside an inner circle; more of a niche pick. |
| C | Aozort (Lord Arc) | Decent SPA and okay starter performance but outscaled later. |
| D | Natshi | Starter that can hit flying enemies; fine only for the first few maps. |
| D | Kilu | Ground‑based attacker that hits air; again, early‑game only. |
| D | Subaro | Average DPS with no standout mechanics. |
| D | Osto | Early cash farmer, later replaced by stronger economy units like Bolm. |
| D | Enki (God) | Listed both as low‑tier DPS and a situational support; damage is mediocre. |
| D | Ichongo / Ichango (base) | Un‑evolved form used briefly until you unlock Bankai or True Bankai. |
Once you have even a single S or SS‑tier DPS online with a good trait, it is usually correct to funnel resources into that unit and drop most C‑ or D‑tier picks from your main team.
Best support, utility, and farming units
Support units rarely top raw damage charts, but they make high‑difficulty clears possible by enabling your carries. You typically dedicate one or two team slots to them.
| Role | Unit | Support value |
|---|---|---|
| Meta support | Robin (HSR) | High‑impact buffer from a mushroom‑themed event, widely regarded as “must build” if owned. |
| Meta support | Puchi | One of the strongest pure supports in the game, boosting overall team damage and uptime. |
| Meta support | Mitsuri | Former event unit that can now only be bought when it rotates into Ania’s Black Market. |
| Meta support | Wonder of You | Strong enough to enter the meta but banned in tournaments due to its effect profile. |
| Meta support | Tatsumaki (Psychic) | Control‑heavy kit and damage, useful in both DPS and support rankings. |
| Meta support | Saturn | Gorosei event support unit valued for its utility in high‑end runs. |
| Meta support | Idol (Ai / Idols) | Increases party damage, particularly against bosses, while contributing some DPS. |
| Meta support | Lelou | Utility‑focused support that brings control and buffs. |
| Support | Kiri (Aura) | General stat aura; useful when you lack higher‑tier supports. |
| Support | Matsuri (Love Pillar) | Max HP shred through flower stacks, softening bosses for your main carry. |
| Support | Rudo (Shuaburekku) | Pulls double duty as both damage dealer and support in several setups. |
| Farm | Bolm | One of the strongest money‑generation units, critical for fast ramp in harder modes. |
| Farm | Osto | Early game cash generator; replaced by Bolm later. |
Some Halloween drop‑rate boosters and older event units are now unobtainable and exist mainly as trade targets. They still rank highly in dedicated drop or farm tier lists, but are not a reliable route for new players.
How to get more characters efficiently
New units come primarily from the summon system in the lobby. As soon as you load into Anime Guardians, you can walk to the summon area, interact with the NPC, and spend currencies on three main banner types:
- A banner with newly released characters.
- A rerun banner rotating past limited units.
- A standard banner with the broader pool.
Each pull guarantees a unit. Rarities, from most common to most rare, are generally: Rare, Epic, Legendary, Mythic, Exclusive, Secret, Limited, Heavenly, and Guardian. Top meta units tend to sit in the Guardian, Heavenly, Limited, or Secret bands, which is why they require sustained farming.
The Chainsaw Man event, Infinite Castle, and raid capsules are especially important if you’re chasing Makima, Darkness Devil, Hajun, Sit (Sid), or similar top‑tier units. Some now‑vaulted events, such as Gorosei or past Halloween banners, may return later; until then, their units are mostly accessible via trading or the Black Market NPC Ania.
Efficient progression and trait strategy
Progression is less about owning every meta unit and more about how you invest into a small core roster.
- Push the battle pass early. Yuta from the pass remains one of the best early‑game units for new players, and the pass levels are mostly earned by simply killing enemies in any mode (Story, Raids, Infinite).
- Focus your rolls. The most efficient way to farm trait rolls right now is by opening event capsules (for example, Chainsaw Man capsules) and spending event currencies in the daily shop. Many of those rewards convert directly into rolls.
- Aim for Exodia before “Ultima”. For newer or mid‑range players, Exodia traits already provide a huge damage spike (around the 300% mark) while being far less punishing to chase than the top secret “Ultima‑style” trait that can reach around 600%. Exodia on a few core meta units—Sukuna, Immortal King–tier units, Boros, Sid, or Hajun—is enough to comfortably beat most current content.
- Upgrade stats and artifacts later. The official tier rankings assume units have all stats at D and no artifact equipped. Once you start rolling red stats and equipping artifacts—especially those that add an Exodia or Ultima trait through Affection (Ansen‑type traits)—your effective power jumps well beyond what static tier tables show.
Where to track official tier updates
The game’s developers maintain a graphic tier list on the Anime Guardians Discord server, which is also mirrored in the wiki on Fandom. The official tier list image is available on the Anime Guardians wiki tier list page, though the graphic can be hard to read on smaller screens.
Discord updates tend to arrive a few weeks after major balance patches or new events, and they usually assume ideal traits (Exodia or better), max evolution, and no artifacts. Community creators sometimes annotate these lists with notes about event availability, farming difficulty, or bans in tournament formats, which explains why a few units look slightly higher or lower between different tables.
For practical team building, the safest approach is simple: secure at least one top‑tier DPS (Sukuna, Boros, Featherine, TIO, Lofy, Gojo, Griffith, or similar), pair it with a strong money farmer like Bolm and a premium support such as Robin or Puchi, then fill remaining slots with the best S or A‑tier units you own. That combination carries through nearly all current Anime Guardians content while leaving room to swap in new meta units as the tier list evolves.
