Chaos and excitement collide as Anime Vanguards Update 1 finally arrives, bringing the long-awaited tournament mode, new balance tweaks, and fresh rewards to Roblox’s fast-rising anime battler. Here’s exactly when and what to expect.
The developers always keep things interesting whether it is the amazing art style or new units with monthly updates. After weeks of anticipation, we finally have details for the first major Anime Vanguards update, and it is the Cursed Showdown update. So, let’s find out what’s new in the upcoming update.
Anime Vanguards Update 1 Release Date
Anime Vanguards Update 1 is set to release on January 20, 2026, bringing new content and balance changes to the Roblox anime tower defense game. The update will go live at 3 PM EST, according to the developers’ official announcement. Players can expect bug fixes, fresh units, and adjustments aimed at improving the competitive tournament mode, giving both new and veteran players fresh strategies to explore.
Previously, the developers revealed the update’s release date to be October 20, 2024, in the trailer. However, due to unforeseen circumstances and issues with the game’s test server, Anime Vanguards Update 1 has been delayed and will now be released on October 21, 2024, at 2:00 PM PT (or even earlier if testing goes as planned).
UPDATE #1 [October 21, 2:20 PM PT]- It looks like the testing for Update 1 is still underway as it did not go live at 2:00 PM PT. We will update this post with the latest information, so stay tuned.
UPDATE #2 [October 21, 2:35 PM PT]- The developers have shared on the AV Discord server that they ran into “two serious bugs” during the testing phase. They are hard at work resolving the bugs before releasing the update for us to enjoy.
Anime Vanguards Update 1: Confirmed Units
Update 1 introduces several new units to Anime Vanguards, expanding the roster with characters inspired by popular anime series. Players can obtain these confirmed units through banners and challenges that come with the update. Each addition brings new abilities and strategies, giving players more options to build balanced and powerful teams. Collectors and competitive players alike will find the update refreshing as it adds depth to gameplay and keeps the unit pool dynamic for upcoming tournaments and events.
Slayer update 0.5 has been out for almost a month. Since then, we have had no new additions or major updates. With Update 1, Anime Vanguards will add a lot of new units and some fresh game modes as well. Here is a trailer for Anime Vanguards Cursed Showdown update:
In this trailer, we start with the new stage location Shibuya Station, which anime fans may easily recognize from Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2. Right after the stage reveal, we see many JJK characters coming to the game as new units. All the new units coming in Anime Vanguards Update 1 are:
- Choso
- Yuji
- Todo
- Mechamaru
- Jogo
- Toji
- Gojo
- Sukuna
Todo will be the first unit of Anime Vanguards to have the option to switch positions. This is a fresh new way to bring something new to a Roblox tower defense game. In the trailer, we also see manga panel texts showing up when the units use their abilities. This might be a feature for JJK units or extend to older units as well. We will find out when the update rolls out this weekend.
While Gojo has been in the game for a while, this update will finally make him available to use as an in-game unit in your team. As per previous sneaks by the devs, Gojo will be a part of the Mythic banner roll. Luckily, you can gather gems from our Anime Vanguards codes list to roll all the JJK units as soon as they drop.
With the Slayers update, we saw Rengoku arrive as an exclusive unit. This means one of the Jujutsu Kaisen units may be an exclusive unit, possibly Sukuna. However, there will also be a secret unit in the update.
Anime Vanguards: New Tournament Game Mode Teased
Anime Vanguards is teasing a new Tournament mode that promises competitive action for players eager to prove their strength. Early details suggest structured brackets, unique rewards, and ranked battles where players can test their best unit strategies against others. This addition aims to bring more replay value and a community-driven challenge to the anime-based Roblox experience.
Unlike the raid system, a new tournament game mode will be added to see players get a secret unit. This feature is similar to the now-closed Anime Adventures game, where players could take part in a tournament and the top 500 players would get the secret units. Developers already shared a sneak peek at the tournament system in the ‘sub-announcements’ channel of the Anime Vanguards Discord. In the trailer, we finally see a glimpse of the tournament location as well.
What new units were added in Update 1 and their abilities
Anime Vanguards Update 1 introduced several new units across rarities like Epic, Legendary, Mythic, and Exclusive, primarily themed around Jujutsu Kaisen characters.
New Units List
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Epic: Nazuka
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Legendary: Inamuki, Nobaba
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Mythic: Todu, Chaso, Gujo, Jag-o, Itaduri…?
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Exclusive: Tuji, Julias (Battle Pass), Mechamar (Tournament), Mohato (Tournament), Legendary Super Brolzi (Leaderboard)
Abilities Overview
Many new units gained unique abilities allowing buffs to cycle between modes (e.g., switching combat enhancements) or swapping positions with other units; specific details per unit were not fully listed in patch notes but tie into elemental systems like Fire (snare immunity) or Curse (+5% boss damage). Elements now define damage types and immunities, viewable on upgrade interfaces, enhancing strategic unit placement.
Which new units are Mythic and what are their stats
Anime Vanguards Update 1 added several Mythic rarity units themed around Jujutsu Kaisen characters, including Todu, Chaso, Gujo, Jag-o, and Itaduri…?
Mythic Units Overview
These Mythics feature high damage output, AoE capabilities, and elemental affinities (e.g., Curse for +5% boss damage), with abilities like mode-switching buffs or unit position swaps for tactical flexibility.
Key Stats and Abilities
Detailed per-unit stats like damage, range, DPS, and upgrade paths were not fully enumerated in patch notes, but they scale strongly into late-game modes like Shibuya Infinite, outperforming lower rarities through elemental immunities (e.g., Fire ignores snares). For precise numbers, check the in-game unit manager or wiki, as post-launch hotfixes adjusted scaling.
