The latest Anime Story 2 Summer Banner introduced four Mythic units, and two of the most anticipated are Grimmjow (Ice Spider) and Rengoku (Flame Hashira). Both can be evolved into stronger versions and become even more powerful when paired with the Monarch Trait.
After testing both units in raids and boss fights, here’s a closer look at their skills, evolution requirements, strengths, and whether they’re worth investing your resources into.
How to Evolve Rengoku and Grimmjow
Before you can evolve either unit, you’ll need to purchase their unique evolution item from the Event Shop.
Rengoku Evolution Requirements
To evolve Rengoku, you’ll need:
- Flame Hashira
- Flame Hashira Sword (Event Shop)
- 10 Mythril
- Required Stars
Grimmjow Evolution Requirements
For Grimmjow’s evolution, you’ll need:
- Grimmjow
- Grimmjow Evolution Item (Event Shop)
- 10 Mythril
- Required Stars
If you’re planning to use either unit long-term, it’s worth buying their evolution materials before the Summer Event ends.
Best Trait for Both Units
For this showcase, both characters were tested with the Monarch Trait.
The reason Monarch works so well is because both units already gain additional damage through their abilities, allowing the trait to push their overall DPS even higher.
If you’re investing Trait Rerolls into either character, Monarch is currently one of the strongest choices.
Shiny Rengoku (Flame Hashira)
Base Stats
At maximum level, the showcased Rengoku had approximately:
- HP: 294,000
- DPS: Around 60,000
Passive Skills
Rengoku comes with two unique passives:
- Applies Burn damage over time with attacks.
- When HP falls below 30%, he becomes immune for two turns before unleashing a powerful 300% Full Area attack, sacrificing himself afterward.
The second passive is especially interesting because it rewards surviving dangerous fights instead of simply dealing consistent damage.
Rengoku’s Attack Pattern
Rengoku attacks three enemies at a time before eventually gaining access to a Full Area attack through his passive.
This makes him useful against groups of enemies rather than purely single-target encounters.
Is Rengoku’s Burn Working Properly?
During testing, the Burn effect didn’t appear to deal the amount of damage described by the passive.
Although Burn stacks were visible, the actual damage seemed lower than expected, leading to speculation that the effect may not be functioning correctly or could simply be bugged.
If this is addressed in a future patch, Rengoku’s overall performance could improve significantly.
Shiny Grimmjow (Ice Spider)
Base Stats
At maximum level, Grimmjow had approximately:
- HP: 295,000
- DPS: Around 100,000
Right away, his raw damage output is noticeably higher than Rengoku’s.
Passive Skills
Grimmjow has several offensive passives that activate throughout battle.
His abilities include:
- Deal 25% more damage to enemies below 50% HP.
- The first time his HP falls below 60%, he:
- Gains 30% increased damage.
- Restores 50% of his maximum HP.
- Unlocks a 20% chance to perform follow-up attacks for the rest of the battle.
Unlike Rengoku, Grimmjow becomes stronger the longer he stays alive.
Grimmjow’s Performance
Grimmjow also attacks three enemies at once, making him another strong multi-target damage dealer.
Once his passive activates, his damage noticeably increases thanks to both the attack boost and follow-up attacks.
His only downside is that triggering the passive requires dropping below 60% HP, which can sometimes be awkward since he has a large health pool.
Which Unit Is Better?
After testing both characters, here’s how they compare.
Rengoku
Pros
- Burn damage over time.
- Powerful survival passive.
- Full Area attack after low HP.
- Excellent against grouped enemies.
Cons
- Burn damage appears weaker than expected.
- Requires dropping below 30% HP to unlock his strongest effect.
Grimmjow
Pros
- Higher base DPS.
- Self-healing passive.
- Permanent damage increase.
- Chance for follow-up attacks.
- Strong Water-element option.
Cons
- Passive only activates after taking significant damage.
- Doesn’t feel overwhelmingly stronger than existing top-tier Water units.
Are They Worth Summoning?
Both Mythics are solid additions to the Summer Banner, but they fill different roles.
Summon Rengoku If…
- You enjoy Burn-based teams.
- You want another strong Fire unit.
- You like survivability-focused passives.
Summon Grimmjow If…
- You need a powerful Water DPS.
- You’re looking for reliable sustained damage.
- You want a unit that becomes stronger during longer fights.
Overall Ranking
Based on the showcase, the overall ranking among the Summer Banner Mythic units would be roughly:
- Noel
- Megumin
- Rengoku (Flame Hashira)
- Grimmjow (Ice Spider)
While Grimmjow lands slightly lower in this ranking, he’s still a strong option—especially for players who need another high-quality Water unit.
Both Shiny Monarch Rengoku and Shiny Monarch Grimmjow are capable Mythic units that can perform well in raids and other endgame content. Rengoku brings interesting Burn mechanics and a unique survival-based ultimate, while Grimmjow offers higher sustained DPS, self-healing, and powerful follow-up attacks once his passive activates.
If you’re choosing between the two, Rengoku currently has slightly more overall potential, assuming his Burn effect is functioning as intended. However, Grimmjow is still an excellent pickup for Water-focused teams and remains a reliable damage dealer throughout longer battles.