Anime Vanguards Update 13.5 is one of the biggest mid-season updates the game has received recently. Instead of focusing on a single theme, the developers combined a major Summer Event, multiple new units, new Memoria, a returning zombie game mode, exclusive rewards, system reworks, quality-of-life improvements, and the highly anticipated Today’s Strongest vs History’s Strongest units into one update.
Because so much content arrived at once, many players feel overwhelmed when first logging in. Between Summer Portals, Event Pass rewards, Gojo and Sukuna content, Memoria farming, and new progression systems, it can be difficult to know where to begin.
After spending time exploring every part of the update, my recommendation is simple: focus on understanding the event structure first before chasing units. Doing so will save a lot of time and prevent wasting resources on the wrong activities.
New Units
Update 13.5 introduces six brand-new units spread across multiple systems.
Today’s Strongest vs History’s Strongest
This is the headline unit of the update and one of the most anticipated additions Anime Vanguards has seen.
Inspired by the legendary rivalry between Gojo and Sukuna, this unit immediately became one of the most talked-about characters in the community.
Unlike previous major releases that were earned through quests or evolutions, this unit is obtained through summoning.
This decision has generated significant discussion among players because many expected a special questline or evolution path instead of another banner-exclusive character.
Iscanur (Pride)
Iscanur arrives as part of the Summer Banner and serves as one of the strongest new offensive units available.
His design focuses heavily on dealing powerful damage while fitting perfectly into the summer-themed event.
Players looking for a strong damage dealer should prioritize obtaining Iscanur whenever possible.
Lord (Fairy)
Lord Fairy is one of the standout Mythic units from this update.
After testing, Lord Fairy performs exceptionally well across multiple game modes and has already earned a reputation as one of the better Mythics introduced recently.
The unit offers solid flexibility and remains useful in both progression content and endgame farming.
Reaper (Scissors)
Reaper Scissors brings a unique playstyle and has quickly become one of the more interesting units released in Update 13.5.
While not necessarily the strongest damage dealer in every situation, the unit provides excellent value when properly upgraded.
Cursed Doctor (Healer)
Cursed Doctor fills the healer role.
Support and healing units are often overlooked because they do not produce huge damage numbers, but experienced players understand how valuable survivability becomes during difficult content.
The ability to keep powerful damage dealers active for longer periods can completely change the outcome of a run.
Envoy of Destruction (Resistance)
This unit is obtained through the Event Pass.
Players planning to complete the pass will automatically gain access to Envoy of Destruction along with many additional rewards.
The unit is designed around resistance mechanics and offers unique utility that can support a variety of team compositions.
New Memoria
Seven new Memoria were added in Update 13.5.
These Memoria provide exclusive bonuses and are tied directly to the update’s featured units.
Battle of the Strongest
Exclusive to Today’s Strongest vs History’s Strongest.
This Memoria is designed specifically to complement the update’s headline character and is one of the most sought-after rewards.
One Above All
Exclusive to Iscanur.
Players investing heavily into Iscanur will likely want this Memoria because it enhances the unit’s overall effectiveness.
Anger vs Discipline
Available through Worldlines content.
This Memoria focuses on the clash between Raging Oni and Wrath God and is accompanied by a secret Memoria reward.
Lord of the Fairies
Exclusive to Lord Fairy.
A valuable pickup for anyone planning to build around Lord Fairy as a primary unit.
Snip Snip
Exclusive to Reaper Scissors.
Designed to maximize the potential of Reaper’s unique combat style.
Unlikely Doctor
Exclusive to Cursed Doctor.
Provides additional value for players investing in healing-focused teams.
Messenger of Destruction
Exclusive to Envoy of Destruction.
Obtained through Event Pass progression and designed specifically around the new event unit.
Summer Event
The Summer Event acts as the primary activity of Update 13.5.
Rather than creating an entirely new game mode from scratch, the developers reworked the popular Winter Zombies mode into a summer-themed experience.
The core objective remains simple.
Players must survive waves of increasingly powerful zombies while collecting rewards and progressing through event milestones.
Although the gameplay itself is enjoyable, many players feel the event becomes complicated because it is heavily connected to multiple progression systems at the same time.
You are not simply playing zombies.
You are also farming event currency, progressing the Event Pass, collecting rewards, obtaining materials, working toward new units, and unlocking various event-related content simultaneously.
Summer Portals
Summer Portals are another major component of the update.
These portals contain exclusive rewards including seven new Vanguard Familiars.
The available familiars include:
- Sun God’s Mask
- Magic Dagger
- Fans of Flame
- Tall Hat
- Scarf of the Black Dragon
- Grimoire of Lion Flames
- Blazing Solstice
Each familiar is linked to a previous summer-themed unit.
For collectors and long-time players, Summer Portals offer some of the most valuable rewards in the entire update.
Event Pass
The Event Pass provides a huge amount of progression rewards.
One of the biggest highlights is the sheer number of Trait Rerolls available.
Rewards include:
- Over 500 Trait Rerolls
- Memoria Shards
- Exclusive Tokens
- Envoy of Destruction
- Additional progression materials
Even players who are not interested in the featured units should consider progressing through the Event Pass because the resource value alone is substantial.
Eternal Adversaries Event
The Eternal Adversaries event focuses on evolving the update units.
Players must evolve:
- Lord Fairy
- Cursed Doctor
- Reaper Scissors
Completing these objectives rewards Event Coins which can then be spent inside the Event Shop.
This creates an additional progression loop that encourages players to fully invest in the new units rather than simply collecting them.
Iced Tea Festival
The Iced Tea Festival serves as one of the primary resource farming events.
Players can earn up to 3,000 Iced Tea by clearing:
- Odyssey Adventure floors
- Standard stages
Because many event rewards require large amounts of event currency, consistent participation in the Iced Tea Festival is highly recommended.
Summer Heat Login Event
The seven-day login event offers some surprisingly valuable rewards.
Day 1
Quetzalcoatl (Sun God)
Day 2
Sun God’s Mask Familiar
Day 3
100 Trait Rerolls
Day 4
100 Memoria Shards
Day 5
Memoria Leveling Ticket
This instantly upgrades a Memoria to Level 60, making it one of the most valuable rewards available.
Day 6
300 Trait Rerolls
Day 7
300 Memoria Shards
Missing login days means missing some of the easiest rewards available during the event.
Cosmetic System Rework
The cosmetic system received a complete redesign.
The new interface is significantly cleaner and easier to navigate.
Players can now customize:
- Colors
- Visual effects
- Styles
- Presets
The overall experience feels much more polished than previous versions.
Memoria Recycling
One of the best quality-of-life additions in Update 13.5 is Memoria Recycling.
Duplicate Memoria no longer feel completely worthless.
Players can visit the Scrap Pirate NPC and convert unwanted Memoria into scrap materials.
These scraps can later be exchanged for older Memoria that are no longer available through the active shop.
This system finally gives long-term value to duplicate drops.
Exclusive Shop
Players who reach Level 30 gain access to the Exclusive Shop.
Exclusive Tokens earned from the Event Pass can be spent on:
- Previous exclusive units
- Older Memoria
- Limited rewards
This system helps newer players catch up on content they may have missed.
Social Hub
The Social Hub introduces several new community-focused features.
These include:
- Cross-server invitations
- Active player status tracking
- Experimental Discord integration
The goal is to make group play more convenient and encourage community interaction.
Unit Remodels
Three older units received visual updates.
The remodeled units are:
- Divalo (Requiem)
- Rogita (Super 4)
- Yomomata (Captain)
The improvements make these units feel significantly more modern compared to their original designs.
Memoria System Changes
One of the most important progression changes involves Memoria evolution.
Previously, players needed to evolve Memoria separately.
That requirement has been completely removed.
Memoria now arrives fully evolved by default.
This change dramatically reduces grind and allows players to focus on building stronger teams instead of repeatedly farming evolution materials.
Elemental Tower Changes
Elemental Towers received a major rebalance.
Difficulty has been adjusted across all floors.
Floor progression was reset, although players keep:
- Skill points
- Level tree progress
A new skip feature has also been introduced, allowing experienced players to reach challenging floors more quickly.
Odyssey Adventure Changes
Several changes were made to Odyssey Adventure.
Frozen Port now replaces Double Dungeon on Floors 1 through 10.
The Route Atlas system has also been redesigned to improve navigation, especially for mobile users.
Resource Cap Increases
Players can now store significantly more upgrade materials.
The cap for both Stat Chips and Super Stat Chips has been increased to 9,999.
For endgame players, this removes one of the most frustrating storage limitations.
Update Codes
Three active codes are currently available.
13.5
Rewards:
- 50 Trait Rerolls
- 5,000 Iced Tea
EternalAdversaries
Rewards:
- 50 Memoria Shards
- 5,000 Iced Tea
Gambler
Rewards:
- 50 Trait Rerolls
- 50 Memoria Shards
- 5 Rainbow Essence Stones
Always redeem these codes immediately because update codes often expire without warning.
Update 13.5 is one of the most content-packed updates Anime Vanguards has released. The sheer amount of new systems, units, Memoria, events, and rewards provides plenty to do for both new and veteran players.
At the same time, the update can feel overwhelming because so many progression systems are tied together. Between the Summer Event, Summer Portals, Event Pass, Eternal Adversaries, Memoria farming, and new banner units, it is easy to lose track of what should be prioritized first.
My recommendation is to start with the login rewards, redeem all active codes, progress through the Summer Event, and work steadily on the Event Pass. After that, focus on the units you actually plan to use rather than trying to farm everything at once.
Players who approach the update with a clear plan will get far more value out of it and avoid the burnout that often comes from chasing every new reward simultaneously.