Choosing the right units in Anime Expeditions is one of the biggest factors in progressing through Story Mode, Infinite Mode, Raids, and Expeditions. While almost every character can help during the early game, only a handful remain powerful enough to justify long-term investment.
This tier list ranks every unit based on its overall performance, including damage, utility, passives, versatility, and usefulness in the current meta.
Anime Expeditions Tier List (July 2026) – Best Units
| Tier | Units |
|---|---|
| S+ | Shadow (Divine), 8th Sword (Berserk), Puppet (Telekinetic), Cursed Student (True Love), Toy Maker |
| S | Crimson (Brother), Flame Emperor (Reincarnate), Salmon Sorcerer (Grade 1), Lady Giant (Envy), Elf Mage (Unleashed), Ramen Guy |
| A | String Demon (Awakened), Reaper (Released), Hollow (Blaze), Forbidden Teacher, The Hero, True Saint (Holy) |
| B | Greed, Ice Queen, Water Princess, Scissor |
| C | Stone Alchemist, Ice Mage, Bounty Hunter, Corps Captain, Demon Cyborg, Nen Hunter |
| D | Curly Brow, Kid Assassin, Reishi Archer, Thunder Shinobi, Rubber Boy, Carrot |
Tier List Explained
S+ Tier
These are the strongest units currently available. They excel in nearly every game mode and remain valuable throughout the endgame.
Shadow (Divine)
Role: Magic DPS / Support
Shadow is widely considered the strongest unit in Anime Expeditions. Its Shadow Realm boosts Magical units while continuously summoning spirits that provide additional damage throughout the battle.
Pros
- Incredible sustained DPS
- Excellent magical team support
- Powerful exclusive equipment
- Strong in every game mode
8th Sword (Berserk)
Role: Physical DPS
8th Sword becomes significantly stronger after entering Berserk Mode. Its passive damage constantly chips away at enemies, while Berserk Mode greatly increases its damage, range, and attack speed.
Pros
- Top-tier boss damage
- Excellent scaling
- Massive burst damage
- One of the best Secret units
Puppet (Telekinetic)
Role: DPS / Support
Puppet combines high damage with one of the strongest support mechanics in the game. Puppet Mark increases enemy damage taken, while summoned Dolls provide additional damage throughout the battle.
Pros
- Excellent boss killer
- Powerful support utility
- Great summon mechanics
- Fits almost every team
Cursed Student (True Love)
Role: Bleed DPS
Cursed Student specializes in Bleed damage and Follow-Up attacks. Longer battles allow Bat Spirits to continuously increase overall damage output.
Pros
- Amazing boss damage
- Strong Bleed synergy
- Excellent scaling
- Powerful exclusive equipment
Toy Maker
Role: Summoner DPS
Toy Maker continuously summons allies that pressure enemies across the battlefield, making it effective in Story Mode, Infinite, and Expeditions.
Pros
- Consistent summon damage
- Great lane control
- Strong in nearly every mode
S Tier
These units are excellent long-term investments and remain useful throughout endgame content.
Crimson (Brother)
Crimson Marks explode after a short delay, making Crimson one of the best AoE damage dealers in the game.
Strengths
- Powerful explosions
- Excellent wave clear
- Strong AoE damage
Flame Emperor (Reincarnate)
Flame Emperor spreads Burn across enemy groups while creating devastating fire damage over time.
Strengths
- Outstanding wave clearing
- Excellent Burn synergy
- Strong late-game scaling
Salmon Sorcerer (Grade 1)
One of the strongest support units thanks to its Slow and Stagger effects.
Strengths
- Excellent crowd control
- Great support utility
- Valuable in raids
Lady Giant (Envy)
Lady Giant becomes much stronger after transforming into Giant Form.
Strengths
- High sustained DPS
- Powerful transformation
- Reliable late-game carry
Elf Mage (Unleashed)
Elf Mage builds Arcane Charges that unlock increasingly powerful Follow-Up spells.
Strengths
- Excellent AoE
- Strong scaling
- Great long battles
Ramen Guy
The best economy unit currently available.
Its passive increases Yen gained from defeated enemies, allowing faster upgrades throughout the match.
Strengths
- Best farming unit
- Accelerates progression
- Great for every long stage
A Tier
Strong units that perform well across most content.
String Demon (Awakened)
Excellent balance between crowd control and damage through Cocoon mechanics.
Reaper (Released)
Continuously gains permanent buffs during battle, making it stronger the longer a stage lasts.
Hollow (Blaze)
Exceptional damage when paired with Burn units like Flame Emperor.
Forbidden Teacher
Provides powerful buffs to Magical units within range.
The Hero
Boosts nearby Physical units, making it an excellent support for physical teams.
True Saint (Holy)
Applies True Saint Mark, increasing the damage enemies receive from your team.
B Tier
These units remain usable but are generally replaced once stronger alternatives become available.
Greed
Good against bosses but weaker during regular stages.
Ice Queen
Provides Freeze utility but lacks top-tier damage.
Water Princess
Useful defensive support with shields.
Scissor
Decent scaling against single enemies but falls behind stronger DPS units.
C Tier
These units are primarily useful during the early game.
Stone Alchemist
Good beginner economy unit before obtaining Ramen Guy.
Ice Mage
Provides basic Slow effects for early progression.
Bounty Hunter
Simple damage dealer with little late-game value.
Corps Captain
Average DPS without strong passives.
Demon Cyborg
Basic Physical attacker that is quickly outclassed.
Nen Hunter
Reliable early-game character but weak in endgame content.
D Tier
These are the weakest units in Anime Expeditions.
Replace them as soon as better units become available.
- Curly Brow
- Kid Assassin
- Reishi Archer
- Thunder Shinobi
- Rubber Boy
- Carrot
Best DPS Tier List
| Tier | Units |
|---|---|
| Meta DPS | Shadow (Divine), 8th Sword (Berserk), Puppet (Telekinetic), Cursed Student (True Love), Crimson (Brother), Toy Maker |
| Strong DPS | Flame Emperor (Reincarnate), Lady Giant (Envy), Elf Mage (Unleashed), String Demon (Awakened), Reaper (Released), Hollow (Blaze), Greed, Ice Queen, Scissor |
| Low Priority | True Saint (Holy), Bounty Hunter, Corps Captain, Demon Cyborg, Nen Hunter, Curly Brow, Kid Assassin, Reishi Archer, Thunder Shinobi, Rubber Boy, Carrot |
Best Support Tier List
| Tier | Units |
|---|---|
| Meta Support | Salmon Sorcerer (Grade 1), Puppet (Telekinetic), Shadow (Divine), Forbidden Teacher, The Hero |
| Strong Support | String Demon (Awakened), True Saint (Holy), Toy Maker, Ice Queen, Water Princess, Ice Mage, Ramen Guy, Stone Alchemist |
| Low Priority | Greed, Scissor, Bounty Hunter, Corps Captain, Demon Cyborg, Nen Hunter, Curly Brow, Kid Assassin, Reishi Archer, Thunder Shinobi, Rubber Boy, Carrot |
Best Team for Beginners
If you’re just starting, this team provides a balanced mix of damage, support, and economy:
- Flame Emperor (Reincarnate)
- Lady Giant (Envy)
- Elf Mage (Unleashed)
- Salmon Sorcerer (Grade 1)
- Ramen Guy
- String Demon (Awakened)
This lineup offers strong wave clear, crowd control, and steady Yen generation while remaining relatively accessible compared to Secret units.
Best Endgame Team
For Raids, Infinite Mode, and Expeditions, an ideal endgame lineup includes:
- Shadow (Divine)
- 8th Sword (Berserk)
- Puppet (Telekinetic)
- Cursed Student (True Love)
- Salmon Sorcerer (Grade 1)
- Ramen Guy
This composition combines exceptional DPS, powerful support effects, and reliable economy, making it effective across nearly every piece of endgame content.
The current Anime Expeditions meta heavily favors units that combine high damage with powerful passive abilities or team-wide utility. Secret units like Shadow (Divine) and 8th Sword (Berserk) remain the strongest overall choices, while Mythics such as Flame Emperor, Lady Giant, and Elf Mage provide excellent alternatives for players still building their roster. As you progress, focus your resources on evolving top-tier units, equipping their exclusive gear, and improving their Traits and Stat Rolls instead of investing heavily in lower-tier characters that will eventually be replaced.