What to know
- Denji must be pulled from the limited banner before you can begin the evolution path.
- Power and Aki must be evolved first to unlock Denji’s progression requirements.
- Specific story and legend drops are mandatory, including Blood Swords and the Cursed Bullet.
- Denji must personally defeat key bosses and a Reze clone before you can claim the Secret evolution.
Evolving Denji into the Secret Chainsaw Man unit in Anime Vanguards is not a simple material exchange. The process is structured around story completion, boss kills, evolution materials, and controlled final-hit mechanics. If you plan your grind efficiently, you can complete the entire chain without unnecessary farming.
Below is a quick overview of everything required before diving into the detailed process.
| Requirement Category | What You Need | Where to Get It | Key Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Unit | Denji | Limited Banner Pull | Required before any evolution progress |
| Power Evolution Item | Blood Swords | Legend Stage Set – Act 1 | Needed to evolve Power (Delusional Devil) |
| Aki Evolution Item | Cursed Bullet | Story Stage Act 6 | 10% drop rate |
| Special Quest | Kill Reze Clone with Denji | Story Stage Act 3 | Must be Denji final blow |
| Story Requirement | Defeat All Story Bosses | Main Story Mode | Denji must land finishing hit |
| Final Resource | Essence Stones | Earned through progression | Used to claim evolved Denji |
The evolution process revolves around three major phases: acquiring Denji, evolving his companions, and completing Denji-specific combat requirements.
Before anything else, you must pull Denji from the active banner. Denji is not available through standard free progression. He appears in a limited-time banner rotation, meaning availability may fluctuate.
Because banner rates vary depending on the current event rotation, you should prepare sufficient summon currency beforehand. If Denji is featured with boosted rates, your odds improve significantly. Without Denji in your inventory, none of the subsequent evolution tasks will register.
Once obtained, immediately begin leveling him. Reaching level 60 is strongly recommended before attempting boss-kill requirements, as under-leveled Denji struggles to secure final blows against high-health story bosses.
Evolving Power using Blood Swords
Power must be evolved into her enhanced form before Denji’s evolution requirements fully unlock. Her evolution material is the Blood Sword, which drops in the first Legend Stage Act of the newest Legend Stage set.
Blood Swords are not guaranteed drops. Farming this stage repeatedly may be necessary depending on your luck and team strength. The stage itself is manageable with mid-to-high tier units, but efficiency improves dramatically if you use AoE-focused characters to speed clear.
| Evolution Target | Required Item | Drop Location | Drop Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Power (Delusional Devil) | Blood Sword | Legend Stage Set – Act 1 | Random drop |
Once you collect the required number of Blood Swords, evolve Power immediately. This progression is essential for unlocking Denji’s path.
Evolving Aki using the Cursed Bullet
Aki Hayakawa requires the Cursed Bullet, which drops from the sixth act of the main story stage. The drop rate is approximately 10%, making this one of the more grind-intensive steps.
Because of the low drop chance, expect multiple clears. Optimize your runs by using high DPS units to speed through waves. You can safely automate earlier waves and focus manual attention on boss timing.
| Evolution Target | Required Item | Drop Location | Drop Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aki (Demon Hunter) | Cursed Bullet | Story Stage Act 6 | ~10% |
After evolving Aki, you unlock the final combat-oriented tasks required for Denji’s transformation.
How to defeat Reze’s clone using Denji
Reze has a passive ability that spawns a clone during combat. You must eliminate this clone specifically using Denji.
The easiest method involves entering the third story stage act, placing Reze to trigger her second passive, and immediately deploying Denji near the spawn location. The clone appears shortly after activation.
Enter Story Stage Act 3 and bring both Reze and Denji into your loadout. Place Reze early in the wave so her second passive activates quickly and spawns the clone. Immediately deploy Denji near the clone’s spawn point.
Weaken the clone if needed, but ensure Denji delivers the final blow. If another unit secures the kill, the quest does not register. Precision timing matters here.
How to defeat every story boss using Denji
The final major requirement is defeating every boss from the main story mode at least once with Denji landing the final hit.
This does not mean Denji must solo the boss. You can reduce boss health using stronger meta units, then allow Denji to finish the fight. This method is significantly safer and faster.
- Level Denji to at least 60 and apply stat boosts if available.
- Use high-DPS units to reduce each story boss to low health.
- Disable or reposition other damage dealers before the final seconds.
- Ensure Denji delivers the finishing strike.
Bosses defeated prior to unlocking the quest requirement may not count, so verify progression tracking before assuming completion.
| Requirement | Condition | Recommended Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Story Boss Defeat | Denji must land final hit | Lower boss HP first with stronger units |
| All Main Story Bosses | Must defeat each once | Track progress carefully |
Claiming evolved Denji and unlocking Secret Chainsaw Man
After completing all evolution prerequisites and boss challenges, you will accumulate the necessary Essence Stones. These are required to finalize the evolution.
Once materials and quest conditions are satisfied, navigate to the evolution menu and claim Evolved Denji, which transforms into the Secret Chainsaw Man unit.
This evolved form provides significantly enhanced damage output, improved skill scaling, and stronger boss-finishing potential. While stat values may vary based on current balancing updates, the Secret variant is considered one of the strongest single-target finishers in the game.
| Final Reward | Type | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Secret Chainsaw Man | Evolved Unit | Increased DPS, stronger boss execution |
| Enhanced Abilities | Passive & Active Skills | Improved scaling and burst damage |
| Prestige Value | Rare Evolution | Limited progression achievement |
The grind may feel lengthy, particularly due to the Cursed Bullet drop rate and boss-final-hit requirements. However, if you approach it methodically and plan your runs efficiently, you can complete it in a structured progression cycle rather than random farming.
