Anime Vanguards Update 9: Release Date & New Features
The highly anticipated Anime Vanguards Update 9 is just around the corner, and players are buzzing with excitement about what…
I’ll be honest with you when I first heard about AUT Update 5.3, I didn’t think it’d change the game this much. But after spending the last few days grinding through the Dragon and Mad Dog questlines, I’ve gotta say, this is probably the most skill based update AUT’s ever had. No more relying on pure RNG or lucky chest drops. You’ve gotta earn these abilities through combat, patience, and honestly, a lot of trial and error.
So let me walk you through everything I’ve learned about this massive update, including how to unlock both new abilities, master them completely, and grab all the active codes before they expire.
Here’s the thing I’ve been playing AUT since the early days, and most updates follow a similar pattern: new stand, new spawn rates, maybe a boss or two. But Update 5.3? It’s completely different.
This update introduces two Legendary abilities inspired by the Yakuza series: Dragon of Dojima and Mad Dog of Shimano. These aren’t your typical stands that you get from arrows or lucky drops. These are skill based abilities that you unlock through completing challenging questlines, defeating bosses, and proving you’re worthy through actual combat.
What I love most is that both abilities have complete mastery systems. You’re not just unlocking them and calling it done. You’re spending time learning their moves, fighting progressively harder versions of your mentor bosses, and genuinely getting better at the game. It’s refreshing, honestly.
Before we dive into the abilities, let me tell you about the new area. The Champion District is this gritty, back alley combat zone near the Colosseum (which they moved, by the way took me a minute to find it again). This is where you’ll spend most of your time for this update.
The atmosphere here is perfect. It’s got that underground fighting vibe with NPCs scattered around, quest givers, and hostile enemies just waiting to test your skills. I found myself just hanging out here between quests because it genuinely feels like a proper combat hub.
Alright, let’s talk about Dragon first. This ability is all about precision, timing, and controlled aggression. If you’re the type of player who likes technical gameplay and perfectly timed counters, Dragon’s gonna be your new favorite ability.
I’m gonna walk you through this exactly how I did it, with some tips I wish I’d known from the start.
Step 1: Find Sotaro Komaki
Head to the Champion District and look for Sotaro Komaki. He’s the interactive NPC (not the hostile version you’ll fight later). Here’s the important part you MUST be Standless when you talk to him. I wasted like 10 minutes wondering why the dialogue wouldn’t trigger before I realized I still had my old ability equipped.
Step 2: Complete the Four Revelations
Komaki’s gonna send you on a journey to complete four “Revelations” scattered around the map. Think of these as spiritual moments where you learn through observation. Here’s what you’re looking for:
Pro tip: Don’t rush through these. They’re actually pretty cool and give you context for what Dragon’s fighting style represents.
Step 3: Hunt Down Komaki’s Pupils
After completing the revelations, you need to farm three specific scrolls from Komaki’s Pupils. These are hostile NPCs that spawn in the Champion District area. Here’s what you need:
I’m not gonna sugarcoat it this part can take a while. The drop rates aren’t terrible, but you might be farming for 30 minutes to an hour depending on your luck. I actually enjoyed this grind because the pupils put up a decent fight, and I was practicing my Standless combat for the boss fight ahead.
Step 4: Defeat Sotaro Komaki
Once you’ve got all three scrolls, return to Komaki and prepare for a proper duel. This isn’t some easy NPC fight Komaki hits hard, moves fast, and punishes mistakes. I died my first attempt because I was too aggressive.
Here’s my strategy that worked: Keep your distance, learn his attack patterns, and don’t get greedy with your combos. When he finishes his combo string, that’s your opening. Bait out his attacks, dodge, then punish.
Step 5: Use the Scroll of The Dragon
After you beat him, Komaki drops the Scroll of The Dragon. Use this on your Standless character, and boom you’ve got Dragon. I’m not gonna lie, the unlock animation is sick. Totally worth the grind.
Getting Dragon is just the beginning. The mastery system is where things get really interesting, and honestly, where most of the challenge lives.
Once you hit Ascension 1, you can return to Komaki to start unlocking mastery levels. Here’s what I learned: each mastery level requires you to obtain a specific scroll AND defeat Komaki in combat. But here’s the twist every time you unlock a new move, Komaki adds that move to his own arsenal.
That means your first fight with him is relatively manageable. But by the time you’re going for Mastery 4, he’s throwing everything you’ve unlocked at you. It’s genuinely challenging and requires you to actually master the moves you’re learning.
| Mastery Level | Required Scroll | Unlocked Move | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scroll of Essence of Sumo Slap | Essence of Sumo Slap | Moderate |
| 2 | Scroll of Triple Rush Attack Finisher | Triple Rush Attack Finishers | Hard |
| 3 | Scroll of Dragon of Dojima ’88 | Dragon of Dojima ’88 | Very Hard |
| 4 | Scroll of Tiger Drop | Tiger Drop | Extreme |
Where to Get Mastery Scrolls:
You’ll need to farm Komaki’s Favorite Pupil for these. They’re tougher than regular pupils and have better loot tables. I recommend doing this with a friend if possible speeds things up and makes the fights more manageable.
Alternatively (and I’m being real with you here), you can buy these scrolls from the Premium Shop if you’ve got the uP to spend. It’s pricey, but if you’re short on time, it might be worth it.
Essence of Sumo Slap (Mastery 1): This is your bread and butter opener. It’s a strong, heavy hit that can break through guards. I use this to start most of my combos now.
Triple Rush Attack Finishers (Mastery 2): Game changer. This turns your basic combo strings into devastating finishers. Once I unlocked this, my PvP winrate went way up.
Dragon of Dojima ’88 (Mastery 3): This is the throwback move, and it hits like an absolute truck. The animation’s incredible too. I saved this for when I really needed to make a statement in fights.
Tiger Drop (Mastery 4): The legendary counter. This is Dragon’s ultimate move, and mastering it separates good Dragon players from great ones. It’s a perfect counter that requires precise timing, but when you land it? Chef’s kiss. Absolutely devastating.
Now let’s talk about Mad Dog. Where Dragon is all about discipline and precision, Mad Dog is pure chaos. Fast, aggressive, unpredictable if you love in your face combat and high risk, high reward gameplay, this is your ability.
The Mad Dog questline is different from Dragon’s. It’s more focused on proving your combat prowess through player kills and mob grinding.
Step 1: Meet Homare Nishitani
Find Homare Nishitani in the Champion District. Same deal as Dragon you need to be Standless when you approach him. He’s got this wild energy that perfectly captures the Mad Dog vibe.
Step 2: Bring Him a Mysterious Dagger
You’ll need to find a Mysterious Dagger from chests scattered around the world. I found mine in the industrial area, but they can spawn in various locations. Just keep opening chests, and you’ll eventually get one. It’s Epic rarity, so it’s not super rare.
Step 3: The Combat Challenges
Here’s where things get intense. Nishitani wants you to prove yourself through combat. You need to:
Pro Tips for the Player Kills:
This was the hardest part for me. Getting 15 player kills with Standless isn’t easy, especially against people running meta abilities. Here’s what worked for me:
For Thugs and Hooligans, I found a good farming spot near the Champion District where they respawn quickly. Just set up camp and grind it out. Took me maybe 20 minutes total for both.
Step 4: Defeat Homare Nishitani
After completing all the requirements, you fight Homare himself. And let me tell you this dude fights EXACTLY how you’d expect the Mad Dog to fight. He’s fast, aggressive, and doesn’t give you much breathing room.
My strategy: Don’t try to out aggro him. Let him come to you, block his combos, and punish during his recovery frames. It’s tempting to match his energy, but that’s how you get destroyed.
Step 5: Get the Demonfire Dagger
Beat Homare, talk to him again, and he’ll give you the Demonfire Dagger. Use it on your Standless character to unlock Mad Dog. The transformation is wild totally fits the chaotic energy of the ability.
Mad Dog’s mastery system is more streamlined than Dragon’s, but don’t think that means it’s easier. It’s still challenging, just in a different way.
After hitting Ascension 1 with Mad Dog, return to Homare to begin mastery progression. Each level requires you to:
Just like with Dragon, Homare learns your new moves and uses them against you. By Mastery 4, fighting him is genuinely intense.
| Mastery Level | Unlocked Move | My Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Haanya Dance | ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ |
| 2 | Triple Rush Attack Finishers | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 3 | Mad Dog Maul | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| 4 | Loose Dog | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
Haanya Dance (Mastery 1): This is Mad Dog’s signature move rapid, unpredictable slashes that keep opponents guessing. Great for pressuring defensive players.
Triple Rush Attack Finishers (Mastery 2): Same as Dragon’s version, but it feels even more chaotic with Mad Dog’s aggressive playstyle. I love chaining this after Haanya Dance.
Mad Dog Maul (Mastery 3): This is where Mad Dog truly becomes terrifying. It’s a relentless combo attack that, if you land the full sequence, can take huge chunks of health. I’ve won so many fights by catching people off guard with this.
Loose Dog (Mastery 4): The ultimate form. Maximum speed, maximum damage, maximum chaos. When you pop Loose Dog, you become an absolute menace. This is the move that makes Mad Dog players feared in PvP.
I’ve spent way too much time organizing this, so here’s everything you need to know about the new items and how to get them.
Scroll of The Dragon
Demonfire Dagger
Mysterious Dagger
Scroll of Remembrance
Scroll of Fist Reversal
Scroll of Resurgence
Scroll of Essence of Sumo Slap
Scroll of Triple Rush Attack Finisher
Scroll of Dragon of Dojima ’88
Scroll of Tiger Drop
Alright, let’s talk codes. These expire fast, so I’m checking them regularly and updating whenever new ones drop.
THATSRAD
LIKEADRAGON
I see people struggling with this all the time, so here’s the exact method:
Common Issues I’ve Seen:
I’m keeping this list here so you know what’s expired and don’t waste time trying them:
Let’s talk about the premium additions. I’ve got strong opinions here because I’ve actually bought some of this stuff.
Yasuo – Nightbringer (Mythic)
Mad Dog – Goro Pirates Captain (Legendary)
I bought this immediately. It’s fast, looks cool, and fits the Yakuza theme perfectly. Plus, having a unique mount in AUT always feels good. Not essential, but definitely a nice quality of life upgrade if you’re spending a lot of time traveling between zones.
Here’s my honest take: If you’re a casual player with limited time, buying the scrolls isn’t a terrible idea. The grind can take hours, and spending a bit of uP to skip it isn’t the worst investment.
But if you enjoy the grind and want the authentic experience, farm them naturally. There’s something satisfying about earning everything through gameplay.
What I Actually Bought:
Update 5.3 didn’t just add content it also tweaked some existing abilities. Here’s what changed and what it means for you.
Barrage Endlag Reduced
Wind Aura Shield Removed After Buff Ends
Godspeed Evasion Reduced (25% → 15%)
These changes make the meta more balanced overall. I’m seeing more variety in PvP, which is always a good sign.
There’s a bunch of smaller stuff that’s worth mentioning because it affects how you navigate the world.
The Kars NPC now has this new armor mechanic with a 1 second internal cooldown. I haven’t fully tested it yet, but from what I’ve seen, it makes fighting him more strategic. You can’t just spam attacks anymore you’ve got to time your hits better.
This one threw me off. The Joestar Mansion moved to a tunnel near the village. If you’re looking for it in the old location, you’re gonna waste time. Just head toward the village and look for the tunnel entrance.
They added a bunch of skins to the regular crate pool, which is nice for people who don’t want to spend uP:
Mad Dog Skins:
Dragon Skins:
I’ve been grinding crates hoping for the Hawaii skin. No luck yet, but the grind continues.
They fixed several annoying bugs:
These fixes make the game feel more polished overall. I appreciate when devs actually address bugs instead of just pushing new content.
After spending way too much time with this update, here are some tips I wish someone had told me on day one.
1. Farm During Off Peak Hours The Champion District gets crowded during peak times, making it harder to farm NPCs without competition. I’ve had the best luck grinding late at night or early morning.
2. Join the Discord The AUT Discord is where you’ll get code announcements first. I’ve missed codes before because I wasn’t checking frequently enough. Don’t be like me.
3. Team Up for Mastery Fights Technically you can’t help someone directly fight their mastery boss, but having friends nearby for moral support and to clear trash mobs makes the experience way better.
4. Don’t Sleep on Standless Combat Learning proper Standless combos will help you SO much during both questlines. I spent an hour just practicing in casual fights, and it paid off big time.
If you’re trying to avoid spending uP, here’s how:
From start to finish, if you’re grinding efficiently, probably 3-4 hours. That includes the revelations, farming scrolls, and beating Komaki. Could be longer if drop rates aren’t in your favor.
Mad Dog typically takes longer because of the player kill requirement. I’d say 4-6 hours minimum, possibly more depending on how quickly you can get PvP kills.
Yes! You can unlock both Dragon and Mad Dog. You’ll need to use different character slots or reset your ability, but there’s no restriction preventing you from having both.
Honestly? It depends on your playstyle. Dragon’s better if you like technical, counter based combat. Mad Dog’s better if you prefer aggressive, in your face fighting. I’ve been destroyed by great players using both abilities.
Nope! Everything can be obtained through gameplay. Premium Shop is just for people who want to skip the grind. I’d recommend trying to farm them first. If you get frustrated after a few hours, then consider buying.
Find populated servers, hang around PvP hotspots, and be patient. Don’t get tilted if it’s slow the 2.5 minute cooldown per player means this will take time no matter what.
Each code can be used once per account. So yes, if you’ve got alt accounts, you can redeem codes on all of them.
They’re pretty balanced right now. I don’t see any major nerfs coming unless something broken gets discovered in the meta. The devs seem intentional about keeping these abilities skill based rather than overpowered.
Complete daily quests, grind bosses for XP, and use any XP boost codes that are active. Premium membership gives a +15% XP multiplier, which helps if you’re willing to invest.
If you care about cosmetics and have uP to spare, yeah. They look great. But they don’t affect gameplay, so they’re purely for aesthetics and flexing.
I’ve been playing AUT for a while now, and Update 5.3 genuinely impressed me. It’s not just another content drop with recycled mechanics it’s a proper, thoughtful addition that respects player skill and time.
What I love most is how it shifts away from pure RNG. Yes, there’s still some grinding for drops, but the core of unlocking and mastering both abilities comes down to your combat skills. You can’t just get lucky with an arrow and immediately have endgame power. You’ve gotta earn it.
The Champion District is atmospheric and functional. The mastery systems for both Dragon and Mad Dog are challenging without feeling unfair. The balance changes show the devs are paying attention to the meta. And honestly? Both abilities are just really fun to use.
If I had to pick one complaint, it’d be the player kill requirement for Mad Dog. Getting 15 player kills with Standless in a game where everyone’s running meta abilities can be frustrating. I get why it’s there it forces you to improve your fundamental combat skills but man, some of those deaths were rough.
Overall though? This update’s a winner. Whether you’re a PvP player, a grinder, or just someone who enjoys good combat systems, there’s something here for you.
Based on the patch notes and community speculation, here’s what I think we might see:
More Yakuza Inspired Content: The update’s called “YAKUZA” and only adds two abilities so far. I wouldn’t be surprised if we get more characters from the series in future patches.
Expanded Mastery Systems: If this system works well (and it seems to be), I could see them adding mastery to older abilities too.
New Combat Mechanics: The experimental armor system on Kars might be testing ground for broader combat changes.
Champion District Events: New areas usually get dedicated events eventually. I’m expecting some kind of tournament or limited time challenge in the Champion District.
Obviously this is all speculation, but based on how AUT usually operates, these seem like reasonable predictions.
Before you dive into Update 5.3, here’s my rapid fire advice:
✅ Redeem all active codes immediately they expire fast
✅ Choose which ability you want to unlock first based on your playstyle
✅ Don’t skip learning Standless combos you’ll need them
✅ Farm scrolls during off peak hours for less competition
✅ Join the AUT Discord for code announcements and community tips
✅ Be patient with mastery progression it’s meant to be challenging
✅ Save your uP for skins you really want, not convenience items
✅ Practice boss fights learning patterns is half the battle
✅ Bookmark this guide for reference during your grind
✅ Most importantly: have fun and don’t get too tilted if RNG isn’t on your side
Update 5.3 is easily one of the best content drops AUT’s had in a long time. I’ve spent hours grinding, mastering, and PvP testing both abilities, and I’m still not bored. That’s a good sign.
Whether you choose the disciplined path of the Dragon or the chaotic energy of Mad Dog, you’re in for a genuine challenge that’ll make you a better player. The grind can be tough, but the payoff is absolutely worth it.
Now get out there and start your journey. Champion District’s waiting, and those abilities aren’t gonna unlock themselves. I’ll see you in the servers and if I catch you slipping, don’t say I didn’t warn you about that Tiger Drop.
Stay grinding, and I’ll keep this guide updated as new codes drop and if any major changes come through. Bookmark this page, share it with your crew, and let me know in the comments which ability you’re going for first!
