Overview
Anima are encountered in the open world and caught through auto-chess battles called Bond Encounters. The collection loop forms one of the game's core activities alongside exploration and competitive Nexus Battles.
Newly Revealed Anima
The Evolution Test showcased several new creatures to catch and raise. Vulberry is a Satiation-aspect Anima that resembles a dog or fox covered in strawberry jam and cream and has a pinker Chromatic variant. Inkifoal, a small unicorn-like Anima, was shown evolving through Anima Evolution into Inkicorn and then Atragacus. Fyrklor and Blade's Anima Bladehound also featured in the showcase.
Noctumbra is a five-star Dark-Aspect Anima with the Gladiator Trait. Presented as the signature companion of Olympia, it is described as emerging only at night and moving through dark forests without need of light. It is one of the marquee legendary creatures shown ahead of the Evolution Test.
How Catching Works
The process follows three steps. First, the player approaches a wild Anima visible in the game world. Second, they engage it in a Bond Encounter, which is an auto-chess battle using their existing team. Third, after winning the encounter, the player forms a contract with the defeated Anima, adding it to their roster.
During the Nexus Bond Test, 66 Anima were available in the game world. Beta testers reported gathering around 29 of those (nearly half) within approximately 7 hours of play, suggesting the collection loop is relatively accessible for common creatures.
Acquisition by Rarity
How an Anima can be obtained depends on its star rating.
Rarity | Acquisition methods |
|---|---|
3-star and below | Ordinary Bond Encounters in the open world. Cannot be obtained repeatedly through catching for evolution purposes. |
4-star | Purchasable once via accumulated rewards. Also obtainable once from high-difficulty Bond Encounters, once from Gym Challenge rewards, once as event rewards, and unlimited times from side-run gacha. |
5-star (Gold) | Quest rewards, special activities, one from Nightmare Abyss difficulty, purchasable from the store for 800 Aspect Gems, unlimited from Kardia-limited gacha pools, and reputation rewards from the Committee for a Joyful Iia. |
Evolution Through Duplicates
Catching or acquiring duplicate copies of the same Anima allows evolution, up to six times. Each evolution presumably unlocks higher stats or new abilities.
Chromatic Anima and Evolution
On fortunate days, players may encounter a rare Chromatic Anima, an alternate-color version of a standard creature aimed at collectors. Caught Anima can later change form through Anima Evolution, which updates their model and icon and lets the player keep a photo and a name for the companion. The number of Anima available has grown across the closed betas, from 32 at the August 2025 reveal to 82 on the official site by mid-2026.