8th Sword (Berserk) is the premium full-AoE carry in the current Anime Expeditions roster. Some players search for 8th Sword Berserker or Kenpachi, but only the first is a direct spelling variant of the displayed form. Kenpachi is preserved as a player search alias; this page does not claim that every Spirit City reward or Kenpachi-labeled guide maps to this exact entity. The unit rewards early placement: it needs 25 takedowns to enter Berserk, then converts that setup into stronger damage, attack speed, and range for the rest of the run.
8th Sword quick lookup
How to obtain and evolve 8th Sword
8th Sword is a Secret unit, but a complete live obtain route and an evolution recipe have not been consistently published. Do not treat a showcase title, a pity claim, or another Secret unit’s recipe as proof. Open the current summon Rates panel and the Evolution interface in your server, then confirm the exact base name, pool, pity rule, and material list before spending currency.
If the unit card already reads 8th Sword (Berserk), do not assume another evolution is required. Lock the unit immediately and take a screenshot of the obtain screen so you can distinguish the base and evolved forms after future patches.
How the kit works
The documented base-unit breakpoint is the takedown counter. After 25 takedowns, Berserk changes 8th Sword’s combat profile by improving its damage, attack cadence, and range. Treat the inner-range current-health damage and the stun-cleanse follow-up as Hair Bells equipment effects, not as proof that an unequipped 8th Sword has those passives. Recheck the live unit and item tooltips after balance updates.
The takedown requirement changes how you should play the opening:
- Place 8th Sword where it can touch the first safe kill zone instead of saving it for the final corner.
- Avoid letting a cheaper wave clearer take every early elimination.
- Use control to keep groups inside the full-AoE zone, but do not place the controller so early that 8th Sword never receives takedowns. A stun has the extra Hair Bells interaction only while that equipment is fitted.
- Recheck the counter after upgrading or moving the unit; never assume a relocation preserves every temporary state.
Best Trait for 8th Sword
Unbound is the endgame target because its large damage gain, SPA reduction, and range all improve the same full-AoE job. Primordial is a strong stopping point while you build the rest of the account. Forsaken is usable in a critical build, especially when your equipment already supports crit, but it is not the first recommendation over Unbound.
Do not delete a functional high-tier Trait just to chase Unbound on an unfinished account. Finish evolution, levels, Potential, and a usable equipment roll first; those upgrades help immediately while Trait rerolls can disappear without improving the unit.
Best equipment
Hair Bells is the signature choice. The recorded item improves Damage and Range, deals 15% of current damage per second to enemies inside the inner half of 8th Sword’s range, and turns a stun cleanse into a 125% follow-up known as Dismembered. Those are equipment effects. The displayed base Damage and Range percentages seen on individual copies are item rolls, not a confirmed fixed range, so compare the item in your own inventory.
Shinigami Sword is a possible crit alternative, but its currently recorded Crit Chance and Damage values are also a sample roll, and its map source is still unconfirmed. Use Katana or Warrior’s Axe only if the live unit panel labels 8th Sword as Physical; equipment that buffs the wrong damage type wastes a slot.
Team composition and placement
Puppet is the cleanest universal partner because it marks a priority target and adds amplification. Salmon Sorcerer supplies slow and Stagger, helping enemies remain in the inner damage zone. A stun source also supports 8th Sword’s follow-up, while a buffer should match the damage type shown on the live card.
Place 8th Sword around a bend or long shared lane where the whole circle covers enemies for several seconds. The inner half of the circle matters when Hair Bells is equipped, so a huge range number is not useful if the path only clips the outside edge. Against a boss, move only when the current position will lose meaningful contact time; unnecessary relocation can cost attacks.
Best modes
8th Sword is strongest in modes with enough early enemies to activate Berserk and enough later health for its full-AoE damage to matter. With Hair Bells equipped, the inner-range current-health effect gains more value against those durable targets. The unit can feel inefficient in short, low-economy stages where the run ends before the 25-takedown payoff. In those maps, use a cheaper opener and deploy 8th Sword only if the economy supports the full upgrade path.
Common mistakes
- Placing 8th Sword after the easy takedown waves have already passed.
- Equipping Physical gear without checking the live damage-type icon.
- Comparing a Hair Bells build with a no-gear unit and calling the difference a balance change.
- Treating “Berserker” as a separate confirmed form instead of a search alias.
- Quoting an obtain pity or evolution recipe that the live interfaces do not show.
- Treating the Kenpachi search term as proof of a Spirit City drop without matching the live name and portrait. Use the Spirit City Raid guide for the verified boundary.
Quick answers
Does 8th Sword need a stun teammate?
No. The unit still supplies full-AoE damage without one. Stun gains the documented follow-up interaction when Hair Bells is equipped and can also improve enemy time inside the damage zone.
Is Hair Bells mandatory?
It is the signature best-in-slot target, not a requirement to use the unit. A well-rolled generic item can carry you while you farm the unique drop.
Related build guides
Compare 8th Sword with the rest of the roster in the current tier list and best DPS units guide. Then use the team compositions and unit placement guide to protect its early takedown setup, and check best equipment by unit before spending rerolls.