Starter Characters

How the Free Starter Pick Works

When you first join SHONEN UNLEASHED, the game presents three random starters from the core roster of seven. You permanently unlock one of those three at no cost — no cash, no tokens, no ranked requirements. This single decision shapes your early progression because every character levels independently and Saitama’s unlock demands ranked wins on all seven starters eventually.

The seven starters are Izuku Midoriya (My Hero Academia), Tanjiro Kamado (Demon Slayer), Jonathan Joestar (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure), Ichigo Kurosaki (Bleach), Monkey D. Luffy (One Piece), Naruto Uzumaki (Naruto), and Son Goku (Dragon Ball). Each offers a distinct playstyle: Izuku rewards reads and combo creativity, Tanjiro provides honest pressure, Jonathan leans defensive with heavy hits, Ichigo bursts with shunpo mobility, Luffy extends combos with stretchy reach, Naruto floods neutral with clone tricks, and Goku balances beams with melee confirms.

If your free options do not include your preferred main, do not reroll accounts blindly. Every missing starter costs only 1000 cash — half the price of non-starter characters. Season rewards, ranked play, and AFK lobby farming (10 cash per 5 minutes, 20 with premium) make buying additional starters affordable within a few sessions.

Starter-by-Starter Breakdown

Tanjiro is the community’s top recommendation for free picks and purchased starters alike. Water Breathing forms create safe block pressure, Hinokami Kagura spikes awakening damage, and his learning curve is smooth enough for day-one players while remaining viable at high ranked tiers. If Tanjiro appears in your free trio, take him unless you already main an equally comfortable pick.

Izuku suits players who enjoy adaptability. His kit rewards creative combo routing and punishes opponents who underestimate reach extensions. Jonathan is the patient starter — slower pace, heavier hits, and strong defensive options for players who prefer bait-and-punish over rushdown. Ichigo fits aggressive movers who want shunpo repositioning and explosive awakening bursts.

Luffy’s stretch attacks control space at mid-range and enable wall-carry combos that feel satisfying in Duos and Trios. Naruto’s clone pressure confuses blocking habits and shines in team modes where chaos benefits your side. Goku offers familiar ki blasts for zoning plus melee strings for close confirms — a balanced pick for Dragon Ball fans and flexible team players.

• Izuku — adaptive brawler, creative combo routes
• Tanjiro — best overall starter, meta in all team sizes
• Jonathan — defensive heavy hitter, bait-and-punish
• Ichigo — shunpo mobility, burst awakening
• Luffy — reach and wall carry, strong in teams
• Naruto — clone pressure, area denial
• Goku — zoning beams plus melee confirms

Unlock Costs After Your Free Pick

Each starter you do not own costs 1000 cash. Non-starter characters cost 2000 cash, making starters the most efficient cash investments for expanding your roster. Prioritize buying starters you need for Saitama’s five-win-per-character ranked achievement before splurging on 2000-cash fighters.

Guts and Yuji are not starters — they cost 100 tokens each. Saitama is not purchasable; he unlocks after five ranked wins on Izuku, Tanjiro, Jonathan, Ichigo, Luffy, Naruto, and Goku individually. Track which starters still need wins on your profile or a personal checklist to avoid forgetting one during a season rush.

Ranked matches award 1.4× XP toward character level 10 path unlocks, five tokens per win, and one token per kill on losses. Grinding Saitama requirements doubles as token farming for Guts and Yuji, making ranked the optimal venue for starter-focused progression.

Ranked Wins for Saitama & Season Planning

Saitama’s unlock is the ultimate starter milestone. You need exactly five ranked wins on each of the seven starters — not five total, but five per character. Spread the grind across a season: main your comfort pick for climbing, then rotate under-leveled starters in lower-pressure matches or early season ranked when ranks reset.

Tanjiro often carries the first batch of Saitama wins. Once comfortable, use Ichigo or Naruto for quicker match tempo in Duos ranked while chipping away at individual starter quotas. Season end rewards 500 cash and 50 tokens per rank above bronze, funding both remaining 1000-cash starters and token characters.

Do not neglect character paths while grinding Saitama. Level 10 unlocks variations that make secondary starters easier to win with in ranked. A level 10 Tanjiro main can still rotate a level 3 Jonathan, but the gap in tool access makes those five wins harder. Ranked 1.4× XP benefits every starter you touch.

Which Starter Should You Pick?

For competitive players: choose Tanjiro free if offered; otherwise buy him first with cash. For anime loyalty: pick whoever you will practice longest — Saitama’s grind demands wins on all seven anyway. For team players: Naruto or Luffy integrate smoothly into Duos and Trios. For technical players: Ichigo or Izuku offer higher skill ceilings.

Avoid choosing a starter you dislike just because tier lists rank them highly. Thirty-five ranked wins for Saitama means you will play every starter eventually. Your free pick should be someone you are excited to master on day one.