Back in late 2024, the streets of New Eridu buzzed with excitement as Zenless Zone Zero rolled out its 1.3 update, bringing with it a duo of agents that would leave a lasting mark on the game’s ever-shifting meta. The Virtual Revenge livestream had already set the stage, and when the banners finally dropped on November 6, 2024, players were treated to two contrasting forces: the disciplined Deputy Chief Tsukishiro Yanagi of Section 6 and the flamboyant “Undefeated Champion” Lighter from the Sons of Calydon. Even two years later, the impact of that version is fondly remembered by veterans who witnessed the chaos—and the style—these characters introduced.
On one side of the ring stood Tsukishiro Yanagi, the sharp-minded Deputy Chief of Section 6. This frontline operational force, an armed division under H.A.N.D., is notorious for handling the most dangerous Hollow incidents in New Eridu. Yanagi’s reputation as a tactical genius meant she was always three steps ahead of the enemy, but her combat prowess was anything but coldly calculated—it was downright flashy. Wielding a Naginata with almost poetic precision, she carved through Ethereals while stacking Anomaly energy at a blistering pace. Her kit was built to turbocharge Disorder teams, and players who pulled her quickly discovered they had a monster on their hands.
Yanagi’s ace in the hole was her Ex Special Attack, which unleashed something called Polarity Disorder. In plain English, this meant she could slap enemies with additional Disorder damage that caught opponents off guard, often turning the tide of battle in a single combo. Her Electric element made her a natural pairing with other Anomaly agents, and theorycrafters went bonkers optimizing squads around her. The banner phase dedicated to Yanagi, which ran from November 6 to November 27, 2024, became an absolute must-pull for anyone who wanted to stay ahead of the curve—or just wanted to see those beautiful, screen-filling damage numbers.
Then the baton was passed, and the second phase of the 1.3 update stepped into the limelight. Enter Lighter, the S-Rank Fire-Stun agent who was already a legend in the Outer Ring before most players even laid eyes on him. Bearing the title “Undefeated Champion,” Lighter walked the walk. His fighting style was a relentless barrage of rapid punches that left enemies dazed and wide open—a true street brawler who brought the heat in more ways than one. Every blow he landed chipped away at opponents’ Ice and Fire Resistance, making him an incredible enabler for elemental teams.
What set Lighter apart from other Stun units was his Morale mechanic. As the fight dragged on and Lighter landed more hits, his Morale would spike, directly juicing up his combat abilities. In the hands of a skilled Proxy, he could string together combos that felt like a never-ending highlight reel, all the while building up stun gauges faster than you could say “knockout.” True to his showman persona, he didn’t just fight enemies—he put on a spectacle. The Sons of Calydon had always been known for their rebellious flair, but Lighter took it to another level, making each battle feel like a championship bout.
The phase two banner ran from November 27 to December 13, 2024, and it rounded off the 1.3 cycle with a bang. Players who missed Yanagi had a fresh chance to spice up their rosters with Lighter’s unique blend of fire, flair, and stun pressure. Naturally, the gacha community went into a frenzy debating which of the two agents was the better investment, but the truth was both were absolute game-changers in their own right. Yanagi brought surgical precision and Disorder nukes, while Lighter delivered raw spectacle and reliable crowd control. Together, they embodied the duality that made Zenless Zone Zero’s post-launch roster so compelling.
Looking back from 2026, it’s clear the 1.3 banners set a high bar for character design and combat diversity. Even as newer agents have joined the fray, Yanagi and Lighter still make appearances in endgame runs and nostalgic team comps. The update itself dropped during a period when ZZZ was really hitting its stride, and the back-to-back release of such distinct personalities kept the community engaged and theorycrafters working overtime. Whether you were a die-hard Section 6 loyalist or a day-one Sons of Calydon supporter, November 2024 was a month to remember. If you ever fire up a rerun account or stumble across old gameplay videos, you’ll instantly see why these two agents stole the show and kept the heart of New Eridu beating.
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