Anime Hajime Impressions: World Trigger – Episodes 1 to 8

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Episode 1 – Visitor from the Other World

Episode Synopsis

A gate to a parallel world opens in Mikado City. From this rift, gigantic beasts, dubbed Neighbors, emerge and wreak havoc. Conventional human weapons do nothing to stop these invaders. But before the Neighbors can conquer the city, heroes wielding an advanced power, Trigger, arrive and push the monsters back.

These saviors establish a guard and become the organization Border Defense Agency, a.k.a., Border. The passage between worlds remains open, and on occasion, Neighbors make it through. However, thanks to Border, Mikado City lives a peaceful existence. 

Four years later, a mysterious transfer student, Yuma Kuga, comes to town. Upon his arrival, Yuma’s unfamiliarity with Japanese customs rubs a group of bullies the wrong way. Although Yuma has no fear towards these ruffians, a fellow classmate, Osamu Mikumo, steps up to prevent potential violence.

When the bullies corner Osamu and Yuma in the Forbidden Zone near the gate spawn area, a Neighbor appears. Osamu reveals himself to be a Border agent, but a weak one. Even with his Trigger, he is no match for the Neighbor.

Seeing that Osamu needs help, Yuma activates his own Trigger and effortlessly wins the fight. After the battle, Yuma admits he is from the other side of the gate, thus making him a Neighbor.

Episode Impressions

World Trigger feels like an isekai anime. And yet, at the same time, it doesn’t. There are some stark similarities with just enough indicators to suggest this show will be its own thing.

For example, rather than the protagonist reincarnating into a parallel world, it would seem that travel between universes is possible.

Although this change-up in the formula is intriguing, it is far too early to get excited. I am not saying I am NOT looking forward to the rest of the series, but one slight tweak does not make something automatically good. We still have over 70 episodes to go, and we have only met two of our leads.

A lot of stuff can still happen.

Episode 2 – Neighbor and Trion Soldier

Episode Synopsis

Border agents arrive on the site of the Neighbor attack. But by the time they get there, Yuma Kuga and Osamu Mikumo have already left the scene.

Still taken aback by Yuma’s claim of being a Neighbor, Osamu desperately tries to get information. It turns out the giant monsters from the gates are Trion Soldiers, which actual Neighbors, like Yuma, control (albeit, Yuma had nothing to do with the latest attack).

Unsure of what to do, Osamu’s current priority is keeping Yuma, who is dangerously ignorant of Japanese customs, out of trouble. As a Neighbor, Yuma is both super strong and seemingly indestructible; thus, he can cause tremendous damage with little effort. Nevertheless, Osamu believes Yuma does not wish to harm and decides to teach the Neighbor about living in Japan. A task easier said than done.

The next day, a gate opens above Osamu and Yuma’s school, a feat that should be impossible due to Border’s protection.

Episode Impressions

At the moment, it would appear Yuma is filling in the role of the “over-powered” protagonist. Though I use that term, I don’t necessarily believe this to be the case. On the contrary, he is most likely just a strong-by-comparison fighter.

Going off so little information, Yuma is quite blasé about everything around him. Osamu, on the other hand, is a bit of a stiff. Given this is only episode two, he has plenty of time to lighten up. So, for the time being, they make for an enjoyable pair. 

Episode 3 – Osamu Mikumo’s Ability

Episode Synopsis

From the gate, two Trion beasts emerge. With Border agents far away, Osamu Mikumo has no choice but to face this threat alone. Yuma Kuga warns Osamu that the latter does not have the power to defeat the Trion. If he commits, Osamu will most likely die.

Despite knowing the truth in Yuma’s words, Osamu goes ahead anyway. Sure enough, the Trion prove to be too much.

In spite of Osamu’s warning not to use his Trigger and keep a low profile, Yuma decides to help his new friend. In an attempt to keep his identity a secret, Yuma operates Osamu’s Trigger instead of his own. To Osamu’s surprise, Yuma quickly defeats the Trion, even though the Trigger he used was for a trainee level, C-Rank border agent.

Afterward, Yuma’s companion Trion, Replica, explains why Yuma could wield Osamu’s low-yield weapon more effectively – Yuma’s Trion gland is much more developed.

Osamu and Yuma head back outside, and the rest of the students, with Yuma’s insistence, treat Osamu as a hero. Just then, agents from Border’s elite Arashiyama Squad arrive. Osamu confesses that since he is only a trainee, it was against regulations for him to use his Trigger in public. Although the Arashiyama leader is ready to overlook this, his comrade, Ai Kitora, insists on a punishment.

 Episode Impressions

For the series’ first proper fight scene, it wasn’t a bad start. Up to this point, Yuma has only demonstrated his overwhelming power. It will be interesting to see how Yuma’s partner, Osamu, will compensate throughout the show.

As for Border, I can’t help feel there is much more to their story. It would not surprise me if they – or, at least, the leadership – turn out to be evil. But, this is merely a hunch, and I have no evidence to back up this suspicion – for now.

Episode 4 – Ai Kitora, A-Rank No.5 Agent

Episode Synopsis

Although all of Osamu Mikumo’s classmates and the leader of the Arashiyama Squad believe Osamu acted heroically, A-Rank Border agent Ai Kitora insists on punishment for breaking regulations. Though Ai speaks in the name of the rules, Yuma Kuga sees through this and accuses her of being jealous of the praise Osamu has been earning.

Regardless, Osamu agrees to head to Border HQ to receive his penalty.

After school, Ai is waiting for Osamu to escort him to Border’s base. Along the way, she accosts Osamu some more before Yuma reveals that he had followed the two of them. It soon becomes evident that Yuma and Ai’s personalities are naturally at odds.

While traveling, Osamu asks how a gate could open outside the Boundary Zone. Ai explains that similar occurrences have been happening all around the city and that Border doesn’t yet know what is going on.

At that moment, another gate opens right in front of Osamu, Yuma, and Ai. To Ai’s horror, the Trion (which she only knows as a Neighbor) that comes out of the rift is one she has no information on.  Nevertheless, she goes after it before it can harm anyone. Having used up his Trion energy back at the school, Osamu goes into the city to help evacuate citizens.

Despite not knowing her enemy’s defenses, Ai prepares for battle.

Episode Impressions

I had this feeling from the moment he came on screen, but I am really enjoying Yuma straightforwardness. Especially in the case of Ai, Yuma is great to have around to defuse and breakthrough a person’s BS attitude.

Still, I want to know what an A-Class Border agent can do. I hope such a designation isn’t for show, and there is some actual meat behind it.

Episode 5 – Power Elite, Yuichi Jin

Episode Synopsis

Ai Kitora manages to deliver a critical blow to the invading Trion. However, instead of falling out of the sky as expected, the beast enters a self-destruct mode. Before the monster can land on civilians, Yuma Kuga successfully draws it into a nearby river.

Following the encounter, Ai knows someone of great power helped her out. Unsure of who it could have been, she continues to escort Osamu Mikumo to Border HQ.

At headquarters, Osamu sits in front of the organization’s leadership, including Border’s number one agent, Yuichi Jin. Thanks to a glowing field report from Ai, Osamu avoids being fired from his position.

Also at the meeting, the top-brass assign Yuichi to discover where the unknown gates are coming from.

Before he leaves, officials ask Osamu if he was also the person responsible for the defeated Trion the other day. Osamu, to protect Yuma, says it was him. However, this inadvertently makes Border more confident that there is an unidentified Neighbor in their midst.

Episode Impressions

I can’t say they are evil just yet, but Border is certainly uncompromising. Its leaders do not appear to be the sort of people with whom someone can reason.

And as a side note, the animation in this series seems off. It is not that it is terrible, but it is, as I said, off. It’s hard to explain, but it does feel as if this show is, indeed, several years old. Also, why are everyone’s ears so detailed; it’s weird, and I can’t unsee it.

Episode 6 – Chika Amatori’s Side Effect

Episode Synopsis

The next day, Osamu Mikumo runs into Yuichi Jin. Due to Yuichi’s special “Side Effect,” he expects to find someone who knows about the rogue gates. And almost on cue, Yuichi and Osamu run into Yuma Kuga.

Instantly, Yuichi knows Yuma is a Neighbor, but he has no interest in turning Yuma in. Instead, Yuichi only cares about finding the truth about the rogue gates, and as he expected, Yuma provides the answer. The gates were the result of tiny robots that fed off Trion energy.

Using the complete resources of their organization, Border agents quickly destroy all the robots, thus stopping unexpected rifts from opening. To disguise Yuma’s assistance in this matter, Yuichi suggests Osamu takes the credit, thus ensuring his promotion to B-Rank.

Later, Yuma is near the riverbed where he meets Chika Amatori.

Chika and Yuma spark up a friendship. Then, right before the alarm goes off, Chika senses a gate opening. She runs off to where a Trion begins its rampage.

Although she knows the Trion won’t notice her presence, Chika’s phone goes off. Right before the beast can land its attack, Yuma swoops in and saves her. With Border agents nearby, Yuma cannot use his Trigger, so he focuses on keeping Chika safe.

A newly promoted Osamu arrives and defeats the Trion. When he runs into Chika and Yuma, Osamu, an old friend of Chika’s, asks Yuma’s Replica to do a scan. Osamu suspects Chika can attract Trion.

Episode Impressions

Would you look at that? Mr. Yuuichi Nakamura, the voice of 2020-2021’s Jujutsu Kaisen’s Satoru Gojou, plays another superpowered mentor character – Yuichi Jin. That got me thinking; where have I heard everyone else’s voices.

• Mr. Yuki Kaji (Osamu Mikumo) – Eren Yeager, Attack on Titan
• Ms. Tomo Muranaka (Yuma Kuga) – nothing of note from what I have seen of her work.
• Ms. Kana Hanazawa (Ai Kitora) – well, she is one of my favorite voice actresses.

Episode 7 – Miwa Squad’s Assault

Episode Synopsis

Using Replica, Osamu Mikumo and Yuma Kuga discover that Chika Amatori has an extraordinary amount of Trion energy. That is why she is often a target of theirs.

Before the three can make sense of this revelation, A-Rank Border agents of the Miwa Squad, whose orders are to kill all Neighbors, arrive.

At first, the agents accuse Chika of being the Neighbor, but Yuma quickly outs himself. A fierce confrontation begins, and it appears as though Yuma is at a severe disadvantage.

Osamu calls Yuichi Jin for backup. However, Yuichi is already watching the battle, and he tells Osamu that the Miwa Squad is no match for Yuma.

Episode Impressions

To give you a sense of what I am doing, I’m watching these eight episodes in one sitting. Once I hit the end credits, I head over to my computer and write one of these entries. The problem is, I am really looking forward to this fight between Yuma and the A-Ranks. So, I am keeping this episode’s impressions short because I want to get back to the series.

I hope to have more to talk about in a moment.

Episode 8 – The Black Trigger

Episode Synopsis

Despite it looking as if the A-Ranks have the edge, Yuma Kuga is holding back his power out of consideration for Osamu Mikumo’s position. Therefore, it is taking Yuma a while to win the fight because he must do so as peacefully as possible. Soon enough, though, Yuma turns the battle around.

Before there can be any more fighting, Yuichi Jin arrives and explains how the Miwa Squad never stood a chance. Yuma, it turns out, is a rare and exceedingly powerful Black Trigger.

With Yuma’s secret out, Border’s leadership wants the Black Trigger for their side. Therefore, to obtain it, they order Yuichi to capture Yuma.

Episode Impressions

As a follow-up to the previous entry, I got over-excited. There ended up being no epic showdown, and the conclusion to the fight was relatively tame. That was disappointing but also, in a way, promising.

Fortunately, there is still a ton of World Trigger to go. Plus, I wonder what sort of power Yuichi Jin is hiding. Eventually, I assume, there will be a badass fight between him and Yuma. I can’t wait to see how that turns out.

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