The return of popular anime “World Trigger” is exciting many fans as it continues using its rich storytelling and world-building to create a compelling show.
Adapted by Toei Animation from the manga, the series follows teenager Osamu Mikumo as his world is in a war with alien planets called the Neighbors. One day, a mysterious student named Yūma Kuga transfers to his high school and turns out to be one of the aliens in hiding. The problem is the organization that Osamu is working for, the Border, is looking for his new friend. The solution is to negotiate and become a Border team.
The second season of “World Trigger” returned in winter 2020. Since its long hiatus from 2014, “World Trigger” continues the story from where it left off in the Rank battles. For their team to go to the Neighbor’s country, Aftokrator, they have to become a top-two B-rank team.
Early on, we get to see many characters, mainly members of the Border organization, fight and work together. In the first season, the show really explores the politics of having an organization to combat other worlds. Within the organization itself, there are three parties: pro-neighbors, anti-neighbors and neutral. They even have fight sequences paired with their conflict, which is a great way to introduce many teams and side characters.
This show also parallels current discussions around immigration. Since there are aliens that either take refuge on or immigrate to Earth, many characters were challenged with dilemmas whether if humans should welcome outsiders or not and do they have the same rights as us.
This anime is one of many that makes a creative decision to tell the story of the side characters to make an impact on the audience. Nonetheless, other main characters such as Chika Amatori, a girl with great Trion, and Yuichi Jin, a guy with a side effect or super ability really stand out from the rest of the ensemble. The great chemistry between all the characters brings the series into the front runner.
Other concepts that the show introduces are that every creature has a Trion, which is energy that enables them to use technological weapons or triggers, and that a handful of people have a side effect like predicting the future or super-hearing. However, there is a trigger called the black trigger, which is both powerful and has a unique power. Interestingly, the technological advances of each planet affect the usage of triggers. But for most of the story, we get to see three basic weapons specific to various roles on the team: attacker, gunner and sniper.
In fact, one of the highlights of the show is the strategy of combat. If there is anything the audiences learn from the show it is that the team is as strong as its weakest member. It is rare for a team to have one ace and be an A-rank team. So, many teams have to figure a way for them to have an advantage ranging from the settings, the trigger to the members.
Eventually, the show will move forward as characters restore peace between earth and its warring neighbors. The question is, at what cost? There will be consequences along the way because their planets need a lot of Trion to survive and expand.
The second season has ended but the third season will come in fall 2021, which is super exciting. Currently, viewers can watch “World Trigger” season 2 on Tubi TV, Crunchyroll, and VRV for free with ads.
