World Trigger is without a doubt the mellowest Shonen series, with a fight mechanism that ensures that no one ever dies and a group of friendly characters. It has the usual world-saving premise like most Shonen series. The protagonist is driven by the desire to fight for friendship, while its battle-focused story arcs are just as intriguing as other shows of its genre. However, World Trigger is unique because of its realistic character development, skillful team battles, and impressive world-building. Since season 2 of the anime is scheduled to release in January 2021, today we look at the aspect of the anime/manga that makes it unique and try to figure out why it is so underrated.
Popularity
Shonen fans have started paying attention to the series recently because of its two-year-long hiatus, which also explains why the show is not as popular as it should be. Daisuke Ashihara, the creator of the manga, suffers from cervical spondylosis, a chronic spinal condition which forced him to take an indefinite break in 2016. The manga debuted in 2013 and soon got an anime adaptation in 2014. However, because of the creator’s health concerns, the manga, along with the anime adaptation, has to stop indefinitely until Ashihara was fit enough.
Health issues have forced many other creators before to take indefinite hiatuses, so they are not uncommon. Yoshihiro Togashi of Hunter x Hunter is one such example. But, just as Ashihara took the hiatus, the series was hitting its stride. So, as it was just getting better, World Trigger was indefinitely stopped, which put a dent on its popularity, which impacts it to this day. Moreover, the anime adaptation was as the manga fans had expected. Its poor animation was one of its biggest criticisms, and coupled with the hiatus; it doomed the show.
What is World Trigger About?
In the universe of World Trigger, an organization named Border protects the planet Earth from alien invaders called neighbors. The premise of the show/manga is simple enough for anyone to understand, and the creators have put a lot of effort to ensure that the world feels real. The series is slow at first, but it is crucial for the overall plot since it introduces the fans to the world, its power scaling, and the unique weapon system.
Chapter 88 to 199 of the manga is a tournament arc that finally introduces the fans to the series’s full potential—various team battles to emerge on top and win as many points as possible. The protagonist’s team tries to reach the top of B rank; their goal is to get selected for a voyage into the neighbors’ world. The teams have snipers, shooters, and attackers; however, unlike most Shonen, the teams with more raw power do not necessarily win. The team battles in World Trigger are very tactical, and the characters have to take a ton of factors into consideration like geography, weather conditions, and time of day. The strategy becomes even more complicated by the fact that three or four teams are fighting at the same time. The strategic team battles demand creative moves and attention, which makes it one of the most fascinating aspects of the show.
What Makes the World Trigger Great?
Probably the most impressive aspect of the show is the realism of its character development. Osamu Mikumo, the show’s protagonist, is portrayed as weak until the 200 chapters of the manga, which is uncommon for any battle Shonen hero. Therefore, the character development of the anime/manga can sometimes be annoying to watch. Osamu is hardworking, and his strategic thinking makes him a crucial part of the team later on.
Another exciting aspect of the show is the fact that the story does not have a villain. Even the invaders have a reason for what they do, which is reasonable. The rivalries that develop over time are almost always friendly, and no one is portrayed as evil by the creators. Although the show/manga is undoubtedly slow and can test one’s patience, it is worth the wait. The realistic character development and world-building help the viewers bond with the characters on the show. So, despite being slow, World Trigger is a must for every Shonen fan. It might be underrated because of the hiatus, but overall, it is mind-boggling.
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