World Trigger

Episode 9

This episode of World Trigger opens in characteristic fashion, with Osamu and Jin staring down Border's management for yet another interminable board meeting. Fortunately, this board meeting turns out to be less interminable than usual, actually dishing out some revealing exposition that seems like it'll lead to something happening. It's interspersed with Yuma and Chika on a date, which is the perfect opportunity for more exposition. It's mostly stuff we already knew (Chika is worried about Yuma and appreciates Osamu's selflessness) but some important new information nonetheless.

Yuma's “other side” - aka the Neighborhood - consists of many different countries at constant war with each other. They stop by Japan in order to abduct humans and harvest their Trion. This happened to Chika's childhood best friend and elder brother, and she holds out hope that they're still alive somewhere. Other than that, this episode's most significant contribution to the overall story is that it finally elaborated on the brewing drama within Border's chain of command. Border is divided into three factions: one that hates Neighbors and wants to kill them all, one that's neutral towards Neighbors and only wants to protect the city, and one that's willing to talk to Neighbors to learn more about them. (Curiously, this is the exact same way that the military in Attack on Titan is divided. The cues are becoming more explicit that this might be a kid-friendly version of that infamously violent property.) Jin belongs to the third branch and is trying to protect Yuma from the first branch, who are waiting for the first opportunity to eliminate Yuma and take his Black Trigger. That branch consists of crazy scar guy and most of the skeevier commanders, so I don't think they're good people.

This is all more engaging than anything in the past few episodes, so I'll take it, even if it's all just buildup to oncoming action. Things also pick up a bit when Osamu mentions Yuma's last name, Kuga, leaving the room in stunned silence. Apparently his dad's an important dude in this whole conflict – a founding member of Border of all things – and he told Yuma to go to Japan in the event of his death. Yuma describes him to Chika as a person who believed in the possibility of peace between the two worlds. He also taught Yuma to think for himself, reinforcing Yuma's role as a freethinking pragmatist in a world dominated by rigid hierarchical command. It's implied that this picture is incomplete, however. Yuma is either ignorant of his father's involvement in Border, or he lied to Osamu about it. Hopefully this misconception will be cleared up soon. Narratives shouldn't let these things fester.

Otherwise, World Trigger continues to be in competition with itself to use as little animation as possible per episode. This isn't the frontrunner (that would be episode five) but it was still more off-model than usual. It's most apparent with Jin, who kept getting drawn with a giant chin (as shown in the preview image) and many of the background drawings. Next episode looks like it'll have a kid riding a giant capybara though, so that can't be bad, right?

Grade: C

World Trigger is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Gabriella Ekens studies film and literature at a US university. Follow her on twitter.