World Trigger - Underrated Neighbors

World Trigger is a manga that started running in 2013 and received an anime but hasn't received much hype outside of that. Admittedly it's a somewhat strange manga that attempts to blend together comedy and action. A manga that's just as likely to feature a duck face on every page as it is to show someone losing a limb on every other page. It's a strange combination but is it worth checking out?

World trigger takes place in a world where portals between dimensions spawn at seemingly random times. The monsters that come from the other side of the portals are called Neighbors and have been locked in a battle with Earth's defense force called Border. The story follows Osamu Mikumo, a rookie border agent who wants to change the way Neighbors and Humans interact. As well as Yuma Kuga, a neighbor who wants to make Osamu the top ranked agent of Border.

Overall the characters in World Trigger are pretty cool. They've each got something unique going for them for the most part. However there are some generic characters that are simply there to fill space such as Yotaro. He's just a kid who is there to fill space as comedic relief but there's not really any point to it considering the main characters provide enough of it. There's also a few generic character like Jun or Jin but they're just so likeable that you don't hold it against them. There's also a nice balance between characters who joke around and characters that always serious. Osamu rarely makes a joke but Yuma is the funniest character in the manga. I also appreciate how it completely avoid the loli route with Chika. The manga actually avoids fan service for the most part.

The comedy is abundant and there's some drama, but the fights. The fights are crazy. Like Britney Spears umbrella crazy. I'm talking jackin in San Diego crazy. It's not out of the ordinary to see a person impaled, amputated and decapitated in the same fight. Now it's not overly bloody because there's a system in place to protect fighters so it's rare anyone actually dies. The neighbors they fight come in 3 forms. I kind of made these forms up. There's monsters, that look like monsters. There's mechs that act more like trolls and there's humanoid. You do not want to fight a humanoid neighbor. Sure they can be killed but they'll probably kill a dozen of you beforehand.

The art style really helps with the battles. A lot of manga artist draw the background in great detail during the battles. That's cool and all but it doesn't really make it look like an action scene. World Trigger has backgrounds during motion scenes drawn lightly and somewhat distorted. It's a small change to make but it really makes for great looking battles that hold on to your attention.

World Trigger is a little strange but it's great at the same time. Equal parts comedy, action and drama make for an odd yet pleasing dynamic. It's a story where nothing is done without reason. There's no random plot points left wide open for 40 chapters. Questions get answered in a timely manner. It's odd, but something you should check out.

You can hear Darrell on the CP Time and Powerbomb Jutsu podcasts. He also plays classic arcade games on The Cabinet
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