This is a battle action series written by Daisuke Ashihara that began serialization in Weekly Shonen Jump in 2013. It has been serialized in Jump Square since 2019. The first season of the anime (73 episodes in total) aired from October 2014 to April 2016, and the second season is scheduled to air in 2020. Border is an organization that protects the Earth from Neighbors (near-worlders). The protagonist, Osamu Mikumo, who belongs to the organization, meets Yuma Kuga, a Neighbor from outside the gate. Mikumo fights the Neighbors that have attacked the school, but Kuga uses his "trigger" to help him when he is struggling. Mikumo of Border and Kuga of Neighbor, two people who should be enemies, end up joining forces to fight. In this article, I would like to introduce the plot of the first three volumes of the story.
This article contains spoilers, so if you haven't seen it yet, be careful! !
Episodes 1-7 (Volume 1)
Volume 1 depicts the meeting between Mikumo Osamu and Kuga Yuma, as well as the scene where Osamu, a C-rank Border member, uses a trigger despite knowing it will violate the rules. The scene where Yuma speaks up to Kitora, who is blaming Osamu, is refreshing!
Episode 1 "Mikumo Osamu"
The story begins when a gate to another world opens in Mikado City, a city with a population of 280,000. Later, invaders from another dimension called "Neighbors" overrun the area near the gate, and the border defense organization "Border" was created to stop them. Mikumo Osamu, a member of Border, lives his school life without revealing his true identity. Then suddenly, a transfer student arrives. The transfer student, who calls himself Kuga Yuma, is harassed by delinquents, but brushes them off. Yuma is called in for retribution after school, and Osamu can't just leave him alone. He steps in to stop him, but as expected, he gets beaten up. At that moment, the Neighbors suddenly attack.
Episode 2 "Kuga Yuma"
Yuma easily defeats the Neighbor. He uses a trigger that only Border is allowed to use, but it wasn't a Border. His true identity was a Neighbor, Border's enemy! Yuma tells us about the people who live on the other side of the gate and about Trion soldiers. Osamu cannot ignore the suspicious Yuma as a member of Border, but he cannot hand him over to Border because he owes him for saving him, so he hides Yuma.
Episode 3 "Kuga Yuma②"
Osamu and Yuma end up living together at school. Yuma learns about the position of Neighbors on Earth and the existence of Border. Osamu decides to hide Yuma because he is not a bad guy at heart, but he warns Yuma to report him immediately if he does anything bad. It was super lucky that Osamu was the first Border member Yuma met. If it had been any other Border member, he would have been considered an enemy and immediately eliminated. In the middle of this exchange, a new Neighbor invades.
Episode 4 "Mikumo Osamu②"
The Neighbor that appeared was a combat Trion soldier called a "Mallmod." Yuma says that it would be better to wait for other Border members to arrive, as their strength is completely different from the "Bumster" that appeared last time for capture. However, the school is far from the Border base, and Osamu cannot leave it alone as many casualties occur before they arrive, so he goes to fight, prepared to lose. Yuma, seeing Osamu being defeated as expected, decides to fight using Osamu's trigger in order to save Osamu without revealing his true identity.
Episode 5 "Kuga Yuma③"
Osamu desperately tries to stop Yuma, who is fighting with his own trigger. The trigger used by Osamu, a C-rank member, is a training trigger. However, Yuma defeats the Mallmod with the training trigger. The performance is clearly different from when Osamu used it, but this is related to the difference in trion. Everyone has Trion, the power source of triggers, but the amount varies from person to person, and Yuma's Trion amount was on a different level to Osamu's. After defeating the Neighbors, Yuma ends the incident as Osamu's achievement so that his true identity is not revealed. From this point on, Osamu's life takes a big turn.
Episode 6 "Arashiyama Squad"
Arashiyama Squad, a Border A-class member, arrived late to school. Arashiyama, who saw the scene, is interested in how the Neighbors were defeated with one blow, but is surprised that Osamu is a C-class member. C-rank members are prohibited from using triggers outside of training, so Osamu's actions were a violation of discipline. Even though it was a life-saving act, Osamu was ordered to report to headquarters for violating discipline.
Episode 7 "Kitora Ai"
After school, as Osamu is about to report to headquarters, Kitora Ai of the Arashiyama Squad appears in front of him. Kitora accompanies Osamu until they arrive at headquarters, and is jealous that Osamu, a C-rank member, may be better than him. Kitora tells Osamu about Border's ranks and that irregular gates are starting to open. A new gate appears there. The Neighbor, which even Kitora has never seen before, is a Trion soldier called "Ilgar" for bombing. Kitora puts his pride as an A-rank on the line to face Ilgar alone.
Episodes 8-16 (Volume 2)
In Volume 2, we learn a little about Osamu's punishment for violating discipline and why Yuma is so strong! I wonder how far Jin's side effect can be predicted.
Episode 8 "Kitora Ai②"
Kitora goes to defeat Ilgar alone. Meanwhile, Osamu, who has consumed a large amount of trion and cannot use his trigger, saves lives and instructs Yuma to support Kitora. Kitora, who is not only good at talking but also has strong skills, takes down Ilgar from above. However, Yuma, who says it would be bad for Ilgar to fall into the city, activates his trigger and goes to support him.
Episode 9 "Kitora Ai③"
When Ilgar receives a large amount of damage, he falls, taking with him the people around him, and uses all of his internal trion to self-destruct. If Yuma uses the trigger, he will be detected by Border, but Ilgar is in a self-destruct state due to Kitora's attack, so Yuma tries to make him fall to a place where there are no people. Thanks to Yuma, Ilgar is prevented from self-destructing, and the matter is resolved. However, Kitora, who is an A-class, seems to be annoyed that someone saved him.
Episode 10 "Border Upper Management"
The upper management of Border was holding a meeting to decide how to deal with Osamu, who had violated the rules. Yuichi Jin from the Tamakoma branch appeared there. Jin had previously helped Osamu, and was the person who inspired Osamu to aim for Border. While many people, including the commander Masamune Kido, were in favor of firing him, Jin asked them to leave the decision to him. Jin was entrusted with the decision to deal with Osamu, but Miwa, an A-rank, was convinced that Osamu was in contact with the Neighbors and decided to keep an eye on Osamu.
Episode 11 "Jin Yuichi"
Humans with high trion abilities can manifest a supersensory ability called a "side effect." Jin has a side effect that allows him to see a little into the future, and he felt that Osamu was involved in the irregular gates that were appearing. For this reason, Jin decided to take in Osamu, but in fact Yuma, who is related to Osamu, had found the cause of the gates. The cause was that "Rads," small trion soldiers used for covert reconnaissance, were collecting trion little by little from humans and opening the gates. Border mobilized even C-class members to carry out a simultaneous extermination operation of the small trion soldiers.
Episode 12 "Amatori Chika"
While waiting for Osamu to arrive, Yuma practices riding a bicycle and meets Amatori Chika. Yuma has a hard time riding a bicycle, but with Chika's advice he gets the hang of it. The two get along a little, but when the alarm goes off, Chika leaves in the direction of the Neighbors. Chika is a person who attracts Neighbors, and Osamu is trying to get Yuma and Chika together to resolve this. However, when Osamu arrives at the meeting place, the two are nowhere to be seen. Osamu and Yuma save Chika from being attacked by a Neighbor.
Episode 13 "Amatori Chika②"
Chika, the younger sister of the senior who Osamu was looking after, is often targeted by Neighbors, so Osamu consults with Yuma and Replica to solve the mystery. They decide to measure the amount of Trion, as it may be related to it, but the Border member who was following Osamu approaches him.
Episode 14 "Miwa Squad"
Miwa Squad, acting on a special mission from Commander Kido, tries to eliminate Yuma, a Neighbor, by force. The battle looked like a two-on-one battle, but two snipers were aiming at Yuma from a long distance, so it was actually four-on-one. However, Yuma saw through this. Jin says that Yuma is special, but what is his true ability...?!
Episode 15 "Miwa Squad 2"
Yuma is attacked one-sidedly and doesn't fight back. Osamu seems quiet for Yuma, but that's because he was thinking about how to settle things peacefully so as not to put Osamu in a bad position. What plan does Yuma take in this cornered situation?
Episode 16 "Miwa Squad ③"
Miwa Squad attacks by turning Trion into weights to restrain the opponent. Yuma thought that this would allow him to negotiate without hurting the other party, so he instantly copied this attack and made Miwa Squad surrender. Jin appeared and told Yuma not to lay hands on him. Yuma's trigger is the "Black Trigger," and it would be better not to make him his enemy.
Episodes 17-25 (Volume 3)
In Volume 3, Osamu, Yuma, and Chika form a team and train until they join Border.
The pasts of Yuma and Chika are revealed, and it feels like we're finally getting into the main story!
Episode 17 "Jin Yuichi②"
Commander Kido orders Jin to capture the Black Trigger, but Jin is not one to listen to orders. Jin takes action after receiving an order from Tamakoma Branch Chief Rindo, "I'll leave it to you to decide how to do it," and takes Osamu with him. Before leaving, Osamu is asked by Karasawa about Yuma, and he mentions Yuma's name. The higher-ups couldn't hide their surprise when they heard the name. Who on earth is Yuma's father?!
Episode 18 "Kuga Yugo"
Yuma's father, who is known only to a select few even among the upper echelons, was an early member of the old Border, a senior to Shinobu and Rindo, and a peer of Kido. Shinobu says there is no reason to fight Yugo's son, but Kido tries to get the black trigger at all costs. There are factions within Border, and Tamakoma, to which Jin belongs, is a faction that wants to get along with the Neighbors. Jin believes there are good people in the Neighbors too, so he invites Yuuma to the Tamakoma branch.
Episode 19 "Tamakoma Branch"
Yuma goes to the Tamakoma branch on the condition that Osamu and Chika are with him. The branch was full of skilled people, but there were only children and beautiful older women. Yuuma meets with Tamakoma branch chief Hayashito, who tells him that his father knew Mogami Souichi. Mogami was Jin's master, and died five years ago, becoming Jin's black trigger. What will Yuuma do now that he finds out that the acquaintance he was looking for is not there?
Episode 20 "Kuga Yuma ④"
Yugo made the black trigger and died to save Yuuma. Yuuma inherited the side effect of "seeing through lies" after receiving the black trigger. Yuuma's goal is to revive his father from the black trigger. Replica told Osamu about Yuuma. Yuuma lost his purpose after learning that even Border's technology cannot revive the dead. Can Osamu give Yuuma a purpose? !
Episode 21 "Mikumo Osamu③"
Chika decides to join Border to find her brother. Osamu, who can't leave Chika alone, invites Yuma and the three of them aim for A-rank. Yuma has lost his purpose, but he cooperates with Osamu and his friends because Osamu, who acts for the people, resembles his father.
Episode 22 "Tamakoma Branch ②"
To be promoted to A-class, you need to win in the rank battles. Black triggers are powerful and cannot be used in rank battles. Yuma needs to become a Border trigger. Chika has no combat experience. Osamu is B-class but lacks skill. The three will receive one-on-one lessons from Tamakoma's seniors for three weeks until they officially join the force.
Episode 23 "Tamakoma Branch ③"
Osamu is accompanied by Karasuma, Yuma by Konan, and Chika by Reiji, and the training begins. Osamu is surprised at Konan's ability to beat Yuma even though he is not good at using triggers, but Yuma is not giving up. Seeing Yuma continue his training, Osamu also struggles. Meanwhile, Reiji thought Chika was not suited for combat, but he was surprised at the amount of trion Chika had as she continued her endless shooting training.
Episode 24 "Top Unit of Headquarters"
After returning from an expedition, Border's most elite unit is ordered by Commander Kido to capture Tamakoma's black trigger. Tachikawa, the No. 1 A-class attacker, takes command of the unit and launches a night attack on Tamakoma. Osamu and the others are training hard, unaware of this. Then, Tamakoma's leader, Jin, appears.
Episode 25 "Jin Yuichi③"
The expeditionary force was quite strong, and even if Jin used his black trigger, it would have been a 50-50 fight. However, Jin, who had sensed Tachikawa and the others' night attack with his side effect, also called out to Arashiyama's team. A serious battle between Jin and Arashiyama's team and Border's most elite team was about to begin.
Summary of the first season of the anime based on the original work - Part 1 (Spoiler Alert!)
What did you think?
That's the summary up to volume 3 of the manga.
Will Osamu and the others who joined Tamakoma be able to officially form a team with Border?!
