The second season of the anime "World Trigger" will begin in January 2021. The first season ended rather abruptly due to the author's excessive efforts, leading to a long hiatus. However, the series has now resumed and the second season of the anime is about to begin. So, who is the most popular World Trigger character? Let's take a look at a past popularity poll conducted in Jump!
World Trigger Popular Character #1: Osamu Mikumo
The main character, Megane, has earned the nicknames "The Possession-less Glasses" and "The B-Class Harassing Glasses." He's so popular that he won first place in both the first and second Jump popularity polls, making him arguably the most popular character in World Trigger. While there are four protagonists in this work, if I had to choose one, it would have to be this one. The story revolves around Mikumo Osamu.
The Charm of Mikumo Osamu
Mikumo Osamu doesn't have the cheating power of a black trigger like Yuma Kuga or Yuichi Jin, nor does he have the talent (trion amount) of Chika Amatori. He also lacks the fighting sense of Ran Kitora. Despite his lack of many qualities, Mikumo Osamu still takes "the best action he believes he should take." This sometimes means even sacrificing his own life, and he doesn't choose any means, for better or worse.
World Trigger Popular Character #2: "Kuga Yuma"
One of the main characters, Kuga Yuma has been dubbed "Temporary Black Trigger" and "Tamakoma's White Head." He's a popular character, placing second in the first Jump popularity poll, fourth in the second, and first in the first poll when multiple votes were invalid, and second in the second poll. His strength, demonstrated from his first appearance, and the high specs he possesses thanks to his Black Trigger make him even more of a main character than Mikumo Osamu. He even graces the cover of the first volume. His specs are already approaching the upper ranks of A-class, but he's a character in a somewhat precarious position. In fact, Tamakoma Second is full of dangerous characters like that.
The Appeal of Kuga Yuma
What's most appealing about him is his combat acumen and the boundless strength he wields, his trump card, the Black Trigger. Despite not having a chance to use his Black Trigger recently, he's still a great player in ranked matches, serving as the team's ace and point scorer. Despite being the main character, he still has a lot of mystery surrounding him, and we look forward to seeing how he develops in the future.
World Trigger Popular Character #3: "Kirie Konan"
A high school girl Border member who has been given the title "High School Girl (Axe)." A senior character and older sister to Osamu and Yuma. Konan Kirie placed third in the first Jump popularity poll and second in the second. Without multiple votes, she placed fourth and sixth in the first and second polls, respectively. It seems she has a passionate fan base. I understand! She's actually one of the oldest characters in Tamakoma First.
The Charm of Konan Kirie
A senior character who has appeared since the beginning, Konan Kirie is a high school girl with exceptional skills. She's incredibly strong, using a custom-made trigger for her axe in battle. However, she's often teased, fooled, and toyed with by the Tamakoma members. While she usually appears tsundere and pretends to be a rich girl, she's actually a softie. She's often seen pressing her body against her junior, Mikumo Osamu, and trying to strangle him. I think that personality is her greatest charm.
World Trigger Popular Character #4: "Yuichi Jin"
A former S-rank Border member, he has been given the titles of "Talent Elite" and "Future Predictor." He's a black trigger user, and with his cheating side effect of future prediction, he's one of Border's most elite and most important assets. He's a good big brother figure, and has played a leading role in past one-shots.
The Charm of Yuichi Jin
His overwhelming combat abilities when using his black trigger, "Kazane," and his side effect of future prediction make him seem like a black trigger in itself. Without this side effect, it's hard to deny that the Neighbors would have had a much easier time invading. In addition to his position as a reliable older brother, his voice acting is also strong. If Jin were to work to his full potential, he would be an incredible character with the specs to become the main character of World Trigger. It's no surprise that he's so popular. While Jin is considered one of the main characters, it's common for older brother characters who overshadow the main character to bear a sad fate. I can only hope that Jin doesn't become a black trigger.
World Trigger Popular Character #5: "Kazama Soya"
A Border A-rank member, Kazama has been given the titles of "compact and highly capable" and "always growing at heart." He placed 4th in the first Jump popularity poll and 6th in the second. He possesses both proven skills and the tactical acumen that has allowed him to develop new tactics and rise to the top. However, at 158cm tall, he's among the shortest Border members. While some people around 165cm tall are troubled by being treated like a bean, Kazama doesn't seem to mind.
The Charm of Kazama Soya
Despite his incredibly short stature, he possesses incredibly high performance. His slanted eyes are a charming feature, making him both cute and cool. He has a serious and rather harsh personality, but he respects those who deserve it. He also has a bit of a vacant side, but that's perhaps the secret to his popularity. I think short, handsome guys tend to be popular.
Popularity Poll Extra Edition: A Slightly Unusual Poll
Popularity polls are often rife with organized votes and mischievous behavior from enthusiastic fans. Examples include Sister Krone in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and Zenitsu Agatsuma in The Promised Neverland. In the past, there have been festivals where unpopular characters were forced to take the top spot through massive organized votes and manipulation. Unusual characters sometimes make it into the rankings in popularity polls, so I'd like to introduce some of the more unusual characters who made it into the World Trigger popularity poll.
Unusual Poll #1: Daisuke Ashihara
Author Daisuke Ashihara. He's the creator of World Trigger, and he continued writing it until his body was completely worn out. It's not uncommon for authors to be ranked, and while they don't appear often in many popularity polls, they do tend to be voted for. However, there have been rare cases in the past where a Jump work has surpassed the main character to take first place.
Unusual Vote #2: Lilienthal
Lilienthal, the talking dog, is the protagonist of "Lilienthal, the Clever Dog," a manga serialized by Ashihara-sensei before World Trigger, which was canceled. However, there are quite a few Lilienthal merchandise in World Trigger, so it's not completely unrelated. This is likely why the votes were split between Lilienthal plushies and the Lilienthal found in Mikumo's hospital room.
Unusual Vote #3: Jean-Baptiste Tetsu Hattori
The editor in charge of the original World Trigger. Without him, World Trigger might never have been created. Some of you may recognize his name, but he was the model for Hattori Tetsu, a character in "Bakuman," which was serialized in Jump. He looks a bit like Yamada Takayuki. Yamada Takayuki actually played the role of Hattori Tetsu in the live-action version of "Bakuman."
Unusual Vote #4: Mr. Y from Chiba Prefecture
He rose to fame through a popularity poll for the Jump manga series "Nisekoi." He transcended love and mischief to become reality. He's a huge fan of Marika Tachibana, a character in Nisekoi, and is a fierce warrior who singlehandedly sent in 1,500 handwritten ballots. In the final episode of Nisekoi, it's hinted that Marika's arranged marriage partner lives in Chiba Prefecture, so it's safe to assume he's referring to Mr. Y from Chiba Prefecture. Furthermore, he apparently researched the filming locations himself and appeared as an extra in the live-action Nisekoi. Oh, this has nothing to do with World Trigger.
Unusual Poll #5: Bonchiage
The snacks Jin eats. They're soy sauce-flavored snacks manufactured by Bonchi Co., Ltd. Apparently, they saw Jin eating them and sent him a box. They've also released collaboration products.
Unusual Poll #6: Ashihara-sensei's Medicine
Apparently, after trying his best with painkillers, he was unable to move his body. Manga artists have a tough job. Everyone, take care of your health.
[World Trigger 2nd] Popular Characters Summary
We've introduced the popular characters of World Trigger! As expected, it seems that the main characters are the most popular. Mikumo Osamu, who doesn't have any special powers and is unlikely to ever acquire any, is so popular because he does what he can with what he has and becomes special!
