Question Corner

On the official World Trigger Twitter, Ashihara answers questions from fanmail. After a while they are gathered into the manga volumes:

Volume 5 - Question Corner 1
Q: Do Border agents get paid?

A: I might show it one day, but yes, agents do get paid. B-Rank agents get a fee per Trion soldier they defeat. A-Rank agents have a salary + fee per Trion soldier. C-Rank trainees do not get paid.

Q: Are there any requirements, like fitness tests, for applying to Border?

A: There are basic fitness tests, nasic achievements tests and an interview. Other than having low Trion levels or a criminal record, you won't get rejected (Osamu was nearly rejected).

Q: Can the Trion gland be strengthened with training?

Q: Does Trion get replenished with time or sleep?

A: Just like lung capacity and muscle strength, it can be improved somewhat, and does recover with nutrition and rest.

Q: Why are all Border agents young?

A: The biggest reason is that the younger you are, the more your Trion gland can grow. Agents over age 20 whose growth has stopped often go into administration (like Sawamura).

Q: Do Border high schoolers go to the same school?

A: For better coordination of agent schedules, they often go to the same school, but they don't have to.

Q: Do Trion bodies feel pain from Trigger attacks?

A: There is a pain sensation that tells you what part of your body got damaged. This can be turned completely off.

Q: Can you use Trion to heal damage?

A: It is impossible to repair a Trion body. The combat body is basically disposable. Once destroyed, you need to create another one, which takes time and more Trion.

Volume 5 - Question Corner 2
Q: How do you become an Operator?

A: Some apply for it from the beginning, and some change track from combatants.

Q: Can only girls become Operators?

A: Almost all Operators are female. They say this is because women have higher parallel processing capabilities. Men can be Operators too. On the other hand, almost all the engineers are male.

Q: Is there a limit to the number of members on a squad?

A: A team of five, with four combatants and one Operator is the limit. Any more and it goes over the Operator's data processing capability.

Q: Why do Osamu and Chika have different outfits? Do they have free rein?

A: Chika's outfit is the standard C-Rank female Sniper (up to junior high) uniform. Jin made adjustments to Osamu's. That's why it has Tamakoma's shoulder epaulette.

Q: Why is Narasaka the bamboo guy in the mushroom family?

A: To avoid unnecessary bloodshed.

Q: Is Raijin-maru male or female?

A: Raijin-maru looks female, but everyone at Tamakoma probably thinks Raijin-maru is male.

Q: Was Yūma eating a lunch made by Osamu in chapter 2?

A: He brought it himself.

Q: What's Osamu's eyesight?

A: Both eyes are 20/100.

Q: Does Osamu take his glasses off when he takes a bath?

A: Probably not. He may even wear them while he's asleep. Perpetual Glasses.

Volume 6 - Question Corner 3
Q: Does Arashiyama not have parents?

A: He does. His father is a company employee, and his mother has a part-time job and is a housewife. His grandmother, younger siblings, and dog also lives with him.

Q: What part-time jobs does Torimaru have?

A: Various jobs like newspaper delivery, supermarket cashier, waiter at a restaurant, etc. It's rumored that during Torimaru's shifts, the amount of female customers doubles.

Q: What does Ashihara-sensei think of Osamu’s tendency to break out into sweat?

A: Osamu's relationship with cold sweat is similar to the relationship between omurice and ketchup (the glasses are the egg).

Q: Is there an age-limit for enlistment?

A: If your Trion is particularly high, then there is no age limit, but young Trion organs have greater growth potential so they are more likely to be hired. Youth certainly has its advantages.

Q: Can Teleport be used continously?

A: Distance moved = Trion consumed, so there has to be an interval. A long-distance teleport (30m or more) will require a few seconds, but a short-distance teleport (2-3 m) will take about 0.5 seconds.

Q: Which is the abbreviation for World Trigger, "WāTori" or "Trigger"?

A: The editor uses "Trigger", but the manager uses "WāTori". The assistants and I simply say "World Trigger".

Q: How far can Jin see into the future?

A: I believe that he can see established futures (futures where potential of realization is rather high) pretty far counting by years. On the contrary, futures where he can intervene (uncertain futures), he can only see comparatively recently.

Q: Who has the greater Trion ability, Chika or Izumi?

A: Chika. Izumi is a genius, but Chika is a monster.

Q: Was Raijinmaru bought from a pet shop?

A: Branch chief Rindō brought it from out of nowhere. It's a mystery.

Q: Why is Kazama-san so short?

A: Small and efficient. That is Kazama-san.

Volume 7 - Question Corner 4
Q: How are Trion suits made and decided?

A: There are different basic designs, and it is arranged for each team. A common design is a tracksuit style that doesn't intimidate civilians. There are also suits with original modifications that include special functions like Kazama Unit's.

Q: Is Trion amount hereditary?

A: There is some probability that Trion is hereditary, but parents' Trion ability is not necessarily passed down. For example, Chika's parents' Trion is not particularly high.

Q: Do Operators participate in expeditions?

A: Like Usami said in volume 3, operators seem to accompany their teams during an expedition. Border have mobile computers which run on Trion, so they can support units even on expeditions when there's no power.

Q: Please tell us how many ranks both A-Class and B-class teams can go down to.

A: Currently, A-Class has 8 teams and B-Class has 20 teams but they move up and down during Rank Wars so their ranking can change at any time.

Q: What is Reiji's best dish?

A: ‘Meat meat meat veggie stirfry’ (a meat and vegetable stirfry with three times the normal amount of meat). One of the standard dishes at Tamakoma.

Q: How do newly-enlisted personnel find themselves a mentor?

A: The first step is to find videos and matches of a capable person. When things have started to form to some extent, they can directly ask them, or have someone intermediate to become their student. They can also just keep fighting in individual rank battles.

Q: Is there anyone who has risen to A-Class without a mentor (original members excluded)?

A: Yes. Izumi, Kikuchihara, Yoneya, etc. You can become strong even without a mentor if you have a rival.

Q: When Tachikawa cut up the Ilgar, did he use Teleport, or did he jump from the roof?

A: I think he used Grasshopper, which is a Trigger for maneuvering in battle, to jump through the air. Midorikawa has used this Trigger as well.

Q: Do all the A-Class high schoolers go to the same school?

A: There are 2 schools (regular and university-preparation) that are affiliated with Border. Kodera, Narasaka, Usami, Utagawa, Kikuchihara, etc., go to the preparatory school. Pretty much everyone else goes to the regular school. There are also people like Konami (and Kitora) who go to posh girls’ schools that aren’t affiliated with Border.

Q: When one uses their Trion body, where does their original body go?

A: It is swapped in the Trigger Holder space, where the Trion body usually is.

Volume 7 - Question Corner 5
Q: Please tell me about the gun Trigger (Shotgun) Suwa was using in chapter 45. A: It is a shotgun trigger that fires large normal bullets in consolidation. You can adjust the angle of the bullets’ dispersal to a certain point. Its advantage is its high instantaneous firepower, its disadvantage is that there is a pause between shots which can create an opening.

Q: How far can you change the shape of a Scorpion? Can you wear it around your whole body? A: You can change its shape quite a lot. How far you can extend it depends on the trion ability of the user, but the more you extend the more its strength drops, so if you wear it around your whole body it will be as fragile as glass. If it’s Chika she might be able to fight with it around her whole body.

Q: If Tachikawa-san, who seems to be quite a disappointment outside of battle, has any fail episodes, please tell us. A: He read ‘DANGER’ as dan-gah, he made a fuss about a computer being broken when it was just not plugged in, he only ate the dried fruits in a fruit granola bar, and so on.

Q: Why are Osamu’s glasses an under rim style? A: He received his father’s frames. (His father is still alive)

Q: Is there a meaning in the distinction between using either ‘sempai’ or ‘san’? A: It seems that generally the middle and high schoolers get ‘sempai’ and anyone older than that is called ‘san’. In other words, Osamu calling Kazama-san ‘Kazama-sempai’ means… (trans: Ashihara is probably trying to say that Osamu thought Kazama was a high schooler from his height, hence why he called Kazama ‘sempai’ when Kazama’s age should merit him ‘san’.)

Q: The dots on Kazama Unit’s uniform reacted when they activated Charmeleon. What was that about? A: A mechanism that decreases the amount of trion used in Charmeleon was included in their uniform. The cost for the combat body itself becomes higher because of that.

Q: Is Utagawa-kun an Attacker or All-Rounder? A: The comics are wrong here and there; he is an All-Rounder.

Q: Kogetsu ‘cannot be freely extracted or withdrawn’, is that only while Kogetsu is in use? Or does this apply for the entire time the trigger is activated? A: It applies for the entire time after you’ve chosen the Kogetsu. Sometimes it looks like the Kogetsu had disappeared, that’s just the author forgetting to draw it. The author frequently forgets to draw things.

Volume 8 - Question Corner 6
Q: How heavy is one of Miwa's lead bullets? A: About 100kg (220lb). Yūma's Anchor is about twice that.

Q: What is the relationship between Tsukimi and Tachikawa? (Tachikawa's birthday comes earlier so he's older, isn't he? [But she called him "Tachikawa-kun") A: Tsukimi is Tachikawa's childhood friend and mentor when it comes to strategy. It goes Azuma, Tsukimi (and many other pupils) and then Tachikawa.

Q: The Trion body wears a Border uniform when the Trigger is activated, but are the Trion bodies automatically made wearing a uniform? A: The clothing upon Trigger activation can be an outfit specifically chosen by the Agent or can just be the default outfit. You can register multiple outfits of your choosing.

Q: When Yūma’s wounds healed after he was struck by a car, does that mean his Trion body repaired itself? A: Yes. Yūma's regular body is less durable than his combat body, but it has a repair function. A regular combat body wouldn't be damaged in a car crash.

Q: Do Sniper rifles only stay out in gun form, or can they be put away at will? Can one be carried around as a smaller version? A: Once guns are out, they stay out. If you "put it away", another gun's worth of Trion must be used to take it out again.

Q: Can All-Rounders snipe too? A: Not really. An All-Rounder is good at close and mid-range combat. The only perfect All-Rounder who can also snipe is Reiji.

Q: Is Utagawa an Attacker or All-Rounder? A: The first editions of the graphic novels (in Japan) have it wrong. He's an All-Rounder.

Q: Is it important for Snipers to have good eyesight? A: Eyesight is perfected for the combat body, so it doesn't matter. People with glasses keep them because the glasses are tied to their identity.

Q: Is Satori's double-barreled sniping technique highly advanced? Did he need to practice it, or was it his natural talent? A: He practiced. Satori pursued firepower and awesomeness to perfect it. But nobody's going to imitate him.

Volume 8 - Question Corner 7
Q: Does Konami's battle mode have short hair to conserve Trion? A: It's most likley so her hair doesn't get in the way during a battle. It's her old hairstyle.

Q: Tokieda lists cats as one of his likes, but does he have any at home? A: He has two. Arthur, a brown tabby, and a black and white cat named Tomio.

Q: Why does Yōtarō wear a helmet? A: Because he's always in battle mode. Reiji made it for him.

Q: Who is the main character, Yūma or Osamu? A: Either one. I personally consider the four people I drew on the first title page as the main characters.

Q: If you were to eat Bonchi fried rice crackers in Jin's room without asking him, would he get mad at you? A: You would start to get shipments of Bonchi fried rice crackers sent to your room.

Q: Do gates open only in Mikado City or do they also open elsewhere? A: They open around the world and people secretly get kidnapped. But since a big one opened in Mikado, the world thinks that they only open in Mikado.

Q: Why is Tachikawa affiliated with Kido when Shinoda taught him how to use a sword? A: The Kido faction prioritizes away missions, and the Shinoda faction prioritizes defense. Tachikawa is interested in away missions. It's not because he disagrees with Shinoda.

Q: Do away mission agents try to avoid detection? A: They sneak in to get Trigger technology through trades or negotiations. If a country is in the middle of a war, they will fight off [a]ttackers and take their [T]riggers.

Q: Konami and Arashiyama are related. Did they join around the same time? A: Konami joined much earlier. Konami has been around since [...] [O]ld Border, and Arashiyama joined after the current base was built.

Q: Does Kikuchihara actually like anything? A: Friends and colleagues.

Volume 9 - Question Corner 8
Q: Rinji was Osamu’s mentor, right? So shouldn't Osamu show more respect towards Rinji's sister Chika? [He doesn't use honorifics.] A: Osamu doesn't act that way towards Chika because he's insensitive. Both Rinji and Chika herself allow him to be informal with her.

Q: Does the new Three Idiots team have any other formations besides Bird? A: They currently have ten formations including Dragon, Snake and Horse. Nine of them are "everyone attack at once," and one is "everyone run for your lives."

Q: After an agent returns to their normal body, do they have to rebuild the Trion body like they do after they bail out? A: When an [a]gent returns to their normal body on their own, their Trion body is "put away." They can decide to use the same Trion body next time, but the damage to the body won't be repaired.

Q: Are the wires used in Reiji's traps the same as the ones Kitora uses? Is the box used inside the trap a Meteor? A: It's a Trigger called Spider and it's the same as Kitora's. It can do various things depending on which Trigger it's combined with. The box used in the trap was a Meteor (in 27 pieces).

Q: Izumi synthesized a Tomahawk by combining a Viper and a Meteor. Can he do that because he's a genius or could Osamu do it too with practice? A: It's possible to do it with practice, but it would take some time. If Osamu tried to shoot a Tomahawk now, it would take him a whole minute to prepare. It only takes Izumi two seconds.

Q: How far can an agent deploy a remote shield like the ones used in the battle with Ranbanein? A: It depends on individual ability, but they should be able to deploy a Shield up to 25 meters away. This remote defense is one of the reasons that Shield is superior to the shield on the Raygust.

Q: Do only A-Rank squads have their own emblems? A: Once a squad makes A-Rank they can make their own emblem. Even if they are eventually demoted to B-Rank, they can continue to use their emblem until the squad disbands.

Q: Can you transform without saying "Trigger on" out loud? A: If you are touching the Trigger holder and give a clear signal, you can be silent or use a different word. You can even have your own unique transformation phrase.

Volume 10 - Question Corner 9
Q: Please tell us if there are any characters who are living in Tamakoma branch.

A: Branch Manager Rindō, Yōtarō, Jin, and Reiji-san live there, but rooms are provided for everyone and people like Konami or Usami frequently stay over. There are plans to provide rooms for Osamu, Yuuma, and Chika too.

Q: During the battle versus Lamvanein, Okudera-kun used Fullguard; does that mean you can use other triggers if you just put the Kogetsu in a sheath without deactivating it?

A: Even without putting it in a sheath you can turn the Kogetsu OFF, but the sharpness will become zero. You won’t be able to use it and you can’t deactivate it either so it’s a big hindrance. Deactivating the Kogetsu and then remaking one later when you need it again will mean it’s not a hindrance, but it will use up trion. It is the same as gun type triggers.

Q: Do trion organs decay with age?

A: It seems it slowly decays if it is not used. Using it maintains it to a certain extent.

Q: What is Osamu’s favourite out of his mother’s home-made dishes?

A: Cream croquettes. Even the white sauce is hand-made.

Q: Are all the agents from Mikado City?

A: Generally they are, but scouting occurs in other prefectures too so there are a small number from other regions.

Q: What is it called when shooters produce trion in cube form?

A: Trion cube, nata de coco (fermented coconut cubes), sugar cube, Suwa, tofu, etc. Everyone calls it whatever they want.

Q: While Chameleon is in use, can Hound bullets track you? And do you show up on Radar?

A: Hound bullets that use ‘Sensor Guidance’ can, but usually they are intercepted by walls and so on. Even during Stealth Mode, you still show up on Radar, so it’s possible to use that to make a rough counter-attack.

Q: Yūma’s C-rank uniform is black; was this also specially arranged by Jin-san?

A: It seems to be something that Yūma’s father, Yūgo, had configured a long time ago. It is a remnant from the times of Old Border.

Q: Why is Suwa-san smoking even though he’s in a trion body?

A: It’s to show off. Since there have been no depictions of ashtrays, there is also the possibility that it might not actually be a cigarette.

Volume 10 - Q&A from Jump Festa 2015
Q: Can Replica eat food?? A: He cannot gain nutrition from food, but as a poison taster he can eat it. Good for survival.

Q: What’s the reason behind Jin-san’s sunglasses not slipping? A: It’s connected at the back.

Q: Can Replica sleep? A: He doesn’t need to sleep to recharge, but he does have a ‘sleep mode’-like feature. To stay out of the way when he isn’t needed, he is on standby (sleep mode) in the ring.

Q: Out of the current characters, who is about as strong as Yūgo? A: Yūgo was as strong as the current Shinoda-san. Four years ago, Yūgo would have been stronger, but Shinoda-san trained every day and caught up.

Volume 13 - Question Corner 10
Q: In general, do people who use Trion bodies not need to sleep but still need food? A: All people who use Trion bodies need rest. This is because the brain gets tired and the Trion gland doesn't recover while the Trion body is in use.

Q: Is the Raygust's shield mode a separate Trigger? A: The shield mode isn't an option, but a standard feature of the Raygust. It doesn't take up a Trigger slot.

Q: Are there individual differences in the time it takes to rebuild a Trion body? A: The more Trion someone has (meaning more Trion is used in battle), the bigger the cost of reconstructing the combat body, so it takes longer. Chika takes a long time while Osamu can return to battle in a relatively short time (1-2 hours).

Q: What do Border Agents do on days off when they don't have missions or school? A: They practice in individual Rank Wars, study logs, get absorbed in their hobbies, get depressed, think about what to do with their money, get overwhelmed by assignments, play, dance, visit graves and daydream about people they like.

Q: Was Satori punished for the hole Chika shot through the wall with the Ibis? A: Azuma and Arashiyama followed up with Mr. Kinuta, so it ended with a slap on the wrist.

Q: How is "putting away the Scorpion and taking it out again" different from "dematerializing the Kogetsu and reforming it"? A: "Putting away the Scorpion" is similar to putting Kogetsu in its scabbard. The Scorpion is lighter and doesn't get in the way. Dematerializing the Kogetsu is deactivating the sword entirely along with the scabbard.

Q: From how far can Sniper Triggers hit their targets? A: For immobile targets and using the Egret, precise shooters such as Narasaka and Hanzaki can probably hit a target from 1 kilometer away. The Ibis and the Lightning have shorter ranges.

Q: Yūma doesn't have to sleep since his body is made out of trion (chapter 94), but does he get hungry? A: He needs nutrients for life support for his dying body, so he probably eats more than other people.

Volume 18 - Question Corner 11
Q: C-rank members are only supposed to have one weapon trigger, but why did Chika train with a bagworm on at Tamakoma? A:That was a Tamakoma trigger that Reiji-san provided to drive the foundations of sniping into her. It is set with the three types of sniper rifles and bagworm.

Q: Are there any branches besides Tamakoma and Suzunari? A: Border has 6 branches: Tamakoma, Suzunari, Wataayu, Yumite District, Hayanuma, and Kuma. Its personnel are mostly those who prioritise work or school and don’t aim for A-class (they do not participate in the twice a week Rank Battles). The branches are placed on the outer edge of the Danger Zone. Other than Tamakoma, the branches function as a point of contact for local residents.

Q: How is an all-rounder defined? A: An all-rounder is ‘an agent who has earned more than 6000 solo points in both Attacker and Gunner triggers respectively’. Right now Border’s overall level is on the rise and there are those who say it should be raised to above 8000.

Q: How do you think of names for the characters? A: Surnames are just ones that fit, roll off the tongue easily, and isn’t too unique. First names are chosen by thinking about the parents that would be picking the names for these people.

Q: Can’t you train your trion organ in Virtual Combat Mode? A: You can’t. You can only train your reflexes and increase combat experience in virtual mode. Trion organs can only be trained through using trion.

Q: What is the difference between Shield, Raygust (shield version), and Escudo? A: Shield: Can change shape. Durability changes according to the size of the surface area. Moving it lowers the durability. Raygust: Can change shape. Durability changes a little according to the size of the surface area. Even if you wave it around in your hand the durability will not change. Escudo: Cannot change shape. Cannot be moved. High durability. Needs a place (such as a wall or floor) to grow out of.

Q: Can Escudo defend from Lead Bullets? A: Escudo converts trion into a material form, so it can. It is treated the same as blocking Lead Bullets with walls or buildings.

From Twitter - April 2014
Q: If you become B-rank or A-rank do you have to join units? (I want to read about the stories behind all the units’ formations) A: To participate in rank battles, at the very least you need one combatant and one operator. Naturally, it’s more advantageous to have more members, so a unit with few members is quite a thorny path in comparison.

From Twitter - January 2015
Q: When enemies show up on radar, is it possible to use that to snipe? A: Compass points are displayed on radar, but not elevation, so it seems impossible. Combined with the topography data that operators have, it is possible to grasp the approximate location of the mark, but it would be hard to pinpoint a human-sized opponent this way.

From Twitter - February 2015
Q: Are radars and wires option triggers? A: ‘Radar’ is a standard equipment trigger like trion bodies or the bailout function. ‘Spider’, a trigger that uses wires, is an option trigger.

Q: Is Kunichika from Hokkaido? (trans: a reference to the fact that her favourite food is ishigari nabe/salmon hotpot, a traditional Hokkaido dish) A: Her mother is. Her parents would send salmon hotpot sets, sea urchins, crabs, salmon roe and so on to them. Everyone eats them together.

From Twitter - August 2015
Q: Why does Arashiyama and his siblings have ‘second position’ type names? A: The person who named them, Arashiyama’s grandfather, apparently had something in mind when he chose them, but since he has passed away nobody knows for sure. The three of them seem pretty happy with it.

Q: How many Mini-Replicas can be released at a time? A: If the functions are limited to conversation and transmitting over the comms he can probably release about 200 of them

From Twitter - September 2015
Q: While you are in your trion body, where is the trigger holder that houses your flesh body? A: In another dimension (a dimension on the Neighbourhood side) an independent space has been set aside for the trigger holder to be stored.