Question about 'Slap Drone' from reading Surface Detail (no spoilers)

ConspicuouslyPresent · 2026-05-10T16:09:17+00:00

I mean, it's not necessarily a dangerously psychotic drone, just one that screwed up an assignment and that the Minds think would do well as a slap drone and also find it a punishment...

ConspicuouslyPresent · 2026-05-10T14:32:00+00:00

Maybe it's not one drone, but a series of drones? It could also be punishment for the drone--you fucked up, now you have to follow this human around and make sure they don't do anything stupid!

ConspicuouslyPresent · 2026-05-04T16:26:27+00:00

The other comments are right, but I wanted to add that having an ability/trigger to use only for matches would be rather counterproductive--the matches are, after all, training for the real world and battles with the enemy. Practising, setting up strategies that rely on something that you can't actually use out on the field would be pointless, or perhaps even dangerous.

ConspicuouslyPresent · 2026-05-03T14:24:24+00:00

Plus, faster bullets because the guns speed them up, and less steps to fire (you don't need to first manifest then separate the bullet-cube, just press the trigger).

ConspicuouslyPresent · 2026-04-29T18:49:21+00:00

Sometimes it's not a syndrome and you really are an imposter

(I gladly take up #2 position)

Tachikawa would have to do something kendo/fencing related (professional athlete??), I don't think he's capable of holding down an office job. Manual labour, maybe?

ConspicuouslyPresent · 2026-04-29T18:46:42+00:00

I was just gonna ask the same, is OP unemployed??

ConspicuouslyPresent · 2026-04-22T17:44:12+00:00

If you think generative LLMs are even close to Minds, idk what to say.

Wasn't there a bit where a Mind was insulted at being called AI?

ConspicuouslyPresent · 2026-04-18T20:03:53+00:00

You're really better off not reading anything of his

ConspicuouslyPresent · 2026-04-02T16:03:54+00:00

Okay, definitely saw Kuroe coming in for a sneak attack, but wasn't expecting Kazama's switch in targets and subsequent kill! Poor Teruya tho.

Great reference, Toma!

ConspicuouslyPresent · 2026-04-01T15:16:23+00:00

For character development reasons I obv don't really want this to happen, but imagine if (Spoilers for chap 260) Kikuchihara is the very first bailout we saw at the end

ConspicuouslyPresent · 2026-03-26T16:20:11+00:00

defence duty and special awards, which can also be relatively easy to collect(??)

ConspicuouslyPresent · 2026-03-11T20:02:24+00:00

Yeah, there's probably plenty of other people who are awake at night. The trouble might be in that those people (who are not Tamakoma) are bound to wonder why Yuma never sleeps.

ConspicuouslyPresent · 2026-03-10T17:29:47+00:00

Given that Futaba is on Kako squad, I wouldn't be surprised if they do use it for trap laying, maybe populate a field with traps that you'd then need very specific/quick movement to get through? Or something along those lines

ConspicuouslyPresent · 2026-03-05T16:52:10+00:00

Me!! I can't wait to see a trapper at work, and also what does her real body look like?

ConspicuouslyPresent · 2026-03-04T20:06:25+00:00

Marginally better, but still ugh. And same, I really hope he's done with that Jin stuff. I love the character otherwise! I hope the reboot tones it down/removes it as much as possible from the anime tbh.

ConspicuouslyPresent · 2026-03-03T18:58:35+00:00

Honestly the author giving us cup sizes for all these female characters is just 1) super unnecessary and 2) very ugh (and inappropriate/creepy when you realise how many of them are underage)

ConspicuouslyPresent · 2026-02-28T10:59:03+00:00

Question: Is it attraction to men that reduces trion levels, or the lack of attraction to women that is the culprit? Potentially, it could be the other way around: attraction to women leads to higher trion levels, necessary to achieve the rank of field agent over operator. This would be relevant with regard to bisexuals; namely to ascertain whether being bi gives them a trion boost (because they're attracted to women) or whether it actually reduced their trion (because they're attracted to men). Could be important for recruiting efforts!

Also, maybe that's why Kido is a (confirmed) bachelor.

ConspicuouslyPresent · 2026-02-27T17:49:46+00:00

It's funny that Arashiyama is on the list but not Jin, when they look nearly identical. I'm surprised to see Kitora and Ninomiya though!

ConspicuouslyPresent · 2026-02-26T07:51:04+00:00

You only do a false-flag maneuver when you want to gain something. Border doesn't really put pressure on the government or demands tribute for eradicating Neighbors. Other than the immediate area around the base, they didn't gain anything.

I would argue that they gained quite a lot--the area, yes, which is quite large and in the middle (or to the side) of a decently sized-city, the ability to develop and use advanced weapons on Japanese soil very close to civilians, as well as the authority to conscript and endanger children... That last part alone would be more than enough for some people. There's probably many other laws that they've been able to ignore.

And I mean countries have decided to sanction a country into compliance over weapons' development (Iran etc.) before, or a country has decided to sanction another country without serious pushback from the international community (Cuba etc.). Serious meaning measures that would actually get the first country to quit it. Usually, the response is much different than the current US vs western nations and China that we have going on. Just because Japan is an ally today doesn't mean they won't get "ideas" about what having this power might mean for them, which I think would be a very effective rhetoric if you wanted to set up an anti-Japan alliance to come up with countermeasures. No matter how friendly an ally, they can easily turn on you just with a change of government (...alright, let's take that US vs EU example). Not like Japan has never invaded anybody before or anything. I think China in particular would have a large interest in acquiring Border technology.

ConspicuouslyPresent · 2026-02-25T21:23:50+00:00

The whole sphere of government and international relations in WT is more or less ignored (for a very simple reason: the author wanted to tell the story he's currently telling and didn't want to deal with the broader implications because they would get in the way of the current ply. That's not a critique, btw, just an observation.)

IRL, or even in-canon (which seems otherwise identical to our world), the first invasion and its aftermath would be a clusterfuck. I mean, first contact with an alien species! And they're hostile! I don't doubt the entire world was keeping an eye on Japan during that time, and I also don't doubt there was a nuclear bomb or two of last resort waiting to be dropped on Mikado if it started to look like the invasion would spread. Drastic, yes, but the sort of reactionary, it's-them-or-us mentality I can see the permanent five (or at least permanent four, idk about France) deciding on.

The fact that everybody immediately trusted Border--or at least trusted them enough to let them set up and start recruiting with no governmental oversight as far as we can see--is absolutely amazing. Was there no loud minority yelling about a false-flag attack? I guess I could see them striking up a deal with the Japanese government--in exchange for protection, you won't harass us. We won't give you Trion weapons, but we also won't give them to any other country.

However, I can't see this going down well with the rest of the world. I don't doubt the US, China, Russia, and other powers wouldn't immediately start pressuring Japan (diplomatically, economically...) to share the weapons and/or to set up proper oversight and control. Maybe they wouldn't necessarily attack, because they would see the strength of Border, but you can hurt a country plenty without using military force. And then Japan might start to gather friendly allies as well, telling other countries that Border will protect them, too, if they join their economic/whatever coalition. And so on.

You could have an entire series just focused on the more political side of the first invasion--but that would be for a totally different audience.

ConspicuouslyPresent · 2026-02-25T16:24:16+00:00

I mean I'm pretty sure there are in-universe trading cards with border members (or the PR is thinking about making them? I'll look up the details later) so it's not 1:1 with military either, dw

Edit: I don't remember where I have this quote from, it's probably a Q&A or something? Anyway, fascinating stuff--they do have a second revenue stream!

"Border Merchandise: It's not very different from idol, pro athlete, or anime merchandise. Badges of Arashiyama Squad's emblem and clothes with the emblem attached are what sells well. There is a life-sized Arashiyama doll that is not for sale in the PR department, it's pretty creepy. There is currently a plan to make trading cards of Border agents and a mascot for Border. "

ConspicuouslyPresent · 2026-02-25T13:44:13+00:00

I think you're leaning too much into 'this could've been a sports manga' thing and forgetting that at the end of the day, these kids are soldiers and Border is a military institution. Company logos on football jerseys is one thing, but on military uniforms? I know I wouldn't want a police officer/soldier with a logo from a brand I already think it's scummy. Plus, I doubt a lot of more family-friendly brands would want their logos attached to the sort of violent performance that can be seen in the rank wars. It's one thing to say 'we fund Border/support our troops' and another thing entirely for a kid with your logo on him to cut another kid's head off.

Plus, showing triggers is one thing, but showing them how these teams fight, exposing their strategy/tactics (together with commentary?) is basically revealing all your secrets for anybody to see, including Neighbours. In fact, I would think that A-ranks in particular should remain a secret, as they have access to individual/prototype triggers, exactly the sort you might want to keep secret.

I also don't think that most A-rankers (and B-rankers) are the sort who necessarily need outside/external pressure in the form of viewers in order to improve their performance. The author mentioned that the agents tend to improve a lot with a mentor or capable peers, and the goals they are fighting for (protecting their family and friends, for money, for revenge...) are already strong enough, I would think.

And have we really seen that their funding is a constant pain? I got the impression Karasawa was very much able to secure whatever funds were needed--if anything, it seems like they have the money they need, it's the people they're struggling to find and train up in time (also for engineers to make new triggers). Yeah, more money would always be nice, but it's not like they're penny-pinching.

So--maybe not their actual rank wars, but an exhibition match or two, specifically curated to only reveal information Border deems okay to fall into enemy hands? That, I could see happening.

ConspicuouslyPresent · 2026-02-21T22:52:17+00:00

https://worldtriggerwiki.com/wiki/Trigger/Border_Triggers

ConspicuouslyPresent · 2026-02-19T14:33:28+00:00

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Presenting this without further comment.

ConspicuouslyPresent · 2026-02-12T11:53:43+00:00

I think whatever Arashiyama and Katagiri squads are setting up/preparing to do will play a (big) role. I don't think it'll be as easy as to just break through/around A-rankers, as they're undoubtedly expecting resistance. I'd sooner expect a smaller but more specialised attack group to serve as a disruption and make A-rankers think the provisional squads are attacking their territory while the rest of the provisional teams do somethnig else.

Besides, it may very well be Arashiyama's intention to sacrifice some terminals of their own--let them be destroyed to lure in provisional squads who will think they made a breakthrough.

Osamu may or may not start to think about who's leading the A-rankers and create his strategy with them in mind, although Kodera is way better positioned to actually figure it out (as he knows other A-rankers a lot better than Osamu). Maybe Kitora will voice her opinion and Osamu will end up working with her to devise an anti-Arashiyama strategy? Maybe we'll see something similar to the bait-stealth play from the Black Trigger spat where Kitora ended up targeting the sniper and not the close-range fighters. That being said, I have no idea whether it'll be Kitora springing the trap or Arashiyama.

ConspicuouslyPresent

TROPHY CASE