Border

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  Border's Emblem
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  Tamakoma Branch's Emblem
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  Border's Headquarters
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  HQ from another angle
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  HQ from another angle
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  Border Base at Night

Border (ボーダー, Bōdā ^?) is an agency in Mikado City. It was created for the sake of protecting the city from Neighbor attacks. They fight them by the means of Triggers, technology used by Neighbors.

History

Main article: Old Border

Before it became publicly known, Border was a secret organization with the purpose of being an intermediary between "Earth" and Neighbors. Along with its establishment, Border had made an alliance with three Neighbor nations, Aristera, Meson, and Dexio — using the building that would later become Tamakoma's base as its headquarters.

Old Border's members

Between its establishment and 6 years before the start of the series, Border had 19 people within its ranks. However, about a year later, an allied nation was invaded by a hostile nation; when Borders sent its forces to assist, 10 out of 19 died, with some becoming Black Triggers. After the incident, the organization split into two, one becoming the current Headquarters and the other becoming Tamakoma Branch.

About four and a half years before the start of the series, Border made its first public appearance when the First Large-Scale Invasion occurred. Soon after that, Border built its Headquarters in the middle of an area known as the Danger Zone and began recruiting new members.

Duties

The management supervises all Border employees and the safety of Mikado City from Neighbor-related threats. They are also involved in tasks such as P.R., a gathering of funds, and supervision of the R&D Department, as well as in the organization of away expeditions. Engineers are in charge of all matters technology-related, while Operators provide intelligence to agents and serve as their connection to HQ. Agents fight Trion Soldiers and similar threats. However, they are not always at the scene in time, leaving citizens to fend for themselves or another field agent to report for duty. Some agents are also involved in P.R. initiatives and recruiting. A-rank and B-rank members are paid, but C-rank trainees are not, as they are not official agents and are not supposed to engage in combat outside of training. However, they have recently received clearance to activate their Triggers to help with evacuation and rescue during emergencies.

Ranks

There are four ranks available to Border agents. These ranks do not constitute an actual hierarchy, but express the status of an agent and their team within Border: C-Rank is for trainees, A-Rank and B-Rank are for official agents with normal Triggers, and S-Rank is for official agents wielding Black Triggers.

New agents start from C-rank. When they reach 4000 usage points with their Training Trigger, they are promoted to B-rank and allowed to form a squad. To advance to A-rank, the squad must perform well in Rank Wars, meaning it is not the individual who is promoted, but the team as a whole. Agents who wield Black Triggers are immediately categorized as S-rank and do not participate in rank wars. In general, only A-rank agents are sent to the Neighborhood, but there will be exceptions among select B-ranks for the upcoming expedition in light of an increased away ship capacity.

Usage Points

See also: Usage Points, and Trigger Users

Border uses a point system to track agents' skills with their Trigger or Trigger set. C-Rank trainee agents start from 1,000 points, but they are given extra points if they have performed well in the preliminary tests. Points can be earned by winning optional rank wars against other trainees, while losses result in a deduction of points. The greater the point gap, the fewer the points awarded to the winner if they had a large advantage in points. Vice versa, if they lose in the same conditions, they will lose more points than normal: when someone with 1,100 points defeats an opponent with 2,358, 225 will be taken. Cadets can also fight official agents, but the scores of the two contestants will not be altered at the end of the match.

Attacker, Gunner, and Shooter trainees can also score points in group training sessions that take place twice a week. There are five drills, only three of which are known: Topography Traversal Training, Covert Action Training, and Detection and Tracking Training. Sniper trainees, on the other hand, receive points based on their performance during joint Sniper training. A perfect score awards 20 points, for a maximum of 200 points per week. During the most recent enlistment session, all cadets started with 1,000 points and took part in four five-way matches, due to the session taking place at an irregular date with no time for a probationary period. Extra points can also be given out by the management as special awards for exceptional service. Individual points determine an agent's Solo Ranking (how they fare in comparison to all other official agents) as well as their Position Ranking (how they fare in comparison to all other official agents with the same position).

When a cadet reaches 4,000 points with their Trigger, they are promoted to B-rank. Sniper cadets can also be promoted if they manage to make the top 15% for three weeks in a row. An agent's points correspond to their highest score with any one Trigger in their possession. Dropping below 4,000 points with all of one's Triggers does not result in the demotion from official agent to trainee, but this would be the case if the score of any Trigger drops below 1,500; however, this has never occurred thus far. An agent who reaches 8,000 points with any one Trigger is said to have reached Master Class with it. Official agents adding a new Trigger to their set will start from 3,000 points, 4,000 if they are Master Class. In Rank Wars, if an agent fights with two Triggers, the one which dealt the final blow receives 70% of the total score, the other one 30%.

Members

Administration

• Masamune Kido (HQ Commander and Chief Executive)
• Masafumi Shinoda (HQ Director and Defense Corps Commander)
• Kyōko Sawamura (Assistant HQ Director)
• Motokichi Kinuta (HQ Research and Development Director)
• Eizō Netsuki (Public Relations Director)
• Katsumi Karasawa (External Affairs and Business Director)
• Takumi Rindō (Tamakoma Branch Director)

General Staff

• Raizō Terashima (HQ Chief Engineer)
• Seiji Mizunuma (Human Resources Director)
• Michael Cronin (Tamakoma Branch Chief Engineer)

S-rank

• Tsukihiko Amō (All-Rounder)

A-rank

(Elite, about 30 people)

• #1 - Tachikawa Squad
  • Kei Tachikawa (No. 1 Attacker/Captain)
  • Kōhei Izumi (No. 2 Shooter)
  • Takeru Yuiga (Gunner)
  • Yuu Kunichika (Operator)

• #2 - Fuyushima Squad
  • Shinji Fuyushima (Trapper/Captain)
  • Isami Tōma (No. 1 Sniper)
  • Risa Maki (Operator)

• #3 - Kazama Squad
  • Sōya Kazama (No. 2 Attacker/Captain)
  • Ryō Utagawa (All-Rounder)
  • Shirō Kikuchihara (Attacker)
  • Kaho Mikami (Operator)

• #4 - Kusakabe Squad
  • Saki Kusakabe (Operator/Captain)
  • Shun Midorikawa (Attacker)
  • Ryūji Saeki (All-Rounder)
  • Kazuma Satomi (No. 1 Gunner)
  • Hayato Uno (Sniper)

• #5 - Arashiyama Squad
  • Jun Arashiyama (No. 2 All-Rounder/Captain)
  • Ai Kitora (All-Rounder)
  • Mitsuru Tokieda (All-Rounder)
  • Ken Satori (Sniper)
  • Haruka Ayatsuji (Operator)

• #6 - Kako Squad
  • Nozomi Kako (No. 3 Shooter/Captain)
  • Futaba Kuroe (Attacker)
  • Mai Kitagawa (Trapper)
  • An Kobayakawa (Operator)

• #7 - Miwa Squad
  • Shūji Miwa (No. 3 All-Rounder/Captain)
  • Yōsuke Yoneya (Attacker)
  • Tōru Narasaka (No. 2 Sniper)
  • Shōhei Kodera (Sniper)
  • Ren Tsukimi (Operator)

• #8 - Katagiri Squad
  • Takaaki Katagiri (No. 3 Gunner/Captain)
  • Yukimaru Ichijō (Attacker)
  • Tōichirō Momozono (Sniper)
  • Asumi Amakura (Spotter)
  • Karin Yuitsuka (Operator)

• Unranked - Tamakoma First (Kizaki Squad)
  • Reiji Kizaki (No. 1 All-Rounder/Captain)
  • Kirie Konami (No. 3 Attacker)
  • Kyōsuke Karasuma (All-Rounder)
  • Yuri Rindō (Operator)

• Independent Agents
  • Yūichi Jin (Attacker)

B-rank

(Main Force, about 100 people)

Top Tier

• #1 - Ninomiya Squad
  • Masataka Ninomiya (No. 1 Shooter/Captain)
  • Sumiharu Inukai (Gunner)
  • Shinnosuke Tsuji (Attacker)
  • Aki Hiyami (Operator)

• #2 - Tamakoma Second (Mikumo Squad)
  • Osamu Mikumo (Shooter/Captain)
  • Yūma Kuga (Attacker)
  • Chika Amatori (Sniper)
  • Hyuse (Attacker)
  • Shiori Usami (Operator)

• #3 - Kageura Squad
  • Masato Kageura (~No. 20 Attacker/Captain)
  • Yuzuru Ema (Sniper)
  • Hiro Kitazoe (Gunner)
  • Hikari Nire (Operator)

• #4 - Ikoma Squad
  • Tatsuhito Ikoma (No. 6 Attacker/Captain)
  • Satoshi Mizukami (Shooter)
  • Kōji Oki (Sniper)
  • Kai Minamisawa (Attacker)
  • Maori Hosoi (Operator)

• #5 - Ōji Squad
  • Kazuaki Ōji (Attacker/Captain)
  • Kazuki Kurauchi (Shooter)
  • Yutaka Kashio (Attacker)
  • Haya Kittaka (Operator)

• #6 - Azuma Squad
  • Haruaki Azuma (No. 3 Sniper/Captain)
  • Noboru Koarai (Attacker)
  • Tsuneyuki Okudera (Attacker)
  • Mako Hitomi (Operator)

• #7 - Nasu Squad
  • Rei Nasu (Shooter/Captain)
  • Yūko Kumagai (Attacker)
  • Sayoko Shiki (Operator)

Middle Tier

• #8 - Yuba Squad
  • Takuma Yuba (No. 2 Gunner/Captain)
  • Yukari Obishima (All-Rounder)
  • Kazuto Tonooka (Sniper)
  • Nono Fujimaru (Operator)

• #9 - Suzunari First (Kuruma Squad)
  • Tatsuya Kuruma (Gunner/Captain)
  • Kō Murakami (No. 4 Attacker)
  • Taichi Betsuyaku (Sniper)
  • Yuka Kon (Operator)

• #10 - Arafune Squad
  • Tetsuji Arafune (Sniper/Captain)
  • Atsushi Hokari (Sniper)
  • Yoshito Hanzaki (Sniper)
  • Rin Kagami (Operator)

• #11 - Katori Squad
  • Yōko Katori (All-Rounder/Captain)
  • Yūta Miura (Attacker)
  • Rokurō Wakamura (Gunner)
  • Hana Somei (Operator)

• #12 - Suwa Squad
  • Kōtarō Suwa (Gunner/Captain)
  • Daichi Tsutsumi (Gunner)
  • Hisato Sasamori (Attacker)
  • Rui Osano (Operator)

• #13 - Kakizaki Squad
  • Kuniharu Kakizaki (All-Rounder/Captain)
  • Fumika Teruya (All-Rounder)
  • Kotarō Tomoe (Gunner)
  • Madoka Ui (Operator)

• #14 - Urushima Squad
  • Wataru Urushima (Gunner/Captain)
  • Rika Rokuta (Operator)

Lower Tier

• #15 - Ebina Squad
  • Takahiro Ebina (All-Rounder/Captain)
  • Yukito Otokawa (Sniper)
  • Shō Motegi (Attacker)
  • Sakurako Taketomi (Operator)

• #16 - Tokiwa Squad
  • Mamoru Tokiwa (Attacker/Captain)
  • Tokiya Saitō (Sniper)
  • Waka Utsunomiya (Gunner)
  • Yoshinobu Kera (Attacker)
  • Hazuki Nanao (Operator)

• #17 - Hayakawa Squad
  • Satoru Hayakawa (All-Rounder/Captain)
  • Ryōgo Funabashi (Gunner)
  • Seiji Marui (Gunner)
  • Asami Taya (Operator)

The rankings for the following squads are unknown as of the most recent manga chapter.

• Matsushiro Squad
  • Hitoshi Matsushiro (Gunner/Captain)
  • Masakuni Hakoda (Trapper)
  • Yūya Tsuchisaki (Attacker)
  • Ayumu Hatori (Operator)

• Chano Squad
  • Makoto Chano (Gunner/Captain)
  • Itsuki Fujisawa (Gunner)
  • Megumi Tokura (Operator)

• Yoshizato Squad
  • Yūichirō Yoshizato (Gunner/Captain)
  • Hidetaka Kitazoe (All-Rounder)
  • Hanao Tsukimi (Attacker)
  • Asuka Asagiri (Operator)

• Mamiya Squad
  • Keizō Mamiya (Shooter/Captain)
  • Mitsuya Koinuma (Shooter)
  • Minoru Hata (Shooter)
  • Aoi Kusumoto (Operator)

C-rank

(Trainees, more than 400 people)

• Izuho Natsume (Sniper)
• Kōda Squad (unofficial)
  • Teruteru Kōda (Shooter)
  • Fumifumi Saotome (Shooter)
  • Hidehide Hinoe (Attacker)

Headquarters

See also: Headquarters The core of Border's operations is a massive fortress with trion cannons and reinforced walls. Aside from offices, common areas, and other ordinary spaces, it contains laboratories for the engineers, control rooms for Operators, private rooms for official squads, and virtual spaces for agents to train in. Deep underground is also a vessel made out of trion which houses the Away Ship; further below lies the Mother Trigger. Surrounding the headquarters is an unhinabited, devastated portion of Mikado City where Gates are redirected, so they open away from ordinary citizens. However, this technology cannot prevent Rads from opening portals elsewhere.

Branches

There are 6 branches in Border. Personnel that are not aiming for A-rank are associated with a branch. They are placed on the outskirts of the danger zone, and act as a contact point for locals.

• Tamakoma
• Suzunari
• Wataayu (綿(わた)鮎(あゆ), Wataayu ^?)
• Yumite District (弓(ゆみ)手(て)町(まち), Yumete-Machi ^?)
• Hayanuma (早(はや)沼(ぬま), Hayanuma ^?)
• Kuma (久(く)摩(ま), Kuma ^?)

Factions

See also: Factions According to Jin, there are roughly three unofficial ideological factions within Border.

Factions
Kido Faction	Shinoda Faction	Tamakoma Branch
Never forgive Neighbors (近界民(ネイバー) は 絶(ぜっ)対(たい) 許(ゆる)さない ぞ 主(しゅ)義(ぎ), Neibā wa zettai yurusanai zo shugi?)	The safety of the town is first and foremost (町(まち) の 平(へい)和(わ) が 第(だい)一(いち) だ よ ね 主(しゅ)義(ぎ), Machi no heiwa ga daiichi da yo ne shugi?)	There are good Neighbors, so let's be friends! (近界民(ネイバー) に も いい ヤツ いる から なかよく しよう ぜ主(しゅ)義(ぎ), Neibā ni mo ii yatsu iru kara nakayoku shiyō ze shugi?)

Most agents fall under one of these ideologies, however there are a few agents who don't fall any of these factions.

Chain of Command

Due to the factions being unofficial, Border's chain of command is based off of who the agent's immediate superior is, as they are the only one who can issue commands to them.

This means Commander Kido can only issue commands to agents who work directly under him. Shinoda can only issue commands to HQ agents etc.

Trivia

• In the Viz version, it was called Border Defense Agency, which is also in Border's logo.
• The uniforms of current Border agents are different from those of Old Border members due to the engineers increasing in number.
• Border agents are categorized by those who constantly use a trion body at HQ and those who don’t. The former are rumored to have problems sleeping due to their flesh and blood bodies not getting tired.

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