Kara Dennison
August 26, 2021 
It seems like only yesterday when we found out that two of Gainax’s best and brightest were going on to found Studio TRIGGER. The company has brought us a variety of bright, exciting anime, from Little Witch Academia to Promare. And ten years later, we still can’t get enough of them.
Why do you love them? We know our reasons. And while we’re pretty sure a lot of it is obviously, it bears repeating.
Kinetic Art
Once you’ve seen animation by Hiroyuki Imaishi, you never forget it. The Studio TRIGGER co-founder is well known for his kinetic, adrenaline-filled animation. It’s what gave Gainax’s Gurren Lagann its look, and it’s gone on to inform a lot of what the studio makes.
Projects like Promare and Kill la Kill wield a combo of bright design and frenetic movement you can spot anywhere. In fact, you probably knew which bits of Star Wars: Visions hailed from the team even without being told. On that note, we can’t wait to see an Imaishi light saber duel.
Inventive Story
Studio TRIGGER may be best known for its bigger, explosive projects. But it tells a variety of stories — as evidenced by 2013’s Little Witch Academia. Penned by studio co-founder Masahiko Otsuka, the project offered a classic take on magical girl anime. The original shot subject took the world by storm, and has gone on to launch a full TV series and game spinoffs.
TRIGGER also dipped a toe into tokusatsu with SSSS.GRIDMAN — though now they’ve cannonballed into the deep end by continuing in that universe. Penned by regular Ultraman and Kamen Rider writer Keiichi Hasegawa, the show opened up the world of toku classics to a new audience. And it revitalized interest for the existing fans. With SSSS.DYNAZENON just recently behind us, it looks like the studio will continue to explore unusual story ideas.
They’re Absolutely Buckwild
Hey, remember Inferno Cop?
Hype was running high for Studio TRIGGER when they announced themselves. Some of Gainax’s finest were branching off. What would they do? Where would this new studio take us? As you may recall, the first project they showed the public was Inferno Cop. I can’t remember what we were expecting, but it wasn’t a motion comic where a guy with a flaming skull head runs around blowing things up. And yet… somehow, this feels like an appropriate self-intro.
Nowadays, of course, we’re seeing what TRIGGER can do when it’s running on all cylinders. But we’ve also known from day 1 that these kids are absolutely wild, and there’s no predicting where they’ll go next.
Here’s to ten more years of Studio TRIGGER excitement!
