Blue Lock vs. U-20 Japan

The next phase of the controversial Blue Lock project is underway with the candidate pool being dwindled down to just 35. Out of the remaining strikers, only a select few will be chosen to play in an upcoming exhibition game against the current U-20 Japanese soccer team. Playing in this match comes with a caveat: winning will grant the players the right to represent the nation as the new U-20 team, but losing will bring an end to Blue Lock in its entirety. Among the ones left in the running is Yoichi Isagi, who is coming to terms with his own abilities.

To further complicate matters, the six best players in the pool have already been named to the starting lineup and the remaining 29 will have to duke it out to claim a coveted spot. Each candidate must select a top six pairing to team up with for the selection to prove their competence. But if this mishmash of strikers wants to overthrow the current U-20 team, they will need to find a way to combine their playstyles effectively.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Isagi, Yoichi Main

Ura, Kazuki Japanese

Bachira, Meguru Supporting

Kaito, Tasuku Japanese

Nagi, Seishirou Supporting

Shimazaki, Nobunaga Japanese

Chigiri, Hyouma Supporting

Saitou, Souma Japanese

Itoshi, Rin Supporting

Uchiyama, Kouki Japanese

Barou, Shouei Supporting

Suwabe, Junichi Japanese

Kaiser, Michael Supporting

Miyano, Mamoru Japanese

Shidou, Ryuusei Supporting

Nakamura, Yuuichi Japanese

Mikage, Reo Supporting

Uchida, Yuuma Japanese

Kunigami, Rensuke Supporting

Iwata, Takaki Producer

Nagahama, Hiroaki Producer

Arisawa, Ryouya Producer

Kawakatsu, Yusuke Producer

Reviews

Jan 22, 2025

Nikelangel

Recommended

Sports anime are always fascinating to me: the plot is almost always completely secondary or straight-up non-existent, you KNOW eventually your protagonists are gonna triumph and the real question is often not if but how. A good sports anime’s job is to artificially create uncertainty and make you forget that. Furthermore, these have to rely heavily on an ensemble of characters and great characterization of the cast.
Blue Lock does these things pretty well. It starts from the unusual premise of egoism rather than the usual “power of friendship” often dragged by the genre, and twists this premise at will when required for the plot. ... The cast is very diverse and complements a well-written main character, Isagi, who walks the path of the underdog decently well. I particularly appreciated that even if the soccer “moves” are a bit exaggerated – it’s fiction after all – the characters’ “specialties” do not escalate in out-and-out powers that transcend reality.

Now some negatives: characters subplots could have more depth, and I would have written some characters as actual complex human beings without following the clear distinction of nice guy/douchebag egoist, but whatever.
Finally the elephant in the room: the animation is bad. A clear downgrade from the 1st season. Even for a show based on inner monologues and a chess-like approach to soccer, with an animation style that alternates mediocre sequences to enhanced single frames here and there, the quality is insufficient, and the budget is comically allocated almost entirely in the last episode.
Still, if you are a soccer fan and you do not hyper fixate on animation, Blue Lock can give you that hype that you look for in a sports anime, and I recommend you to give it a try.

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

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Jan 21, 2025

Kranst

Mixed Feelings

The second season of Blue Lock had big expectations, capitalizing on the hype of the source material, but ultimately falling short because of production complications. Important moments were prioritized, many key-frames looked excellent, and thankfully the remaining two episodes reflected the quality of what should have been. But these aspects were unable to salvage the product completely. The pacing and animation left something to be desired. Static images left the movement, momentum, and impact of character actions feeling underwhelming, and further reduced many new characters to only be identified with their stereotypes. Nonetheless, you might still consider watching if you are invested in the series.

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

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Jan 8, 2025

DoodieMan

Not Recommended

Funny

This is certainly one of the worst anime I have ever seen.
10% Animation
90% Powerpoint Presentation
combined with hours of cringeworthy dialogues.
Imagine watching this after watching JJK S2.

As a sports anime, the lack of action and movement is baffling. Matches are overly focused on protagonist Isagi's internal analysis, making them unrealistic and static. Characters are one-dimensional, with a childish focus on "selfishness." The soundtrack is repetitive.
Every episode would make you feel like the "My Disappointment Is Immeasurable And My Day Is Ruined" meme.
This anime is enough to make you hate football.

... Overall, you would have more fun watching a blank motionless wall than this abomination.

Reviewer’s Rating: 4

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'Blue Lock vs. U-20 Japan' Announces Additional Cast

The official website of the Blue Lock vs. U-20 Japan television anime revealed cast members for the U-20 team as well as new key visual (pictured) and promotional vi...read more

Nov 2, 2024 2:38 PM by DatRandomDude | Discuss (9 comments)

In Pursuit of Egoism: The Essence of 'Blue Lock'

Blue Lock has quickly become a standout in the sports anime genre, known for its intense action and psychological depth as it redefines the high-stakes world of soc...read more

Oct 24, 2024 10:33 PM by Kineta | Discuss (6 comments)

	Poll: Blue Lock vs. U-20 Japan Episode 3 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 ) Softhenic03 - Oct 19, 2024	153 replies	by Tsuyo_Mika »» 2 hours ago
	Poll: Blue Lock vs. U-20 Japan Episode 2 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 ) Softhenic03 - Oct 12, 2024	198 replies	by Tsuyo_Mika »» 2 hours ago
	Poll: Blue Lock vs. U-20 Japan Episode 1 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 ) IzanaSolos - Oct 5, 2024	154 replies	by Tsuyo_Mika »» Yesterday, 9:09 AM
	Poll: Blue Lock vs. U-20 Japan Episode 14 Discussion ( 1 2 3 4 5 ... Last Page ) IzanaSolos - Dec 28, 2024	322 replies	by Homura24 »» Jan 23, 9:33 AM
	Poll: Blue Lock vs. U-20 Japan Episode 9 Discussion ( 1 2 ) IzanaSolos - Nov 30, 2024	82 replies	by terebitosan »» Jan 21, 5:29 AM

Blue Lock Takes Over Anime Expo!

Themed Booth and "Meet the EGOISTS at AX!" Panel Excite Fans for 2nd Season

by MAL_editing_team

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