anime blue lock

Blue Lock (Japanese: ブルーロック, Hepburn: Burū Rokku) (stylized as BLUELOCK) is a Japanese manga series written by Muneyuki Kaneshiro and illustrated by Yusuke Nomura [ja]. It has been serialized in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine since August 2018, with its chapters collected in 30 tankōbon volumes as of August 2024.

An anime television series adaptation produced by Eight Bit aired from October 2022 to March 2023. An anime film adaptation based on the Episode Nagi manga premiered in April 2024. A second season, entitled vs. U-20 Japan, is set to premiere in October 2024.

By July 2024, the manga had over 40 million copies in circulation worldwide, making it one of the best-selling manga series of all time. In 2021, Blue Lock won the 45th Kodansha Manga Award in the shōnen category.

Plot

The Japan national team finished 16th in the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The Japan Football Union hires the football enigma Jinpachi Ego. His masterplan to lead Japan to stardom is Blue Lock, a training regimen designed to create the world's greatest egotist striker. Those who fail Blue Lock will never again be permitted to represent Japan. Yoichi Isagi, an unknown high school football player who is conflicted about his playing style, decides to join the program in order to become the best striker in the world.

Characters

Yoichi Isagi (潔 世一, Isagi Yoichi)

Voiced by: Kazuki Ura[2] (Japanese); Ricco Fajardo[3] (English)

Portrayed by: Ryōhei Takenaka (stage play)[4]

Meguru Bachira (蜂楽 廻, Bachira Meguru)

Voiced by: Tasuku Kaito[2] (Japanese); Drew Breedlove[3] (English)

Portrayed by: Nobunaga Sato (stage play)[4]

Rensuke Kunigami (國神 錬介, Kunigami Rensuke)

Voiced by: Yūki Ono[2] (Japanese); Alex Hom[3] (English)

Portrayed by: Shōta Matsuda (stage play)[4]

Hyōma Chigiri (千切 豹馬, Chigiri Hyōma)

Voiced by: Soma Saito[2] (Japanese); Aaron Dismuke[3] (English)

Portrayed by: Ryō Saeki (stage play)[4]

Wataru Kuon (久遠 渉, Kuon Wataru)

Voiced by: Masatomo Nakazawa[5] (Japanese); Mark Allen Jr.[3] (English)

Portrayed by: Jin Saori (stage play)[4]

Jingo Raichi (雷市 陣吾, Raichi Jingo)

Voiced by: Yoshitsugu Matsuoka[5] (Japanese); Aaron Campbell[3] (English)

Portrayed by: Takamichi Sato (stage play)[4]

Yūdai Imamura (今村 遊大, Imamura Yūdai)

Voiced by: Shōya Chiba[5] (Japanese); Jesse Pinnick[3] (English)

Gin Gagamaru (我牙丸 吟, Gagamaru Gin)

Voiced by: Shugo Nakamura[5] (Japanese); Lee George[3] (English)

Portrayed by: Kōki Muramatsu (stage play)[4]

Asahi Naruhaya (成早 朝日, Naruhaya Asahi)

Voiced by: Daishi Kajita[5] (Japanese); Spencer Liles[3] (English)

Okuhito Iemon (伊右衛門 送人, Iemon Okuhito)

Voiced by: Ryūnosuke Watanuki[5] (Japanese); Anthony DiMascio[3] (English)

Portrayed by: Takuro Sawada (stage play)[4]

Gurimu Igarashi (五十嵐 栗夢, Igarashi Gurimu)

Voiced by: Aoi Ichikawa[5] (Japanese); Kyle Igneczi[3] (English)

Portrayed by: Yuki Kakikawa (stage play)[4]

Ryōsuke Kira (吉良 涼介, Kira Ryōsuke)

Voiced by: Kenichi Suzumura[5] (Japanese); Blake Shepard[3] (English)

Jinpachi Ego (絵心 甚八, Ego Jinpachi)

Portrayed by: Shojiro Yokoi

Voiced by: Hiroshi Kamiya[5] (Japanese); Derick Snow[3] (English)

Anri Teieri (帝襟 アンリ, Teieri Anri)

Voiced by: Eri Yukimura[5] (Japanese); Kasi Hollowell[3] (English)

Shouei Barou (馬狼 照英, Barō Shōei)

Voiced by: Junichi Suwabe[6] (Japanese); Matthew David Rudd[3] (English)

Portrayed by: Yuki Izawa (stage play)[4]

Zantetsu Tsurugi (剣城 斬鉄, Tsurugi Zantetsu)

Voiced by: Kazuyuki Okitsu[7] (Japanese); Matthew Elkins[8] (English)

Portrayed by: Takumi Masunaga (stage play)[4]

Seishirō Nagi (凪 誠士郎, Nagi Seishirō)

Voiced by: Nobunaga Shimazaki[9] (Japanese); Bryson Baugus[10] (English)

Portrayed by: Ryōtarō Kosaka (stage play)[4]

Reo Mikage (御影 玲王, Mikage Reo)

Voiced by: Yuma Uchida[9] (Japanese); Kamen Casey[10] (English)

Portrayed by: Shuji Kikuchi (stage play)[4]

Ikki Niko (二子 一揮, Niko Ikki)

Voiced by: Natsuki Hanae[11] (Japanese); David Matranga[3] (English)

Portrayed by: Kosei Tsubokura (stage play)[4]

Junichi Wanima (鰐間 淳壱, Wanima Junichi)

Voiced by: Ryōta Suzuki[11] (Japanese); Chris Guerrero[8] (English)

Portrayed by: Masahide Funaki (stage play)[4]

Keisuke Wanima (鰐間 計助, Wanima Keisuke)

Voiced by: Ryōta Suzuki[11] (Japanese); Chris Guerrero[8] (English)

Portrayed by: Masahiro Kawai (stage play)[4]

Sae Itoshi (糸師 冴, Itoshi Sae)

Voiced by: Takahiro Sakurai[11] (Japanese); Alejandro Saab[3] (English)

Rin Itoshi (糸師 凛, Itoshi Rin)

Voiced by: Koki Uchiyama[12] (Japanese); Matt Shipman[10] (English)

Portrayed by: Kōhei Nagata (stage play)[13]

Jyubei Aryu (蟻生 十兵衛, Aryū Jūbee)

Voiced by: Katsuyuki Konishi[12] (Japanese); Bradley Gareth[10] (English)

Aoshi Tokimitsu (時光 青志, Tokimitsu Aoshi)

Voiced by: Shinnosuke Tachibana[12] (Japanese); Jordan Dash Cruz[10] (English)

Ryūsei Shidō (士道龍聖, Shidō Ryūsei)

Voiced by: Yuichi Nakamura[14] (Japanese); Van Barr Jr.[15] (English)

Tabito Karasu (烏 旅人, Karasu Tabito)

Voiced by: Makoto Furukawa[14] (Japanese); Clifford Chapin[16] (English)

Eita Otoya (乙夜影汰, Otoya Eita)

Voiced by: Kengo Kawanishi[14] (Japanese); Davon Oliver[17] (English)

Kenyu Yukimiya (雪宮剣優, Yukimiya Kenyu)

Voiced by: Takuya Eguchi[14] (Japanese); Jim Foronda[18] (English)

Ranze Kurona (黒名 蘭世, Kurona Ranze)

Voiced by: Chiaki Kobayashi[19]

Yo Hiori (氷織 羊, Hiori Yō)

Voiced by: Eiji Mikami[20]

Nijiro Nanase (七星 虹郎, Nanase Nijirō)

Voiced by: Kakeru Hatano[20]

Oliver Aiku (オリヴァ 愛空, Oriva Aiku)

Voiced by: Satoshi Hino[21]

Shūto Sendō (閃堂 秋人, Sendō Shūto)

Voiced by: Akihisa Wakayama[21]

Julian Loki (ジュリアン・ロキ, Jurian Roki)

Voiced by: Hiro Shimono[14] (Japanese); Kevin D. Thelwell[22] (English)

Leonardo Luna (レオナルド・ルナ, Reonarudo Runa)

Voiced by: Shin'ichiro Kamio[14] (Japanese); Brandon Acosta[23] (English)

Media

Manga

Main article: List of Blue Lock chapters

Written by Muneyuki Kaneshiro and illustrated by Yusuke Nomura [ja], Blue Lock started in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine on August 1, 2018.[24] Kodansha has collected its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was released on November 16, 2018.[25] As of August 16, 2024, 30 volumes have been released.[26]

In January 2021, Kodansha USA announced that they had licensed the manga for English digital release in North America, starting on March 16, 2021.[27] In January 2022, Kodansha USA announced that they would release the manga in print.[28]

A spin-off manga focusing on Seishiro Nagi, titled Blue Lock: Episode Nagi, began serialization in Kodansha's Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine on June 9, 2022.[29] The spin-off is written by Muneyuki Kaneshiro and illustrated by Kōta Sannomiya.[30] Its chapters have been collected in five tankōbon volumes as of July 17, 2024.[31] Kodansha has published the series in English on their K Manga service.[32] In October 2023, Kodansha USA announced that the manga is planned to be published in print, with the first volume set to be released on October 15, 2024.[33][34]

Anime

Main article: List of Blue Lock episodes

An anime television series adaptation was announced on August 12, 2021. The series is produced by Eight Bit and directed by Tetsuaki Watanabe, with Shunsuke Ishikawa serving as assistant director, Taku Kishimoto overseeing the series' scripts, Masaru Shindō providing the main character designs and serving as chief animation director, Hisashi Tojima serving as a chief action director, and Jun Murayama composing the music.[2] It ran for 24 episodes.[35] The series aired from October 9, 2022, to March 26, 2023, on TV Asahi's NUMAnimation [ja] programming block.[2][5][c] The first opening theme song is "Chaos ga Kiwamaru" (カオスが極まる, "Chaos Reigns") by Unison Square Garden, while the first ending theme song is "Winner" by Shugo Nakamura.[11] The second opening theme song is "Judgement" by Ash Da Hero, while the second ending theme song is "Numbness like a ginger" by Unison Square Garden.[37][38]

Following the end of the first season, a second season was announced.[39][14] The season entitled vs. U-20 Japan, is set to premiere on October 5, 2024, on TV Asahi's brand new IMAnimation [ja] block,[21][40] and will run for 14 episodes.[41] Unison Square Garden will perform the opening theme song "Bōjaku no Charisma" (傍若のカリスマ, Bōjaku no Karisuma),[42] while Snow Man will per