Blue Lock: Manga Summary | Anime 2022

Introduction

We’re sure you must have heard of a new sports anime releasing on October 9th, 2022. Yes, we’re talking about none other than Blue Lock! The manga for this soccer-based anime series was serialized in 2018 and had since then earned massive popularity from sports fans. So what is Blue Lock all about? Is the manga a good read? Has it been completed? Let’s find out below!

Summary

After constantly suffering many defeats and losing the World Cup, the Japanese Football Association decides to hire Jinpachi Ego, the enigmatic and eccentric coach. He aims to improve the state of Japanese soccer and help Japan win the World Cup.

Jinpachi introduces a radical training regimen in a prison-like facility, where 300 of Japan’s most talented soccer players are isolated to compete with each other. The sole survivor of Blue Lock will become part of the national team, and known as the world’s greatest striker. Whereas, the defeated were banned permanently.

Isagi Yoichi, a striker for a high school team, gets eliminated in the qualifier game for nationals. Consequently, he wonders if the outcome would have been different if he had scored on his own rather than passing to a teammate who missed. Fortunately for him, Isagi joins Blue Lock Project, where he gets the chance to aim to become the greatest striker in the world.

Is the Manga a Good Read? (Warning: Spoilers!)

To determine whether the manga is a good read or not, let’s first weigh the pros and cons. Now if you somehow missed the warning above, let us shout it here again. Beware! Spoilers ahead!

Pros

Blue Lock’s storytelling is spectacular for a sports manga. Usually, most sports genres are only able to create the most hype and curiosity when a match is at its peak. However, Blue Lock presents a pretty interesting story as well. People compare the story’s setting to Squid Game, a show that took the entire Internet by storm!

The manga also does exceptionally well at building the characters. Bachira has easily become one of the most loved characters of the series, even before his backstory was revealed.

Moreover, the Blue Lock manga is talked about for its unique art style. The characters are drawn to look intense. People compare the art style to that of Tokyo Ghoul and Attack on Titan. There is also a heavy concentration on the portrayal of eyes. The eyes express so much emotion that although there are a few chapters without dialogue, you’ll still know what’s going on.

Cons

Unfortunately, Blue Lock does have somewhat of a repetitive storyline. Most of the soccer matches end in the same way. Either it’s Isagi leading the match to the end, or he loses and then tries to progress by mimicking and learning his opponent’s skills. This has been the case against Barou, Rin and Nagi.

Another issue is that the protagonist is quite underpowered. Everyone, except Isagi, has a skill or a technique that is unique to them. For example, Bachira specializes in dribbling, Chigiri in speed, and Kunigami in shooting power. In some matches, Isagi just becomes a bit frustrating to watch.