“Blue Lock”, stylized as BLUELOCK, is a Japanese manga penned by Muneyuki Kaneshiro and illustrated by Yusuke Nomura. Serialization began in Kodansha’s Weekly Shōnen Magazine in August 2018, and it has since amassed 28 tankōbon volumes as of March 2024.
An anime adaptation by Eight Bit aired from October 2022 to March 2023, followed by an anime film adaptation from the Episode Nagi manga released in April 2024. The highly anticipated second season is slated for premiere in October 2024.
With over 30 million copies in circulation by November 2023, Blue Lock has solidified its place as one of the top-selling manga series in history. Its accolades include winning the 45th Kodansha Manga Award in the shōnen category back in 2021.
CHARACTERS
- Yoichi Isagi (潔 世一, Isagi Yoichi)
- Voiced by: Kazuki Ura (Japanese); Ricco Fajardo (English)
- Portrayed by: Ryōhei Takenaka (stage play)
- Meguru Bachira (蜂楽 廻, Bachira Meguru)
- Voiced by: Tasuku Kaito (Japanese); Drew Breedlove (English)
- Portrayed by: Nobunaga Sato (stage play)
- Rensuke Kunigami (國神 錬介, Kunigami Rensuke)
- Voiced by: Yūki Ono (Japanese); Alex Hom (English)
- Portrayed by: Shōta Matsuda (stage play)
- Hyōma Chigiri (千切 豹馬, Chigiri Hyōma)
- Voiced by: Soma Saito (Japanese); Aaron Dismuke (English)
- Portrayed by: Ryō Saeki (stage play)
- Wataru Kuon (久遠 渉, Kuon Wataru)
- Voiced by: Masatomo Nakazawa (Japanese); Mark Allen Jr. (English)
- Portrayed by: Jin Saori (stage play)
- Jingo Raichi (雷市 陣吾, Raichi Jingo)
- Voiced by: Yoshitsugu Matsuoka (Japanese); Aaron Campbell (English)
- Portrayed by: Takamichi Sato (stage play)
- Yūdai Imamura (今村 遊大, Imamura Yūdai)
- Voiced by: Shōya Chiba (Japanese); Jesse Pinnick (English)
- Gin Gagamaru (我牙丸 吟, Gagamaru Gin)
- Voiced by: Shugo Nakamura (Japanese); Lee George (English)
- Portrayed by: Kōki Muramatsu (stage play)
- Asahi Naruhaya (成早 朝日, Naruhaya Asahi)
- Voiced by: Daishi Kajita (Japanese); Spencer Liles (English)
- Okuhito Iemon (伊右衛門 送人, Iemon Okuhito)
- Voiced by: Ryūnosuke Watanuki (Japanese); Anthony DiMascio (English)
- Portrayed by: Takuro Sawada (stage play)
- Gurimu Igarashi (五十嵐 栗夢, Igarashi Gurimu)
- Voiced by: Aoi Ichikawa (Japanese); Kyle Igneczi (English)
- Portrayed by: Yuki Kakikawa (stage play)
- Ryōsuke Kira (吉良 涼介, Kira Ryōsuke)
- Voiced by: Kenichi Suzumura (Japanese); Blake Shepard (English)
- Jinpachi Ego (絵心 甚八, Ego Jinpachi)
- Portrayed by: Shojiro Yokoi
- Voiced by: Hiroshi Kamiya (Japanese); Derick Snow (English)
- Anri Teieri (帝襟 アンリ, Teieri Anri)
- Voiced by: Eri Yukimura (Japanese); Kasi Hollowell (English)
- Shouei Barou (馬狼 照英, Barō Shōei)
- Voiced by: Junichi Suwabe (Japanese); Matthew David Rudd (English)
- Portrayed by: Yuki Izawa (stage play)
- Zantetsu Tsurugi (剣城 斬鉄, Tsurugi Zantetsu)
- Voiced by: Kazuyuki Okitsu (Japanese); Matthew Elkins (English)
- Portrayed by: Takumi Masunaga (stage play)
- Seishirō Nagi (凪 誠士郎, Nagi Seishirō)
- Voiced by: Nobunaga Shimazaki (Japanese); Bryson Baugus (English)
- Portrayed by: Ryōtarō Kosaka (stage play)
- Reo Mikage (御影 玲王, Mikage Reo)
- Voiced by: Yuma Uchida (Japanese); Kamen Casey (English)
- Portrayed by: Shuji Kikuchi (stage play)
- Ikki Niko (二子 一揮, Niko Ikki)
- Voiced by: Natsuki Hanae (Japanese); David Matranga (English)
- Portrayed by: Kosei Tsubokura (stage play)
- Junichi Wanima (鰐間 淳壱, Wanima Junichi)
- Voiced by: Ryōta Suzuki (Japanese); Chris Guerrero (English)
- Portrayed by: Masahide Funaki (stage play)
- Keisuke Wanima (鰐間 計助, Wanima Keisuke)
- Voiced by: Ryōta Suzuki (Japanese); Chris Guerrero (English)
- Portrayed by: Masahiro Kawai (stage play)
- Sae Itoshi (糸師 冴, Itoshi Sae)
- Voiced by: Takahiro Sakurai (Japanese); Alejandro Saab (English)
- Rin Itoshi (糸師 凛, Itoshi Rin)
- Voiced by: Koki Uchiyama (Japanese); Matt Shipman (English)
- Portrayed by: Kōhei Nagata (stage play)
- Jyubei Aryu (蟻生 十兵衛, Aryū Jūbee)
- Voiced by: Katsuyuki Konishi (Japanese); Bradley Gareth (English)
- Aoshi Tokimitsu (時光 青志, Tokimitsu Aoshi)
- Voiced by: Shinnosuke Tachibana (Japanese); Jordan Dash Cruz (English)
- Ryūsei Shidō (士道龍聖, Shidō Ryūsei)
- Voiced by: Yuichi Nakamura (Japanese); Van Barr Jr. (English)
- Tabito Karasu (烏 旅人, Karasu Tabito)
- Voiced by: Makoto Furukawa (Japanese); Clifford Chapin (English)
- Eita Otoya (乙夜影汰, Otoya Eita)
- Voiced by: Kengo Kawanishi (Japanese); Davon Oliver (English)
- Kenyu Yukimiya (雪宮剣優, Yukimiya Kenyu)
- Voiced by: Takuya Eguchi (Japanese); Jim Foronda (English)
- Julian Loki (ジュリアン・ロキ, Jurian Roki)
- Voiced by: Hiro Shimono (Japanese); Kevin D.
- Thelwell (English)
- Leonardo Luna (レオナルド・ルナ, Reonarudo Runa)
- Voiced by: Shin’ichiro Kamio (Japanese); Brandon Acosta (English)
STORYLINE
After finishing 16th in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the Japan national team takes an unconventional route to improve their performance by enlisting the enigmatic football strategist, Ego Jinpachi. Jinpachi’s ambitious scheme, known as Blue Lock, aims to transform Japan into a football powerhouse by molding the ultimate egotistical striker. Participation in Blue Lock becomes the sole pathway to represent Japan, leaving those who fall short permanently sidelined. Yoichi Isagi, a talented yet conflicted high school footballer grappling with his style of play, makes the bold decision to join Blue Lock with aspirations of becoming the world’s premier striker.
