Blue lock might just be the most combative anime to ever grace the sports genre. The entire premise is actually a death game, albeit with the “death” part representing a soccer player's dream to play for Japan. Jinpachi Ego created the Blue Lock program in hopes of discovering a talent that could lead the nation to a World Cup, and his goal is to gather all of Japan's greatest young strikers and force them into a battle royale-type situation. If they are eliminated, they can never play for the national team. Each player must grow quickly if they want to survive, while learning what their weapons are. Finally, they must be able to access theirs Flow zone (or flow state).
So, what is Flow State? Well, it essentially means that you are so in the zone that you maximize your efficiency and performance, which allows for improved cognitive function and very rapid development. Jinpachi's Blue Lock is specially designed to constantly push its participants to the brink, as they must fight for their present and future. Almost all the best players in the Blue lock achieve Flow State, but who is really in the zone?
Only characters that have been introduced in the anime will be considered. That said, please be warned of spoilers as references to things that happen after Blue lock season 2 may be included.
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8
Kenyu Yukimiya
Japan's best 1v1 player
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Manga Debut: Chapter 93
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Anime Debut: Episode 24
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Age: 18-19
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Position: Center back, forward, attacking midfielder, left wing
Kenyu Yukimiya has optic neuropathy, but the challenge it presents has not stopped him from chasing his dreams and playing football at the highest level. He is not only considered by Jinpachi as one of the best players in the Blue Lock but also plays for Germany's Bastard Munich as an attacking midfielder.
God only gives us trials that we can overcome.
In the flow state, Yukimiya can perform La Croqueta consecutively at high speed to completely break down the opposition's defense and create scoring opportunities. Although he's already a talented player, when he's really in, he's almost impossible to stop.
7
Oliver Aiku
Forward-facing defender
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Manga Debut: Chapter 110
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Anime Debut: Episode 25
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Age: 19
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Position: Forward, Center back
Oliver Aiku started playing football and dreamed of becoming the world's best striker. Unfortunately, circumstances knocked that dream out of him and forced him to evolve his game. Instead of giving up football, Aiku adjusted his playing style and became a defender in hopes of achieving greatness.
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When Aiku enters the float state, he can sense the gaps in his team's defense to get ahead of the game and destroy any scoring opportunities.
6
Rensuke Kunigami
Bastard Munich's Clinical Finisher
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Manga Debut: Chapter 1
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Anime Debut: Episode 1
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Age: 16-17
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Position: Defensive Midfielder, Midfielder, Striker
Despite being eliminated from the Blue Lock, Kunigami makes a comeback in the Neo Egoist League, completely transformed after playing against Shido. Rensuke adopts a selfish brand of football and develops himself into an attacking player.
I will fulfill this dream of mine and fight the world for it, fair and square. I don't think there's anything embarrassing about it.
Like some of his peers, he also manages to deliberately and sometimes accidentally get into the flow state to control his team's flow of offensive play. In the Neo Egoist League, he plays for Germany's Bastard Munich as a midfielder in the center back.
5
Seishiro Nagi
Blue Lock's best feller
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Manga Debut: Chapter 22
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Anime Debut: Episode 1
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Age: 17
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Position: Goalkeeper, striker, right winger, attacking midfielder
A creative midfielder and a dangerous forward, Seishiro Nagi is one of the rare footballers at Blue Lock who are naturally gifted. His perfect ball control and ability to score from anywhere make him an extremely challenging player to contain.
When in a flow state, Seishiro unleashes near-impossible-to-replicate targets. One of them comes during the match between Team White and Team Red when Nagi executed a 2-step fake volley under pressure to net the ball. In the Neo Egoist League, he went one step further and scored a goal with the five-shot revolver's fake volley.
4
Shoei Baro
Uber's dominant striker
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Manga Debut: Chapter 5
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Anime Debut: Episode 1
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Age: 18
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Position: Right Wing, Forward
Shoei Baro is a dangerous striker who likes to dominate his rivals. He sees himself as a king on the field and is one of the few players who can talk when he gets going.
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In the flow state, Baro develops dramatically and can use his weapons to good effect to convert even half-chances into goals. In the Neo Egoist League, he plays for Ubers and has been able to prove to be an invaluable asset to the team by scoring several crucial goals.
3
Rin Itoshi
Sae Itoshi's younger brother
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Manga Debut: Chapter 40
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Anime Debut: Episode 11
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Age: 16
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Position: Forward
Arguably the Blue Locks most talented player, Rin has the uncanny ability to score goals at an astonishing rate. Although initially driven by the desire to avenge his older brother, Sae Itoshi, Rin is slowly overcome by the passion to become the world's best striker.
You don't learn at all, do you? I bet my life on every moment here.
Rin, like some of her peers, has been able to gain full access to the flow state consciously in many cases. His variation, often referred to as Pure Destruction, is just an extension of his aggressive style of play where he pushes his opponents to play at their best before completely dominating them to not only net the ball but also achieve a ruthless psychological victory.
2
Ryusei Shido
Paris X Gen's Explosive Center Forward
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Manga Debut: Chapter 88
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Anime Debut: Episode 24
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Age: 18
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Position: Forward, Center Forward
Very few players in the world in Ryusei's age group can match his scoring ability and ruthless style of play. While he is a naturally dangerous player, Shido really explodes on the court when he achieves the flow state. When zoned out, Ryusei's spatial awareness is pushed to the limit, allowing him to score unconventional goals using long-range bicycle kicks.
1
Yoichi Isagi
Bastard Munich's talented forward
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Manga Debut: Chapter 1
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Anime Debut: Episode 1
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Age: 16
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Position: Attacking midfielder, striker
Isagi is one of the rare players at Blue Lock who was handpicked by Jinpachi Ego. While he may not be as naturally gifted as other players like Nagi or Rin, Yoichi makes up for it with his sheer desire to be the best in the world. In the Neo Egoist League, he plays for Bastard Munich and is ranked as one of the most impactful players.
Isagi accidentally gained access to the flow state as early as the first selection. But he only realizes its influence on his game and becomes more clinical in using it as he develops as a player. Perhaps the most notable example of Yoichi entering flow state is when he played against Manshine City during the Neo Egoist League.
- Release date
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2022 – 2024
- Directors
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Tetsuaki Watanabe, Shunsuke Ishikawa
- Author
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Taku Kishimoto
