Blue Lock’sprotagonist,Isagi Yoichi has already undergone substantial character development in the second season of the series, although only three episodes have been released thus far. He entered the Blue Lock Project in a very disheartened state, still crushed by losing a particularly tough high school game and unsure if his soccer career would ever amount to anything. In season one,Isagi transformed before viewers' eyes, learning and implementing the concept of “ego,” an individualistic, self-focused playing style.
While teamwork does still matter, since soccer is a group game, it is pivotal that Isagi learns to stand firmly on his own without falling back on his teammates' abilities to earn his success. In season one, Isagi remained in the contest by constantly pushing past his limits and working seamlessly with his teammates. His strong partnerships with his Team Z comrades, particularly Bachira, helped Isagi flourish on the field and battle his way to the top, but now thatthe U-20 tryoutshave begun,it is time for Isagi to become even more independent, and he has proven he is up to the challenge.
Isagi Tends to Rely on Others and Think Too Much During Games, to His Own Detriment
Bachira and Isagi Were a Dynamic Soccer Duo, but Now Isagi Has To Stand on His Own
Old habits die hard, andIsagi is still unlearning some old soccer patternsthat are impeding his progress. In the third episode ofseason two ofBlue Lock,Isagi grapples to differentiate himself from theother talented playersalongside him, like Rin Itoshi and Shido Ryusei. While Isagi is a great player in his own right, he has often relied on other characters as crutches during the past, and this is a fallback he desperately needs to unlearn to progress and become one of the chosen few to participate in the upcoming match against Japan’s U-20 to save the Blue Lock project.
Blue Lock Season 2 Episode #4 Release Date & Time
Episode #3 of Blue Lock season two concluded the first U-20 tryout match, and the next game will be featured in the upcoming fourth episode.
In season one ofBlue Lock, Isagi pulled off many impressive plays with the help of his teammate, Bachira Meguru, on Team Z. Isagi cooperates very well with many of the players at Blue Lock, but for a while, it seemed Bachira was his ideal match up since they could seemingly read each other’s minds and sync up their moves on the field to score endless goals. Now that Bachira and Isagi are separated and on completely different teams,Isagi struggles on his own to stand out without a partner to connect withon the same level he did with Bachira.
Yo Hiori’s Genius Advice Reshaped Isagi’s Playing Style, Shifting It From Analytic To Instinctual
Hiori Urged Isagi To Quit Overthinking His Moves and Just Act Before He Lost the Chance Forever
During the first game of the U-20 tryouts, Isagi succumbed to the same pattern of basing his plays around others. Rather than becoming too reliant on Bachira, he focused too heavily on his new teammates, Yo Hiori and Nijiro Nanase this time. Playing this way, Isagi did not score any goals for himself.His mind was far too preoccupied by what the other players were doingand thinking, desperate to harmonize with one of his new teammates in the same way he did with Bachira previously. Isagi needed a mindset shift or else he would lose his last chance at Blue Lock.
Thankfully, one of his fellow Team A players was willing to be honest with Isagi and give him the suggestion he needed to hear. Yo Hiori pointed out that Isagi was approaching the game too analytically and cautiously. His advice was very simple but genius: do not think so much before making a move and just act on instinct. Armed with this wise guidance, Isagi stole his first goal of the game from the masterminds, Rin and Shido, shocking everyone else on the team with his lightning-fast play that won Team A the game in seconds and allowed them to move forward.
Isagi’s Goal in Episode Three Proves He Is Developing the Ego Needed To Thrive inBlue Lock
He Is Clearly Moving in the Right Direction, Evidenced by the Goal He Scored While Focusing on His Instincts
Season two is forcing Isagi to move away from his old, analytical player-style that is too teamwork focused, and towards the “ego,” instinctual style that will help him thrive in Blue Lock, andhis first season two goal was the first step on that road.Yo Hiori’s direction was invaluable to Isagi, urging him to realize the strength and skill that lies within himself as a player, rather than looking outward and relying purely on others. At the beginning of season two, before the U-20 match tryouts even began, Jinpachi Ego, leader of the Blue Lock Project, also gave the participants a suggestion.
Blue Lock Fans Disappointed With Season 2’s Animation Still Have Something Great To Look Forward To
BL Season 2 has a noticeable drop in animation quality, but one of the most praised aspects of the anime may be enough reason to keep watching it.
Ego offered the players two words to focus on as they participated in the upcoming matches:“assertion” and “coexistence.“Both of these values, he explained, are necessary to win the competition and secure a coveted spot on the U-20 match team. Isagi definitely possesses one of these two pieces of the puzzle, because he is excellent at co-existing with his teammates. Whether playing with players he has known for a while, like Bachira, or newer players, like Hiori and Nanase, Isagi can detect anyone’s strengths and use his own gifts to synchronize with that player and achieve victory.
In Season One, Isagi Learned Coexistence and Now He Is Learning Assertion
Once He Fully Cultivates Both of These Skills, Isagi Will Become Unstoppable
Coexistence is not an issue for Isagi, and in season two, assertion seems to be the driving force behind his actions. The goal he scored at the end of the first game was a prime example of Isagi making his presence known on the field and leaning into his instincts. If he continuesdown this independent path, he will continue to dominate games and create a name for himself in the soccer world. Inklings of his potential are evident, and it is clear thatIsagi’s talents are improving so rapidly, it will be hard for otherBlue Lockcharacters to match his pace.
Blue Lock
Cast
Blue Lock is a sports-centric animated series based on the manga series of the same name. The show follows the Japan Football Association trying to recover from their poor showing in the 2018 FIFA World Cup by hiring a football genius, Ego Jinpachi. With his new intense training regimen, Jinpachi invites the best football players in Japan to compete to become the team’s new star player - and high school student Yoichi Isagi may be exactly who he’s looking for.
