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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. It has been serialized in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine since August 2018, with its chapters collected in 29 tankōbon volumes as of May 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 is set to premiere in October 2024.
By November 2023, the manga had over 30 million copies in circulation, 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 Ego Jinpachi. His master plan 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 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 (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)
Media
Manga
Written by Muneyuki Kaneshiro and illustrated by Yusuke Nomura, Blue Lock started in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine on August 1, 2018. Kodansha has collected its chapters into individual tankōbon volumes. The first volume was released on November 16, 2018. As of May 16, 2024, 29 volumes have been released.
In January 2021, Kodansha USA announced that they licensed the manga for English digital release in North America, starting on March 16, 2021. In January 2022, Kodansha USA announced that they would release the manga in print.
The manga has also been licensed in France by Pika Édition; in Germany by Kazé; in Taiwan by Tong Li Publishing; in South Korea by Haksan Publishing; in Italy by Panini Comics; in Spain by Planeta DeAgostini; in Thailand by Vibulkij Publishing; in Indonesia by Elex Media Komputindo; and in Argentina by Editorial Ivrea.
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. The spin-off is written by Muneyuki Kaneshiro and illustrated by Kōta Sannomiya. Its chapters have been collected in four tankōbon volumes as of April 17, 2024. Kodansha has published the series in English on their K Manga service. In October 2023, Kodansha USA announced that the manga is planned to be published in print starting in Q3 2024.
Anime
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. It ran for 24 episodes. The series aired from October 9, 2022, to March 26, 2023, on TV Asahi's NUMAnimation block. The first opening theme song is "Chaos ga Kiwamaru" by Unison Square Garden, while the first ending theme song is "Winner" by Shugo Nakamura. 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.
Crunchyroll has licensed the series and has streamed an English dub starting on October 22, 2022. Medialink licensed the series in Asia-Pacific.
Following the end of the first season, a second season was announced. It is set to premiere in October 2024.
Film
At the end of the first season, an anime film adaptation of the Episode Nagi manga was also announced. The film features the staff and cast reprising their roles with Shunsuke Ishikawa, who served as assistant director for the first season, assigned to direct the film and manga writer Muneyuki Kaneshiro supervising the story. It premiered in Japanese theatres on April 19, 2024. Nissy and Sky-Hi performed the film's theme song "Stormy".
In April 2024, Crunchyroll announced that they had acquired the North American and select international theatrical rights to the film.
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