The Blue Lock anime does not yet have a precise date but its first episode will see the light of day at the end of 2022, on the occasion of jump Festa next December. The rest of season 1 would be broadcast in 2023, according to the first rumours.
Created by mangakas Muneyuki Kaneshiro and Yusuke Nomura, the manga Blue Lock is now available in France but does not meet with enormous success despite a critical recognition that has awarded it the prize for the best shonen of 2021, styling several other great mangas of the genre. And proving that making an anime on Blue Lock would be a total hit, at least in Japan.
The announcement of the anime did not surprise many fans, but the silence around the project is a little worrying. Indeed, the studio in charge (8-Bits) gave little information.
Blue Lock Story
The difference between Blue Lock and other manga of the genre comes from its scenario, which does not follow the cliché of the young man hunting demons or an evil force, but rather gives the story of a young football fan who fights to be the best footballer in his country. The official synopsis of Blue Lock:
The manga begins with Japan’s elimination at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The Japanese Union is launching a huge training program from an early age to select the next nuggets, in order to win the next World Cup in 2022. The young Yoichi Isagi is a player passionate about the sport but does not always meet success. Everything could change when he receives an invitation to join the Blue Lock program.
In addition to this rather original scenario, the success of the original manga Blue Lock is explained by its characters. By its writing indeed, Blue Lock gives readers several different main characters and each can recognize himself in one of them. For the anime adaptation, there is no doubt that the story is the same and that the focus is on the incarnation of the protagonists via careful casting:
- Yoichi Isagi as Kazuki Ura
- Meguru Bachira as Tasuku Kaito
- Rensuke Kunigami as Yuki Ono
- Hyoma Chigiri as Soma Saito
Recall that the announcement of the anime dates back to 2021 when the 8-Bits studio was announced at the realization. Quickly the first names attached to the project became known, including Watanabe Tetsuaki for the direction as well as Ishikawa Shunsuke as showrunner (Sword Art Online) and Kishimoto Taku to the adaptation (who works hand in hand with the mangaka Kaneshiro Muneyuki).
The source manga has 144 unique and original chapters, as well as 3 “bonus” chapters composed of extra boards but which do not contain a canon story. Enough to make at least one season 1 of 10 to 12 episodes minimum, unless the 8-Bits studio takes the scheme used by ‘SNK – Attack of the Titans‘ (of which we now expect part 3 in season 4), and divides its seasons into several parts. Let’s wait for more information from this site!
Blue Lock Trailer
Several trailers have already been published concerning the Blue Lock anime although no really evocative image is given. Small teasers, these videos however give an idea of the tone of the anime as well as the graphic paw.
On the character of Isagi for example, which we see quite similarities compared to its original version in the manga, but also on the contrasting and deep colours. A visual identity far from the competition like Jujutsu Kaisen, which will set Blue Lock apart from other anime.