Blue Lock Season 2 kicks off with an exhilarating setup episode that effectively establishes the groundwork for the thrilling and action-packed season that lies ahead.

Plot summary

The episode picks up from where Season 1 left off, with Jinpachi Ego’s bold challenge to pit Blue Lock’s XI’s egoist strikers against the established U-20 Japanese national team. The episode focuses on the preparation for the crucial match, with much of the drama centering on which players will secure their spots on the team. Even though this is just a setup episode, the stakes feel high as we find out who will be teaming up with who.

Character development

Once again, Yoichi Isagi finds himself in a familiar position: the underdog. However, this time, the pressure feels even more intense. He must prove his worth by joining the top-ranked players—players we’ve seen in-depth last season and those introduced in the season 1 finale. Isagi’s journey continues to be one of the most compelling aspects of Blue Lock. Watching him navigate the challenge of rising to the top in a highly competitive environment is still thrilling. What skills will Isagi unlock to be one of the top players? Who can he rely on to assist him to the top? Will friends become foes or vice versa? These are the types of questions that made the first season popular and will continue in the upcoming season.

While the focus here is on setting up the rest of the season, introducing new, top-tier players brings fresh energy to the series. These new players add more significant obstacles to Isagi’s ambitions, and it’ll be interesting to see why they’re at the top of the competition and how Isagi can combat them. The competitive dynamics between rivals and the introduction of new talent keep the energy up throughout. The competition feels fiercer than ever, and it’s clear that the series is gearing up for bigger challenges and higher stakes.

Overall thoughts

Overall, while the episode serves primarily to set the scene for the rest of the season, it does so effectively. It builds anticipation for the big match ahead against the U-20 team while reigniting the familiar tensions that have made Blue Lock such a compelling watch. Not to mention, it’s intriguing to see Isagi and the other players’ thought processes on who’s joining whom. Yes, it’s not the most action-packed episode, but it did its job in creating hype for what’s to come for the rest of the season.

Check out the first episode of the new season of Blue Lock on Crunchyroll on Saturday, October 5th, at 9:00 AM PT.