©︎ Muneyuki Kaneshiro, Yusuke Nomura, Kodansha/'BLUE LOCK' Production Committee
Okay, I admit defeat. I was hoping that we'd start to see improved animations once the U-20 match actually started but other than one really bad shot, this match seemed on par with the other matches being played. offensive for the second season. There are several explanations for why this season turned out the way it did, and I respect the staff who tried their best to make every frame look as good as humanly possible. But when the majority of your show has detailed what's going on during a match, I lose the hype a bit when the majority of the episode is just still frames and PNG files slip.
The U-20 team gets to express themselves more here and they are basically the anti-Blue Lock. While Blue Lock is a team full of strikers who always want to score, U-20 just builds a wall to prevent opponents. They use footwork, strength and mental tricks to stop most people's forward attack. It wasn't until Rin successfully made a shot that the team found an opening. The irony is almost infuriating.
Some other interesting things happened in this match besides the awesome scene at the end. As I mentioned before, Isagi is not the main character on the field, even if he is the main character of the film. His main goal is to create chemistry with others, recognize their strategies and how to use them on the field. This is a great way to deliver natural exposition to the audience with his inner monologues while also showing off his skills as a supporting player. He understands everyone's fighting style, how to complement them, and how the opposing team takes them down. He recognizes the goals that others will aim for and his own position. In many ways he makes a better central midfielder or coach than a striker, but we all know that's not what he wants. The overall aim of this match was for Isagi to overcome the role he was assigned to play as the main striker. He got halfway there by understanding the parts he was working on as well as the parts he was facing. However, the next step is to learn how to use those things for yourself instead of the other way around.
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AJ also streams regularly on Twitch as independent Vtuber Bolts The Mechanic where they chat and play retro media!
BLUE LOCK Season 2 is now streaming on Crunchyroll.
