At this year's Anime Expo, we had the opportunity to interview BLUE LOCK producer Ryoya Arisawa, manga editor Megumu Tsuchiya, and Kazuki Ura, the Japanese voice actor for Yoichi Isagi, the series' main character.
Arisawa, Tsuchiya, and Ura made a special appearance at Anime Expo 2024 to discuss the TV anime, its spin-off EPISODE NAGI, and its upcoming second season, which is set to premiere this October. We sat down with them to talk about the process of creating the manga and anime, the challenges they faced in creating a work that fans around the world love, and what to expect from the upcoming season 2.
Q: What aspects of your role are the most challenging?
Tsuchiya: When BLUE LOCK first started, we received material for the first and second chapters. The second chapter in particular had a lot of content. [Trong một tạp chí] Usually, the first, second, and third chapters of a manga are about 60 pages, 40 pages, and 30 pages, respectively. For BLUE LOCK, the first and second chapters were 80 pages each. This meant that we had a lot of content to edit from the beginning. It caused a stir and we wondered if we could finish on time. That was the biggest challenge, editing all the information we had from the beginning. Even Nomura-sensei, who draws very quickly, had to work hard to meet the deadline.
Arisawa: Creating this anime from start to finish was a challenge. The most difficult part was preserving Nomura-sensei's beautiful and recognizable drawings. We paid close attention to the small details that make BLUE LOCK unique, which made it difficult to meet the deadline. We often turned it on right before it aired on TV. Tanabe-san, the character designer, and the main animators worked extremely hard to capture the expressions and essence of Nomura-sensei's artwork that fans expect to see. Allocating enough time for them to draw as much as possible within a tight schedule was very difficult. Despite the time constraints, everyone was dedicated to ensuring the highest quality and staying true to the original work.
Ura: On top of that, the amount of dialogue was overwhelming. About 80-90% of the first episode's script was Isagi's dialogue, and the rest of the episodes were the same. There were lines he actually said out loud and lines he said in his head, his inner monologue. They came one after another without stopping. It was like I was exercising, running at full speed, and suddenly I had to say something calmly. So I was almost exhausted, but I had to force myself to calm down and speak. It was really difficult. I wasn't sure when to breathe, and in the middle of it, I saw nothing but white in front of me because it made it hard to breathe. That was the extent of my despair.
Q: Any behind-the-scenes moments with other staff?
Arisawa: One of the moments that I thought was an interesting experience was when we had script meetings. During those meetings, Kaneshiro-sensei [tác giả truyện tranh] will also be present. When there were parts we wanted to change or edit from the original work to the anime, we consulted Kaneshiro-sensei on the spot. This is very rare. In normal anime production, saying you want to change the original work in front of the author is considered NG (bad, taboo). However, we were allowed to do all of this directly, and then Kaneshiro-sensei would say, “If you are going to change it, why not do it this way?” He even suggested more changes. The script meetings were extremely fun and interesting. Talking and creating with Kaneshiro-sensei, the director, and the scriptwriter Kishimoto-san was fun. It was a rare and unique experience.
Ura: When I worked with Barou's voice actor, Junichi Suwabe, there was a really memorable line where I had to say, “Let's go, donkey.” As a voice actor, he was a very respected senior (senpai) of mine and had more experience, but I had to say it. So I told him in advance, “Sorry, I have to say this to you.” He just smiled and responded with things like, “This is going to be fun, right?” I felt like I had to do my best to meet those expectations. I tried really hard while facing heavy pressure like saying something rude and living up to expectations.
Arisawa: You put so much emotion into it. (audience laughs)
*Note: They use the term 'hetakuso', which is used in the Japanese version and translates to 'clumsy' or 'bad friend' (or even 'clumsy idiot'). When the translator wonders how it would translate to English, they tell her it's 'donkey' and laugh again about how he had to say 'Let's go, donkey' to Barou.
Q: This question For Ura-san, what was the most difficult thing for you when voicing Isagi? Is there any scene that you are particularly proud of?
Ura: What I'm particularly proud of, and it was the hardest scene, was in episode 11 when Isagi did the live action scene. I was very proud of the acting in that scene because I realized it was a turning point for Isagi and also the climax of the series. I knew that this was the moment I had to grab the audience's attention in a different way than the previous episodes, almost like I was acting for the finale. It was so big that I felt like I had to live up to those expectations.
At the same time, it was very difficult because it was the moment when Isagi rose to a new level that the audience saw for the first time. So I had to combine the energy and acting inside and upgrade myself. I had to immerse myself in Isagi's voice, the way I read each specific line, and the emotional journey that we both went through together. My delivery required a lot of attention and making sure that Isagi's character development was convincing. It was a challenge, but after I succeeded, I felt proud of that scene and thought to myself, “I really did a good job!”
Q: Tsuchiya-san, as the editor of BLUE LOCK, you had many opportunities to work together with Muneyuki Kaneshiro on the story. Considering that the manga and EPISODE NAGI were illustrated by different people, was it difficult to collaborate with two different artists?
Tsuchiya: Kaneshiro-sensei is very easy to work with. He always thinks about the readers. This is always the main point when we discuss, hold production meetings, and bounce ideas off each other. He incorporates everyone's ideas, makes sure they are all heard, and the ultimate goal is to create something great. We are also the same age, which makes it easy to agree on certain points and discuss certain issues throughout the series.
For BLUE LOCK's Nomura-san and EPISODE NAGI's Sannomiya-san, Sannomiya-san worked under Nomura-san as his assistant while they produced the artwork together. They knew each other well and had a deep connection from their previous work together. Despite being paired up by chance, their collaboration was actually quite smooth because of their existing strong relationship. Sannomiya-san understood very well what Nomura-san wanted and they respected each other, creating great teamwork. They were able to easily exchange ideas with each other and communicate effectively. It was a lucky combination and things went even smoother than expected.
Q: Arisawa-san, when was it decided that EPISODE NAGI would be made into a film? Were there any specific details that you found difficult while making the film?
Arisawa: As for when it was decided to make the film. It was already decided that there would be a second season. However, there would be a big gap between the two, so around the middle of season one, we decided to add the NAGI EPISODE film. Since we were in the middle of the first season, we were able to maintain that mode of working and test the idea of what it would be like from Nagi's perspective. This allowed the film to be produced in parallel with the ongoing series.
When producing a TV series, each episode typically lasts 25 to 30 minutes and often ends on a cliffhanger, leaving the audience wondering what will happen next. However, producing a 90 to 100 minute film requires telling a complete story from beginning to end. In the original works, each episode ends on a cliffhanger, especially BLUE LOCK. So our challenge was to be able to create a continuous story with a beginning, middle, and end that flows smoothly within the 90 to 100 minute time frame. The original manga had yet to catch up, so we had to work closely with Kaneshiro-sensei to produce the film while ensuring that it stayed true to the original.
Q: In the latter half of the series, Isagi forms a 3-person team with Nagi and Bachira. If you were in his position and a member of BLUE LOCK, which character would you form a 3-person team with?
Tsuchiya: I already knew who to pick and picked for my team For me it was Chigiri and Zantetsu. Both are fast.
Ura: So fast!
Arisawa: (Laughs) So fast! It's like the anime but for me it's Nagi and Barou. They're both so talented and strong but also unpredictable. We don't know what's going to happen next, which is both thrilling and exciting.
Ura: I get this question a lot. I would say Naruhaya and Nico. Those two have a strong rivalry with Isagi. They cried a lot out of frustration because they didn't want to lose to Isagi. So I think they could make a good team together.
Q: What can we expect from BLUE LOCK Season 2? What should fans look forward to?
Tsuchiya: Perhaps, with Ura-san's acting power and Arisawa-san's production ability, I think this will be the best soccer match you've ever seen in your life.
Arisawa: After watching the TV and the stage, I think we created a more refined and interesting visual presentation, like a climax performance. Of course, the content of the matches is important, but I hope everyone can also see the development of the direction. As I mentioned before, in the first season, we tried to meet the deadline and tried to broadcast on time, but this time we did it and we are trying to bring something new. With the characters we loved and many new interesting characters coming, I think everyone will find new favorite characters. Please look forward to it. However, it is not over yet (laughs).
Ura: When we started recording the voice for season two, we were told by the original creators that they had put everything into drawing the U20 match. They said they would be happy if we [các diễn viên lồng tiếng] approached this issue in the same way when filming for the anime. Hearing those words, I felt that we had to respond to their wishes and give it our all. Of course, BLUE LOCK is loved by fans all over the world, and I believe it will last a long time. But even so, I want people to think that nothing could be more exciting than this after watching the second season. I plan to put my best performance into the visuals, so I would be happy if you could receive the passion and ego that made the original work enjoyable. I will do my best. I think the viewers who loved BLUE LOCK Season 1 will love BLUE LOCK Season 2 even more. Please look forward to it!
BLUE LOCK Season 2 – Anime Trailer
We would like to thank Ryoya Arisawa, Meugumu Tsuchiya, and Kazuki Ura for taking the time to talk to us about the series. It was interesting to learn how each of them worked on creating the BLUE LOCK series. We would also like to thank the staff at 33 USA Inc. and Bandai Namco Filmworks Entertainment for giving us the opportunity to meet them. We look forward to seeing BLUE LOCK season 2 and the exciting battles it will bring.
BLUE LOCK Season 2 will air on Crunchyroll in October 2024.
Image via Crunchyroll
©Muneyuki Kaneshiro, Yusuke Nomura, Kodansha/”Blue Lock” Production Committee