BLUE LOCK Creators Kaneshiro and Nomura Explain the Birth of the Series
BLUE LOCK creators Muneyuki Kaneshiro and Yusuke Nomura, in a new interview with Anime Corner, detailed the series' core philosophy and creation process. The duo explained that they started from the idea of blending the series with the tension of a death battle series rather than a classic sports manga. Kaneshiro and Nomura emphasized that they created BLUE LOCK by combining the speed and action of football with this deadly competitive atmosphere.
The most striking point in the interview was the theme of egoism and selfishness at the center of the series. Kaneshiro stated that he designed the character Jinpachi Ego, based on questioning Japanese football's collective play understanding and the idea of creating "the world's best striker". Nomura, on the other hand, said that he focused especially on facial expressions and dynamic perspectives to reflect this psychological war and the characters' ambition in his drawings, aiming to make every match feel like a survival struggle.
BLUE LOCK has made one of the biggest breakthroughs among modern sports manga since it started publishing in Kodansha's Weekly Shonen Magazine on August 1, 2018. The series, which won the Shonen category at the 45th Kodansha Manga Award in 2021, made a big splash in 2023 by surpassing One Piece and Jujutsu Kaisen as the best-selling manga in Japan. According to current data, the manga has reached a circulation of over 40 million and has more than 30 volumes.
The anime adaptation of the series also multiplied its success. The first season, produced by studio 8bit, aired in October 2022 and lasted 24 episodes. The sequel season, BLUE LOCK 2nd Season (vs. U-20 Japan), aired as 14 episodes between October and December 2024, while the side story film BLUE LOCK: Episode Nagi was released in Japan in April 2024. The interview once again reveals why the series should be seen not just as a football story, but also as a psychological thriller where the characters' egos collide.
These statements by Kaneshiro and Nomura came at a time when expectations for a third season are increasing. While the full Anime Corner interview contains more details about the duo's working dynamics and character designs, fans are already eagerly waiting to see how characters like Isagi Yoichi, Bachira Meguru, and Rin Itoshi will evolve in the next stage. While it is said that the manga is progressing toward its final stage, it is understood that the creators will maintain this "life-or-death" philosophy to the end.
