Blue Lock mixes the high-stakes adrenaline rush of death games with the excitement of sports anime. Rather than emphasizing the value of collaboration, Blue Lock compels its heroes to become raging individualists with big egos in order to earn a seat on Japan’s national squad.
Some Blue Lock characters are inherent prodigies, whereas others improved during their participation in the program. Each participant has a distinct relationship with the game, and not every participant is a striker. Nonetheless, they are strong enough to play every position on the field. Some, on the other hand, are objectively stronger than others.
#8 – Kira, Japan’s Treasure
During the preliminary test in Blue Lock, Kira was the first player sent home. Kira defeated Yoichi’s school and led Matsukaze Kokou High to nationals when he played for them. When they were both chosen for the Blue Lock program, they met again, and Yoichi overcame him in the final seconds of their tag game.
Kira was furious and grieved by his untimely death, especially since he had been dubbed “Japan’s National Treasure” throughout his high school soccer career. Despite being sent home first, Kira’s nickname was warranted. Kira, after all, is a talented striker, and his team would not have qualified for nationals without him.
#7 – Yukimiya, the Strategist
Yukimiya feels that if he scores the goals, his team can win peacefully. Yukimiya, despite his vows of pacifism, specializes in one-on-one play and annoys his opponents by boasting about his talents and fierce dribbling. Nothing much is seen about his character in the anime at the moment, but his strength is something many fans are waiting to see.
#6 – Chigiri, the Great Contender
Chigiri was a soccer prodigy who was forced to sit out due to a leg ailment. After arriving at Blue Lock, he resolved to let go of his concerns and rediscover his love for his beloved sport. Chigiri was unconcerned about what was going on around him until he realized the strength of Yoichi’s fighting spirit. Chigiri is a talented striker, but his true strength rests in his ability to counter-attack. Blue Lock’s fastest player is arguably Chigiri.
Players that lack his quickness will struggle to compete with him, especially in one-on-one situations. Chigiri’s 44 Panther Snipe is an amalgamation of new skills he learned at Blue Lock, and it takes advantage of particular degrees to produce the ultimate shot.
#5 – Nagi, the Idealist
Nagi, as a creative midfielder, develops and communicates new plays to his teammates. He’s a prodigy with sophisticated techniques and a genuine grasp of soccer fundamentals. Nagi excels in trapping the ball and devising strategies to keep it away from his opponents. He also seldom misses a shot and always aims precisely.
#4 – Bachira, the Monster
Bachira’s playstyle is as outlandish as his personality. He claims to have a “monster” inside him, referring to the unresolved childhood trauma that drives him during games. Bachira’s game is built around fooling his opponents with spontaneous dribbling, making it tough for the typical player to steal the ball from him.
Bachira has also mastered the art of having an ego on the field, as he flatly refuses to throw the ball to anyone else, even if it is in his best interests to do so. Against Japan U-20, Bachira broke through his teammates despite the stronger defense of the opposing team.
#3 – Yoichi, the Egoist
Yoichi got off to a difficult start in Blue Lock. He cost his squad a spot in the national championship by committing the fatal error of passing rather than shooting. Yoichi, on the other hand, overcame this in the Blue Lock program and went on to become one of the series’ hardest players with one of the biggest egos.
Yoichi’s intuition and meta-vision are critical components of his playstyle. He’s a flexible and adaptive player who can adjust his strategy on the spur of the moment dependent on the likely outcome of a play. Yoichi’s exceptional spatial awareness also provides him with the benefit of knowing exactly where his opponent’s weak points are and how to exploit them.
#2 – Shidou, the Aggressive
Though his character is yet to be introduced in the anime, Shido is one of the strongest players of the Blue Lock Program. He lives on the idea that violence is the key to being a successful soccer player. Shidou can score goals in places that other players would consider impossible. Shidou is also noted for rushing furiously across the field with surprising actions that confuse everyone, teammate or not. Shidou is physically the strongest of the Blue Lock contestants, and most of them would be unable to overcome him one-on-one.
#1 – Sae, the Top Player
Sae Itoshi is best player in Blue Lock. He is one of Blue Lock’s most intimidating offensive players. Sae’s playstyle, like his attitude, is icy chilly, and unpredictable. It works, though, surprisingly well with Shidou’s fierce on-field tactics. Throughout his soccer career, Sae has established a reputation for his arrogance and tunnel vision of becoming the world’s strongest striker.
Many more players of the Blue Lock Program are not included in this list, simply because their strengths were not highlighted in the anime yet. However, a lot of other players from the program display explicit soccer skills which equip them in their quest to become Japan’s best striker.
Blue Lock is available on Netflix and the manga is currently ongoing.
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