Blue Lock will never be a true sports anime and for a good reason

Modified Oct 16, 2024 06:00 GMT

Blue Lock doesn't have the traits of a real sports anime (Image via 8Bit).

Blue Lock has recently been regarded as one of the best sports anime out there, but there is an argument to be made that the series doesn't really qualify as such. This isn't a criticism of the story, which excels in characterization and the theme of ego being important for success, but rather how the mechanics of the series don't really reflect the nature of football.

When compared to some all-time great sports anime such as Haikyuu!! or Slam Dunk, Blue Lock simply doesn't have that degree of realism and doesn't adhere to the rules and limitations of the game of football. This is further emphasized by the visuals, which are reminiscent of battle shonen through the use of aura, which is perhaps a more fitting category for this series and would be a much fairer description.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for the series. Any opinion expressed here belongs to the author and not Sportskeeda as a whole.

Explaining why Blue Lock doesn't have the traits of classic sports anime and wouldn't qualify as such

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It is worth highlighting that Blue Lock has some considerable strengths, whether it is a part of the sports anime section of the medium or not. The strong characters, the overarching theme of ego as a way to reach success, the different twists that keep readers interested, and the phenomenal artwork are some of the highlights of this series that need to be highlighted.

The main issue with the series, though, is that it doesn't adhere to the realism of football and has an extreme focus on just the position of the striker, to the point that most matches only feature footballers who play in that position. It pushes the suspension of disbelief since some players have to perform in roles that are not suited to them, reducing the achievements of the main cast.

There are some sports anime such as Haikyuu!! and Slam Dunk that not only stand out because of the characterization and the artwork but also due to the realism. Shoyo Hinata and Hanamichi Sakuragi's journeys through volleyball and basketball, respectively, serve as a way to understand the sports and the best players still adhere to realistic tropes, which shows the authors' commitment to their stories and pays tribute to these disciplines.

More points regarding this

Yoichi Isagi, the protagonist of the series, as seen in the anime (Image via 8Bit).

Blue Lock has more in common with battle shonen than with most sports anime since it focuses a lot on characters overpowering others. A good example of this is the protagonist, Yoichi Isagi, who mostly has to rely on his intellect and strategizing, which fits more with actual fighters than normal athletes who don't have the time to assess situations the way he does.

This is a problem that is not exclusive to this series since an anime like Kuroko no Basuke shows a much more exaggerated nature of basketball, which is why perhaps it didn't get the critical acclaim and commercial success of Slam Dunk. There is a major divide as far as sports anime go, and there are several series that seem to have an approach that is more akin to battle shonen, with even a legendary football series, Captain Tsubasa, being similar in that regard.

Final thoughts

There is a strong argument to be made that Blue Lock has a lot more in common with battle shonen series than with sports anime. This doesn't make the story any less valid, but the truth of the matter is that it doesn't work as a proper representation of what football is as a sport, and its premise ignores a lot of major details, such as other positions that aren't the striker role.

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Edited by Somava