Is Rin Isagi's rival in Blue Lock? Explained

Over the years, football has captivated millions of people all over the world, and Blue Lock, which first appeared on the anime scene in October 2022 and has since been an enormous hit, has usurped the market.

The anime has gained a lot of attention in the community due to its original plot, intense action, and clean animation.

With the recent episode of Blue Lock having some exciting football action between Rin and Isagi's sides, fans couldn't help but wonder whether the former is Isagi's rival. The answer to that question is yes. Here, we will attempt to explain why it is so.

Disclaimer: The following article contains major spoilers for Blue Lock. All external media belongs to their respective owners, and Sportskeeda claims no ownership of the same.

---

Rin to become Isagi's biggest rival in Blue Lock

As of now, in the Blue Lock series, Rin does not acknowledge Isagi as his rival. However, this will change later on, as Rin will not only acknowledge the rivalry but will also want to kill Isagi.

Isagi, on the other hand, has declared Rin to be his rival in episode 23. In light of that, it is important to explore how the two got here in the first place.

The first time Isagi met Rin was during the third stage. Though he had seen him once previously, that was for a few moments. In their first match, Isagi's team lost to Rin's, and Isagi got to see the difference in their play. But that does not faze Isagi, who is pursuing Rin so as to surpass him.

During their second selection match, when both Isagi and Rin faced off for the second time, Isagi lost again. After Isagi's team was defeated, Rin made the decision to pick him to come to his team because, according to him, he was unable to read the previous play, whereas Isagi could easily do so. Rin also said that until then, nobody in Blue Lock had made him feel defeated, except for Isagi.

A Still from Blue Lock (Image via 8 Bit Studio)

As they returned, Isagi wondered why he was picked and whether there was a difference in luck between him and Rin in the last play. While making their way back into the tunnel, Isagi asked Rin what the difference between them was, as Rin had won and scored in the last play.

Rin said that it had to do with luck, but Isagi did not settle for this answer and wanted something more tangible. Rin then told him that luck isn't just a coincidence, it's a secret force on the field that rewards those who act on their desires.

Back inside the building, Ego-san offered his congratulations and defined luck for them. As Ego-san concluded his explanation, Isagi asked Rin whether he knew about all of this luck factor.

A Still from Blue Lock (Image via 8Bit Studio)

Rin replied in the affirmative, before explaining that Isagi was responsible for creating the situation since he knew he had no say in the outcome. He said that he understands that the only reason he defeated Isagi was luck, and his purpose was for him to accept that, as his goal was his punishment, which would be a reminder that he lost to Isagi.

Isagi now realized that what differentiated them was their ability to accept fate in both triumph and defeat. He felt pathetic for thinking he had surpassed Rin, and he was once again defeated, but he must now use his newfound knowledge of luck to rebuild. Later, Isagi checked on Rin and noticed that he was doing yoga.

A Still from Blue Lock (Image via 8 Bit Studio)

Isagi resolved to follow him in order to overtake Rin and claimed that Rin is his rival, adding that he will stick with him in order to get stronger. Rin, on the other hand, asserted that Isagi isn't even his rival.

Later in the Blue Lock manga, when Isagi assisted the Blue Lock team in defeating the U-20 Japan squad, Rin developed a tremendous dislike for Isagi for taking away not only the winning goal, but also Itoshi Sae's recognition as a true striker.

Sae is Rin's brother, and he was always on Rin's mind because he wanted to beat him and make him acknowledge him. While Sae acknowledged Isagi to be a true striker rather than Rin, the latter swore he would kill Isagi, making him his major target and rival.

---

Fans all throughout the world agree that Blue Lock holds a lot of promise as a next-generation sports anime. It will be intriguing to observe how the rivalry between Rin and Isagi develops in the future. The anime is available on Netflix and Crunchyroll. Stay tuned for more anime and manga updates as 2023 progresses.