Is Rin Itoshi the best player: Is Rin Itoshi the best player in Blue Lock? Explained

Is Rin Itoshi the best player in Blue Lock? Explained

Modified Jul 31, 2024 04:30 GMT

Rin Itoshi as seen in the anime (image via 8bit)

Ever since Rin Itoshi made his debut in the show, he has dominated the entire landscape of Blue Lock. His first rank in the series that fans were aware of, was 221, which was revealed in chapter 40 of the manga.

However, his rank jumped exponentially in the following arcs of the series, as he eventually climbed to the very top of the rankings as the No.1 striker. In fact, during the Third Selection arc of the manga, Rin Itoshi was officially declared as Blue Lock's best player by Jinpachi Ego.

That said, Rin gradually got overshadowed in the later arcs of the series, as his ranking dropped from No.1 all the way to No.7. On that note, fans have one glaring question in their minds - Is Rin Itoshi still the best player in Blue Lock?

Is Rin Itoshi the best player in Blue Lock?

For the longest time, Rin Itoshi was considered to be the best player in Blue Lock, especially after Jinpachi Ego's declaration during the Third Selection arc. However, as time went on and other players improved their skills, Rin often got overshadowed by the likes of Isagi Yoichi, Seishiro Nagi, and Shoei Baro.

However, to answer whether Rin Itoshi is still the best player in Blue Lock- yes, as per the official rankings, Rin is considered to be at the top, at least as of chapter 270 of the manga.

Currently, he is locked in a three-way battle against Isagi Yoichi and Michael Kaiser, in order to determine which player comes out on top. All three players are pushing their limits and giving it their all, which means that there is a high possibility of Rin being replaced sometime soon.

Why Rin is the best player?

Why Rin is the best striker (image via 8bit)

Ever since he arrived in Blue Lock, Rin Itoshi has been at the very top of his game. Although he was initially fixated on climbing up to the top and eventually defeating his brother, Sae Itoshi in football one day for abandoning their shared dream, Rin eventually gave up on his revenge and now aims to become the world's best striker.

Rin spends every waking moment trying to improve himself and further honing his skills. His mentality, along with his arrogant and egoistic personality, certainly makes him Blue Lock's finest. After letting go of his dream of beating and surpassing his brother, Rin now aims to free himself from all his weaknesses and anything that ties him down. He wants to establish his own identity as a true egoist, without having to rely on his brother or teammates.

Who comes close to surpassing Rin?

Isagi or Kaiser stand the strongest chance of surpassing Rin (image via Kodansha, 8bit)

While Rin did momentarily drop down to the No.2 rank in the Neo Egoist League arc and later down to the No.7 rank in chapter 204, he always managed to bounce back to the top. As mentioned earlier, as of chapter 270, Rin is locked in a decisive and high-stakes three-way battle against Kaiser and Isagi, which would determine who comes out on top as Blue Lock's best striker.

As such, if there is anyone who can surpass Rin in the upcoming chapters of the manga, it could very well be either Michael Kaiser or Isagi Yoichi. Throughout the manga, there have been several moments where Isagi was able to outsmart Rin and emerge as Blue Lock's Hero. Such a moment took place in the U-20 arc, where Isagi practically used Rin as a tool in order to secure his own goal.

From thereon, Rin and Isagi always butted heads due to their heated rivalry, as both players have sworn time and time again to destroy the other. Therefore, the best possible candidate to replace Rin Itoshi as the best player in Blue Lock, is none other than his longtime rival, Isagi Yoichi. On the other hand, it could also be someone else, like Seishiro Nagi or Shoei Baro, who could potentially dethrone Rin and claim the top position for themselves.