What is Barou's ability in Blue Lock? Explained

Calling himself "The King" of Blue Lock, Shoei Barou's frightening abilities have been on display since his introduction. Episode 1/Chapter 5 showed just how physically dominant and overwhelming he was on the pitch, bulldozing past opponents as if they didn't exist.

As the series progressed and each character acquired their "weapon," fans were eagerly waiting to see what "The King" would receive. True to his credentials, Barou received his as well, but he awakened two powerful abilities in his arsenal that made him a fearsome striker.

Barou's Villainous Soccer and Predator Eye proved quite deadly both before and during the Neo Egoist League.

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Shoei Barou's ability in Blue Lock, explained

Shoei Barou in Blue Lock (Image via Eight Bit)

Shoei Barou stands out thanks to his perception of himself as "The King", giving him an imperious personality. He sees himself as above others, maintaining an arrogant and selfish attitude. Initially, Barou viewed his teammates as support pieces, moving only to fulfill his own goals, with himself being the main actor.

Later, following a symbolic loss to Isagi Yoichi, Barou adopted a more villainous approach to his own philosophy. He matured as a player but retained his obsessive personality and perfectionist attitude. Upon gaining his weapons, he awakened Villainous Soccer and Predator Eye.

Coupled with his superior physical attributes, skillful ball control, and immense shot power and precision, he awakened a selfish and unpredictable playing style called Villainous Soccer. He "devours" his own teammates for the sake of his own goal. Such a style makes Barou a complete irregularity on the pitch, as it circumvents all conventional wisdom of the sport.

Next, Predator Eye can be viewed as completely opposite to Metavision. Unlike Metavision expanding the pitch, Barou drastically narrows his view down and focuses solely on the goalkeeper. Like a predator waiting for the perfect moment, he waits patiently to catch his opponent off guard and score a goal.

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How Villainous Soccer and Predator Eye help Barou in the Neo-Egoist League

Shoei Barou in Blue Lock (Image via Sportskeeda)

Barou had awakened as a player early on in the series when he paired up with Nagi Seishiro and Isagi against Reo Mikage, Kunigami Rensuke, and Chigiri Hyoma. However, it was during the Neo-Egoist League that he truly evolved, both on and off the pitch.

Barou scored in 3 of the 4 matches the Ubers played, ending the 4th round of matches with 7 goals, the highest in the League. His true awakening came against Bastard Munchen and Isagi, where he embraced the villainous style of play. He reveals his ultimate ambition to "conquer" the world, desiring deeply to leave an indelible mark on soccer as king and crush any challengers to his throne.

However, he stated that he would do it the way he pleased, refusing to accept any assistance or someone's philosophy. He even rejected Marc Snuffy, who wanted him as the Ubers' next king. Barou showed explosive growth, using his Villainous Soccer and Predator skills to skyrocket his value and stand as a top scorer.

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Related links:

• What is Project Blue Lock?
• Every player who made it into the Blue Lock 11
• Every collaboration that brought Blue Lock into Real-Life Football