Who is Barou from Blue Lock based on? Explained

Blue Lock's King was glimpsed in chapter 5/episode 1 of the series. Initially, he looked menacing and someone who was locked in for the challenge. As more was shown of him, his name began to be revered. Shoei Barou displayed himself as a selfish and arrogant forward whose aim was to be the star of the field at all times.

Like everyone else at Blue Lock, he too wanted to be crowned the world's best striker. When first arriving at the program, he represented Team X during First Selection and was tied for top scorer at his designated stratum. Later, after Blue Lock XI vs Japan U-20, Barou stood as one of the top players in the project.

These accolades showcased the best quality in him and his worthiness in competing for the coveted title of World's Best Striker. As the series rolled on, viewers noticed that the players were inspired by real-life footballers. According to Kaneshiro, Shoei Barou is based on Italian superstar Mario Balotelli.

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Who Blue Lock's Barou is based on, explained

Shoei Barou is based on Mario Balotelli (Image via Sportskeeda)

As mentioned, Shoei Barou's character is inspired by Italian football legend and superstar Mario Balotelli. The Italian started his career in 2005, playing for Lumezzane before signing for Inter Milan 2 years later. He joined Manchester City in 2010 before moving back to Italy and signing for AC Milan in 2013.

Eighteen months later, he returned to England to represent Liverpool and later departed for France to play for Nice. He went to Italy again, playing for Brescia and Monza for a year each before finally signing for Turkish club Adana Demispor.

As stated by Kaneshiro, Balotelli was the inspiration for Shoei Barou. Both players operate as strikers and are highly versatile forwards, possessing immense strength, pace, and an eye for goal. Balotelli was extremely promising as a youngster. However, he was criticized for his poor attitude on and off the pitch.

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Barou's abilities and his similarities to Balotelli's playstyle

Shoei Barou (Image via 8bit)

Moving to Blue Lock's Barou, the forward is the Archetype: Complete Forward. These players are strikers with superior technical ability, clinical finishing, and physical strength, permitting them to function in multiple roles. They can link up with others, create opportunities for themselves, finish off team moves, and hold up play. They are usually given the "Free Roam" instruction with little tactical restriction, allowing them to perform their best and their versatility allowing fluidity.

Barou's main strength lay in his powerful and accurate shot, guaranteeing a goal within 29m of the goal. Barou also possesses Predator Eye, which is the opposite of Metavision. Instead of his vision expanding, he would narrow it down and focus solely on the goalkeeper, patiently waiting for an opportunity to swoop in and steal a goal. Barou and Balotelli possessed impressive physiques, enabling them to charge through opponent defenses and set up chances to score.

Barou's "Villainous Soccer" was a selfish and unpredictable playstyle where he "devoured" his teammates for his own goal. He displayed stunning dribbling skills in this state, breaking past the opposing defense and scoring easily. This is similar to Balotelli's moments of magic, where he danced past opponent defenders with breathtaking footwork and easily beat the keeper.

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Related links:

• What is Barou's ability in Blue Lock? Explained
• Barou from Blue Lock has too much in common with Kuroko No Basuke's Aomine (And it's very obvious)
• Who Is Barou’s Greatest Rival in Blue Lock? Explained