Blue Lock: Why did Rensuke Kunigami change in Blue Lock? Explained

Why did Rensuke Kunigami change in Blue Lock? Explained

Modified Jul 27, 2024 01:30 GMT

Rensuke Kunigami was one of the more popular players at the Blue Lock Project. He was one of the people Isagi Yoichi initially interacted with and befriended. His idealogy and goal for coming to Blue Lock played a part in influencing Isagi's development as a player.

Kunigami was fascinated by football from a young age. He put immense effort into training to ultimately become the world's best striker and, in turn, a football hero. He came to Blue Lock with the hope of completing it and one day representing Japan and leading them to World Cup glory.

However, his dreams were crushed midway when he was eliminated during the final games of the Second Selection. Being eliminated and returning via the Wildcard caused him to change drastically, which was later seen when he represented Bastard Munchen in the Neo Egoist League.

Blue Lock: The reason Rensuke Kunigami changed

Why Kunigami changed

In the beginning, Rensuke Kunigami was a hard-working player who knew when to enjoy and when to lock in. He showcased calmness and a deep passion for football, opening up about his dream early on to Isagi. Kunigami wouldn't stand for unfair players having their way, giving off a big brother vibe.

During the Second Selection Arc, Rensuke Kunigami teamed up with Chigiri Hyoma and Reo Mikage once he passed the Blue Lock keeper test. However, they lost their first game to Isagi's side, and Chigiri was chosen. He then went on to eventually lose to Ryusei Shido's team and Reo got picked instead of him.

This results in elimination for the teen. But unknown to him, all wasn't lost, as he received a chance to return to Blue Lock via the Wildcard system. Put through a series of intense tests, Kunigami emerges on top and returns to Blue Lock, a changed player, more aggressive, cold, focused, and instinctual.

The new Rensuke Kunigami

The sole purpose of the Wildcard system was to reintroduce someone who had been defeated in Blue Lock but had undergone a significant transformation in mindset and philosophy. A totally new Kunigami returned to Blue Lock. He was more distant, quiet, and serious than before. Losing to Shido and nearly getting eliminated caused a shift in his mindset.

Each game in Neo Egoist League showed more of this new individual, how heavily egoistical he had become, caring only about scoring his own goals regardless of the situation. His colleagues labeled him a "Cyborg" due to his near-expressionless demeanor.

He had also become rude and disrespectful, boldly passing offensive comments to his teammates and rivals. Noel Noa was the only one he held his tongue around but maintained a cold attitude towards him. But even so, somewhere deep down, the old Kunigami was still living as if he hadn't lost his morals.

Final Thoughts

The Rensuke Kunigami who made a re-entry into Blue Lock was vastly different from the boy who initially stepped in. Understandably so, the one who dreamed of becoming a football superhero and the best striker in the world had his hopes crushed when he was left out in the Second Selection.

But the wildcard proved to be a game-changer for him, awakening something in him that wouldn't allow anything or anyone to stand in the way of his goal. As such, despite seemingly taking a backseat in the Isagi vs Kaiser battle, Kunigami forced his way through to show why he beat the wildcard challenge and deserved to be a contender in Blue Lock.