Dragon Ball comes to Blue Lock Anime...Sort of

Written by Muneyuki Kaneshiro and illustrated by Yusuke Nomura, Blue Lock has taken the anime community by storm. Unlike other sports anime, which take things to a fantasy level, this series uses real-life instances to put forward their ideas and focuses on the most intricate details.

The recently released 10th episode of the series added something a bit different. In between the episode, when Ego Jinpachi spoke of the players' "awakening," a Dragon Ball reference was made. To be specific, a Super Sai reference was made.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers from the 10th episode of the Blue Lock anime.

---

Dragon Ball meets Blue Lock....well, in a way

The Reference

The Dragon Ball reference in Blue Lock came out of nowhere and had anime fans grinning. Towards the second half of the episode, Team Z pulled back two goals, and the score stood at 3-2 in Team V's favor.

As Team Z battled for possession, the scene panned to Ego in his control room with Anri Teieri. Speaking to her, he expressed his delight at watching the players push past their limits and asked her if she knew what it meant to "awaken." This was when Dragon Ball was referenced.

Her reply was:

Huh? Um, is it like going from ordinary to extraordinary, like a Super Sai... Well, that?

This prompted Ego to explain what he meant by the question. His words were convincing and displayed their exact value on the pitch when Team Z bagged another to level it at 3-3.

---

Awakening in Blue Lock

Blue Lock's Ego elaborated that an awakening was "like doing a jigsaw puzzle with your accumulated thoughts and experiences. You're faced with an extreme situation to get the win, and after much trial and error, that's when the pieces for success all fall into place, and a new ego blooms."

Judging by what he said, that was precisely what was happening in the match between Team V and Team Z. Pushed to their limits in a matter of minutes, Team Z's spirit was shattered. However, a fired-up Meguru Bachira sparked a spectacular comeback.

Previously, each player had figured out their weapons and utilized them individually. They have had their own experiences in the past. They were like the pieces of a jigsaw, looking for where to fit best. But when faced with formidable opponents, they were forced to realign and found the best fit possible, thus bringing the game back to 3-3.

---

Awakening in Dragon Ball

Simply put, an awakening in Dragon Ball refers to a warrior tapping into their latent potential. Each fighter hones their skills and abilities through rigorous training and tough battles. As a result, the battle pushes them to their limits to find the power to overcome the enemy. That can be seen as an awakening.

The best example of awakening is in the Frieza Saga. When Goku faced insurmountable odds and Krillin's death, he awakened the Super Saiyan transformation.

Another example can be cited from the Cell Games. Enraged at the Android Cell, Gohan awakened his huge latent potential and transformed into Super Saiyan 2 to beat the villain.