Blue Lock's tribute to this classic Hollywood movie perfectly sums up Reo's metamorphosis

Blue Lock has done well to introduce to wide and varried roster of characters throughout its storyline. Starting off with protagonist Isagi Yoichi, the plot quickly brings other top-tier aspiring football players in Meguru Bachira, Rin Itoshi, Shidou Ryusei, Kunigami Rensuke, Nagi Seishiro and many others who Isagi meets as he journeys through the program.

Among them stands an intriguing character in Reo Mikage. Hailing from a wealthy family, his goal is to one day win the Football World Cup. Unlike the other characters, he has no specific weapon that he can use - like Chigiri Hyoma's speed or Bachira's dribbling. Rather, his speciality lies in "Copying" others' tools to use them for himself.

Another unique aspect about Reo is how his character cleverly tributes a Hollywood classic. The parallel is a perfect nod to his metamorphosis in the series.

Blue Lock: Reo Mikage's evolution summed by fitting Hollywood classic tribute

To begin with, the Hollywood movie in question is "The Silence of the Lambs". Upon looking closely, the cover of Episode Nagi is quite similar to that of the mentioned film - a close-up of a person's face whose mouth is covered by a moth. As seen in the movie, the moth (Death's Head Hawkmoth) is its motif for death and transformation.

During the Blue Lock selection phases, Nagi leaves Reo behind, choosing Isagi instead. This compels the purple-haired boy to enter a cocoon-like state - he pushed himself to be self-sufficient and trained that way. In the Vs. Japan U-20s match, he even played in a position he didn't feel suited to. Now during the Neo Egoist League (NEL), he finally broke free of this cocoon and evolved.

The match against FC Barcha proved that he had become what he aimed to be, i.e., independent. Again, the artstyle used to depict this also featured wings (marked "Mikage") implying balance which is a nod to Reo being an all-rounder. Separation from Nagi made him self-dependent, which was the opposite for Nagi, who essentially and is a one-winged angel (according to Reiji Hiiragi).

Interestingly, unlike the moth which has a skull-like design, Nagi's symbol (Blue Lock manga) featured Reo's visage. Here, Reo didn't only want to play alongside Nagi, but to surpass him, and he did so during the NEL. His losses to Rin or Isagi didn't discourage him, his playmaking was key to Nagi's super goal and against FC Barcha, he showed more confidence in snatching back a goal by himself.

Moving on, Reo even surpassed Nagi's traditional Number 7 - he ranked #7 in the NEL; an amount of 78 million Yen was bid for Reo (akin to Mikage Corp's 705.8 billion Yen value); the final ranking happened during the publication of the 7th spinoff volume which ends in July. Even egotiscally, Reo has exceeded Nagi and continues to develop. For one, he reject the "perfect" image put upon him.

Rather than adhered to the "perfect elite" status bestowed upon him, he chose his own path - unique hairstyle and clothing, eccentric art collection (different shapes create one masterpiece, akin to his Copy ability), his bond with Nagi and him changing his World Cup goal to include Nagi. Moreover, Reo is more aware of his flaws - he took on Ego's homework with a fire rather than overanalyzing.

Final Thoughts

The above-explored facts testify to Reo's growth in Blue Lock. He went from fixating and overthinking a problem to adapting to it. Simply put, he has and is developing a sense of composure and confidence to pursue what he wants. All in all, the metamorphosis suits Reo, he has learned to look forward and continues to develop with time.

Though his ability gives him a 99% accurate version of the weapon he Copies, his evolving mentality and growing abilities are making him a top player. This is reinforced by his ranking and the bid for him. It is yet unknown if Reo will be a starter for Japan against the group stage matches they have lined up. But again, his abilities are likely sufficient to land him a starting IX spot.

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About the author

Casey has been an anime writer at Sportskeeda since almost a year. Being drawn into the world of animanga after watching the Dragon Ball series almost a decade ago, Casey's interest in the genre, along with his love of crafting plot theories influenced his writerly endeavors. Presently pursuing a Master's degree in International Business, Casey worked for Uneake and FootballExpress for 1.3 years before joining Sportskeeda.

Casey's writings reflect his commitment to producing the most reliable content, evidenced by his flair for in-depth reporting. He places a high value on meticulous research and complete factual accuracy.

Although it was legendary Akira Toriyama’s magnum opus that influenced his love of animanga, Casey soon branched out and explored other titles. The unique ways in which mangakas express ideas, as well as their far-reaching effects, have inspired Casey in his creative pursuits.

When not busy writing, Casey enjoys working out, listening to music, strumming the guitar, and playing football.

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Edited by Casey Mendez