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With the release of Bluelock episode 1 a couple of hours ago, the search for the world’s best striker has begun. Fans were introduced to Yoichi, a simple high school boy who dreams of becoming the world's best player.
Bluelock episode 1 focused on Yoichi’s dream and the events that led him to partake in the unforgiving Blue Lock program. It also gave fans a glimpse into the intense competition and moments that will define the show moving forward. Continue reading to learn more about the highlights of the episode.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for Bluelock episode 1. The article will use the Crunchyroll translation of the series.
Jinpachi awakened Yoichi’s egotistical side in Bluelock episode 1
Meet Yoichi
Bluelock episode 1 began with the protagonist Yoichi playing a game of football. According to the boy, if his team won this game, they would go to nationals. Isagi proved his skills by evading every single opponent who wanted to take the ball from him. The black-haired boy was determined to lead his team to victory and prepared to score a goal. Suddenly, one of his teammates asked for the ball.
Yoichi knew that they were sure to win if he passed the ball, but at the same time wanted glory for himself. He was snapped out of his thoughts when his coach reminded him that football is a team sport. The boy immediately passed the ball and his friend prepared to score, but ultimately failed. The striker for the other team, Ryosuke, obtained the ball and scored a goal.
Our hero’s team, Ichinan, lost the game and their chance to go to the national tournament. As Yoichi and his team left the field, Ryosuke gave an interview to the delight of his fans. The Ichinan coach gave his team a motivational speech, claiming they were the best team ever. Yoichi, however, was disappointed in himself and his teammates. He thought about his idol Noa, Europe’s best player.
He dreamed of becoming a star striker like the blonde man, so he trained his whole life to become the best. Sadly, when he entered high school, his dream became more unrealistic. He began crying, wondering if he could have won the game if he had simply taken the shot.
A cruel experiment
Bluelock episode 1 continued after Isagi arrived home. His mother told him that the Japanese Football Association sent him a letter, inviting him to partake in experimental training. The next day, Yoichi arrived at the building designated for the experiment, where he met with Ryosuke. Despite his fame, the blonde boy was extremely polite and kind, which surprised our hero.
After entering the building, the pair were shocked, as every single one of Japan’s best underage strikers were invited to the experiment. A man named Ego Jinpachi appeared on the stage in front of them explaining to all the players inside that the Japanese government hired him to make sure that their country’s team would win the upcoming World Cup.
To achieve this dream, he would lock the young men inside a facility called Blue Lock, where they would live and train together. Out of the 300 players invited, only one would become the world’s best striker. Nonetheless, the boys needed to agree to be trapped inside the facility for as long as the experiment lasted if they wanted to participate.
Ryosuke and many other players complained, telling Jinpachi that they had teams who were waiting for them. Jinpachi mocked the boy, telling him that becoming the best player in the world was more important than winning with a high school team.
The world’s biggest egoist
Bluelock episode 1 went on to show Jinpachi talking about what the Japanese football team lacked, egoism. The man claimed that the only important thing when playing soccer was scoring more than the opponents. This caused Ryosuke to become angry, prompting him to claim that the Japanese players were stars and should not be mocked.
Ego kept laughing, asking if the Japanese team’s unity won them any World Cup. He displayed the most egotistical quotes from the best players in the world, including Noel Noa. This awakened Isagi’s egoism, represented by a dark mist surrounding his body and pupils. Yoichi tried to deny the desire to be egotistical but was incapable.
Jinpachi asked the players to imagine themselves playing in the World Cup finals. The situation fabricated by Ego was exactly like what happened to Yoichi at the start of the episode, which completely awakened his egotistical desires. When Jinpachi opened the doors behind him, Isagi was the first one to cross them.
A game of tag
Bluelock episode 1 continued after the players were transported to the Blue Lock facility. Once there, Isagi noticed that his uniform had the number 299 written on it, meaning he had to enter room Z. There, he met with Ryosuke and a boy named Igarashi Gurimu, who had the lowest number of all. Once all the young men finished changing, Jinpachi appeared on a screen.
He explained that their numbers equaled their ranking inside the experiment. The further you went from being number one, the worse you were at playing football. Ego also revealed that the five best players would become members of the under-20 national team in six months. Before disappearing, he explained that the losers of the experiment would be banned from playing for Japan.
The strikers were forced to play a game of catch, using only their feet and a soccer ball. The last player to be tagged when the timer ran out would be eliminated from the competition. Gurimu was selected as the first player to be tagged and began trying to hit someone else. He tried tagging a short boy who was sleeping on the floor but was kicked in the face.
Another striker, Rensuke, tried to get the short boy to play fair but was distracted when Gurimu hit him with the ball. Seeing that he could not escape, Gurimu grabbed Isagi and used him as a shield. The black-haired boy was tagged and began looking for someone to hit. As he ran, Gurimu fell and injured his leg, giving Yoichi a perfect chance to attack him.
However, the young striker’s egotistical instincts took over, giving him the idea of eliminating someone better than him. The short boy, named Bachira, realized what Yoichi’s plan was and took the ball, trying to eliminate Ryosuke. Bluelock episode 1 ended with Isagi hitting his friend in the face with the ball, saving himself from being eliminated.
Final thoughts
Despite only being the introduction to the show, Bluelock episode 1 was filled with intense and exciting moments. From the start, the series is letting fans know what to expect from it, with nonstop action and stunning visuals.
Yoichi’s dream to become the world’s best striker has just begun, and he has already allowed his ego to take over. Neither Ryosuke nor the fans were expecting that kind of betrayal in the first episode. If the series is as thrilling as Bluelock episode 1 was, this could become one of the best sports anime in history. We will have to wait and see what the future holds for Yoichi.
