BLUE LOCK 2nd Season

Episode 29

One thing I really like about BLUE LOCK is how it tries to use math to quantify character development. We are just one or two episodes away from the actual U-20 match as we now have our established team filled with a pretty good mix of both familiar and new characters alike. The breakdown of the formations and where everybody is stationed makes sense, and I like how the show actually gave a justifiable reason for why Isagi is on the team. While he did prove himself by being one of the few people to actually score a goal, the whole point of why he's there is to bolster Rin's abilities. The show basically says that while Isagi might be the main character of the show, he will not be the main character on the pitch. He'll be the lancer that antagonizes and helps the actual main character, Rin, evolve because everything revolves around him.

This is a very interesting mirror of the U-20 team and we get our first glimpse of this episode. They also circle around one player, Rin's older brother, but unlike Blue Lock, which is a strictly offensive team, U-20 seems to be a defensive team that's all about bolstering one single player. However, Rin's brother has his own lancer in the form of Ryusei who, in an interesting twist, is now going to be playing for the opponent due to his wild nature. I'm not sure how to feel about this narrative upset at the moment, because I'm not really sure what the logic is both for the narrative and for the characters. However, I imagine that it'll make more sense when we actually get on the field. I just hope this isn't a situation where the author realizes that Ryusei made more sense as an antagonist.

Regarding Ego's conversation about entering a flow state, I did find it equal parts interesting and funny because again, the show is all about quantifying mental and emotional growth that arguably shouldn't be this straightforwardly quantifiable. The show definitely dumbs it down, but there is a logic to it. To evolve as a character, certain external and internal requirements need to be met. You need to be challenged in a specific way where you feel like the goal is obtainable and desirable, but it also has to be something realistic because otherwise, you will mentally stop yourself from even trying. Everyone is different, obviously, but we've already seen elements of this formula put into practice with some of the characters like Isagi and Nagi. This is being set up now because we're probably going to see this formula come to fruition during the actual match, so I'm very curious to see what external and internal elements will be entered into this magical equation that will allow our main character to be the star of the pitch.

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