It feels like just about every popular shonen series touches on the themes of teamwork and friendship at least once in their run. After all, what is more, heroic than working together with your peers and believing in your friends? In Blue Lock Volume 1, author Muneyuki Kaneshiro argues the complete opposite: teamwork is useless, and a true hero cares most about themselves (at least in the world of soccer).

Blue Lock Volume 1 is published in English by Kodansha Comics, with story by Muneyuki Kaneshiro, art by Yusuke Nomura, translation by Nate Derr, lettering by Chris Burgener, and editing by Thalia Sutton. Blue Lock tells the story of Yoichi Isagi, a second-year high schooler with a passion for soccer. After losing the 2018 World Cup, the Japanese Football Union decides they must completely rebuild Japan’s soccer program. To do this, they create the “Blue Lock Project.” It places Japan’s 300 best forwards in one facility, Isagi included and pits them against each other in order to create the best forward the nation has seen.

I never thought I would really be able to enjoy a sports manga before I read Blue Lock. Kaneshiro is able to weave together an absolutely gripping storyline, turning a simple game of soccer into a pulse-pounding face-off full of tension and drama. Isagi is a fascinating protagonist, and watching him deal with the insanity of the Blue Lock project is a joy.

Though we don’t get to know many characters other than Isagi in the first volume, those that we have met have a ton of potential. Jinpachi Ego, the completely insane coach, hired to lead the Blue Lock program, is incredibly intimidating and has a demanding presence. Gurimu Igarashi, the only player ranked lower than Isagi, looks to be a great sidekick/comic relief character. And Meguru Bachira, a player who gets the spotlight at the end of the volume, looks to be a great rival to Isagi.

Blue Lock Volume 1 would not have nearly as much impact as it does without the insanely good art of Yusuke Nomura. Nomura masterfully illustrates each character’s emotions onto the page. The intensity, drive and fear each player feels during a game of soccer or a training exercise is almost palpable.

A manga rarely grabs me in the way that Blue Lock Volume 1 did. After getting past the first few pages, the volume captures your attention and doesn’t let go until it comes to its conclusion. Even when the volume wraps up, it ends in a bit of a cliffhanger, basically begging you to pick up volume two.

After reading Blue Lock Volume 1, it’s clear that the excitement I had heard online surrounding this series was more than just hype. The volume features an intensely engaging story, interesting characters, and outstanding art. Blue Lock is setting itself up to be one of the best sports manga ever written, and you owe it to yourself to pick it up.

This was really enjoyable! As a casual fan of both manga and soccer, Blue Lock is a fun combination of the two. It's action-packed, and the competition between 300 strikers is a premise that definitely sets the manga up for a lot of interesting storylines and action sequences.

I'll be curious to see if the overall point of the manga is indeed that one striker is the most important part of a soccer team, and that striker must be an egotist, or whether that premise is going to ultimately be challenged in favor of teamwork. I'd like to read more to find out! I'm also hopeful that as the manga continues, there will be space to further develop the personality of different characters; there are a lot of characters, but few of them have been very developed (which is understandable, given that many of them will be eliminated and may not play a significant role? But hopefully as it goes on the ones who are relevant will be more fleshed out!).

I help curate the library of an all-boys middle school, and with the exception of the comments about the sole female character's big boobs and a couple "damn"s, this would definitely be the kind of book that would be perfect for my students.

A million thank yous to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this volume!

The plot of Blue Lock is absolutely, incredibly, ridiculously absurd...... and that is precisely what sets it apart from every other sports series out there.

There is no goal of teamwork here, no meaningful friendships to be made, no philosophical lessons to be learned. Just 300 of Japan’s best high school soccer players rounded up and given one objective: defeat your fellow players battle royale-style to become the striker that will lead Japan to World Cup Victory no matter what it takes. It’s The Hunger Games out here. No, seriously, these boys are brutal. The stakes couldn’t be higher.

Volume 1 is pretty fast-paced and surprisingly doesn’t cycle through the same motions that often plague the sports genre. The art is INCREDIBLE. I had to stop to admire the character designs multiple times. (Major Tokyo Ghoul vibes!)

If I had to criticize, I’d say that Blue Lock can get a little too far-fetched at times and your suspension of disbelief has to be HIGH for you to properly enjoy the story. Once you see past the insanity of it all though, it’s all fun and games (for the readers at least).

The characters—and there are many—are a little two-dimensional right now, but I do understand that the focus of this series is not actually on them much. This is an extremely plot-driven series and if I expect any sort of character development, it’s not the good kind. Good character development would actually be antithetical to the message of this series and that’s what makes Blue Lock so interesting.

All in all, I’ve never read anything like this before and I’m super excited to see whether Blue Lock follows typical sports genre tropes or transcends them to become a series unlike any other because I truly believe it has the potential to do the latter.

Also, this would make one sick anime.

I went into this one unsure on what to think. I didn't read the synopsis and I didn't read anyone else's reviews; but I am so glad that I did that. I honestly expected this manga to fall flat for me- given my absolute lack of interest in sport- but I'm somehow now well and truly invested. The plot was so much more than I thought it was going to be, and I'm highly anticipating what becomes of these young characters! Trust me, you do not have to be sport/soccer/football fan to enjoy this one!

When I saw Kodansha had a new sports manga coming out, I jumped on the opportunity to read and review it early!

First off, this manga is unlike any sports manga I've read to date. Yes, I'll be honest and say that that isn't A LOT, but with the sports manga I have read, they are not like this. And by not like this, I mean that those sports manga focus on teamwork and building a team together.

Blue Lock is different in that it focuses on the self.

Making one the strongest opponent even on their main team. As our main character, Isagi, learns a new kind of way of thinking in regards to soccer, we see him turn into a very different person. I wouldn't say it's bad mind you, but again, this is different than say manga like Haikyu!! where each person aims to improve, but they also seek to improve as a TEAM.

I admit I almost put this manga down because that it what personally I was hoping for. (I went in "blind" when starting this meaning I didn't read the blurb beforehand.) Jinpachi Ego is in my opinion VERY egoistic himself and really disliked what he is teaching these young adults concerning sports, but man.

This story is GOOD!

It does have some language, but this is the kind of sports manga I love in that we get this intensity and a main character who doesn't want to settle. (He has a great way of surprising the reader with his choices!) The first chapter really leads you have to compassion for Isagi and know my heart broke for him during one scene.

Then it goes into the heart of this story and I'm glued to these pages with wide open eyes…

I really hope this gets printed because I love how it has a Hunger Games-like settings, but with soccer being the focus! We have some really interesting side characters and would be very curious to see where things go next because it seems like it's going to keep getting more intense!

Recommended to those who like The Hunger Games, soccer, and go getter characters!

*(I received an e-copy from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts expressed are my own.)*

This sports manga follows a boy, Isagi, who is chosen as one of the 300 best high school strikers in Japan and taken to the Blue Lock facility— a wild sports experiment that takes training to a whole new level in order to find a single striker who can bring Japan the world cup.

This manga, despite not being my cup of tea, subverts the teamwork and friendship trope apparent in sports manga in a very interesting way. If someone was looking for that kind of story, they would like Blue Lock very much. The artstyle is sharp and creepy at times too, which lends itself well to the psychological aspect of this story.

One thing keeping my rating at three stars is that I didn't enjoy how much Anri's body was objectified in this story. In many panels, the way the comic signaled that she was the one speaking was by a close-up of her breasts, and many thought bubbles are dedicated to others sexualizing her in their heads. As the book's only female character, I would have liked to see her passion and ingenuity be more important than her body.

Otherwise, this was just not a manga that I personally enjoyed. As I mentioned earlier, someone looking for a sports story that subverts tropes and has a lot of thriller elements would like this a lot. I won't be continuing, but I appreciate being provided an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was quite an intense manga. The drawings were very well done and, especially in action/sport scenes. It felt like you were there with the characters. Some of the characters are really creepy I think, especially Jinpachi Ego. The story on the other hand is interesting, but it’s nothing new for the moment. It is kind of like a hunger games with 300 students and only one will remain. I do hope Isagi and the others will prove Jinpachi wrong because otherwise, I don’t really like the message behind the success of footballers.
I think I will continue this series as it sounds promising and I want to see how the story develops. I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone, though I personally liked it. If you like action, football and hunger games, this manga is for you.
3.5/5

This book was provided by Netgalley for a fair and honest review.

A great start, can't wait to continue more.
So I'll firstly start by saying that I'm not the biggest fan of football (but I do love a good World Cup Match) but I am a sucker for a shonen sports manga. This first volume really delivers on the potential of a good series, a "school" setting for a sports competition, a bunch on interesting guys who will learn to become great football players, and some fantastic art that I kept me reading. So far the standout characters have been Gurimu, Yosuke and Rensuke but the rest of the cast are likeable.
The only issue I have is, it does feel like a very standard first volume which sadly made me drop a star, however this does have the potential to become a great series, and I look forward to reading more.

This is a manga for someone that wants a sports manga with a helluva twist. I picked this book on a whim and because as an ex-soccer play, I love reading mangas/stories that pertain to my old sport. It started off simple enough. Kid wants to be the best striker/forward that Japan can offer. He wants to go off and win Japan the World Cup.

The catalyst for the first volume and the start of the plot is just that. Japan really wants to win the World Cup and has been missing it for years. The soccer federation in Japan has decided enough was enough and decided, with a new coach/head, start an experimental test that would result in the best striker Japan can offer : Blue Lock.

This is when the plot twist happens. Let’s just say, take what you know about sports animes/mangas and throw them out the window. This manga doesn’t follow that at all. Think of it being more like dangarompa (Without the murder) or like the Hunger Games.

Like I said, I use to play soccer. Granted it was youth soccer but soccer nonetheless. I will admit, the way the manga twists the gameplay and the mentality of soccer is very interesting. I don’t want to divulge too much as it will spoil some key parts of the plot but for anyone who plays team sports, it will be interesting to you as well I feel.

I highly suggest this book to anyone who wants to read a sports themed manga that doesn’t follow the usual guidelines.

Until the next page turn!

I enjoyed the first volume of Blue Lock. Similar to most sports-themed manga the storyline is simple with an interesting twist. The main protagonist, highschooler Yoichi Isagi, hopes to one day become a pro-soccer player and is scouted for a special training camp along with 299 other talented high school soccer players' to put their skills to the test in the Blue Lock. The Blue Lock is a training facility where the players are pitted against each other and the last player to come out on top will automatically become a pro-soccer player. Those who lose will never be able to go pro. In a game of survival of the fittest, Isagi quickly realizes that the stakes are high because even his teammates are also his enemies. Can Isagi really make it to the end?

I liked the manga I read last year for Maverick's GN reading list because it was a book about soccer--a sport I don't see a lot in middle school library books. So I went for Blue Lock thinking it would be like that one and I really enjoyed it. The search for better soccer players after Japan loses the World Cup is a cool topic for a manga. Thanks for the ARC.

'Blue Lock' surely pull its readers in a trance like state. The amount of force the characters and the story has definitely charges you—desiring for more. I definitely cannot wait to read the next volume!

The stakes are high! I'm not much of a sports fan, but Blue Lock is so cool. You can already see a shift in the MC's morals in the first volume. There's no clear "villain" in a story about competition. Everyone is selfish and greedy, and we are excited to see what they'll do to win.

I finally read this manga. It was so good. I am not really interested in sports, but sports mangas/manhwas are always so good. waiting for next volume.

Generally, I'm not much of a Sport reader; Haikyu!! being my one exemption to that rule.
However, I was generally pleased with Blue Lock.

Not being one for soccer, I came into this manga reluctant and all-around meh as I did not want to learn more about soccer than I already did, thankfully, the series did not force much in my face regarding rules and basics. Most of which I already knew, and could understand easily enough.

The series carries the passion for soccer forward and you could almost feel the Protagonist's need to get better. I look forward to seeing how this series progresses.

300 kids under the age of 18 are gathered to a secret facility. They are all considered the best candidates to be the next ace striker for Japan, as it has been decided that the country needs to rework its soccer game if it's ever going to win the world cup. We get to know these characters, their strengths and their faults as they try to rise up to be great players.

I'm going to be completely honest, I accidentally requested this one on Netgalley. It was a button slip on my phone and then it was accepted. I felt a bit bad about that and went ahead and gave it a proper read though, as I didn't want to be that guy who just requests anything and lets it sit.

I'm not a sports fan. That's immediately going to set me at a disadvantage here, as is the fact that I think sports manga in particular are hilarious (not in a positive way) as they are treated in such life or death terms and with a passion higher than any sane person would hold for any topic (YOU MUST TRAIN AT OUR FACILITY AND YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO RETURN HOME. Response: "But we cannot abandon our precious teams!")

This time… it worked. Why? Because that's just the start of the over the top extremes. It's going to go so much further, that this little moment at the start mentioned above honestly seems quite reserved.

Honestly, this is not a bad thing. It somehow manages to combine the "survival game" style of manga with a sports one, which is an odd choice, but certainly unique enough to make it stand out and generally pulls it off. It makes this over the top nature more fitting as the people involved in this project are literally going to ruin 299 lives for the sake of one and the book seems to alternate between "wow, that's horrible" and "what a great idea." It's ridiculous to the extent that it actually makes this usually unintentionally comic aspect, turns it up to 11, and makes it entertaining for me.

Was this enough to change my opinion on sports manga? Not really. Was it a solid enough read that I would suggest it for fans of such manga? Absolutely, especially if they like the survival game style of manga its colliding with. It's strengths are well done from an objective standpoint and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't at least entertained for my read (some times extremely so). While I can't say I'm a huge fan, it was a fun read. I never thought I would say this, but I'm actually genuinely intrigued where a sport's manga is going. If it stays this over the top, I think I may continue along with it. 3/5 star

My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Japan's soccer team is struggling to get to the next level, so a program called Blue Lock is formed to find the best striker out of 300 high schoolers. Who will be the one to come out on top?

So I've been hearing a lot about this manga. And as a fan of sports shonen, I just have to request an arc once I saw that it's available on Netgalley.

I don't know what I expected from this manga before reading it. I didn't look up any synopsis or blurbs. I just go by the words of the people in the fandom saying if you like sports manga, you would definitely love Blue Lock. But this is.. not exactly your typical sports shonen, I feel like this is more battle royale than most sports shonen. And that is not necessarily something bad, but if a reader is expecting a story with strong emphasis on team works, they will not get that from this manga.

I still can't decide if I like this manga or not, but I will try checking out the later chapters and hold off on my judgment until at least the 2nd or 3rd volume. But this first volume definitely made a strong impression on me.

Ugh. I loved this.

Going into this I knew I would. I'm a fan of sports manga/anime and this totally checked all the boxes for me. Loveable characters, banter, and just overall great fun.

If you're a fan of Yuri!!! On Ice, Haikyuu, or Free! you will absolutely adore this. Such a fast read.

Overall this manga surprised me in a good way. First I thought this would be a classic sports manga about friendship and team work and to be honest I would actually have preferred that. I do still think the twist of the story is really cool and I'm interested to see where it goes. I do hope a bit that the focus on teams will eventually come back, since I think it's a pretty sad message, that one has to be an egoist to succeed in this sport. Maybe I just take it too seriously, but my favourite parts about sports manga are always the friendships and that gets difficult in a situation like this.
Still: really cool story, great drawing style and very easy to get into. I hope there'll be more actual football int he future as well, I missed that a little bit.