Blue Lock Season 2 Review: Hype vs. Disappointment

Blue Lock Season 2

Before I had watched any sports anime, I had doubts about the entertainment value of a series centered around characters playing an established sport. I was never a sports person to begin with, except for e-sports, and I was skeptical about trying anime in this genre at first. I was pleasantly surprised by what I got: thrilling, intriguing, and dramatic stories of people striving to excel at the sport they love while dealing with numerous real-life troubles, all set against a backdrop of beautiful camaraderie. Character dynamics are some of the best I’ve ever seen, and I am pleased that I gave sports anime a chance!

“Blue Lock Season 2,” also known as “Blue Lock vs. U-20 Japan,” is a 14-episode TV anime series that aired from the 6th of October until the 28th of December in Fall 2024. It was produced by TV Asahi, Lantis, Kodansha, Toy's Factory, Crunchyroll, Chiptune, Bandai Spirits, Bit groove promotion, Bandai Namco Filmworks, and Bandai Namco Music Live, and brought to life by Studio 8bit. The main staff behind it includes Kosuge Hidenori, Arisawa Ryouya, Kawakatsu Yusuke, and Satou Naoya as producers. It features the genre of sports alongside the theme of team spirit, targeting the shounen demographic and earning a PG-13 rating for teenagers 13 years or older. Each episode clocks in at 23 minutes, and the series aired on TV Asahi's IMAnimation block in Japan and was also released on Blu-ray in two volumes from March 26 to May 28, 2025.

As the name suggests, this is the sequel to the “Blue Lock” series, which aired for a total of 24 episodes in Fall 2022. Released by the same studio, it was widely well-received and was available on Blu-ray and DVD from January to July 2023. Both series are based on the manga of the same name, created by author Kaneshiro Muneyuki and artist Nomura Yuusuke. It began publication on the 1st of August 2018 and is still ongoing, getting serialized in the Shounen Magazine (Weekly). Over the years, it has won the 45th Kodansha Manga Awards in the Shounen category of 2021. It has been published digitally in English via Kodansha Comics USA since March 16, 2021, and subsequently in print format since June 21, 2022, while being simulpubbed via K Manga. Along the way, it has even been published in French, Italian, and Polish versions. The novel series began publication on November 17, 2022, and is still ongoing. The series targets the kids' demographic and features the work of author and artist Yoshioka Mitsuru.

The story focuses on the highly anticipated next phase of the controversial Blue Lock project, which is on its way to becoming even more hectic as it narrows down its candidate pool to a mere 35. As it stands, only a select few of the remaining strikers will have the chance to play in the upcoming exhibition game, which pits them against the current U-20 Japanese soccer team. Competing in this match comes with a caveat: victory will earn the players the right to represent their nation as the brand-new U-20 team. However, a loss would signal the complete collapse of Blue Lock!

Protagonist Yoichi Isagi is one of the few left in the running, who is just coming to terms with his abilities. However, the situation becomes even more complex as the top six players in the pool have already been confirmed for the starting lineup, leaving the remaining 29 players to compete for a highly coveted spot. The situation leaves each eager competitor to choose a top-six pairing to team up with for the selection, all in their attempts to prove their competence. This unlikely combination of strikers has a tough road ahead, as they must find a way to effectively integrate their play styles if they want to surpass the current U-20 team.

If you’re watching this season right after Season 1 or having read the manga, you already know how much of a powerful punch the story department packs. It is filled to the brim with tension, character interactions and development, and moments that will keep your jaw hanging in awe, all while your heart races to high heaven, almost as if you were playing the matches yourself. Sadly, this adaptation fails to maintain the same level of excitement; although some excitement exists, it is significantly diminished. This franchise is built on feeling every match, not just watching it unfold, but they fail spectacularly in execution. If I look at the bright side, the story was still there, and we were well aware of the ongoing hype, at least managing to deliver the most crucial moments well enough.

I came here for a groundbreaking football match, but had to settle for some pre-game warm-ups that can be pretty underwhelming over time. The Blue Lock team going up against U-20 Japan should have been a showdown between titans unmatched in their field, but what we got here is a playdate between the two, and I honestly can’t see why. Credit where it’s due, the final episode is absolute cinema and serves as proof of everything this show is capable of when done correctly. This showdown was of such high quality that I wondered why it was completely absent until that moment, but one could say that watching the whole show is worth it just for this epic finale.

Alongside the old cast, we have a new roster of characters introduced to us this season. They also did not waste time diving into their backstories to give them more depth and likability, making it very clear why they were there and what they intended to do. Meanwhile, the old roster is also polished, with everyone showcasing reasonable development both mentally and physically. I enjoyed the redemption stories this time around because they really had me rooting for these guys.

The worst thing about this season is the art and animation department. From the onset, everything consistently looks terrible until the very end, when they conclude the season with one cinematic masterpiece. Forget about Blue Lock, this might be Frame Lock! It’s so horrendously awful that I feel not even one person cared about it in the making, even in important scenes. PowerPoint presentations, disguised as animation, obliterated moments like Isagi Yoichi's new awakening and Mikage Reo's new weapon. Why am I staring at a completely still image sitting at the center of my screen? God knows. They might try to divert your attention via some barely moving lines and “effects,” all so you won’t notice how scammed you are. They even use CGI here, and its sole purpose is to make everything look presentable because the 2D aspect is just horrible. The artwork itself is fine, and the character designs are as sharp as ever. There isn’t much deviation from the first season, but it won’t get anywhere with such lackluster animation.

The Sounds and Music department is subpar, but at least it isn’t terrible. The voice acting is the best aspect here, where everyone seamlessly slips into their characters, both old and new, and perfectly portrays the drama unfolding on the field. These are the only things keeping the show alive in moments where the animation is nonexistent, so kudos for delivering awesome character interactions once again. The OSTs are largely experimental, and I can't say they resonated with me, so I'll let you make your own judgment. The opening theme is "Boujaku no Charisma" by UNISON SQUARE GARDEN, and the ending theme is "One" by Snow Man, both of which are decent but are nowhere near the league of Season 1.

Overall, “Blue Lock Season 2” is a failed product that had the potential to be another seasonal masterpiece. This is a sports anime, and animation plays a huge part in it, so flopping this department so hard does irreversible damage. If you’re coming in from Season 1 and get hit with a bad feeling after 1-2 episodes, take my advice and drop it immediately. You are better off reading the Manga, which is still an incredible piece of art. There won't be much of a difference either, because it’s like a PowerPoint presentation of the Manga, minus all the charm and originality. I sincerely hope they take their time with Season 03 so that we don’t get another mess like this, which I cannot wholeheartedly recommend to a Blue Lock fan.