Blue Lock Volume 1 Review: A Hero Who Cares Only About Themselves

Just to be clear I am reviewing Blue Lock by volumes since the whole series is not even close to being finished. That said let's get deep into it.

This manga was my first sports manga/anime viewing and it was with my least favorite sport, soccer.

I have never really gotten why soccer is the number one sport in the entire world but this manga made it all too clear as to why that is. This manga not only builds a fictional Japan that is focused on soccer and claiming the World Cup but also uses real life players and soccer knowledge to give this fictional world a sense or realism while also enticing and interesting the reader by its sheer subversion of shonen manga expectations. Famous shonens like One Piece, Naruto, My Hero Academia, and Black Clover all are popular and use the traditional shonen troupe, The "Power of Friendship" or the "Power of Bonds". But this manga wants to turn that troupe upside down, inside out by forcing the MC and the rest of the cast to be selfish in their desires to be the best. There is only one spot at the top and you gotta fight for it together and against each other. This bottom line alone really excited me throughout the first volume. Never have I read a manga that told the MC to be selfish or your dreams are nothing but dreams. That honestly relates to me a lot because I have high ambitions and I have to make sacrifices like these budding kings do and its beautiful to see it drawn in a manga landscape. The story is laid out very cohesively and consecutively so that the story and plot is explained, background is given, the MC is introduced and their primary fault is shown, and the whole reasoning behind this story and why it matters to our world. The supporting cast is an interesting group to say the least, they were not much dived into except for one but I look forward to all of their character development even if it means they won't be in the manga forever because they might get kicked. Another thing I liked a lot about this manga and maybe it is something all sports anime/manga do is developing the MC outside the battlefield. Not with backstory or social interaction but with curiosity. The MC questions himself, his actions, the actions of others and him doing this is probably in tune with a lot of readers who are confused on the concepts introduced in this manga so it is nice to see and feel some mutual growth between the main character and the reader.

There was something that the main teacher of this manga said; "It is nonsensical indeed. But then so is the world. Either you win or you lose.” That quote really hit me in the chest because of just how true it is. This world, our world is undeniably nonsensical and cruel but only those with the tenacity and courage to fight for their dreams and beliefs in it will succeed. That is the message of this manga and that is what you are in store for if you keep reading this manga past chapter four. I really enjoyed the first volume. This is my second time reading the manga because the first time I blew through all of it due to my explosion of interest. Hope this helps you decided to give it a chance. Whether you love soccer, manga, shonen, sports, or fighting for your dreams there is room for everybody to enjoy this piece of art.