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boinin · 1 day

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panel and scanlation of the new Rin oneshot, via hoshi

it's such a small thing but like, there's something really heartbreaking about this. The brothers are similar, far more alike than they differ and by rights, they should get on.

but... Sae went through something in Spain. He lost his dream, and had to choose another. When he came home, looking for sympathy or maybe understanding, Rin threw it back in his face. So Sae went and did the unforgivable.

And now Rin can't even look at his own reflection without dwelling on his bitterness towards Sae 🥲

Their relationship isn't totally lost for good though. Rin does decide to see Sae's game. Later on in Blue Lock, he addresses the situation as follows:

And while the U20 match proves to be a set-back for them, note that Sae doesn't really discount Rin's worth as a striker. He simply doesn't address him.

He says Isagi will change Japanese football, because he was able to draw out Rin's instinctual (most optimal) playstyle. Rin takes this as a diss. While it was shitty of Sae to skim over Rin's growth, I'm not sure he intended to hurt Rin so badly. I think Sae may just want to see Rin thrive as a striker with his own style of play, not as a hollow imitation of Sae. Hence his praise of Isagi.

Rin gets this close to realising this, but his grudge against Isagi blinds him.

Eventually, there'll be a reckoning for these two, on or off the pitch. I really hope the manga gives them some closure, as much as I enjoy edgelord Rin. I suspect miscommunication is as much their problem as it is Nagi and Reo's. 🥲

#love the smell of itoshi angst in the afternoon #blue lock #blue lock manga #blue lock manga spoilers #blue lock spoilers #itoshi rin #itoshi sae #rin oneshot #bllk analysis #boinin talks bllk #mine

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boinin · 21 days

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Main takeaway from this chapter of EpiNagi? Nagi sees Chigiri as a tiny hype gremlin.

I love seeing him so goofy ❤️ So different to how Isagi sees Chigiri (cool, collected). EpiNagi portrays Nagi's friendships and rivalries as distinct to Isagi's. Like, the guy below shares few traits with Nagi's visualisation of Chigiri (although he's fiery in both manga).

#blue lock #bllk manga #episode nagi #epinagi chp 22 #episode nagi spoilers #blue lock spoilers #blue lock manga spoilers #nagi seishiro #chigiri hyoma #isagi yoichi #bllk chp 254 #boinin talks bllk #mine

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boinin · 3 months

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Batten down the hatches: Rin's ego is about to land

The latest chapters show Rin playing with an unfamiliar aura: what looks like swirling rivulets of water.

This represents the refinement of his ego and playstyle since the under-20 match. But what exactly are they going for with the swirling water? Here's my two cents.

Rin is strongly associated with water, specifically the sea. He grew up by the coast; he and Sae shared a love of watching the sunset over the water after training together. Those childhood memories are turbulent now, like dark clouds on the ocean's horizon.

It's here he realises that he can no longer play the puppetmaster football that helped him thrive in Blue Lock. As good as he is, it wasn't authentic... and it's nowhere near where he needs to be to compete with his brother, or even Isagi.

Rin's flow state is the most unique out of any others we've seen. Let's dig into it. All panels are from the official translation, which is important as the translation choices are 1) consistent and 2) likely chosen carefully.

In the dying moments of the match, Rin complains about feeling restrained. Being Itoshi Rin is eating him alive.

Cool, calm and aloof.

A genius. Prodigy. Puppetmaster.

Team player. Team captain.

Isagi Yoichi's partner. Shidou Ryuusei's rival.

Itoshi Sae's little brother.

The prospect of defeat rudely wakes him up. His pretence comes crashing down hard, triggered by his ineffectiveness in spite of the teammates around him. It's one of the best rugpulls in sports manga.

When the power of friendship comes knocking, Itoshi Rin tells it to fuck off and die.

What a glorious moment... and not just because it posits Rin as a Uchiha Sasuke kinnie. I prompt you to examine his eyes in this panel.

They're a swirling vortex of hate and destruction, befitting Blue Lock's angstiest character. The shape reminds me of this:

Satellite images of Hurricane Franklin and Hurricane Idalia, August 2023. Image credit: NOAA Satellites.

Rin's true ego, which he unleashes against Sae, is a storm.

youtube

Optional soundtrack for the rest of this post (because Rin 100% listens to this once it comes out in Blue Lock's universe).

Although it isn't portrayed visually as such in the under-20 arc, the metaphor fits Rin's evolving playstyle. What is more destructive, more uncontrollable, more senseless than a hurricane? A violent force of nature that we can predict but never avert?

When a storm approaches, all we can do is rank it, track it, then attempt to mitigate the inevitable damage.

In football terms? Sounds a lot like playing Rin.

It's even alluded to in chapter 250: the graphics for Rin's formation are similar to the satellite images of large storms.

Within the U20 match, there are exchanges that support this theory. Darai calls Rin's evolving playstyle arrogant and avaricious. The latter (meaning extreme greed) is evocative of a force that pursues what it wants without regard for anything in its surroundings. What it can't have, it destroys.

Niou is confident enough in his physicality to try withstand his opponent's attrack. Rin literally flips him into the air. Niou's hubris brings to mind all man-made constructs which are supposedly storm-proof... until a cyclone comes along and proves otherwise.

The contrast between Rin and Sae's egos are interesting. If we accept Rin's is a storm, i.e. a destructive force of nature that cannot be controlled, Sae's is the opposite despite being as impossible to defy. Sae's motif is defined in the manga as "beautiful destruction", plays and passes depicted in graceful data strings. Rather than natural, his playstyle is sleek and controlled, and dominant to the point of appearing pre-ordained by his opponents.

Their attitudes are equally different. While Rin drools and loses composure in the final minutes, Sae does little more than raise his eyebrows throughout the entire game. He's completely emotionless.

It's the extremes of human nature: animalistic rage versus robotic detachment. This time, the latter wins. Will Rin have an opportunity to face his brother again, with a better grasp on his ego? Here's hoping.

My final thoughts on Rin are speculative. How does one beat a storm? Not just endure—but subdue and calm one?

It's beyond human capability. The ability to control the weather exists only in myth and fantasy, and even then it's usually in the hands of powerful entities, not mere heroes or wizards.

Subduing something as powerful as a hurricane would require a god.

Is this Isagi and Rin's endgame?

Time will tell.

#blue lock #blue lock analysis #blue lock meta #itoshi rin #itoshi sae #isagi yoichi #i missed doing long analysis posts ❤️#this was fun to pull together #bllk analysis #blue lock spoilers #blue lock anime spoilers #boinin talks bllk #mine #long post

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boinin · 2 months

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This week brought another episode of "Blue Lock is gayer in the official translation":

PO2 went with "more aggressive" instead and phrased Karasu's response more neutrally. Here, it's framed like he's personally been rooting for Hiori to break out of his shell.

Hopefully won't be the last showdown between these two ❄️🐦‍⬛

Another thing I enjoyed from chapter 252 was how Shidou and Charles separately view their playstyles:

I love the idea of their goal (Charles's assist and Shidou's header) being the result of their unique football ideologies overlapping. More of that, please. How about a Kaiser x Ness goal: floral magic? Another Hiori x Isagi one too, or even better: a galactic highway Kurona-Hiori-Isagi goal 🔥 We're bound to get a Rin goal, which could result from a team-up with Nanase, Tokimitsu, Charles or even Zantetsu.

This chapter was a massive W for Shidou all round. One of the coolest-looking goals yet:

#blue lock #blue lock spoilers #blue lock manga #blue lock manga spoilers #bllk chp 252 #hiori yo #karasu tabito #tabiori #shidou ryusei #charles chevalier #boinin talks bllk #mine

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boinin · 19 days

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Blue Lock volume cover analysis

An examination of unusual features and chains among the 28 volumes released to date. Subject to revision.

Like this? Want to reference these points in your own analysis on Reddit, YouTube, wherever? Go ahead! A shout out to this post is appreciated. Straight up plagiarism isn’t.

Volume 8: Mikage Reo

Reo's chains are noticeably shaded green. Guess whose eyes glow green when they're fired up...

In addition, @thyandrawrites has a theory that Reo ties/reties his hair up as a way to maintain emotional composure. The volume covers tend to represent the character's personality or struggles in some sense. If so, this is an early nod to the emotional trials Reo endures during the series.

Volume 10: Tokmitsu Aoshi

No chain weirdness here, but Tokimitsu is surrounded by black gunk in his cover. This may be a visualisation of his anxiety and the way he copes with it: running at speed and bulldozing through his opponents.

Volume 11: Ego Jinpachi

Ego's cover depicts him totally immobilised by the four chains bound to his neck. To date, no other character has been more restrained by the chains. This likely represents that Ego's fate is utterly dependent on the outcome of Blue Lock. His cover also suggests that Blue Lock (and football) consume Ego's life.

Volume 12: Shidou Ryuusei

Shidou's chains have a blue glow, much like Sendou's in volume 27. This glow is far closer to Shidou's collar however. It could imply that Blue Lock is the beginning of Shidou's pursuit of football.

He's also depicted with demon wings. The collar or chains don't impede his movement significantly, unlike other characters. In addition to portraying his incredible physicality, this could also visually represent how Blue Lock has failed to subdue Shidou.

Volume 16: Oliver Aiku

Aiku's chains are wrapped tightly around his arm and he's pulling them taut. The chains themselves appear rusted and cracked, most notably on his collar. This could represent Aiku's relationship with football. He grew jaded with being a striker in high school. Becoming a defender, then the match against Blue Lock, revitalised his enthusiasm. Hence, the chain is holding fast: he's just as ensnared by football (and Blue Lock) as the others.

Volume 17: Itoshi Sae

Sae and his chains are bathed in radiant gold light, which is associated with both divinity and wealth. His chains crumble in one place, and remain barely intact. I offer two interpretations for this. Firstly: unlike the others, Blue Lock does not have a strong impact on Sae—his success as a footballer is completely independent of it.

Secondly: if we take the chain to represent Sae's footballing career, the crumbling chain could allude to a time when football negatively impacted him. Perhaps whatever happened in Madrid? But he came back stronger, as the rest of his chains appear even more golden.

Volume 18: Teieri Anri

Anri is the only character depicted without chains or a collar. While working with Ego is a prison sentence in its own right, the artwork suggests that her ambition and future isn't connected to the outcome of Blue Lock. It can also be interpreted as a nod to the hierarchy within Blue Lock. Anri is Ego's boss and thus, she is free while he is constrained. However...

Zoom in on the reflection on her phone screen. It appears to reflect a wide grin—which can only be one person's. Taking into account her passivity in chapter 247, this detail positions Anri as Ego's accomplice: willing to do his bidding, no matter how amoral.

Volume 19: Michael Kaiser

Kaiser's collar and chains are made of glass, through which his blue rose tattoo is visible. As chapter 243 told us, a blue rose represents the impossible to Kaiser. Glass chains suggests that his ego or ties to football are fragile, and could be broken easily. Symbolically, glass can also represent transparency. As a character, Kaiser is upfront about his talent and desires. Nobody is in doubt about his footballing mantra or his intent to undermine Isagi.

Volume 20: Alexis Ness

Ness's chains are entwined with blue rose brambles, all but for a short length to the top right of the image. While Ness came to love football independently, seeing it as magical, the rose brambles show that his connection to football is now inseparable from his devotion to Kaiser. It also reflects that Ness would not be a professional footballer without Kaiser, as per chapter 242/243.

Volume 24: Hiori Yo

Hiori is the only character shown holding the end of his chain, which is secured by a football-shaped weight. This suggests that Hiori himself is the one in control of his career, rather than external forces. Football is a burden to him, albeit something he can carry. Therefore, Hiori is not ensnared by the chains (or Blue Lock) to the same extent as other characters. Appropriate for a character guaranteed to succeed as a footballer, but who ultimately may not choose to pursue it.

Volume 25: Niko Ikki

Niko's volume cover is hilarious. I'll leave the explaining to Tomo-tan, who lays out the humour and genius of Niko's cover in this great Reddit post.

Volume 26: Don Lorenzo

Members of the New Generation World XI have no chill when it comes to their covers, and Don Lorenzo is no exception. His collar shows bite marks, as though chewed through. Gold teeth are good for more than caramel popcorn, apparently.

Lorenzo's chains are accompanied by what looks like electricity. This suggests that football reanimated Lorenzo from near death, as per chapter 216. It's a visual nod to his playstyle, which resembles the incessant pursuit of a zombie. Guess we can call him Snuffy's Monster.

Volume 27: Sendou Shuuto

A blue glow appears on Sendou’s chains, halted from travelling further by his fist. This may represent the threat Blue Lock poses to Sendou's footballing career. He's already been kicked as the striker of the national team; now in the Neo Egoist League, he must battle for a place on the new U20 line-up. No easy feat, as his sweaty face implies.

Another detail worth mentioning is that the trajectory of one of Sendou's chains appear to align with the chain Aiku's pulling in his cover. This similarity, and the fact that they're both holding their chains, may be interpreted as a nod to their status as former U20 teammates—likely the only ones that will make the new team, going off the latest NEL auction table.

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boinin · 8 months

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I've been thinking about where everybody sleeps in the German wing. We know Kurona, Isagi, Hiori and Yukimiya share a dorm room.

This seems harmonious. With the exception of Yukimiya and Isagi's tiff between the Barcha and Manshine matches, this group of four get on quite well. They're all well-mannered and respectful individuals (off the pitch). Perhaps they all agreed to bunk together.

If four to a room is standard, my headcanon is that the next room is occupied by these guys:

Raichi, Igaguri and Gagamaru are a package deal at this point. They're used to each other's quirks. Neru's cheerful enough to fit in with their clique. I can see him agreeing to room with the other three.

It seems likely that the German players may sleep separately to the Blue Lock players. While there's no evidence for this, we also don't see co-mingling between the two cohorts outside of matches, besides Kaiser barging into the locker-room or using communal areas like the training/AV rooms. Dorming separately also gives everyone a chance to take out the translators during rest periods.

If the German dorms are separate from the Blue Lock ones, then that leaves these two:

Bringing us to the point of this post.

An elaborate ploy to make you imagine these two as the world's most anti-social roommates.

#apologies if you were expecting a serious conclusion #but do you see the vision #emo!gami and kiyora the goth kid: a match made in heaven /s #kiyora doesn't ask questions and kunigami spends every waking minute training #so kiyora gets introvert time in their dorm alone. they can shelter there from the other nerds. both are satisfied with the arrangement #low key rooting for them to be unlikely friends now #less delulu possibility: there's a five bed dorm (given other stratums have nine bllk players)#so kiyora could be bunking with raichi & co while Kunigami gets his own bedroom to brood in or is lumped in with the Germans #but let me imagine these two being the least communicative roommates of all time I'm having fun #blue lock #blue lock manga #bastard munchen #shitpost #boinin talks bllk #kunigami rensuke #kiyora jin

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boinin · 2 months

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Flower language (Hanakotoba) analysis for the latest collaboration: Blue Lock x Birthday Flower (Part 2)

disclaimer: the flowers referenced are best guesses given that these are cartoon illustrations. Few of these appear to be their actual birthday month flower. Flower language meanings cited from wikipedia and hananokotoba.com.

Nagi Gardenia: secret love

Reo Marigold: jealousy, despair, grief

Rin Aster: remembrance, "I won't forget you."

Sae Sunflower: respect, passionate love, radiance, false riches

#blue lock #blue lock analysis #nagi seishiro #mikage reo #nagireo #itoshi rin #itoshi sae #just for fun #of course reo's is loaded with intent. of COURSE #also rin lmao. stay salty my son #boinin talks bllk #mine

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boinin · 2 months

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Conspiracy theory of the week

Although Isagi uses this example to explain what "self style" egoists think is most important, the attitudes displayed here are Isagi's own.

In short, Isagi is interested in and motivated to seek:

Love

Money

Art as a hobby

Video games as a hobby

He's not really bothered about:

Education

Fashion

Making friends or expanding his social circle (lmfao tell that to everyone in bllk, they can't get enough of him)

Finally, he dislikes and avoids baseball.

This is intended as a shitpost, but...

Me being me, I decided to find receipts 🫠 Canon is with me on this surprisingly, at least in some cases. From the wiki:

When it comes to education, Isagi's not into theory-heavy subjects like STEM. He also signals out art alongside PE as his favourite subject. Although he doesn't note art as a hobby, he does like football video games.

This is all we have on the romance front from the Egoist Bible. We also know he didn't receive any Valentine's Day chocolates prior to Blue Lock. 🥲 RIP Isagi's love life. I'm taking the diagram to mean Isagi sees himself wanting a relationship in future.

From this Reddit post of translations of Egoist Bible character polls:

It's not much, but neither Isagi or the others rank him as much of a studier. (I find it really funny that the characters think Rin and Sae are top-notch brainiacs, but that's outside the scope of this exercise).

Isagi's attitude towards fashion? I mean...

This is what the guy chose to wear on his one outing from football prison. 🙃 Nuff said.

My most tenuous evidence comes courtesy of the light novel. It revealed Isagi has unusually keen senses, particularly eyesight and hearing:

Going off this, baseball, with the crack of bats, frequent announcements and loud cheers, might be sensory overload for Isagi. Football must be less overwhelming, at least if you're a player?

The French scanlation of the chapter 254 diagram makes reference to baseball being 'too loud', which also guided my thinking on this.

While Isagi isn't outwardly materialistic in the same way Reo or Shidou are, it's not beyond his interest. I know he was staring at the bids because he's so hung up on beating Rin... but money comes into it too for Isagi. If only because, players with the highest bids = strikers with the most outstanding talent. It's a status symbol for him.

As for the friends thing? No evidence needed. Y'all know Isagi would throw each and every friend he has under the bus, if it gets him closer to being the top striker 💀

It doesn't mean he's not a nice person or antisocial. I interpret it as, being a social butterfly isn't something that drives Isagi. He's more interested in other pursuits.

This in-universe character polls say it well: Isagi's a good communicator, rather than someone with heaps of friends. His calm personality and insight draws people in, rather than him seeking out friends or followers.

#blue lock #bllk #bllk manga #shitpost #isagi yoichi #blue lock analysis #bllk analysis #boinin talks bllk #mine #is it really a shitpost when you start pulling sources to back it up? prolly not #anyway this isn't serious #just spreading the brainrot with y'all

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boinin · 8 months

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This chapter illustration from the latest chapter really struck me, outside of being gorgeous. It's not obviously connected to the manga arc, until you start thinking about it.

Firstly, from Wikipedia: "A torii is a traditional Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine, where it symbolically marks the transition from the mundane to the sacred and a spot where kami [deities or spirits] are welcomed and thought to travel through."

The location depicted in this artwork is the Fushimi Inari-Taisha, dedicated to the kami Inari. Among many things, including foxes, Inari is associated with general prosperity and success, as well as swordsmiths. It's a fitting setting for these teammates. Bastard Munchen's crest predominantly features a sword.

Secondly, let's consider the positions and actions of the characters.

Isagi is walking the furthest ahead, having passed many sets of gates already, pointing at something. Kurona is at his side.

Yuki lags behind them. Instead of watching Isagi, he's consulting a leaflet or a map. His glasses are opaque, maybe a stylistic choice. But (at a stretch), this depiction is a nod to his literal and figurative short-sightedness. Yukimiya doesn't accept Isagi as the protagonist or take orders from him. Hence he remains behind.

As for Hiori, he is depicted at the beginning of the gates, alone. Unlike the others, he is looking backwards, not forward. With the way the wind is blowing, and the autumnal motif (autumn representing harvest, change and approaching death), the image evokes a sense of melancholy and farewell despite the bright colours.

Hiori is looking back at the mundane for the last time, before stepping through the gates onto sacred ground. He finally joins Isagi, Kurona and Yukimiya on their footballing journey.

#dusting off my degree in literature to overanalyse pretty manga art #i could keep going (dead leaves = fallen players) but i'll stay in my lane #“sometimes the curtains are just blue” NEVEEEER #blue lock #blue lock manga #blue lock manga spoilers #blue lock spoilers #bllk official art #bllk chp 232 #hiori yo #isagi yoichi #kurona ranze #yukimiya kenyu #bastard munchen #mine #boinin talks bllk

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boinin · 2 months

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Oh angry little tangerine, did Ego program you to speak like an automaton as well as behave like one?

One thing I've noticed (or maybe I'm just insane—I'm rarely sane about Kunigami), is that dude looks particularly desperate in this match. His eyes seem bigger and wider, but also... more clear.

His eyes and demeanor were more closed off earlier in the NEL, per a cursory scan. Excuse the clumsy collage. I've colour-coded the panels based on what match they come from.

Kunigami looks more dead behind the eyes during the Barcha and Manshine matches. This is also true of any time he has a conversation with Isagi or other old friends, like in chapter 213. There's a sense of exhaustion and cynicism from him.

He also has this focused vibe at times, where his eyes aren't fully shaded. As is the case with other characters, this is meant to create a sense of alienation and awe. It dehumanises him somewhat, and reinforces that Kunigami isn't the sweet-hearted tough guy from Team Z anymore. This is the Wild Card survivor.

Then, there's a handful of times where Kunigami looks more open and vulnerable.

The first (and most significant) is after Isagi passes to him during the Barcha match, leading to his winning goal. He's less automaton here, and more human in his confusion. It's only temporary though, and Kunigami is back to acting closed-off when he speaks to Isagi afterwards.

During the Manshine match, Chigiri out-manoeuvres him to score, catching Kunigami off guard. But his surprise seems rooted in frustration rather than whatever he experienced in the Barcha match. Again, there's little reaction when Chigiri taunts him and Isagi afterwards.

The last example I found is from the Ubers match, during his "don't forget about this dark horse" solo run. His desperation is clear: he looks more human than he did in either of the Barcha or Manshine matches. A subtle vibe shift from how he comes across earlier in the league.

I'm theorising that these instances are snippets of the 'real' Kunigami peaking through whatever Ego programmed him to be. Hopefully we'll see more of this inner conflict later in the PXG match.

#i am reliably insane about kunigami #take this latest half-baked analyses of him as proof #blue lock #blue lock manga #blue lock manga spoilers #blue lock spoilers #kunigami rensuke #boinin talks bllk #mine

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boinin · 3 months

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Chapter 249 is a masterclass in how to portray action visually.

The majority of it is characters intercepting the ball from one another. Nothing new there. But the sense of pace and momentum is unreal. Yes, I'm here for the insane sound bites and shipbait—but the art continues to take my breath away.

There's a few match-ups straight off the bat. Shidou seems to have decided to measure himself against Kaiser this match. I love the idea of these two physicality-driven players going head to head. Hope they get to strut their stuff in future chapters.

Karasu gets the best panel of the chapter—and knows it. It's impressive that he manages to steal possession from Kaiser of all people.

But everyone has their moment (bar Kiyora). It's great seeing all of PXG in top form, and Bastard München rising up to meet them. The glee with which Isagi beats Rin is the cherry on top.

Kunigami gets a minor cameo in the last panel. While I don't want to preach false hope, it's reassuring to see him play a prominent role in the first chapter of the match.

Interestingly, he seems to have intentionally sent that pass to Raichi. Kunigami's known to be exceptionally good at stealing and maintaining possession. If he was still playing as he did in the Ubers or Manshine match, you'd expect him to dribble solo with the ball against PXG. Hmm.

What's going on in his little edgy brain? I can't wait to find out.

#blue lock #bllk #blue lock spoilers #blue lock manga spoilers #isagi yoichi #michael kaiser #shidou ryusei #karasu tabito #hiori yo #itoshi rin #kunigami rensuke #raichi jingo #bllk chp 249 #boinin talks bllk

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boinin · 2 months

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Flower language (Hanakotoba) analysis for the latest collaboration: Blue Lock x Birthday Flower (Part 1)

disclaimer: the flowers referenced are best guesses given that these are cartoon illustrations. Few of these appear to be their actual birthday flower. Flower language meanings cited from wikipedia and hananokotoba.com.

Isagi Daisy: faith, innocence, beauty

Bachira Azalea: patience, modesty

Kunigami (Californian) poppy: yellow poppies represent success; the orange Californian poppy has the message "do not refuse me".

Chigiri African daisy/osteospermum: no specific meaning within Japanese flower language. This source says they can represent hope, optimism, and a positive outlook on life.

#blue lock #blue lock analysis #isagi yoichi #bachira meguru #kunigami rensuke #chigiri hyoma #just for fun #not 100% certain on kunigami's but there's little else they could be #zinnia or geum are my next guess #anyway I'm coming with nagireo's in a sec (siiiiigh)#boinin talks bllk #mine

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boinin · 4 months

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I wonder...

Is Isagi successful in BL because he's so prone to swallowing Ego's unhinged advice without question? Then goes on to execute it, come hell or high water?

He's the only one listening like he's having a epiphany 🙃 everyone's else is just like... 'kay. Go off, you crazy bastard.

Anyway, Ego really stoked him up for a confrontation with PXG. Have to wonder, did he go give every team a talking to, or just BM?

What d'you think he told Barcha 💀

This chapter also gave us this dope double spread of Nagireo 🔥

Reo's so gorgeous but wary looking in that long panel. You can tell he's remembering what happened last time Nagi started talking about needing to change 🥹

But unlike before, Nagi's giving him a say in the process. It's not I need to change, but let's change Reo. Together. Both of them this time.

Is that... character development I see?? whoaaa

Barcha's odds just dropped fam, cos Kaneshiro's bbygrl is having his comeback arc

#blue lock #blue lock manga #blue lock spoilers #blue lock manga spoilers #bllk #bllk manga #ego jinpachi #isagi yoichi #nagi seishiro #mikage reo #nagireo #bllk chp 247 #boinin talks bllk

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boinin · 3 months

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I didn't want to give too much weight to Hiiragi's tarot reading schtick. Yet, it's an author insert moment, and Kaneshiro loves foreshadowing. I have a worrying feeling that these fortunes may hold true for Chigiri, Barou and Nagi.

Full disclosure: I know very little about tarot, but did some high level reading through Wikipedia and other sources.

Chigiri gets the 15th card of the Major Arcana, the Devil. In the official translation, Hiiragi notes this to represent seduction, betrayal and ruin. Oof.

The obvious connection is to Chigiri's leg—the fortune could be tied to how he was seduced by football, became addicted to it, but will subsequently be betrayed by his leg... leading to ruin.

The Devil tarot card doesn't normally show a bomb, so this is for dramatic effect. Thematically, it implies that Chigiri should find purpose (or know where to seek it) beyond football, ahead of the day his luck runs out. 🥺 Not the outcome I want for our princess, but a second ACL injury has long been speculated by fans. Chigiri himself is aware that it's a risk when playing at this level.

Barou chooses number 12, the Hanged Man. Hiiragi cherry-picks his interpretation; in addition, this card is associated with motifs of self-sacrifice, learning, and change in perspective. It can also be interpreted as a voluntary state, rather than something that befalls a person.

It's a good fit for Barou, who doesn't double down on his ego so much as grow to show why he's deserving of his nickname in the first place. Barou is a king on the pitch, and expects a level of servitude from his teammates, but not without constantly improving his own skills and talent. He's no lazy despot, though despot he may be.

The Hanged Man fortunes supports his emotional outburst during the Ubers match. Barou remarks that he needs the challenge of despair to grow. As such, the trials he puts on himself are deliberate, much like the tarot reading suggests.

Nagi gets #13, Death (because of course he does). This fortune seems to be the most thoughtful of the bunch, unsurprisingly. Hiiragi's interpretation, while intended to provoke Nagi above all, holds up well against what little I've read on tarot.

The Wikipedia page for the Death arcana had some additional nuggets of insight, or rather further ammunition for those of us manifesting a second NagiReo divorce:

Reo is frequently referred to as princely and compared to royalty in the series, with his superfluous wealth and the way he confidently takes on leadership roles among teams. His signature colour, purple, has monarchial associations due to how rare and expensive purple pigments are in nature (prior to the invention of synthetic dyes).

Of course Reo, this royal youth, opposes Nagi's desire to change... seemingly at every hurdle.

It's not deliberate sabotage though, more that they're hamstrung by their co-dependency. Unlike almost every other relationship in Blue Lock, which arose from rivalry or a shared desire to improve, Nagi and Reo's friendship is rooted in the naive promises they made before entering the programme. @thyandrawrites had a great post exploring this recently, which I recommend if you want to delve deeper into the reasons for their underperformance in the Neo Egoist league.

My take is, in essence, if these two could agree to remain friends while moving away from being inseperable on the pitch, they'd both flourish.

Back to tarot: Wikipedia also has a tidbit on reversed cards, which I understand aren't a hardwired aspect of reading tarot (it refers to physical cards that are revealed upside down after being shuffled and dealt). The interpretation Wikipedia gives of an inverted Death card is reminiscent of Nagi's status after he plays against Isagi and Bastard München.

In short: Nagireo bad for one another, and Nagi will undergo quite the metamorphosis in his journey through Blue Lock, if this fortune holds.

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Analysis aside, I wouldn't put too much faith into what these fortunes mean for the characters. Tarot itself isn't immutable, and for every motif listed above, the characters also have other tropes influencing the paths they take. For example, Chigiri shares the whole hero/princess trope with Kunigami, which has more plot significance than his leg injury at present. Nagi embodies the role of a natural prodigy who has neither the knowledge or experience to deploy his talents consistently. Barou embodies an villain or anti-hero archetype, when juxtaposed with Isagi. Each character has more to the eye than a simple playing card can reveal which is why I'm here yapping at length about them during my lunch break

#blue lock #blue lock manga #bllk #bllk manga #episode nagi #epinagi chp 19 #hiiragi reiji #chigiri hyoma #baro shoei #nagi seishiro #mikage reo #blue lock analysis #bllk analysis #boinin talks bllk

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boinin · 5 months

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Kaiser's characterisation and the flashback's position in the timeline

Chapter 243's official English release is available, and it's the most insight we've had into Kaiser (and Ness's dedication to him) since they've been introduced. So forgive my rambling.

My initial impression of Kaiser in this chapter was that Rin has a rival for the mantle of edgiest teenager. Did that little diatribe cut his tongue on its way out?

More seriously, have a lengthy analysis of both the timeline and Kaiser's character under the cut, featuring references to Christianity. Years of Catholic upbringing are finally paying off /s

Timeline

I always get hung up on event dates when it comes to Blue Lock (cos I write post-canon stuff and like to keep the lore consistent). It seems like the Bastard Munich try-outs took place not that long before the Neo Egoist League started—maybe as little as a year beforehand?

I believe the flashback takes place around April 2018, or the year before at the earliest. Here's my reasoning.

The panels of the outdoors in chapters 242 and 243 give spring vibes. More tellingly, Kaiser and Ness don't seem all that much younger than they do in the NEL. The main indicator of time elapsing between the flashback and the present manga setting is the addition of Kaiser's crown and thorns.

There's no legislation underpinning the legal status of tattooing in Germany (same as Ireland). But the industry tends to self regulate in the absence of law; another source mentioned that in Germany, people aged 16 or 17 may receive a tattoo only with the consent and/or presence of their legal guardian.

Did Kaiser have anyone in his life willing to accompany him to get a neck tattoo before he turned 18? My hunch is not, based on what he's hinted at in this chapter. So maybe he is 18 in this flashback... or maybe he got a back-alley tattooist to do the rose for him while underage. 🤷‍♀️

In any case, he was likely 18 by the time he got the sleeve done, putting him at either 18 or 19 during the Neo Egoist League. I like @echari3's theory that he's a Christmas baby for reasons I'm about to touch on; that would put him at 19 as of 25 December 2018. He can't be any older; otherwise, he'd be playing in the regular men's league, not at U20 level.

Ness is outwardly quite impressionable and childlike, so he strikes me as being younger than Kaiser or even Isagi—maybe 17 during the NEL? But who knows.

Strange trinity: Kaiser's characterisation

Anyway, back to Kaiser. This is something echari3 has already talked about, as have others, but this chapter further supports the allegories around how Kaiser is perceived (or portrayed) as a Christ-like figure.

The way he offers his hand to Ness—someone in despair, who lacks camaraderie and vision—gives strong Jesus vibes. At least visually; in terms of dialogue, Kaiser speaks like a kid who's decided swearing every other sentence makes him sound tough. But I digress.

Furthermore, Kaiser is capable of "miracles"... at least in a footballing sense. The way this scruffy kid drives a reversal of fortune in this game defies expectations.

His strong kicks and positioning sense are awe-inspiring to Ness, who looks at Kaiser like he's his personal saviour by the end of the match. Because he is. Through Kaiser's intervention, Ness is able to leave his cruel family home and pursue "magic" as a professional footballer. He becomes his first follower.

Kaiser goes on to get thorns tattooed around his arm, as well as a crown on his hand. A crown made of thorns is heavily associated with Jesus Christ (another nod to echari3, who made this connection in her post 💙).

If I had more time to re-read the NEL volumes, there's further similarities between Christ and Kaiser that I'd like to delve into. For one thing, as of the Ubers match, Kaiser is close to being persecuted by Isagi and his teammates, who seek to establish their own dominance over Bastard Munchen. His role as the "king" is being questioned, as Christ's claim to be the Son of God was. It'll be interesting to see how that pans out. Will Kaiser punish the non-believers... or will he be betrayed? Will he appear to die... only to be resurrected at a future date? *cough* the U20 World Cup

Anyway, that's a post for another time. The Christian symbolism doesn't end here though; it just takes a swerve in later panels.

Anyone familiar with the Bible will be aware Kaiser is overtly connected with that mythos: he is named after Michael, a high-ranked archangel. The name itself can be interpreted to mean “who is like God?” (a rhetorical question, since there are none like God according to scripture), or alternatively “gift from God.”

The Biblical angel has many roles and associations, but he is primarily regarded as a warrior, acting as the leader of Heaven's army. Furthermore, Wikipedia references a source which states: "He is viewed as the angelic model for the virtues of the "spiritual warrior", his conflict with evil taken as "the battle within"".

This all tracks in respect of Kaiser's characterisation. He is a strong, tall player with incredible strength, endurance and accuracy. He has a weapon (Kaiser Impact) and appears both omniscient (due to MV) and omnipresent (due to his good playmaking and positioning sense) at the start of the NEL. He's exceptional in every sense. He also has some... issues, psychologically. There's definitely a struggle going on under that ridiculous mullet.

But Kaiser's dialogue in the blue rose panel is interesting. He states that the rose symbolises "making the impossible possible in a rebellion against God". This wording brings to mind another Biblical figure: also an angel, but, er... on the opposite side.

This verbal allusion to Satan tracks with Kaiser's rather villainous aspiration to cause his rivals despair. It fits well, being that the Devil is said to reside in Hell, a place that is almost always depicted as being deep underground.

In conclusion, Kaiser's characterisation is multifaceted. He has the ability to inspire and lead others; he is capable of miracles; he is comparable to a god among U20 league footballers; he is waging a war on behalf of Bastard Munchen against his Japanese teammates; and he desires to send all his rivals to metaphorical hell. God, Angel and Devil, all in one. He's his own strange Trinity.

Without further information about his backstory and the reason for his desire to overcome "God", it's hard to draw conclusions. But he's certainly a fascinating little jerk.

I have some theories on what Kaiser's life looked like before meeting Ness, but that warrants its own post another time.

#blue lock #blue lock manga #blue lock manga spoilers #blue lock spoilers #bllk chp 242 #alexis ness #michael kaiser #kainess #mine #blue lock analysis #bllk analysis #boinin talks bllk #long post #tw christianity

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boinin · 6 months

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The dust has settled on Ubers versus Bastard Munchen. Any of us rooting for the Italian side have had to reconsider our theories for the PXG match. It's now being pitched as a battle of the NEL titans, rather than the scrappy underdog match-up some of us were hoping for.

I'm still excited for PXG v BM, as it means we'll get a definitive victor. Not just for the NEL, but for Blue Lock. It'll be either Isagi or Rin, just like in the U20 match.

But beyond that, there's a couple things I'd really like to see addressed. Namely around the master strikers... and the enigma that is Julian Loki.

Loki was introduced much earlier than his colleagues Lavinho, Chris Prince or Snuffy, preceded only by Noel Noa.

Unlike the other masters though, Loki is seventeen. Younger than many of the kids he's coaching... everyone but Rin and Nanase, so far as we know.

Given the other master coaches appear to be at minimum in their mid 20s to late 30s, Loki must have something extremely special going for him to be selected over another player... because whatever way you look at it, his age and inexperience pose a significant red flag.

You should not ask a seventeen year old to monitor a training camp for other teenagers. Come on. I bet Anri was banging her head off a desk when Ego informed her of this decision.

Anyway, building on this train of thought, Loki must have some heft both as a player and a coach to secure this gig. We know he's talented, from the World 5 game (third selection). We also know he's the "top rising star", at least in the French league. But why on earth was he chosen to be a master coach? Is it just to sell BLLK TV subscriptions?

Despite his relative inexperience, there's something about him that puts him in the same league as Noa, Snuffy, Prince and Lavinho, as both a player and a mentor. The question is, how will they establish this?

I have a vague prediction that would sell how good a coach he's been.

Each time so far, the Star Change System has been invoked by the opposing coach. Namely, Lavinho, Prince and Snuffy. Noa's never been particularly happy about it.

Imagine a scenario where PXG are destroying BM, as a result of their disjointed teamwork.

Rin has blown through their defence twice to score, and BM are visibly losing hope. Isagi's spilling puzzle pieces everywhere trying to come up with a countermeasure. But he needs time to think.

Right about then, if Noa decided to substitute on through the Star Change System... it would serve as a powerful commentary.

If resident frigid bastard Noel Noa has to row in to support his team, that says a lot about how well Loki has coached his players.

Does this overly rely on the PXG team's innate talent? Kinda. But you could say say the same for BM and Noa, who's managed to coax fantastic performances from his team in spite of his supposed hands-off approach. We only see things through Isagi's perspective. It's possible Noa's coached the others (such as Jin and Neru) off screen.

In essence: BM have raw talent, about the same as PXG. But the coaches are the ones who've polished it to a killer sharpness. You could argue Barcha were such pushovers because of Lavinho's refusal to refine their footballing early on. Manshine held up better, but like Lavinho Prince let his own narcissism get in the way against BM. Ubers were the hardest to beat, because Snuffy trained all of his players evenly.

So yeah: speculation for now, but I'm curious to see how they're going to justify Julien's placement as a Master Coach. Here's hoping we get some insight during the downtime chapters.

#blue lock #blue lock spoilers #blue lock manga spoilers #bllk speculation #bllk analysis #julien loki #noel noa #neo egoist league #bastard munchen #paris x gen #boinin talks bllk #mine #this got rambly #but a fun thing to wonder about

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