Fall 2024 Preview: Blue Lock Season 2

Key Takeaways

Blue Lock Season 2, “Blue Lock vs. U-20 Japan,” premieres on October 5th, 2024, following a significant arc from the manga.
The new season will focus on the top 35 strikers aiming to form a team to challenge Japan’s U-20 national team.
Many familiar characters and voice cast members will return, along with new cast members. The season will consist of 14 episodes.

As someone who has been following Blue Lock since its inception, I can confidently say that this anime has become a significant part of my life. The wait for season two has felt like an eternity, but finally, it seems the day has come! Just like how Rin Itoshi and his teammates have to push through their limits to score, I’ve had to endure countless sleepless nights and endless scrolling through social media to keep up with any news about the new season.

Blue Lock, stylized as BLUELOCK, is an innovative sports anime that made its debut in October 2022. It quickly garnered attention and acclaim for its unique approach to sports anime tropes, even seeming to foreshadow the World Cup that year (to some extent). The anime had a strong first season, spanning both the Fall and Winter 2022 seasons, wrapping up with an impressive 22 episodes. It also concluded with a rating of 8.24 on MyAnimeList.

Two years following its initial debut, the soccer anime “Blue Lock” returns for a second season on October 5th, 2024. Known as “Blue Lock vs. U-20 Japan“, this new chapter will delve into the subsequent significant arc from the manga. Many familiar faces are expected to reappear in the upcoming season. Here’s what we currently know about “Blue Lock vs. U-20 Japan” and a brief overview of what “Blue Lock” entails, as well as its episode count.

Anime Title	Blue Lock vs. U-20 Japan
Anime Series	Blue Lock
Air Date	October 5th, 2024
Studio	8bit

What is Blue Lock Season Two About?

Which Part of the Manga Does it Follow?

In the initial run of “Blue Lock,” approximately half of the published manga was adapted into 11 seasons, encompassing around 90 chapters. This period set the stage for key characters and the unique Blue Lock system, a high-performance training ground specifically designed to nurture Japan’s top striker. The chosen individual would restore Japan’s soccer reputation by scoring goals and ultimately securing victories for the nation.

By the conclusion of season one, all principal figures progressed to what was referred as the Third Round, having successfully navigated the first two rounds and evading elimination. The Third Round signifies the group of top 35 forwards being whittled down, preparing to engage in the subsequent challenge with limited knowledge other than they will encounter young soccer players from across the globe. Given the title “Blue Lock vs. U-20 Japan“, it’s reasonable to anticipate that the storyline will heavily revolve around the arc involving the U-20 Japan team.

In this part of the manga, the objective for the 35 competitors is to narrow down to an elite squad of 11, who will then face off against Japan’s current U-20 national team. This journey involves a series of daunting and extraordinary trials, even more demanding than those experienced in the initial season, testing the characters to their utmost limits as they strive for a place among the final 11. The climactic match will be broadcast, so the pressure is intense for all involved. The final 11 forwards must collaborate effectively against a well-balanced team of Japan’s top players, while simultaneously aiming to emerge victorious. Only one forward will ultimately triumph and claim the Blue Lock trophy in the end.

What Characters Will Be in Blue Lock Season Two?

Many Old Faces, and Some New Ones, Too

According to DigitalSpy’s report based on the manga, it seems that several familiar characters and voice actors may reprise their roles.

• Yoichi Isagi – Kazuki Ura (Japanese), Ricco Fajardo (English)

• Meguru Bachira – Kaito Tasuku (Japanese), Drew Breedlove (English)

• Jinpachi Ego – Hiroshi Kamiya (Japanese), Derick Snow (English)

• Seishiro Nagi – Nobunaga Shimazaki (Japanese), Bryson Baugus (English)

• Shōei Barō – Junichi Suwabe (Japanese), Matthew David Rudd (English)

• Hyoma Chigiri – Soma Saito (Japanese), Aaron Dismuke (English)

• Rin Itoshi – Kouki Uchiyama (Japanese), Matt Shipman (English)

• Jyubei Aryu – Katsuyuki Konishi (Japanese), Bradley Gareth (English)

• Aoshi Tokimitsu – Shinnosuke Tachibana (Japanese), Jordan Dash Cruz (English)

• Rensuke Kunigami – Yuuki Ono (Japanese), Alex Hom (English)

Recently, a handful of fresh faces have been added to the cast, such as Eiji Mikami portraying Yo Hiori, Kakeru Hatano taking on Nijiro Nanase, Satoshi Hino assuming the role of Oliver Aiku, and Akihisa Wakayama becoming Shūto Sendō. These characters are set to make their first appearance in Blue Lock vs. U-20 Japan, with their debut happening soon. Furthermore, the opening theme will be “Bо̄jaku no Charisma,” sung by Unison Square Garden, who previously performed the final songs for season one.

When and Where Will Blue Lock Season Two Air?

Get Ready to Stream Blue Lock

Episode Nagi” was released on April 19th, 2024, initially in Japanese theaters but later screened worldwide, including the US and UK, both subtitled and dubbed versions, later in the same year.

The specific release date for the upcoming anime season had remained uncertain until May 2024, when the official account of X (formerly known as Twitter) revealed that it would premiere in October of the same year. This announcement was accompanied by a unique illustration from the manga’s artist, Yusuke Nomura. Later at Anime Expo 2024, during the Crunchyroll panel discussing industry news, it was confirmed that the new season would be available on Crunchyroll synchronously with its Japanese release. The official date is now set for October 5th, and the series will consist of 14 episodes, with both Japanese and international audiences able to watch it on Crunchyroll.

In a matter of just a few weeks, the long-anticipated return of the anime series “Blue Lock” is upon us! For two years now, fans have been buzzing with excitement, and it seems that “Blue Lock‘s” popularity in Japan has remained strong. This is likely due to the continuous collaborations taking place at various businesses and events throughout the country. The ongoing manga series has also been a significant factor, as even during the hiatus between anime seasons, new chapters of the manga were released. However, the wait for more anime is almost over! In just a few short weeks, “Blue Lock” will be back to continue its captivating storyline.

Don’t miss out on the first season of “Blue Lock” available right now on Crunchyroll! The highly anticipated match between “Blue Lock” and U-20 Japan will be aired on October 5th, 2024.

Sources: DigitalSpy, AnimeNewsNetwork

2024-09-15 20:33