BLUELOCK Soccer Manga Reaches 15 Million Copies in Print Thanks to TV Anime & World Cup
Japanese publisher Kodansha announced today that Muneyuki Kaneshiro (story) and Yusuke Nomura’s (art) soccer-themed sports manga BLUELOCK has reached 15 million copies in print.
The manga has been serialized in Kodansha’s Weekly Shonen Magazine since August 2018 and its latest 22nd tankobon volume will be released in Japan this Friday. And its TV anime adaptation has been aired in Japan since October 8 and has also been simulcast on Crunchyroll for its members in North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East and CIS.
As reported, the manga reached the 10 million mark in July of this year, so that means five million copies have been added in just five months. The November 7 post of the manga official Twitter wrote it was 12 million copies at the time, and according to Oricon News, it was 13 million copies two weeks before the release of the latest issue of Weekly Shonen Magazine today. The reasons for this sharp increase are, of course, the well-received TV anime that has begun to air and the FIFA World Cup 2022, in which the Japanese national team reached the last 16.
RELATED: BLUELOCK Soccer Manga Gets Stage Play in May 2023
Manga’s 1st and 22nd volume covers:
TV anime trailer:
Synopsis:
After a disastrous defeat at the 2018 World Cup, Japan’s team struggles to regroup. But what’s missing? An absolute Ace Striker, who can guide them to the win. The Japan Football Union is hell-bent on creating a striker who hungers for goals and thirsts for victory, and who can be the decisive instrument in turning around a losing match…and to do so, they’ve gathered 300 of Japan’s best and brightest youth players. Who will emerge to lead the team…and will they be able to out-muscle and out-ego everyone who stands in their way?
In addition, the manga’s new original art exhibition, which is slated to be the largest to date, is scheduled to be held in the spring of 2023. Details will be announced later.
【情報解禁】
「ブルーロック」作品史上最大規模の原画展 2023年春、KICK OFF‼
「ブルーロック展」の詳細は随時こちらの展示会公式アカウントからお伝えいたします。https://t.co/pcEUif3joe#ブルーロック#ブルーロック展#エゴい pic.twitter.com/9BMMrnLg2Z— ブルーロック展【公式】 (@BLUELOCK_TEN) December 13, 2022
Sources: Oricon News, “BLUELOCK Original Art Exhibition” official Twitter
©Muneyuki Kaneshiro, Yusuke Nomura/KODANSHA
©Muneyuki Kaneshiro, Yusuke Nomura, KODANSHA/”BLUELOCK” Production Committee
