Sports anime are on the same level as Shonen anime when it comes to hype. Out of all the simulcasts I’m currently watching, BLUELOCK is the one that gets me excited every week. I haven’t read the manga so I went into the show blind, but as soon as the first episode ended, I knew I was in for a ride. So, as one does for anything they’re hyperfixated on, here are my favorite jaw-dropping moments from the show.

 

*Spoilers ahead!*

 

Isagi Knocks Out Kira

 

 

Listen, I know there are a ton of other moments I could’ve picked to start us off, but I’m not lying when I said the ending of the first episode made me gasp. As soon as Kira appeared on the screen, I already liked him more than Isagi, and you know what? It’s the character design buff. I thought Kira would be Isagi’s rival throughout the show, but when Isagi awakens his monster and knocks Kira’s lights out, resulting in his elimination from BLUELOCK, I sat there stunned. 

 

I was so tempted to look up spoilers and find out if Kira makes a comeback, but I told myself that if I wanted to keep getting surprised every week, I need to stop looking at the Twitter hashtags. This moment set the tone for the show; the only way to survive BLUELOCK is to challenge and eliminate your strongest opponents. And that Isagi did. 

 

Kuon’s Betrayal

 

 

I should’ve seen the red flags as soon as Kuon showed up because you know any character whose eyes stay closed will turn out evil. In the beginning, Kuon is like the mom of the group — he tries to keep the peace within the team and forms strategies for their upcoming matches. I really thought he’d be the type of character who’s just too caring for his own good, but lo and behold, he was far from it! He became problematic the moment he switched teams during their match against Team W (the most annoying team). 

 

RELATED: Soccer Expert Breaks Down the Ego of BLUELOCK

Something was already fishy when Kuon kept scoring goals, so the moment he revealed his true intentions, I flipped (not sides obviously). Kuon later “redeems” himself, and his backstory explains why he’s in it to win it for himself, but when he slinks off to bargain with Team V right in front of his own team, I couldn’t find it in me to forgive the guy. Team Z deserves a better soccer mom. 

 

Chigiri Breaks His Chains

 

 

Long-haired male characters are my weakness and Chigiri is no exception. So of course I was waiting for the moment he’d break his “chains” and start zooming across the field to score for the team and turn the tide. I’m a sucker for backstories about an injured athlete who went through physical therapy and recovered but not mentally. Sometimes your biggest enemy is yourself, and that’s what Chigiri dealt with up until his breaking point when he makes his stand and proves to everyone on both teams that he was meant to be at BLUELOCK. 

 

RELATED: BLUELOCK Voice Actor Aaron Dismuke Shares His Emotional Breakthrough With Chigiri

 

I’m so happy Chigiri has his moment to shine, even more so when Isagi later chooses him in the third stage of the second selection because he knows just how valuable Chigiri’s speed is on the field. Many characters are fighting each other and themselves, but seeing Chigiri be more confident in his strength which he once saw as a weakness made me soft. 

 

Isagi Devours Barou

 

 

There can be a sense of justice in seeing a bully get their comeuppance (not endorsing bullying, though). Barou “The King” getting devoured by Isagi is one of my favorite moments because he’s so full of himself and refuses to cooperate with his team so much that he doesn’t realize that’s what’s holding him back. Barou gets the most brutal wake-up call from Isagi who scores without Barou’s help and, as the cherry on top, Isagi calls him a donkey this time around. Who doesn’t love a good revenge story, even if it’s against his own teammate? 

 

RELATED: Would You Survive the BLUELOCK Selection?

Even though BLUELOCK is all about building your ego and becoming the best striker, you can’t turn a blind eye to teamwork. Barou realizes he’s no longer the main character of his story and he can’t control everything. No longer does he live in this fantasy that he’s a king and everyone else is a peasant — the reality is that Isagi is on a higher level now.
 

Barou “The Villain” Becomes Rin’s Anomaly

 

 

From what I’ve said about Barou so far, it sounds like I detest the guy, but that’s far from the truth. Aside from the fact that he’s a neat freak (to which I can relate), he went from “King” to “Villain” in the match against the top three players (plus Bachira). While Isagi is out on the field trying to find the missing puzzle piece to beating Rin, Barou has been on the hunt, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike — and he did! 

 

His character development is evident in the red lightning streaks emanating off of his body, a dramatic, visual representation of a character’s talents. Before, I was annoyed that Barou refused to cooperate with his team, but during this moment? A champ. I don’t think there’s a character more infuriating than Rin who’s worse than Barou in terms of sitting high on his mighty horse. So when Barou becomes the anomaly to Rin’s strategy, it gave me immense joy to see Rin finally crack. 

 

What were your favorite moments that blew your mind? Let me know in the comments! 

 

Watch BLUELOCK on Crunchyroll!