Chapter 1 : Dream (English Version)

“In the world of football, we know how to produce elite goalkeepers, and the same goes for defenders and midfielders. However, that is not the case with strikers, because after all, what makes an unparalleled striker… is their appearance in the most critical moments of football.”

 

“2018 World Cup. The Japanese national team loses in the Round of 16.”

 

In a room, several people are gathered around a table, including Sazumi Kamizaki, the director of football, who has come in person.

Anri Teieri New Member of the Japan Football Association

 

Anri: Well… It seems clear, once again, that Japan is at a dead end when it comes to its World Cup performances.

 

Anri: Unless we want to repeat this failure next time, I recommend putting a plan in place.

 

Anri: What do you think, Mr. President?

 

Hirotoshi Buratsuta — JFA President

 

Buratsuta: Huh… We're making good profits… What needs to change?

 

Buratsuta: Football is just business.

 

Sazumi looks at him.

 

Sazumi: …

 

Buratsuta: We could just hire one of those foreign coaches to rekindle the flame in all these Japanese players.

 

Buratsuta: And that way, in the event of a losing streak, we fire the guy and put all the blame on him.

 

Buratsuta: As long as we maintain the national team's brand image, we keep making profits and stay nice and comfortable.

 

Anri: …

 

Buratsuta: What would we do if your "reform" ruined our profits?

 

Buratsuta: I say we should preserve our current situation. It's as simple as that.

 

He turns towards his colleagues.

 

Buratsuta: Hey, guys, do you remember Osim?

 

Colleague 1: Bwahaha!

 

Colleague 2: Do your Oka-chan impression for us.

 

Colleague 3: "Kazu is out!"

 

Colleague 3: "Kazumiura!"

 

Anri: The Japanese national team has been at a standstill for the past 25 years…

 

Anri: For a country represented in the World Cups of every sport…

 

Anri: Maintaining a higher level of quality shouldn't be difficult…

 

Anri: Despite that, forgive me for my harsh words!

 

Anri: But if things don't change, Japan will never win…

 

Her gaze has become much more intense.

 

Anri: We will never win the World Cup.

 

Everyone looks at her.

 

Buratsuta smiles.

 

Buratsuta: Huh?

 

Buratsuta: Anri, don't tell me that… you actually think they can win?

 

Buratsuta: That Japan can win the World Cup?!

 

Anri: It's up to us to create… the ultimate players who will be able to bring us the World Cup!

 

Anri: "We'll win if we keep playing our game."

 

Anri: "Our passing game will take us to the international stage?"

 

Anri: That's what we say every time, but good intentions aren't what will get us past the Round of 16.

 

Buratsuta: I hear you, Anri… But how exactly do you plan to change this situation?

 

Anri: It's up to us to create… the ultimate players who will be able to bring us the World Cup!

 

Anri: And this man is the coach who will tear down the current foundations of our national team.

 

Anri: The coach chosen by Madam Kamizaki…

 

Anri: Jinpachi Ego!

 

In a stadium, national championship qualifiers.

 

Ichinan vs. Matsukaze Kokuo

 

Ichinan 0–1 Matsukaze Kokuo

 

Saitama Prefecture Final.

 

On the bench, Isagi's teammates cheer him on.

 

Teammate 1: Gooo, Isagi! You can do it!!

 

Teammate 2: This is your last chance!! Isagiii!!

 

On the field, Isagi has the ball and there are two opponents trying to block him.

 

Isagi Yoichi Center Forward First-Year Student, Ichinan High School Number 11

 

Isagi (thinking): A victory would take us to the national championship!

 

Isagi dribbles past a Matsukaze Kokuo player.

 

Matsukaze Kokuo Player (thinking): Which way?! Left!? Right!? Left!? Right?!

 

Isagi (thinking): Seriously? It was this way, you idiot!

 

Isagi faces the goalkeeper.

 

Isagi (thinking): One-on-one with the goalkeeper!

 

Isagi (thinking): I have to shoot! I have to shoot!

 

Shohei Inaba Matsukaze Kokuo High School Goalkeeper

 

Isagi (thinking): The championship! Nationals!

 

Tama: Isagiii!

 

Tama: Pass it! I'm open!!

 

Isagi: !?

 

Tama: I can put it in the back of the net!

 

Isagi: …

 

Isagi (thinking): Oh, Tama…

 

Isagi (thinking): If I pass… We'll probably score this goal…

 

Ichinan Coach: What are you waiting for, Isagi?!

 

Ichinan Coach: If you shoot, it's over!

 

Ichinan Coach: One for all and all for oooone!!

 

Isagi (thinking): That's right… Football is… a sport played by 11 people…!

 

He passes the ball to Tama.

 

Tama prepares to shoot.

 

Isagi (thinking): Okay! And that's the equalizer…!

 

Tama shoots.

 

The ball flies towards the goal, but it hits the post.

 

Tama: Damn it…

 

Isagi (thinking): What?! Fuck!!

 

Inaba throws the ball to his teammates.

 

Matsukaze Kokuo Player: Go for it, Kira!

 

Kira receives the ball.

 

Kira Ryosuke Center Forward First-Year Student, Matsukaze Kokuo High School Number 10

 

He gets past Ichinan High School's defense.

 

Then he shoots and scores.

 

Isagi (thinking): What…?

 

Isagi (thinking): It's over. We've lost.

 

Final whistle.

 

Commentator: This match ends with a 2–0 victory for Matsukaze Kokuo!

 

Commentator: They earn the right to advance to the national championship!

 

On the field.

 

Tama cries.

 

Tama: I'm… so sorrrrry…

 

Tama: If only I had scoredddd…

 

Ichinan Player: It's not your fault, Tama…

 

Isagi, out of breath.

 

Isagi: …

 

On the journalists' side, with Kira.

 

Journalist: I imagine that qualifying is only one step for you.

 

Journalist: But how does it feel to be selected for the U-18 national team?

 

Kira: Well, for now, my goal is to win the national championship with my team, but I'd like to add something…

 

Kira: I owe my success to my team, who were behind me and whom I could rely on.

 

Fangirl 1: Kyaa, Kira!

 

Fangirl 2: I love how much they care about their teammates!

 

On Ichinan High School's side.

 

Ichinan Coach: Gather around, team!

 

The Ichinan players gather together.

 

Ichinan Coach: You all did well.

 

Ichinan Coach: I know it hurts, but this is the end for Ichinan High School.

 

Ichinan Coach: This is the last match for our third-years…

 

Ichinan Coach: And for some of you, the last time you'll ever play football…

 

Ichinan Coach: But you can be proud of these days when you fought together, as a team.

 

He cries.

 

Ichinan Coach: This defeat will remain etched in your memories…

 

Ichinan Coach: But don't think that all of this was in vain… And cherish these memories…!

 

All the players begin to cry, except Isagi.

 

Ichinan Coach: Nothing in life is ever in vain!

 

Ichinan Coach: In my eyes, Ichinan High School will always be… the best team in Japan!!

 

Isagi (thinking): We're just a team that narrowly failed to qualify for the national championship…

 

Later.

 

Isagi walks while holding his bicycle.

 

Isagi (thinking): And I'm just an unknown first-year student on that team.

 

Isagi (thinking): That's the truth.

 

Isagi (thinking): I'm sorry, Mr. Noa…

 

Isagi (thinking): It seems that… I'll never become a great hero like you.

 

He remembers himself as a little boy watching TV.

 

Isagi (thinking): I was fascinated by your style of play…

 

TV Commentator: Straight into the net! What a fantastic goal!

 

Isagi (thinking): I gave it everything I had to become like you.

 

Young Isagi: That's so cool!

 

Isagi (thinking): For so long…

 

He remembers the time when he used to play football as a little boy.

 

Child 1: No way! He dribbled past 5 players!

 

Child 2: Nobody can stop Yo-chan!

 

Isagi (thinking): So I kept playing football over and over again.

 

He remembers the time when he was in middle school and played football.

 

Teammate 1: Nice goal, Isagi!

 

Teammate 2: You're way too good for a middle schooler!

 

He remembers his high school coach.

 

Ichinan Coach: Ichinan High School is aiming for the national championship with all 11 of its players, together!

 

Ichinan Coach: Don't think that a football match can be won thanks to a single player!

 

Ichinan Coach: One for all and all for one!

 

Isagi (thinking): But it seems that my dream will remain just that… a dream.

 

Isagi (thinking): I believed that one day, I could become the star striker of the Japanese national team…

 

Isagi (thinking): I even had that foolish dream of winning the World Cup.

 

Isagi (thinking): But well, now that I think about it… I doubt I could become a professional with my level of skill.

 

Isagi remembers Kira after the match.

 

Kira: Well, for now, my goal is to win the national championship with this team.

 

Isagi (thinking): Ah… I bet that guy, on the other hand, will become a professional…

 

Isagi (thinking): We're the same age, and yet, I could feel the gap between us…

 

Isagi (thinking): I have one year left before graduation… And if I keep playing football, I'll have to quit afterwards, no matter what.

 

Isagi (thinking): Maybe if I hadn't passed the ball at that moment… If I had shot… Would I have…?

 

Isagi (thinking): Would my fate have been different?

 

Some children come running.

 

Isagi: Nah.

 

Isagi: If wishes were horses, beggars would ride, and that goes for football too.

 

Isagi: We didn't lose just because I chose to play as a team.

 

Child 1: This guy's talking to himself.

 

Child 2: Maybe he's dangerous.

 

Child 3: Maybe he's crazy.

 

Isagi: Football is played by 11 people, so… one person can't win alone.

 

Isagi: One for all… And all… for one…

 

Isagi: Football isn't played individually…

 

Isagi: AAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!

 

Child 1: Whoa!!

 

Child 3: Let's get out of here!

 

The children run away.

 

Isagi cries.

 

Isagi (thinking): I wanted to win…!

 

A little later…

 

Isagi arrives home.

 

Isagi: I'm home…!

 

Lyo Isagi: Good evening!! So, how was the match?

 

Isagi: We lost.

 

In the kitchen.

 

Lyo Isagi: What a shame! I even made tonkatsu for tonight!

 

Isagi: We already ate that yesterday…

 

Issei Isagi: Oh, really? Sorry, but Mom and Dad don't know anything about your football stuff.

 

Lyo Isagi: By the way, Yo-chan! You've got some mail.

 

Lyo Isagi: It's from the JFA!

 

Isagi: Huh…?

 

Isagi looks at the letter.

 

Lyo and Issei move closer.

 

Lyo Isagi: What's it say?

 

Lyo Isagi: Hm? A selection?

 

Isagi: "Player Development Project"…?

 

Lyo Isagi: Hey, but… that's a good thing, isn't it?

 

Issei Isagi: Who knows!

 

Isagi (thinking): Why… me…!?

 

The next day.

 

Isagi is standing in front of the JFA building.

 

Isagi (thinking): Honestly… I had absolutely no idea why they'd chosen me, but…

 

Isagi looks at the map in his hand.

 

Isagi (thinking): It's nice of them to provide detailed directions, but they should have included instructions for inside the building.

 

Isagi (thinking): Where am I supposed to meet them? Is this some kind of hidden-camera prank…?

 

Isagi (thinking): I was happy to have been scouted…!

 

Then a boy arrives: Kira Ryosuke.

 

Kira: Oh, are you Isagi from Ichinan High School?

 

Isagi: !

 

Kira: It's you, right? You were also called here!

 

Kira: Nice to meet you! Do you remember me?

 

Isagi: Oh…

 

Isagi (thinking): It's Ryosuke Kira!

 

Isagi: Ah, yes… Of course! We did lose to you, after all…

 

Isagi (thinking): What?! Ryosuke Kira knows my name?!

 

Kira: I definitely remember you! I could tell you were a good player!

 

Kira: Yeah, I thought you had an impressive field perspective and excellent game vision…

 

Kira: That's what I saw during our match.

 

Kira: And I thought to myself: "If this guy were on the same team as me, I'm sure I'd receive some excellent passes!"

 

Isagi: Ah… Thanks…

 

Isagi (thinking): Is this a joke…?! Is he serious…?!

 

Isagi (thinking): Ryosuke Kira just complimented me…?!

 

Then, suddenly, two people arrive.

 

A girl with long brown hair with blonde tips, half tied up, light tan skin, green eyes, wearing a short black dress, a purple jacket, white leg warmers and closed-toe mid-heeled shoes: Sakura Kamizaki.

 

And a boy with blond hair, blue eyes and light tan skin: Kazushi Kamizaki.

 

Kazushi comes running.

 

Kazushi: Come on, big sis, let's go!

 

Sakura: Can you stop shouting for two seconds?

 

Isagi (thinking): Who are they…?

 

Sakura notices Isagi and Kira.

 

Sakura, still smiling.

 

Sakura: Hi, were you guys summoned here too?

 

Isagi: Yes, we were summoned here.

 

Kira: Who are you?

 

Sakura: Nice to meet you, I'm Sakura Kamizaki!

 

Kazushi: And I'm Kazushi Kamizaki!

 

Isagi (thinking): They're Kamizakis…?!

 

Kira: Nice to meet you, I'm Ryosuke Kira.

 

Isagi: I'm Isagi Yoichi, it's a pleasure to meet you!

 

Sakura smiles.

 

Sakura: I'm happy to meet you, Isagi.

 

Kazushi: Me too!

 

Kira (thinking): Why was a girl summoned by the JFA…?

 

Kazushi: Well, shall we go in?!

 

Sakura turns towards Isagi and Kira.

 

Sakura: Are you coming?

 

Isagi: Yes, of course.

 

Kira: Let's go.

 

Sakura, Kazushi, Isagi and Kira enter.

 

Isagi: Wow… There are so many people…!

 

Kira: I think I see some familiar faces here…

 

Kira: That's Okawa, Senno's ace…

 

Kira: And that's Ichikari, the tallest player in secondary school.

 

Kira: Oh, and over there, I can see Nishioka, the "Messi of Aomori" is here too.

 

Isagi (thinking): Hm? It looks like… there are only center forwards here.

 

Everyone looks at Sakura Kamizaki.

 

Sakura (thinking): Do they have a problem with looking at me like that?

 

Ego: Tch.

 

Ego: Test, one, two.

 

Ego: Congratulations, you bunch of raw diamonds.

 

Everyone looks up.

 

Kazushi (thinking): Dad?!

 

Sakura (thinking): Ego?!

 

Ego: I have selected each of the U-18 strikers present here based on my own biased personal criteria.

 

Ego: The 303 people in this hall.

 

Ego: My name is Jinpachi Ego.

 

Ego: My job is to build a Japanese team capable of winning the World Cup.

 

On Isagi, Sakura, Kazushi and Kira's side.

 

Kira turns towards Isagi.

 

Kira: Who's that guy? Do you know him??

 

Isagi: No, no way…

 

Isagi (thinking): But did he really just mention the World Cup?

 

Ego: Simply put, Japan only needs one thing to become an undisputed football powerhouse.

 

Ego: And that is the creation of two revolutionary strikers.

 

Ego: With the 300 players gathered here today, I will forge the two best strikers in the world through a special project.

 

Ego: Take a look.

 

Ego: We have built this facility for that very purpose…

 

Ego: Under the name "Blue Lock".

 

Ego: Starting today, you will all live in this building and follow my personally designed training program to the letter.

 

Ego: You will not be allowed to go home, and from this day forward, you can consider your football career as you knew it to be over.

 

Ego: But I will say this: if you manage to survive in Blue Lock and overcome the other 301 players…

 

Ego: Then the two players left standing will have become the best strikers in the world.

 

Ego: That's all for the details. Pleased to meet you.

 

Isagi: …

 

Isagi: ?

 

Isagi (thinking): What did he…?

 

Isagi (thinking): What did he just say…?

 

Kira raises his hand.

 

Kira: Hey!

 

Kira: Excuse me, but… I cannot agree with these statements.

 

Isagi: !

 

Isagi (thinking): Ryosuke Kira!

 

Kira: For most of us, our team comes first… Especially for those who will be participating in the national championship.

 

Kira: I cannot accept these terms.

 

Kira: I won't abandon my team.

 

Player 1: That's right…! I'm playing in nationals too!

 

Player 2: And why do we have to live together…?!

 

Player 3: Yeah! Yeah!

 

Player 4: Besides, who are you?!

 

Player 5: We want to see someone we know!

 

Isagi (thinking): Yeah… Gathering us here so suddenly…

 

Isagi (thinking): We can't just accept this… And all that talk about the World Cup and the best players in the world.

 

Ego: I see…

 

Ego: So you're all complete idiots, then, huh?

 

Ego: You can get lost.

 

Ego: If you want to leave, don't wait.

 

Ego: Your teams?

 

Ego: Would you really choose your team over an opportunity to become the best strikers in the world…?

 

Ego: You'd rather play in some pathetic championship in a pathetic country…?

 

Ego: Huh?

 

Ego: When I look at you, I feel sorry for the future of Japanese football.

 

Isagi (thinking): Huh? What?

 

Ego: Do you understand?

 

Ego: Japan is the best country in the world when it comes to organizational skills in football, and people attribute this to our innate national character.

 

Ego: But don't get the wrong idea. In every other field… We are inferior in quality.

 

Ego: I want to know something…

 

Ego: What is football to you, personally?

 

Ego: A sport played by 11 people where everyone tries to score goals together…?

 

Ego: "Our bonds are important?"

 

Ego: "I'll play as part of the team?"

 

Ego: You're completely deluding yourselves.

 

Ego: This exact mentality is what makes Japan lack talent.

 

Ego: I'll show you what it's really about…

 

Ego: Football is, at its core, a sport where you have to score goals, even if it means doing so at the expense of your teammates.

 

Ego: The best player is the one who scores the most goals…

 

Ego: If you want to pretend to play football, you can get out of here.

 

Isagi (thinking): What's this guy's problem…? What he's saying makes no sense…

 

Sakura (thinking): What is he going on about now? Has he lost his mind or what?

 

Kira: That's insulting.

 

Kira: Take back what you just said…

 

Kira: Players like Honda, Kagawa and many others…

 

Kira: Everyone who makes up the national team… The value of teamwork instilled in our national team is the same value that exists in each and every one of us!

 

Kira: They are our stars! You're wrong!!

 

Isagi looks at Kira.

 

Isagi: …

 

Ego: Hm? Honda…? Kagawa…? Hmm…?

 

Ego: Oh, are you talking about the group that has never won a single World Cup?

 

Ego: I don't give a damn about trash.

 

Ego: I was talking about becoming the best in the world, wasn't I?

 

Ego: Come on.

 

Ego: Let's take Noel Noa, for example.

 

Ego: He managed to win the Ballon d'Or against exceptional players such as Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

 

Ego: He's regarded as the best player in the world…

 

Ego: And to quote him: "I'd rather lose 3–4 while scoring a hat trick than win 1–0 with only an assist."

 

Ego: And one of the greatest players of the 20th century, Éric Cantona, said this: "When seagulls follow a trawler, it's because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea."

 

Ego: Pelé, probably the greatest player in history, a three-time World Cup winner, said: "The best striker? The best midfielder? The best defender? The best goalkeeper?"

 

Ego: "For each of these questions, the answer is always: me."

 

Ego: So!

 

Ego: What do you think?! They're assholes, aren't they?!

 

Ego: But they can afford to be because they're the best!

 

Ego: Each and every one of them is a revolutionary striker!!

 

Ego: Their extraordinary "egoism"…

 

Ego: That's what's missing from Japanese football.

 

Ego: You will never become the best strikers in the world unless you have the ego to match.

 

Isagi (thinking): I feel like what he's saying… must be wrong…

 

Ego: My goal here is to create players like that in Japan…

 

Isagi (thinking): Because… Until now, nobody had ever told me that…

 

Ego: Two heroes will emerge in all their glory… From the pile of corpses formed by the other 301 players.

 

Isagi (thinking): It's impossible… Someone unknown like me could never…

 

Isagi (thinking): I'm just one striker among many others…

 

Ego: Now then, you bunch of raw diamonds…

 

Ego: Allow me to ask you one final question.

 

Ego: Imagine… You're in the World Cup final…

 

Ego: You're playing in a stadium packed with 80,000 spectators… On the field…

 

Ego: The score? 0–0.

 

Ego: During stoppage time in the second half…

 

Ego: The final play of the match.

 

Ego: A teammate has managed to pass the ball to you…

 

Ego: You're one-on-one with the goalkeeper.

 

Ego: To your right, 6 meters away, a teammate.

 

Ego: The hopes of a

ll of Japan rest on your shoulders…

 

Ego: You're at a crucial moment in the World Cup final…

 

Ego: And without hesitation, you shoot.

 

Ego: You desire that "rebellious egoism"…

 

A huge door opens behind him.

 

Ego: Then walk through that door.

 

Ego: I'll say it again, loud and clear…

 

Ego: Football is a sport that exists to develop all of you, the strikers.

 

Ego: Think of everyone else on the field as being there to support you.

 

Isagi (thinking): I had already given up, but… those words sent shivers down my spine…

 

Ego: To hell with common sense.

 

Ego: When you're on the field, you're the star.

 

Isagi (thinking): Nobody… had ever given me this kind of speech before…

 

Ego: Your greatest joy is scoring goals. That's all.

 

Ego: Your life revolves around the thrills these moments bring.

 

Isagi (thinking): This guy…

 

Ego: That's what a "striker" is, in my opinion.

 

Isagi (thinking): Change the shape of my destiny…

 

Isagi (thinking): I am a striker!

 

Isagi runs towards the door.

 

Kira: Isagi…?!

 

Player 1: Damn it…! I'm going too!!

 

Player 2: Me too!!

 

Player 3: Me too! I'm following them!!

 

"Those were the words he had spoken."

 

"In the world of football… we know how to produce elite goalkeepers, and the same goes for defenders and midfielders."

 

"However, that is not the case with strikers."

 

"Because after all, what makes an unparalleled striker…"

 

"Is their appearance in the most critical moments of football."

 

A few moments later.

 

The hall is empty, and only two people remain: Sakura Kamizaki and Kazushi Kamizaki.

 

Sakura: We should go too.

 

Kazushi: I didn't understand all of Dad's crazy talk, but it sounds fun.

 

Sakura: You always find everything fun…

 

Kazushi: BLUE LOCK, HERE I COME!

 

He runs towards the door, and Sakura follows him.

 

A few minutes later, the door is closed in front of her, with Jinpachi Ego standing there.

 

Ego: Everyone has decided to participate… It seems.

 

Anri: The machine has started running.

 

Anri: From this moment on, I will follow each and every one of your orders.

 

Anri: The future of Japanese football rests in these 303 players.

 

Anri: I entrust them to you, Mr. Ego.

 

Ego: We may indeed have to sacrifice 301 players to achieve our goal…

 

Ego: But it's all to create two true strikers, superior to everyone else.

 

Ego: That's the essence of Blue Lock.

 

Ego: Let's begin, Miss Anri.

 

He smiles.

 

Ego: This is going to become…

 

Ego: The most critical moment in football.

 

END