#Nagi Seishiro meta

[just-some-sorta-person]

Karasu and Otoya’s Backstories Reflect Aspects of Nagi as a Character.

“Karasu never shows his true nature bc he doesn’t believe he’s an interesting person”, “When anything unpleasant happened to Otoya he’d overwrite it bc thinking was pointless”

Familiar?

Karasu never shows his true nature because he doesn’t believe he’s interesting He’s aware he’s mediocre but doesn’t want others to know so he formed a mechanism of self protection to keep others from realizing He’s afraid of being hurt, self conscious

Otoya goes with the flow- if unpleasant things happen to him, he overwrites it and forgets. He thinks thinking is pointless. Worrying about something means it’s beyond his current capabilities so he doesn’t and he doesn’t want to. He refuses to introspect- I uh I mean despair

Not wanting to think about your weaknesses, unpleasant aspects of your life, and not wanting to worry about having to use excessive effort to get what you want For both Nagi and Otoya, this kind of thinking leads to a fixed mindset.

Like how Otoya said worrying about something meant it was beyond ur capabilities, in his LN Nagi says that working hard to become special means you aren’t special. So Otoya doesn’t worry and Nagi doesn’t want to work hard, especially given that working hard is “a pain”.

If ability is inherent then why make yourself go through something unpleasant to fight against an impossibility? Like how Otoya calls thinking “pointless”, Nagi calls it “a pain”. So they both avoid thinking

When unpleasant things happen he insists on ignoring it and focusing on other things. Take Nagi’s reaction to Reo breaking up with him as a key example. It’s unpleasant to think about Reo, so he tries not to

Nagi even gets mad when Bachira reminds him of Reo. “I don’t need weaklings like you on the field” and it’s a huge “pain” to think about. So he focuses instead on being reborn and crushing Rin. You even see a similar thing in that extra where Nagi picks a fight with everyone

Even before Reo, Nagi ignored unpleasant things in his life, choosing not to care and therefore not fixing them. Otoya “did things he liked” but Nagi’s version was more so “avoided things he didn’t like” which is why his free floating lifestyle ends up looking more depressing.

Otoya overwrites unpleasant things in his life with fun things but Nagi doesn’t do that. - well, maybe until he started pecking at his shell in bllk. Instead Nagi decides that it doesn’t matter. For example: Sure Nagi is alone and no one likes him, but he’s fine like this

It’s not a lie to say Nagi didn’t yearn for companionship before Reo but just because he didn’t explicitly experience the feeling of “loneliness” doesn’t mean that he was happy or that he didn’t experience the emotional downsides of being alone.

You could say that emptiness was always there and then it was only when Reo filled it and left that it became noticeable. Nagi was fine with everyone disliking him but when someone showed signs of actually enjoying his company it became worth making an effort for.

So it’s not that Nagi is inherently incapable of human connections or that he doesn’t like having someone he’s connected to. Reo or not, I think it’s clear that companionship makes Nagi happy. It’s just that Nagi was entirely focused on avoiding the downsides of human contact while being unaware of the upsides. In a similar way that Nagi was entirely focused on avoiding the “pain” of trying before he experienced frustration and was unaware of the thrill he could get from feeling challenged because he was so overgrown as a genius.

Nagi says he wasn’t lonely and I trust him a little in the sense that he really didn’t want to interact with people and he doesn’t seem to get lonely easily. But can’t you be lonely by virtue of suffering for your aloneness or must you feel the distinct emptiness to claim the title?

(more LN excerpts)

Hm. Well. Within the parallel from before, while Otoya says “don’t worry” Nagi says “don’t try”. Tho this later shifts to a milder but still inhibiting take “don’t give it your all”. Tho ofc Nagi also doesn’t like thinking about his weaknesses.

Nagi’s avoidance leads into Karasu’s backstory bc they’re both afraid of being hurt, and believe they aren’t interesting. While Karasu protects himself from others“realizing his true nature” I’d say Nagi protects himself from anyone including himself “realizing his true nature”

Unlike Karasu, Nagi doesn’t have awareness of his limits, so he doesn’t ��know he’s mediocre” or use analysis for protection. Nagi just doesn’t believe in his own value +uses his Otoya-like “It doesn’t matter to me” “it’s a pain to think about so let’s not” strategy as protection

Let’s backtrack a bit. I said Nagi protects himself from realizing his true nature. This is related to Nagi not being aware of his limits or believing in his own value. He didn’t even think he was a prodigy until recently with his realization in the current match

Nagi says if someone works hard to prove they’re special, it means they aren’t special in the first place. Presumedly because if you give something your all, you’ve fully unveiled yourself and if you’re still struggling then, then your full self has just proven to be not enough

For this reason, competition and trying hard make very little sense to Nagi. Why would someone give their all and unveil themselves as not special? It’s cringe/embarrassing to prove how lame you are by struggling as your truest self. You’re unveiling your true nature as “normal”

At least if you achieve nothing by lack of effort you won’t prove to the world how un-special you really are. This is not a good way of thinking btw haha… it’s struggling as your best self that’s admirable. Nagi also states that no one would be interested in him anyways.

He repeats this when meeting Reo btw, when it seems Reo might be interested in him. He self-deprecates when describing Reo’s unusual interest in him to Zantetsu- he really doesn’t get why Reo’s so excited and doesn’t see himself as a prodigy until he starts testing himself out

Nagi actively says Reo is weird for not being bothered by him. when Reo insists Nagi has value, it’s meaningful to Nagi bc before Reo he was sure he didn’t. And because he was sure he didn’t have value, Nagi never did anything.

Not caring and avoiding trying protected Nagi from his potential/hypothetical lack of value. In the same way that avoidance protects Nagi from his feelings about the whole Reo situation. If you never confront it you never have to deal with it. Growing pains are brutal.

Excerpts from Nagi’s Light Novel were taken from here translated by mzk_70 on twitter, mzk70.bsky.social on blue sky

This is a crosspost of a thread made on August 7, 2024

[gildeddlily]

absolutely losing my mind because of these two!!!

so.

are these two actually toxic, or are they just kids who don't know how to communicate? easy, they're just kids! (this was fast)

reading the manga will not make you understand that (or im just stupid), and this is why I'm thanking the author on.my.knees for the spin-off!

so.

after watching the anime I fled to ao3, of course. read some works about Rin and Isagi, managed to not spoil myself anything.

then i read the U20 arc. after reading every ryusae I could find (writing one myself rn, doing god's work) I finished to read the manga cause, yk, I wanted to know what would happen with my babies and then boom! Reo and Nagi!!!

I didn't particularly care about them at first: Nagi was strong ofc, but kind of boring? he's not my favourite archetype, and while I loved Reo I hated their fight and wanted nothing to do with them. key word(s), at first.

then, then! I randomly read some fics about them cause they'd started to grow on me, and boom, tons of fics about their breakup/makeup. stunning works, ofc, but I started to see so many "Reo's fault" "Nagi's fault" "toxic relationship" that I kind of started to get uncomfortable (sometimes people throw around the word toxic when it's nothing like that), so what's to do? read the spin off ofc.

that I did, and now not only I love them both with all of my heart, but I'm Reo's number one fan (and kinnie)!

and I developed a deep hatred for those "toxic x" theories and takes. SO. let me blabber and rant.

they love each other so much!!

this is Nagi.

he thinks "damn, soccer/football is a pain, I hate sweating and running, but I don't hate Reo" even though most of the time he spends with Reo is spent playing soccer/football (I won't choose one english is so confusing- in italian it's literally called kick).

he doesn't feel forced to be Reo's friend, he likes it.

because Reo loves him, it's as simple as that.

he wants to be Nagi's friend "despite" Nagi's personality: this is something he currently says through the spin-off, which made me cry- Reo truly is the first person who ever accepted Nagi as someone who is lazy and unmotivated, who complains a lot, who doesn't put any effort in what he does, who doesn't offer much.

Or at least he thinks that he doesn't have anything special to offer, until Reo arrives.

he still has those terribly self-deprecating thoughts, but now he has something to offer, his talent.

(and after a period of happiness, their honeymoon phase one could call it, he starts to doubt the sincerity of Reo's care. from thinking "i'm not his slave, i'm his partner" he starts to doubt Reo's honesty: "maybe he only wanted to be my friend because of my talent, a talent he knows how to use"- since he still thinks that he's got nothing to offer! but we will talk about this later.)

this is Reo!

he thinks "I wanted to be the one who could make you love soccer/football, the one able to light up something in you" but he also thinks "seeing you like that, even if it wasn't me who'd done that, made me happy".

he's so jealous he's almost funny, and isn't that the most teenager thing ever?

who wouldn't be jealous after working so hard to be special to someone, just for someone else to take the place you're working so hard for?

it's terrible, but still, it doesn't stop Reo from being happy that Nagi found something exciting.

something that made Nagi as happy as the combo Nagi-soccer/football made Reo happy.

the thing is, Nagi thinks he's Reo's friend because of his talent, which maybe it's true. maybe, hadn't Nagi been a genius, they wouldn't have become friends, but his talent was the sparkle that made him become Reo's treasure.

Reo is someone who has everything, who gets everything he wants, or as he says everything except what he really wants.

for that, he has to work.

so, what he wants is to play soccer/football, and to play it with Nagi.

(in order to be Nagi's friend, he needs to work hard, because he needs to be honest and gain Nagi's trust- this is how friendship works: even when it seems flawless and easy, there's so much work behind it, and knowing it is important. most of the times we only realise it once we lost that bond- for example, Nagi. Reo already knew it, and this is why he tried so hard to not leave Nagi's side)

at one point, the two things became linked to one another, and his dream turns into "winning with Nagi, my partner". Because Nagi is talented, is special, and Reo saw his talent, and how Nagi was unable to do the same. He wants to show Nagi that soccer/football is fun, that his talent isn't a pain, that he is special, because Nagi doesn't know it, and for Reo a star that doesn't see his its own light? is just preposterous.

He cares for Nagi and loves everything about him, even all the "bad" things, and he doesn't think that Nagi has to change, and this is what, for me, makes their break-up way more serious and relatable for a lot of people.

it triggers a "I'll change to be better" "for me you never had to change" "I need to change for myself" dynamic.

2. changing and longing is way more fun when you're doing it together!!!

so they split up.

Nagi doesn't do it because he likes Isagi more, or because his style of play is more interesting, he does it because Isagi was stronger than Nagi and Reo: entering Blue Lock, Nagi had trust in Reo's ability to use his talent to win, he didn't even think about failing, and while Barou came close to making him feel like he could loose, Nagi overpowered him at the end- but then Isagi beats Nagi, and Reo with him.

Nagi understands that Reo's dream can't become reality if they aren't the strongest, and if being together doesn't work, maybe they should split up, part ways, become stronger and then join forces again, and win everything. win the world cup.

while his friendship with Isagi is sweet and I love them, for Nagi Isagi is like a cyclette.

he'll use the cyclette to get get fit and make his bf swoon over his legs, he won't stay with the cyclette once he doesn't need the training anymore. and even if he will, it will always be just the cyclette he uses to get fit "for" his bf.

(metaphor isn't metaphoring)

Reo doesn't know that.

he knows he's strong, but he knows that Isagi and Nagi are on a whole other level and he feels threatened. he fears that Nagi will choose Isagi instead of him, and he tries desperately to not loose Nagi.

Nagi is his dream. Slowly, day after day, Nagi became part of his dream, and now he's losing not only his best friend but the dream that made him free.

Reo says it himself- he knows that Nagi did the smartest thing by leaving, but he's young and scared and sees it as Nagi leaving him.

He feels abandoned, and he thinks that Nagi is abandoning his dream to go with the bigger fish, the apex predator, in order to become the best striker, by forgetting the promises they made at the start of Blue Lock, to stay together til the end.

Neither of them forgets the other.

Nagi leaves, and all he thinks about it "I need Reo to see this" "I can't wait to let him see how much I've improved", and he misses Reo, just as much as Reo misses him.

the only difference?

Reo is oblivious about Nagi's real feelings and thought process, and his thinking of Nagi turns into spiraling into depression and self-hatred.

so Nagi changes.

he starts to see the beauty in soccer/football, he finally sees what Reo had tried to make him see for months, and he's thrilled. he's having fun. he's grateful that Reo convinced him to not discard Blue Lock immediately. he's different.

different why? because Isagi beat him? because Blue Lock happened?

he changed not when Isagi beat them, but the moment he became Reo's friend, and found a reason to do something.

because Reo was the first person to ever tell him that his laziness, boredom, his oh so troublesome antics were alright, that he was what he was, and he was enough not only for Reo, but for the whole world.

Reo accepted him even when he was set on being static, made him want to change, and now that he's changing he feels worthy of being loved so much.

"you saw something in me back then, you forced to me work hard, and now thanks to you I ('m on my way to) realised my own worth, now I found something exciting"

he changes.

Reo sees him after what, a few days, and he's already improved so much.

and he thinks that he was Nagi's cage, his personal dead weight, that Nagi may have been his treasure but he wasn't Nagi's. that Nagi doesn't need him anymore. if Nagi doesn't need him, what will be of his dream?

(we could start a long-ass post ab mental health and recovering but I won't for my own sanity)

what's his worth then, since he got into Blue Lock just to stay with Nagi till the end- especially when he can't even be number two, with Isagi there- and Nagi won't be with him anymore?

he needs to change too.

3. destroying yourself in order to change (no fun)

Reo says that he isn't brave enough to destroy himself like the others do.

Isagi, Barou, Nagi, Chigiri, they all destroy themselves in order to become stronger and change, evolve, but Reo can't. he's scared, he's confused, the whole arc is just him looking like that. then what does he do?

he lets Nagi destroy him. "If I can't do it, Nagi will" don't you understand you're doing exactly what you say you're unable to do? the fact that you're not the one pulling the trigger doesn't mean that you're not killing yourself

he pushes Nagi until he snaps and tells Reo to fuck off, that he's a pain, that he's weak and someone Nagi doesn't want anything to do with, because that's what Reo thinks.

He thinks Nagi doesn't want to be with him anymore, he's feeling guilty for what he thought (later later), he's insecure- and instead of being reasonable, he founds a way to confirm his "irrational" fears.

"I'm not being insecure since Nagi confirmed it"

he sabotages himself. that's the nail in the coffin.

instead of destroying himself with football/soccer, by learning from a lost match, he destroys himself with life, by putting on the line his relationship with the person he (not exaggerating) loves most in the world.

he's unable to distinguish life from soccer/football (and this will be the aspect that makes him so different from most of the other characters), because since meeting Nagi they've become one thing. soccer/football is his life, Nagi is his life, because they're his only chance at being happy.

(Nagi is able to distinguish between the court and Reo: this way, Reo is just as special as Isagi is, since Isagi may have made him see the fun in soccer/football, but Reo made him get angry. Nagi who thinks that his strong quality is the fact he never gets angry, that he's a pacifist. Isagi is his soccer/football revolution, Reo is his life revolution.

Reo can't. they all insult each other on the field, but they're all friends afterwards. not Reo. not yet)

now he's lost Nagi, and his dream, and he has to pick himself up from the ground.

this is how Reo changes.

4. miscommunication is a beast

As I said before, Nagi starts to think that Reo only cared about him because of his talent. he's angry at Reo. he doesn't understand why Reo said those things, why he was so stupid, why he didn't understand Nagi.

he says "I'm not his toy" and he isn't, but really, try to get into his shoes.

he thinks his partner, his best friend, doesn't believe in them as a duo anymore, doesn't want to believe in them like he used to now that Nagi has changed, now that he's more "independent" from Reo.

"what, now that I know how to fight alone, he doesn't want me anymore?" that would be anyone's first thought.

and he doubts Reo's trust in their dream.

when did Reo start to have so little faith in them, in Nagi? when did he give up on them? he thinks that, after spending weeks trying to improve just to make Reo's dream true.

and he's angry, but he still hopes to play with Reo again.

he still want to, because him and Reo are partners and Nagi still believes in their dream. because he remembers Reo's passion, and he believes in him.

+) 5. being relatable as fuck

(what kid with absent/abusive parents never thought back on their action and went anxiously all "Am I just like them?")

Reo begs Nagi to stop being so strong, stop improving so quickly, stop running towards a place Reo can't reach yet, and isn't this a human thing to do? He desperately wants to be with Nagi, and thinks that he'd rather stop him from improving rather than lose him. He thinks "Please, give up on your dream, your ego"- and isn't that familiar?

he just thought the same thing his father, a man he hates and despises and who doesn't believe in Reo, told him. and he said that to Nagi. Nagi who gave him a ticket to the top by being at his side, who let him see hope.

he panics. am I just like him? Am I cruel enough to wish for someone to give up on their dreams, just to get something out of their failure?

he's different from his father, because he's seventeen, he's scared to lose his best friend, and we can be irrational in situations like this one. does he know it? no, the same way he doesn't understand that Nagi didn't left because of him.

so yes, he's in the worst head-space ever.

isn't he relatable? this is what that made reo my favourite character in a second, probably. he's so human and he makes so many mistakes and he's so stupid sometimes, but I can see myself in him very clearly.

and now.

in what way is their relationship not balanced? their love and care not mutual? in what way one used or manipulated the other?

I think they're flawed, and they made mistakes, and they hurt each other, but I also think that we throw in the word "toxic" the moment a relationship isn't perfect.

they're friends and they're teens, they will make mistakes and they will hurt each other, and their friendship (and they were roommates) won't be perfect- this doesn't make it less genuine or beautiful.

don't get me started on what happens in the manga (really don't do it) (all of this was just nagi's spin off!!!)

[explomb]

There's something poetic about Isagi ending this arc on such and high whilst Nagi ends it not where he started, no he falls lower; where Isagi started. Isagi finally gets a taste of everything he's ever wanted and Nagi truly understands what pushed Yoichi here in the first place

[lauretra]

The Rebel Heir: A quick analysis of the character arcs of Killua Zoldyck and Reo Mikage

What do Reo Mikage from Blue Lock and Killua Zoldyck from Hunter x Hunter have in common? Much more than one would like to believe. Both are characters with similar arcs and codependent relationships. I wanted to analyze both of them because I think their differences and similarities are mind-blowing, but also because they are a type of character that are extremely interesting and the moral of their story inspires thousands of kids who may be watching their respective series.

this meta is gonna have spoilers of both series!!!!

They both come from wealthy, patriarchal families where their future lies in being the heir to their parents' businesses. Killua is the heir to a family of assassins, while Reo of his family's multibillionare company. Both are manipulated by their families in order for them to remain the heirs. In Killua (and because the series allows it) the manipulation is more explicit: torture, harassment and warnings. While in Reo his father mentions to him that it is “for his own good” and that “only the chosen ones can play soccer, you are not one of them.”

Killua's dad (Silva) and Reo's dad are shadows of what Killua and Reo should become: a big killer who runs the family and a businessman in a traditional family. Its their "destiny"

The two rebel against this fate that seems boring/painful to them and decide to have their own lives for their own. In the way, they meet someone who represents freedom and an escape from the life they don't want. That other person offers them an alternative of hope and friendship: A promise that their lifes are gonna change forever.

Both Reo and Killua become devoted and codependent to those people. The other two people may seem less involved in the relationship from an outside perspective, but both Nagi and Gon appreciate and value their partner. I want to emphasize that for both Reonagi and Killugon, the other is their first real friend. All of these children/teenagers lived isolated from the world (or self-isolated) so this lack of experience in friendship is what makes the dynamic of both of them can be seen as out of balance. Also, because of their family background, both Reo and Killua see friendship as a “transaction” in a sense that for them, they only have value if they prove valuable to their partner, in Killua's case as a battle companion/protector and in Reo's case as a soccer player.

Both killugon and nagireo promise to be together. Gon and Killua under the stars and Nagi and Reo before entering blue lock. I don't consider Nagi and Gon to have similar arcs (somewhat in the sense of having to find their own dreams, Gon outside of his father's expectations and Nagi from something that motivates him as Nagi, but thats a type of hero journey), but what I do consider them to be similar in is how the fandom perceives them: the one that “dominates” the relationship. I think this is more because for both Gon and Nagi (before epinagi) we weren't much in their thoughts (Nagi and Gon externalizes their thoughts while Killua and Reo Internalizes), however Gon and Nagi are devoted to Killua and Reo, and this has been proven a thousand times.

** I wanted to emphasize here that those who make the promise to stay together are Nagi and Gon respectively, emphasizing the desire to want to be with their partner.

Both couples have a separation arc that meant stretching the established dynamic to the maximum. Blue Lock challenges Nagi and Reo as a duo of genius/talented learners, the Chimera Ants challenge Gon and Killua as friends and companions with and horrible war happening.

These arcs (2nd selection and CAA) allows to explore their relationship in its entirety. The lack of experience of previous friendships is noticeable in the handling of communication. Of course, here there are internal problems of the characters (Killua and Reo with problems of self-worth, Gon going through his first grief and Nagi learning that he has to motivate himself and improve and that being a “genius” is not enough), but there are also external problems that strain the relationship, in the case of Killugon is more obvious because the circumstances caused them to be involved in a war, in the case of Nagi and Reo is Blue lock itself and the encounter with other players (Isagi) that represent a threat to the dream they share.

Both Killua and Reo have problems communicating clearly and being able to express their feelings and fears to their partner. Killua wanted to ask Gon what their relationship meant to him, while Reo wanted to show himself happy with Nagi's changes. They both failed and that lack of communication leads to tragedy. Of course this is not only their fault, Gon isolated himself and Nagi has the social skills of a cactus, so it was not easy for Killua and Reo to affirm the relationship with words.

The insecurities of both, added to the circumstances and the poor communication with their partners lead them to having to show their most vulnerable side to others. Because of these misunderstandings and lack of maturity from Nagi, Reo, Killua and Gon, the relationship ends in a separation arc where they have to learn to grow apart from each other. It's difficult, because for both Killugon and Nagireo, the other is their first real friend. All of these children were isolated people who recognize in each other a first deep and sincere friendship. Likewise, both Nagi and Gon say harsh words to their partners “Because this is not your fight!” and “I don't care anymore, you are a pain”. Both words come from frustration, but they are hard to hear, specially from the person you cared the most.

Now is when things start to diverge. Killua, in the process of saving Gon, is reunited with his sister on a journey that depicts Killua facing his traumas (his family) and being able to rise up so he can show devotion to his friend once again, but this time it's different, this time Killua wants Gon to apologize. This is the first time Killua asks something in return from Gon, their relationship is changing. Reo, on the other hand, starts to work on himself, in the process of wanting to show his value to Nagi he creates his ability “The chameleon”, a beautiful power that allows him to copy others, but also allows him to face his traumas: if, in the words of his father, Reo was not “chosen” to be able to play soccer unlike the others who were, he has no choice but to copy those “chosen ones”. Reo and Nagi's relationship also changes, Reo's goal now is to show themselves on the field as equals.

At the end of Hunter x Hunter, Killua decides not to follow Gon after saving him from his horrible contract nen. Now Killua has other priorities: helping his sister who needs him and protect her. Killua understands that his relationship with Gon has changed and that while they are still friends, he needs time to heal and to be able to be with his sister Alluka. the penultimate chapter of the anime ends with Gon and Killua going their separate ways, but this time Killua has a dream to protect and gon returns home, we complete the full circle and their relationship “swings”.

On the other hand, in the current NEL arc in Blue Lock, Nagi and Reo end up on the same team. Nagi and Reo's relationship also changes, it is now Nagi who seeks out Reo and asks for his help. However, due to Nagi's lack of insight, the relationship becomes unbalanced again: the moves they make are no longer scoring goals and his mentors tell him that a separation is imminent.

Reo is not doing it on purpose. He has always had a habit of “overwatering” Nagi even before the breakup, and Nagi is telling him all the things Reo wanted to hear. He's simply too proactive to the point that he ends up helping to enable Nagi's lazy habits. That said, that's mostly Nagi's fault for being lazy and continuing to rely on people even though he knows it's something he needs to improve.

Killua decides to part ways with Gon temporarily and finds a dream that goes beyond just caring for Alluka: Killua, as the caring and kind child he is, finds his worth in caring for others. But now, Killua must ask himself the question of what he wants for himself. He must find his worth beyond an “other.”

Reo must ask himself the same question and understand that his friendship with Nagi goes beyond being just soccer players: they are friends and their bond is unbreakable. He doesn't have to be just Nagi's "wingman", he can also score his own goals and be an indispensable midfielder for the match.

I hope you enjoyed the comparison. Both characters are amazing and they are so loving and caring about their friends that I find it inspiring!

[daydreamingoncloud9]

Nagi Seishiro: A Divergent Path

Spoilers for Chapters 1, 2, 117, 147, 254, 280, 281, 295, 298, 299 & 300 of Blue Lock and Chapters 2, 3 & 4 of Blue Lock: Episode Nagi.

Similar to my last post on Nagi & Reo, this post is also not necessarily a shipping post, but because I do ship nagireo, it might colour my analysis on them, so fair warning. »»————- ⳮⷤ ── ⲇ ── ⳮⷤ ————-««

With the release of the new chapters, I wanted to bring up an interesting parallel I noticed that helps strengthen the theory that Nagi and Reo's journey together will not end here. In fact, I think this parallel just helps to cement that they will continue to diverge from the rest, even with this recent failure.

To start, I think it is beneficial to establish that Nagi and Isagi are meant to be foils in the story and they often have scenes that parallel each other in key ways.

Many others have already pointed these parallels out before, but for argument's sake, I will list some of them down regardless.

Isagi's ego flaring after he shoots on his own vs Nagi's ego flaring after he sees Reo

2. Isagi being the first to enter Blue Lock vs Nagi (& Reo) being the last

3. isagi scoring the final goal of the U-20 match vs Nagi scoring the first goal

4. Isagi being classified as a "world-style" talented learner vs Nagi who is classified as a "self-style" genius

5. And most recently, Isagi who was at the top of the winners' bracket vs Nagi who was at the top of the losers' bracket

Even their designs are meant to be foils of each other wherein Isagi is short (relatively), has a weaker physical build and a darker colour palette vs Nagi's who's tall, has a stronger physical build and a lighter colour palette.

There are surely plenty more parallels you can find throughout the series, but with this, I hope that I manage to successfully establish that there is a pattern going on and this makes the next parallel I'm going to draw up quite interesting.

So!

Going back to the Blue Lock Entrance Test, I want to zoom in on what Ego considers to be "the egotism of a striker".

The idea that in this instance, a striker is someone who "tries to defeat someone stronger than themselves", "goes after the strongest one" and has an "obsession with their own victory which can't be swayed by others' common sense" is fascinating because it describes both Bachira and Isagi, yes, but it also describes someone who ended up losing despite following that doctrine: Nameoka Ryo.

In these few pages alone, we can see that Nameoka fulfills all the criteria of the "striker" that Ego is looking for. Not only is he purposefully going after the people who he perceives as the strongest, he is doing so despite it being seen as rather illogical because of the risk that he is willingly undertaking by focusing on no one else but Nagi and Reo.

Now you can argue that this definition of a striker's "egoism" is rather shallow because the idea has evolved and expanded over the course of the story, and yes I agree. But in the context of these specific scenes, we are being told that this way of playing is the "correct" way because of how it aligns with Ego's words (whose words are often law). Therefore, Nameoka, in these scenes, is considered the "ideal striker".

So what does it mean when the "ideal striker" loses?

In my opinion, having Nameoka lose, and making it so that Nagi is the one that causes him to lose is a purposeful narrative decision to help support the idea that ultimately, despite being in opposition to Isagi's route and therefore against Ego's ideals, Nagi's (and Reo's) path is valid.

Even the fact that Reo was saved by Nagi here is relevant because of how it supports the validity of their divergent path.

Circling back to Kira's elimination for a second, we see that Ego condemns Kira because when the ball hit him, he "gave up and accepted his defeat" and in his eyes, this is what it means to "run away" from the egotism of a striker and that is why he lost.

And what is interesting here is Kira's acceptance of defeat parallels Reo's acceptance of defeat. Notice that just like Kira, Reo was prematurely thinking about his defeat under the hands of another player (Zantetsu) and was blind to the options that he had after being hit.

This is why the "5 seconds" timer was placed behind Reo as it illustrates how he had turned his back on other options except defeat even though there was plenty of time for him to think of a back-up plan, especially considering how Reo had significantly more time than Kira did (1 second vs 5 seconds).

If we were to follow the original scenario, this would have been the end of Reo and consequently, the end of Nagi and Reo's joint path, but Nagi literally interrupts this narrative and denies its unfolding.

And not only does he deny it, he also manuevers The Egoist's plot device (the ball) to eliminate Ego's "ideal striker", cementing the fact that their path, while divergent from Ego's, is a valid path to take because it succeeds.

I think we have to question why Kaneshiro-sensei and Nomura-sensei felt that it was important for Nameoka (again, the "ideal striker) to be eliminated after Nagi reaffirms his determination to stay with Reo (and therefore reaffirming their partnership) and after Reo is shown to have run away from a striker's egoism.

I truly believe it is to showcase that Nagi and Reo's partnership and joint path, despite all the ups and downs, will prevail and even succeed in usurping the "ideal" egoists in the end.

It's just a matter of looking at all the options and not admitting defeat.

[zentriii]

okay the thing is… this thing is that they cooked w this. it’s been a long time coming that when nagi and reo are comfortable as a duo they’re more complaint n therefore less competitive on the field. we see that in msc losing to the other teams after nagi’s goal against isagi. we even see that in kaiser letting his feelings/past w ness letting isagi get the goal. it’s been fucking coming. reo was left behind first, he learned to play on his own first bc of it. nagi was still figuring out what fires him up and struggling to consistently play at his best. but bllk doesn’t sit back n wait for him to realize his compliance. and now ego’s throwing it in his face. his satisfaction was a fluke—and it damned him.

[cactusjuiceisquenchy]

So I was thinking that the whole introduction to nagireo felt vaguely familiar. Like, I’ve seen this play before! But I couldn’t remember why,, until just now!

Compare this to

(I can’t remember the actual chapter’s panels but episode Nagi flashes back to it)

In the Original beta version of haikyuu, kageyama finds hinata exactly the same way reo finds nagi, wandering around school wishing they had a better partner and then BOOM crazy human feat followed by immediately pressuring this random guy to join their sport. The parallels are crazy. I like to think the spirits of og kagehina live on in nagireo, it’s very amusing to me.

[lightpinkstuff]

Two things:

I wanted to put these two pages together to see the difference in Nagi's body language in these two similar moments. In the first, he seems more forward, confident, and determined. In the second, he's got his hand on his neck, a gesture that shows he's feeling nervous (in that whole sequence he keeps doing similar motions, touching his neck/shoulder/back of his head). I don't have anything to say about it, it just makes me sad ;v;

I realised that the layout of these two pages is extremely similar?? Is it just in my head?? Idk what this means, but it's got to have been intentional. It has to mean something in the narrative, right??

[harley-joking]

I was thinking while reading the manga (that 'I am no longer enough to satisfy you' frame) and reading other opinions about the ship in my native language (from people who ship them and people who don't) that Nagi is certainly seen as insensitive/manipulative/cold to Reo in the main manga (without reading ep Nagi/which does give us his POV/and how much he cares about Reo).

But even and with all that, without his pov (his motives) and in the main manga we are told: That Nagi went to play for 6 months a sport he was indifferent to (he went to practice and all, and it was time he could spend on his cell instead) and even stayed in bluelock initially (mega effort) for Reo.

Reo wanted him there, and so he stayed. Just because of Reo.

In retrospect, this is one of the ways to see how much he cares. I mean imagine the level of effort that such a lazy person has made for Reo so far and without asking for anything in return. Just because he was his friend (he fell in love).

Some people are very hard on Nagi.

[just-some-sorta-person]

Huh. My interpretation of Eta was slightly different in that I found it kinda ambiguous. As in, the point was more about the value of not ignoring the past or you’ll repeat toxic cycles. Regaining ur memory and choosing to try again anyways while knowing what could go wrong (hence Joel saying “okay” instead of “it doesn’t matter or won’t happen” to Clementines description of how their relationship fell in the first place and will fall again if they act the same) and taking that chance could go right or wrong because you’re not going in as the same people as last time. But are you different enough? Only taking that chance will tell you. And it very well could end badly, but as long as you made the choice knowingly it’s not that wrong. And maybe you can end up with something better than before, because you acknowledge what happened in the past and decide to do better.

(Keeping in mind Nagi’s explicitly stated problems in avoiding hurt ie introspection and his current epinagi refusal to think to the past where Reo rejected him, “erasing” those memories)

it's interesting that Nagi's favorite movie is Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind just because the theme of that movie is falling in and out and then back in love, even if it's toxic and won't work out.

trying to love someone over and over even if it hurts you. they're a mistake you can't stop making.

and then Reo's favorite movie is the Truman Show, a movie about a man who's spent his entire life being exploited and played with like a puppet.

something he is both a victim and perpetrator of.

now blue lock is having major writing issues right now, but I won't deny, Kaneshiro is fucking cooking with his character bibles.

Shidou's favorite song being "Pink Spider" is fucking brilliant and I'll talk about that later, but the NagiReo preferences are fascinating.

[kxsagi]

aged up blue lock men of your choice where they already perfected their skills in every aspect with their girlfriend who wants to try soccer for the first time so the blue lock men jokingly tried to show off their signature move and then reader thinking he might be asking her to replicate it, did exactly that except they didn't expected their gf to execute it perfectly (it took them years, it took her a glance)

“𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫”

a/n: the header is everything

ft. itoshi rin, itoshi sae, isagi yoichi, nagi seishiro, bachira meguru, kaiser michael, shidou ryusei, karasu tabito, mikage reo, niko ikki

itoshi rin

he was just trying to be funny, okay? 

you'd asked him to teach you how to play, and he just... showed off a bit. a simple top-corner shot – full sprint, perfect form, sharp angle. you clapped. 

“so you want me to do that?” 

he snorted. “no, not unless you’re secretly a prodigy or something.” 

but then you jog up. barely even take a second to aim. and the ball swerves – a perfect curve into the same damn top corner. 

he just stands there. arms crossed. blinking. 

“… did you google my entire playstyle last night?” 

you: “no?” 

rin: “are you possessed?” 

he’s so irrationally offended, but also stunned and a little in love because what do you MEAN you just felt like it???

itoshi sae

you ask for help and he stretches dramatically like he’s being forced to tutor a child. 

“fine. observe a prodigy.” 

he lines up, slow-walks to the ball like a diva, and hits one of those cheeky no-look chips into the goal. smirks.  

“okay, now you.” 

you mimic everything – down to the posture, the lazy half-step, and then bam, the same result. ball lands in the net with that same crisp curve. 

“… huh.” 

he walks up to you and pokes you in the forehead. 

“how did that come from you?” 

you stick your tongue out. “you said observe a prodigy, right?” 

he’s lowkey smiling the entire time and won’t admit it. 

“okay, whatever, prodigy #2. try dribbling next, i bet you suck at that.” (he’s bluffing. he knows you’re about to humble him again.)

isagi yoichi

you just wanted a basic lesson. but your sweet boyfriend enters meta vision. 

“okay, okay, watch this. it’s my direct shot. this took me years, okay?” 

he explains angles. timing. leg strength. strategy. he’s so passionate you almost feel bad. 

until you try it. 

and the ball flies – same angle, same power, right into the net. 

he’s speechless. like, “did you just… wait what???” 

you: “was that it?” 

him: “was that it?? LOVE, THAT TOOK ME YEARS OF DEVASTATION AND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT.” 

he's so happy and offended all at once, like this is not how shonen arcs work 😭

but he also makes you recreate it ten more times while filming it for proof. his screensaver is now you landing a direct shot. 

nagi seishiro

this man literally yawns before showing you his “signature” trap-and-volley. it’s so clean it looks fake. 

“alright, try it. but it’s kinda hard.” 

you look at him. “you mean like this?” 

and you trap it mid-air and volley it in one fluid motion. 

he blinks. 

“whoa.” 

you: “was that right?” 

him: “um, i think you just stole my whole flow.” 

nagi’s not mad tho. he’s excited. now he has someone to do lazy genius duos with. 

he immediately suggests skipping the rest of practice and just going pro together. 

bachira meguru 

he’s full of sparkles and spins the ball on his finger before juggling it in a zig-zag pattern across the field like a circus act. 

“okay cutie, your turn, but don’t stress if it’s messy the first ten years.” 

you blink. “you want me to do that?” 

him: “LOL nooo… unless???” 

you try it. and by some miracle or muscle memory from dance or gymnastics or whatever divine chaos lives in your body, you nail the dribble. 

he screeches. 

like full volume. picks you up and spins you like a helicopter. 

“you’re possessed by a soccer god!!! teach me!!!” 

he’s immediately calling you his monster twin and demands matching cleats and jersey numbers. 

training is now just the two of you goofing around and inventing new flashy combos. 

kaiser michael

he was only demonstrating. not asking you to compete. 

“watch and learn, liebling,” he says, tossing you a wink. 

then he pulls off his signature kaiser impact like it’s casual. 

you clap. “so… you want me to do that?” 

“obviously not. unless you want to destroy your feet.” 

you attempt it anyway. 

and somehow, your shot is smoother. it hits the net harder. and you land with zero effort. 

kaiser’s jaw is on the floor. 

“did you… did you just out-kaiser me?” 

you blink innocently. “i thought i was just copying?” 

he is in his villain arc. he stares off dramatically and mutters “she’s my greatest rival” under his breath. 

but he’s also holding your hand the entire walk home like you just saved his life. 

shidou ryusei

“alright baby, this one’s hot.” 

he launches himself into a wild, mid-air scissor kick like an absolute maniac. 

lands on his feet, smirks, and flexes. 

“that was sexy, right?” 

you raise an eyebrow. “i can try.” 

he laughs. laughs. “what are you gonna do, cartwheel and break your nose?” 

and then you scissor kick it perfectly. 

not only that, you somehow make it look graceful. 

he’s silent. 

then bursts into laughter and tackles you into the grass. 

“BROOOO you’re cracked!!! marry me again!!!” 

he now insists on being your hype man every single time you breathe near a soccer ball. 

“watch out, my girl’s got hops and precision. she’s a menace.” 

karasu tabito

karasu, the king of cool, casually rolls the ball up with his foot and does one of his famous elastic cuts followed by a no-look assist shot. 

“kinda difficult. probably too fast to pick up on first try,” he smirks. 

you try. you nail it. 

first try. no hesitation. 

the ball glides into the net like you’ve been doing it since birth. 

karasu slowly removes his imaginary sunglasses. 

“… are you a government experiment?” 

you: “is that your way of saying good job?” 

he’s lowkey impressed and also mildly panicked that he might not be the slickest one in the relationship anymore. 

but he gets over it quick and says, “cool. we should do duo trick shots and make money.” 

mikage reo

reo is SO dramatic about teaching you. 

he plans a whole lesson, brings cones, makes a playlist. 

“this is gonna be our bonding day, babe! you’ll learn from the best.” 

you: “okay, show me something fancy.” 

reo: “say less.” 

he dribbles between cones with lightning footwork and ends with a clean nutmeg-shot combo. 

then turns and bows. 

“good luck topping that–” 

you do it. all of it. smoother. faster. even add a little spin at the end. 

reo’s soul leaves his body. 

“HOW???” 

you shrug. “i just… watched?” 

he is clapping like a proud stage mom but also spiraling a little. 

“okay, but i still look better doing it, right? right???” 

he makes you wear matching jerseys and calls you his "soccer power couple" for a week straight. 

niko ikki

you ask him for soccer tips and he gets all shy but serious. 

“o-okay… just, uh, follow my lead.” 

he does this intense, stealthy feint he’s known for, disappearing around your blind spot and curving it in. 

he’s proud. it’s his baby move. 

then you do it. perfectly. with the same footwork, the same angle, the same curve. first try. 

he stares at you in disbelief. 

“was that… did you just read my blind spot?” 

you: “i mean… yeah? it made sense.” 

he looks at the ground. 

“am i… obsolete?” 

you immediately shower him with praise, telling him you learned it because he made it look so cool. 

he softens. 

“… okay. just don’t start covering your forehead, too. we can’t both be mysterious.” 

© 𝐤𝐱𝐬𝐚𝐠𝐢

[just-some-sorta-person]

The first couple of pages of Episode Nagi parallel Nagi's journey and hint at Nagi understanding his originality after death

Episode Nagi chapter 1 page 3

Nagi wakes up and gets pricked, causing him to awaken- just like how experiencing frustration for the first time in the team Z match "awakened" him.

Despite being awake, Nagi doesn't get out of bed bc "getting up is such a pain..." so instead he focuses on "beating the daily challenge" This may refer to Nagi wanting to/succeeding at beating Isagi, though I think it more so parallels Nagi’s decision to start “making an effort” in blue lock, given that he dies.

So then Nagi dies, which forces him to get up and go to school. At the same time, he realizes he's hungry

This is a pain, because to be hungry is to want things and be human. Being hungry makes you do things to sate that hunger. It forces you to live. And to Nagi, living is a pain.

After chapter 298, we have reached the part where Nagi “dies”, which will forces him to get out of bed. Right about now is when Nagi should be getting "hungry" too, which can be understood as understanding his “originality” as Ego describes. This is whatever deep intrinsic desire he feels he wants to fulfill.

Maybe the reason why Nagi’s death kickstarts this understanding is because it denies him of what he wants, causing hunger. Maybe it’s because it’s only at rock botttom, having lost everything, that Nagi can face what he wanted in the first place. After all, if he’d faced it earlier, he’d have to face the possibility of losing it. Now, that’s moot point, as he’s dead and lost it all.

What is this originality? It may be related to his fear of losing Reo, which he expressed in his dying moments. But what he hungers for shouldn't just be being by Reo's side. That's settling. Settling in a place like Blue Lock is no good.

Nagi got mad at the implication that he was Reo's toy. What he should aim for isn't just Reo letting him tag along by his side, but being Reo's true and real partner. He needs to find the bravery to chase that instead.

What Nagi's been doing through his lack of communication with Reo (and, what Reo has been doing by assuming certain things are impossible) has been settling. They need to stop settling for a situationship and get together. They need to get to a point where they have a mutual understanding of their partnership that isn’t functioning to keep them together, but rather only exists because they decided to be together and understand each others feelings.

For an example of settling, take Reo’s 300 mil proposition and Nagi’s unenthusiastic agreement. Nagi clearly doesn’t care about that, but he wants to be with Reo, so he doesn’t object or correct him. He settles for being a passive participant in the relationship despite getting mad at Barou for calling him Reo’s servant, and later gets to the point of begging Reo to let him stay by his side by 298.

For another example of settling, take Reo’s assumption that without soccer they could never be together, and that they will separate once the World Cup is won (in the extra chapter). This is part of what leads him to react the way he does in 2nd selection.

By the time of 298, Nagi clearly thinks the same- though this wasn’t a given to him like it was to Reo. He’d asked Reo in the harujuku extra chapter what they would be if Nagi had no soccer talent, and Reo had told him Nagi’d be abandoned- though there was no way Nagi didn’t have talent in Reo’s mind.

Even if Nagi had gotten past that idea by the time they entered blue lock, it would have been reinforced when Reo accused him of forgetting their promise/not caring about him anymore by choosing to play with Isagi, demanding Nagi to throw him away. Being rejected because of not playing soccer with Reo despite working toward their dream would send the message that their partnership is reliant on soccer. At least, to someone as passive as Nagi. Thus, “I am not your toy”. But it seems like he’d settle for that.

After that moment he uses kanji instead of katakana to refer to Reo which has been confirmed to mean he feels more distant from him.

The fact of the matter is that playing together doesn’t necessarily make one play better. Your motive cannot be being helpful or useful to someone else, out of transaction for their company. Partnerships only work when mutual interests align instead.

That may beg the question- doesn’t that mean relationships of convenience are the way to go? Ie the Karasu Otoya route, for instance?

Well, no. Relationships of convenience are for when two different/opposing mutual interests align. What we haven’t seen (yet) is when mutual interests align because they are so similar- because two people want to win together at the end of the day. They understand this shared desire, and trust each other to do their best to carry it out- resulting in an ideal partnership.

The nagireo endgame… potentially.

[lauretra]

The Chameleon: ability unlocked through pain and resilience

When Reo tells his parents that his dream is to win the World Cup, Reo's father tells him to forget it, that “only a few are chosen to be able to play soccer”.

After this encounter of frustration and anger, Reo meets Nagi. Nagi, unlike Reo, is one of those chosen to be able to play soccer. His ball trap is equal to a genius and he can effortlessly make incredible plays. He is different from Reo in Reo´s mind

When Reo goes through his worst moment in Blue Lock after being left out by Nagi, he mentions that unlike him and the other players “he doesn't have the confidence to be able to die and be reborn”. In order to know your ego, you have to know your worst side and embrace it. For psychoanalysis, one way of conceiving the ego is as the place of negotiation, making adjustments, psychological calculations to find a way to live with ourselves and in the world. Reo, contrary to what he believes, he lets himself “die” Nagi ends up “killing” him. And worst of all, Reo is not chosen. I think this hurts more if we look at it from the perspective that his father told him “you are not one of the chosen ones to play soccer”, again Reo proved he was not chosen. Throughout that game Reo faced self-esteem issues and felt that his abilities were minimized. He kept comparing himself to Isagi and Nagi, which only made the situation worse.

We don't know what Reo must have gone through during his stay with Shidou, but he mentions to Isagi in their conversation in the monitor room that the only thing that kept him here was his desire for revenge. He begins to question his side with Nagi more and more. Unlike him, he's not a genius, he doesn't improve the way like Nagi did. What value do I have then? am I someone useful to keep around?

All this changes in the match of the third selection. Reo begins to feel overwhelmed by the “light” of the top six. He begins to question his stay at Blue Lock “Hey Reo, become the one who chooses, not the one waiting to be chosen" I think these words were powerful for Reo not only in a sense of the pain they caused him for being abandoned by Nagi, but also because of what his father said to him.

Out of all insecurities, traumas and low self-esteem Reo manages to unlock the Chameleon “I will become an idiot too” “I am no longer the master of a little, call me the master of all tricks”. For me, this is an answer to all of Reo's fears. If Reo is not a chosen one, if his path is not to be a genius (something I personally disagree with), then he will copy all geniuses “if I don't have a special skill, then I will take pride in what I have and occupy it to my advantage”. This responds to everything that Reo went through in the second selection, but at the same time, it is a response to his father's words and isagi´s words. He now has the ability to CHOOSE any technique.

For many pre-Hispanic cultures, the chameleon has a deep spiritual meaning, representing the connection to adaptability and transformation. This animal teaches us the importance of being flexible and able to change according to circumstances. It possesses the ability to change its color and adapt to the surrounding environment. This ability to camouflage reminds us that we must always be willing to adjust and adapt to the different situations we face in life. In addition, the chameleon teaches us about internal transformation. As it sheds its skin, we can also learn to free ourselves from old beliefs, attitudes and behaviors that no longer serve us. This process of transformation allows us to grow and evolve spiritually.

By observing the chameleon, we can reflect on how we are handling the changes in our lives. Are we being resistant or are we able to adapt and accept the new? Are we willing to change our approach when necessary?

The energy of the chameleon invites us to embrace adaptability and transformation in our spiritual quest. It reminds us that by being flexible and open to change, we can achieve greater personal growth and a greater connection to our inner self.

Reo becomes a flexible player. He was able to adapt automatically in the U20 match as a defender (the most difficult position to enter as a change) and stop Shidou. He is a one-man army. He can generate attacks at will, read the time of the game, occupy other players. The Chameleon is his answer to his deepest fears, is a powerful technique made of resilience and the desire to transform oneself and become better: He can now choose.

[mathematical-apprentice]

I like the classifications, they are definitely apt, but I think there are some issues with your classification.

The Striver and Supporter classifications are a lot broader than the Strategist and Saboteur categories. I think classifying them into a major class and a sub class would yield more accurate classification.

The main classes would be Striver and Supporter, with the main difference between them being what drives their growth. Strivers would be driven by an innate desire to see themselves improve, while the Supporter would be driven by a desire to see somebody else succeed.

In which case Isagi would also fall into the Striver class with most of the others and Reo would fall quite squarely into the Supporter class along with Ness. Hiori would be a Striver funny enough, despite the fact that he wants to make someone the Greatest striker. That's because his dream is not attached to a single person, so long as he is playing with a striker his drive is still there.

The second classification could be based on how they achieve their dream, strategist and saboteur could fall here. But I haven't fleshed this out.

Another point I'd like to raise is that Barou is a bit of a Saboteur, especially when you consider the U20 match where he devoured Isagi. But I might have to go through the Saboteur class again to understand the criteria for it.

Also is part of the Criteria for the Strategist having Meta Vision? Because I don't think Snuffy has Meta Vision, but I think he falls into this class. But that might just be Snuffy as a Manager/Coach.

Just went through it again. Ego types not playstyles. But my Striver-Supporter dual classification still stands, it's just the subclasses that may be an issue.

You could use, Strategist, Saboteur and some others

Strategist: carful planning and problem solving

Saboteur: disruption and destruction

I think Niko and Rin are Strategists rather than Saboteurs. Shidou is definitely a Saboteur.

Barou doesn't fall into either class so we'll need more classes. So maybe a class for those like him. I'm not sure who those are though

You could have a Savant class, who are interested in technical skills. People like Bachira and Nagi could fall into this class; Bachira with dribbling and Nagi with trapping.

Thinking about it, Nagi might actually fall into the Supporter class, considering how his drive seems to be tied to Isagi sort of.

So Nagi-Reo is actually a Supporter-Supporter matching, so we're waiting to see Nagi's evolution into a Striver class.

An issue that I just thought of is, what are the criteria for making a class (or subclass in this case).

4S Blue Lock Ego Classification

*had to type out the title as well even though it’s redundant because the banner is already there. otherwise, tumblr would refer to this post as “Strategist” just because it’s the first heading ajhfdhafdhsg

Strategist

A Strategist is fueled by the desire for success through careful planning and problem-solving. They find fulfillment in being in control of the situation and having others revolve around their vision.

Known characters with this ego: Kaiser (?), Isagi, and Hiori*

Kaiser’s name has a question mark because I’m not sure that he belongs here. He’s currently undergoing development, so who knows if he’s just a Strategist out of desperation to get on top of his current situation. I am thinking he could also be a Striver, what with that science-backed shot he’s been practicing, not to mention his amazing bicycle kick goal during the Ubers match.

As for Hiori, I was deliberating whether to classify him as a Strategist or a Supporter since he once explicitly said, “I want my soccer to ‘produce’ the world’s best striker.” In the end, I went with the former because of how much he values being in control of his life. Also, it’s not like he supports others because he enjoys the feeling of being needed. He only does it to flex his mind.

(Writing this, I realize how oddly Hiori’s arc was resolved. He ended up like his parents 💀)

Supporter

A Supporter is fueled by the desire to be indispensable to someone else’s success. They find fulfillment in providing valuable assistance and thrive on the positive impact they have on others.

Known characters with this ego: Kurona, Ness, and Nanase

Saboteur

A Saboteur is driven by the desire to destroy and disrupt. They find fulfillment in undermining their enemies’ plans and obliterating their efforts.

Known characters with this ego: Niko, Lorenzo, Sae, and Rin

Striver

A Striver is fueled by the desire for personal growth. They continually push themselves beyond their limits to hone their skills, finding fulfillment when they successfully break boundaries.

Known characters with this ego: Bachira, Chigiri, Yukimiya, and Barou

...I have a paper due tomorrow, yet I spent over 4 hours on this post ha ha...

This is an update of my old ego types post. I thought the wording of that one could be improved, and while looking for panels as proof of their ego types, I realized I had put some characters in the wrong categories.

I still didn’t include Nagi and Reo, though. I have no idea what types they are. Nagi, especially, hasn’t figured out what fuels him. On the other hand, Reo can either be a Supporter (for wanting to make Nagi #1) or a Strategist (for having unlocked metavision and being able to keep up with Isagi).

Kiyora right now should be a Supporter, but depending on how Kaneshiro handles his arc, he may end up as a Striver by the end of the match against PxG.

Ah, as much as I’d love to sort everybody, I don’t have the time! Feel free to add on to this post with what categories you think the others belong to.

[fluffybearsblog]

Alright, let’s break this down like a real scientist who just discovered the laws of Blue Lock physics. Because if you seriously think Nagi Seishiro is gone for good, I have a PowerPoint, a TED Talk, and several conspiracy boards to prove otherwise. First off, the math ain’t mathing—you don’t just slap an entire spin-off manga (Blue Lock: Episode Nagi) and a whole-ass movie on a character just to yeet him into obscurity. That’s like dropping the DLC before the main story is even over—it’s narrative malpractice. The second someone gets an origin story outside the main series, they’re certified to be a long-term investment. Why? Because that’s called character branding, and no sane writer (or marketing exec) would build up Nagi as a main pillar of the series just to send him home permanently.

Now, let’s talk about plot structure. Nagi’s entire existence in Blue Lock follows one of the most classic anime tropes: the lazy genius who doesn’t realize he wants to be great until he’s forced to work for it. This man started off treating football like a TikTok trend—cool to try but not worth the effort—and then got dragged into Blue Lock by Reo’s fanboy energy. His arc has been about evolving past that initial apathy, learning to love the game for himself, and actually trying for the first time in his life. If he just disappears now, then what was the point? You’re telling me Blue Lock, a series obsessed with character evolution and peak egoism, is gonna have Nagi take an L and not come back swinging? Be so fr. This ain’t a normal sports anime—this is Blue Lock, where elimination is basically a training montage in disguise.

And don’t even get me started on the economics of this. Nagi isn’t just a character—he’s merchandising gold. He’s one of the most popular characters in the entire franchise, and you think they’re just gonna stop printing Nagi-themed jerseys, figures, and collabs? Absolutely not. Capitalism won’t allow it. If there’s money to be made, then Nagi is coming back one way or another. Whether it’s through a wildcard event, a rival team picking him up, or even a redemption arc where he goes feral (which, let’s be honest, would slap), there is no universe where he just quietly fades away. Even Kunigami, who was dead for like 30 episodes, got a shonen protagonist revival arc, so Nagi—a dude who’s literally built to be a football prodigy—isn’t about to get permanently benched.

Now, for the final nail in the coffin: the meta-narrative. Blue Lock isn’t just about winning games—it’s about building the ultimate striker. And what’s the biggest rule in every competitive story? If you lose, you learn, you adapt, and you come back scarier than ever. Nagi losing doesn’t mean he’s out—it means he’s about to unlock some next-level development. This loss might be the catalyst that makes him truly obsessed with winning. And when he does come back? Oh, you know it’s gonna be iconic.

So yeah, from a scientific, narrative, and economic standpoint, Nagi’s return isn’t just possible—it’s guaranteed. Mark my words, this man isn’t just coming back, he’s about to pull a comeback so disrespectful that Isagi’s ego is gonna feel physically threatened.

[natsuslover]

bllk boys as american high school stereotypes ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

notes— bc i miss being a senior in high school watching bllk every saturday while working on college apps :(

ft. yoichi isagi, seishiro nagi, meguru bachira, reo mikage

warnings: none :)

yoichi isagi - the accomplished nerd

you cannot tell me this kid wouldn’t at least be ranked top 6% or smth

like he would definitely have his whole high school life and college career planned out using his meta vision or whatever

he would “devour” all of his tests, quizzes, concept checks, etc.

and not to mention that he plays soccer

i know for a fact dude would milk the soccer thing for all it’s worth on his college apps

like in every other sentence on his college essay he would be talking about his soccer trauma lmao

he would also be a part of so many other clubs just to have a stacked resumé

i feel like he would study a lot too like just because he wants to do well in school in general

he’s one of those nerds that’s not necessarily popular but everyone knows him because people talk about his grades and his rank and they look up to him and stuff

was definitely cancelled for a bit for calling one of his classmates a slur after getting a bad grade on a group project…

seishiro nagi - the “invisible” kid

he’s not actually invisible he just never shows up to class lmao

he shows up occasionally to get the bare minimum of school hours so he can graduate, and also shows up for test days because making up work is a pain

he usually just sits in the back of class and is either sleeping or blatantly playing on his phone but the teachers never say anything because they lowkey forget he exists

but somehow he still has perfect grades??

he doesn’t think he has a lot of friends because he thinks it’s too much energy to keep up with a social life

and yet he’s still pretty popular and was somehow dragged into a huge friend group without even trying

a lot of girls have hallway crushes on him and try to flirt with him but he doesn’t even notice

and if he does he just pretends he doesn’t.

he couldn’t care less about school and just goes because he has to and internally complains about wanting to go home the entire day

meguru bachira - the weird kid

i’m sorry i love bachira but he’d definitely be that one kid people laugh at in the hallways

not necessarily in a “he gets bullied” way but just like, he’s weird and he knows it, everyone else knows it, and he’s genuinely funny

he’s like the weird kid that everyone’s friends with if ykwim

but it’s also kind of sad because he has no real friends

his grades are good enough i suppose; he doesn’t really try but he’ll get into a pretty decent college so he’s fine

doesn’t take school all that seriously

definitely the class joker

and is the subject of teacher gossip pretty much everyday because they find him incredibly tiring to deal with

other kids have seen him talking to himself in the hallways so they’re kind of creeped out by him

he’s completely aware that people talk about him behind his back but he doesn’t really care because he like being able to make people laugh

reo mikage - the rich kid

this one is obvious lol

he’s always wearing luxury brand names to school like it’s nothing

like catch this man in the hallway in gucci shoes, a louis vuitton jacket, prada sunglasses, and spraying his chanel perfume everywhere because the hallway smells like shit

people become friends with him just in the hopes that he’ll buy them super bougie stuff for their birthdays or whenever

he’s literally a nepo baby so he doesn’t even have to do well in school to get into a good college

has girls falling for him left and right but he knows it’s just because he happens to be wealthy and genetically fortunate

definitely would be a popular kid that gets along well with everyone

he’s really modest about his wealth but also not modest at all at the same time

the teachers try to suck up to him because they’re adamant that he’s going to be successful in the future (and he probably will)

blows money on his friends every time they hang out and throws the best parties with expensive ass alcohol