Blue Lock Season 2 Was 2024's Most Controversial Anime, But I Still Liked it Despite its Flaws

Blue Lockseason two is over as of December 2024, and the finale beautifully set up an exciting potential season three with Blue Lock's win against Japan's U-20 team. The second season of Blue Lock was not warmly received by everyone in the fanbase though, and sparked a great deal of criticism, particularly regarding its less than stellar animation.

Now that I have seen all 14 episodes, I have finally decided that overall, Blue Lock season two was much better than many fans are currently giving it credit for. Despite its flaws, it was still one of my favorite series of 2024, and a few key moments in the last two episodes more than made up for the season's low points.

Blue Lock Was Quickly Attacked for Its Lackluster Season Two Animation

The Poor Quality of Animation in Season Two Sparked Important Conversations on the Treatment of Animators

Isagi Yoichi telling Ego he refuses to lose Blue Lock

Admittedly, Blue Lock season two did lack the fluid, vibrant animation that fans had been expecting after season one, and many scenes suffered from choppy movements and questionable transitions between scenes that some viewers felt looked like Powerpoint transitions. The issue with season two's animation quality and viewers' reactions to it escalated to such a degree that members of the staff at Eight Bit, the animation studio, began publicly speaking out, with one animator who goes by MartinKiings on TikTok bluntly informing viewers that "we did the best we could," within the rushed timelines and with the excessive amount of work the animators were given.

I was also disappointed in the animation myself, because Blue Lock season one had set my expectations very high with well-animated scenes that were filled with movement, vivid color, and precise detail. The steep downgrade in quality could not be ignored, because not only did it reveal how hurried the production of the season was, it illuminated how overworked the animators were, which is a massive issue in the industry right now. Despite this disheartening aspect, though, I wish fans would not just write off season two completely, because there are moments that still capture what makes Blue Lock truly special.

Episodes 13 and 14 Are the Season’s Best, Portraying Blue Lock’s Core Message

In These Final Episodes, Rin and Isagi Finally Acquired the Concept of Ego That Is at the Heart of the Story

Rin and Sae Itoshi fighting in Blue Lock

At the beginning of the two-episode finale, released on Saturday, December 28, 2024, it was unclear which team would win, since they were both tied with mere minutes left on the clock. The intensity of the situation, coupled with Jinpachi Ego's inspiring words, created an atmosphere of thrilling tension that completely drew me in as a viewer. In particular, the character development that Rin Itoshi and Isagi Yoichi experienced in just these last two episodes alone was enough to cause me to overlook the bad animation and other shortcomings of season two that had once seemed to overshadow everything else.

Rin shed his old mindset of dependence on his brother, Sae Itoshi, realizing that to place his soccer career in anyone else's hands was a foolish move. With renewed vigor and complete independence, he threatened to "kill" anyone in his path, crushing every obstacle that stood between him and becoming the world's best striker. Watching Rin blossom from an insecure player desperate to please his older brother, to someone in control of his own fate and relentlessly pursuing soccer success for his own satisfaction, revealed just how well Muneyuki Kaneshiro writes his character arcs and highlighted Blue Lock's overarching theme of ego.

Isagi’s Character Development Was the Best It Has Ever Been, Especially in the Finale

The U-20 Arc’s Best Moment, Isagi’s Winning Goal, Was Handled Perfectly in the Anime

Blue Lock Season 2, Episode 14 Isagi celebrating his goal

Of course, the best scene of Blue Lock season two, in my opinion, was Isagi Yoichi's winning goal, scored in the last seconds of the match. During the entire season, Isagi strived towards this dream, so witnessing him finally achieve it, especially in the crucial final minutes, was extremely satisfying. The goal itself was exhilarating, but the scenes that followed were even more incredible, as everyone in the stadium celebrated the underdog team winning against Japan's best. In a post-game interview, Isagi even shared his bold future goal: "to lead Japan to glory at the U-20s World Cup."

Isagi grew into a completely different, self-assured character who cannot even be compared to the reserved, discouraged player he was in season one who was jealous of others' skills and worried he would quickly be eliminated from the contest. Isagi's character development in season two was his most substantial yet, and it left me only wanting more in a future season. Furthermore, the animation in the season 2 finale was phenomenal and felt much more on par with season one's animation, proving the studio is still capable of excellence despite the flaws fans took issue with in other earlier episodes of season two.

Season Two Proved to Me That Blue Lock Deserves a Third Season

I’m Not Even a Sports Fan, but Blue Lock Season Two Encouraged Me To Appreciate Soccer in a New Way

Blue Lock season two's final two episodes redeemed the season as a whole for me, reminding me why I became such a fan of the sports shonen in the first place. I am not much of a sports fan, but the monumental character development, emotional resilience the characters display in stressful circumstances, and the simple but enthralling story of average high school students competing to be the best soccer players in Japan, have all kept me hooked, and these elements all appeared in the finale. Some argue that Blue Lock should not receive a third season, but the finale definitely solidified my wish that it will.

There are improvements I hope will be made in future seasons, especially the animation. I would not mind waiting years for season three, even though season two left off on a mysterious cliffhanger introducing one of the manga's best characters. I believe if the animators and writers are given ample time to work, season three could be even better than the previous two. No series will ever be perfect, but Blue Lock season two managed to make even me, a non-sports fan, truly interested in the world of soccer, and for that reason, I feel it is well worth the watch for any anime fan.

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