Blue Lock Episode 12: The End of the Second Preliminary Round
In the latest episode of Blue Lock, which aired on March 26th, the second preliminary round came to a close. Out of the initial 300 strikers, only 35 remained, while the rest were eliminated. The Blue Lock system was designed to create strikers with strong mental fortitude who would compete against each other and push each other to their limits. In this system, cheating and underhanded tactics were allowed in order to create the best Japanese strikers.
One strategy used in the Blue Lock system was to rank each player, with the rankings being updated after each match. The players were also divided into groups of 11, based on their rankings. The lowest-ranked players were placed in Group Z, which was home to some potential players who had not yet been polished. The strong players in Group Z included Yoichi Isagi, Meguru Bachira, Chigiri Hyoma, and Kunigami.
In the first match of the second preliminary round, Nagi left his friend Reo behind and offered to join Isanagi and Bachira. Together, the three formed a team, while Isagi and Bachira left their former teammates Chigiri and Kunigami behind. They faced off against Itoshi Rin but were defeated, leaving only Nagi and Isagi. Bachira advanced to the next round with Rin, while Isagi and Nagi had to fight for Barou. Isagi emerged victorious and chose Chigiri, sending Kunigami back to the previous round.
Isagi, Nagi, Barou, and Chigiri progressed to face Itoshi Rin but were defeated once again. Rin chose Isagi, so the three were sent back to the previous round. In the final match of the second preliminary round, it was announced that there were only 35 strikers left. They were divided into seven groups of five, but Isagi did not see Kunigami in any of the groups.
Isagi and Bachira were safe with Itoshi Rin’s group, while Chigiri was with Nagi and Barou. However, Kunigami had been defeated and was not chosen by any of the winning groups, ultimately ending his journey in Blue Lock. Ryusei Shidou, who now ranked 111th in the Blue Lock system, led the winning group.
Despite Kunigami’s natural talent and physical strength, his innocent, kind, and honest personality was his downfall, as the strict Blue Lock system did not allow for it. Ryusei explained, “No matter how good your character is, it’s useless on this field. Those who rely on explosive power are nothing but trash. That pure and naive hero, he’s nothing but a slime that cannot evolve in my life.”
As the second preliminary round came to a close, the remaining 35 strikers continued to compete in the fierce competition known as Blue Lock, each vying for the top spot and the chance to become the best Japanese striker.
