Season 2 of Blue Lock officially came to an end this week, ending on a massive cliffhanger that has many fans wondering if the anime adaptation of the beloved sports manga will return for a third season. Although the sophomore season got off to a bit of a rocky start, it ended on a high note, with one of the highest-rated episodes of 2024.
Without giving away too many spoilers, the Season 2 finale saw the intense match between Blue Lock XI and the U-20 Japan national Team come to a thrilling conclusion. The ending also teased Michael Kaiser, the prodigal German striker who is voiced by Mamoru Miyano.
Kaiser plays a major role in the Neo Egoist League Arc from the manga, but as of right now, there's been no confirmation of a third season of the Blue Lock anime. That being said, there is hope for the anime's return.
Back in November, there were reports that the series had been green-lit for a third season. Kodansha reportedly approved of the new season which will reportedly be helmed by Animation Studio 8bit.
More recent reports claim that Blue Lock Season 3 is already in development. Producer Ryoya Arisawa has already said a third season is expected to happen.
So while nothing official has been announced yet, all signs are pointing to a third season of Blue Lock. The Neo Egoist League Arc sees Yoichi Isagi join the U-20 Bastard Munchen team as part of Blue Lock's second phase. It's in this phase that Isagi meets Kaiser, the team's ace and main striker. Kaiser is introduced as an antagonist, belittling Isagi from the moment he meets him.
Mamoru Miyano is best known for voicing Daizai in Bungo Stray Dogs, Okabe in Steins;Gate, and Light in Death Note. He'll now voice one of the primary antagonists in Blue Lock.
For those unfamiliar with the source material, the Neo Egoist League is the final selection of the Blue Lock Project in preparation for the U-20 World Cup. Players are separated into the best teams from Europe's top five leagues — France, Germany, England, Italy, and Spain — and must train and compete with that country's respective club to earn a spot in the starting eleven. They then participate in a round-robin tournament that's both entertaining and helpful in selecting Japan's U-20 World Cup team.
An adaptation of the award-winning sports manga by Muneyuki Kaneshiro and Yusuke Nomura, both seasons of Blue Lock are available to stream with subs and dubs on Crunchyroll. The series synopsis reads:
Japan’s desire for World Cup glory leads the Japanese Football Association to launch a new rigorous training program to find the national team’s next striker. Three hundred high school players are pitted against each other for the position, but only one will come out on top. Who among them will be the striker to usher in a new era of Japanese soccer?
As always, we'll be sure to update you if and when we learn about the fate of Blue Lock Season 3!