Now that Blue Lock: Episode Nagi has a movie in the works, the hype is real! Fans cannot seem to stop talking about Blue Lock especially since the series got its anime adaptation in 2022! From a wide range of egoists, each feeling like protagonists in their own right, it is difficult to pick a favourite, but some of them have received the lime light more than others.
One of the best aspects of this sports anime is that formerly defeated foes do not remain so, and grow along with the protagonist himself. One of these characters is Nagi Seishiro. Since the moment of his introduction, Nagi has been acknowledged by his peers and nearly everybody to be a form of rare talent, a hitherto unrecognized prodigy whose playing skills are potent enough to unnerve the best players in Blue Lock.
On top of that, he has only been playing soccer for a few months! To help players know more about Nagi and his journey to the Blue Lock Project, Muneyuki Kaneshiro has decided to give us a spinoff. Titled Episode Nagi, the manga had enjoyed its own popularity amongst fans seeking to explore the story from the perspective of the lazy and perpetually bored genius striker.
Blue Lock movie set to delve into lazy genius Nagi’s story
Happy birthday, Seishiro Nagi! ⚽️🎂 (via BLUELOCK) pic.twitter.com/GHL1oAafwU
— Crunchyroll (@Crunchyroll) May 6, 2023
Not much is known about the upcoming adaptation of Episode: Nagi, except for the fact that the movie is set to adapt the story of Nagi and Reo from the time of their meeting till their encounter with Isagi and his team. Fans of Blue Lock know the victory of the underdogs in Team Z over the might of Nagi and Reo, although the characters continued to demonstrate prevalence throughout the rest of the story.
Seishiro Nagi’s life prior to his engagement in the Blue Lock project in Japan is depicted in the spin-off manga. Gaining an insight into the lazy genius’s mind is a fascinating experience because Nagi’s way of nonchalance seems to counter the fiery egos and drives of most other players in Blue Lock. However, that is also where the storyteller’s penchant for showcasing unique character motivations and goals shine as Nagi discovers his own form of ego, when the spark for hard work and victory are ignited within him by the tireless run towards victory of Isagi Yoichi.
What Blue Lock: Episode Nagi has covered so far
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO #BLUELOCK'S LAZY (AND GOOFY) GENIUS, NAGI SEISHIRO! (5/6) 🎉🎉🎉 pic.twitter.com/0BSTmPCvP1
— hoshi@TGAアニメ. ia (@hoshi801_) May 5, 2023
The story begins with Reo convincing Nagi to join him in playing football, and thw two underdogs in their own right are scouted by Anri during their match with another famous and experienced team with an ace striker. Nagi and Reo share their own history with the ace striker like Isagi had with Kira Ryusoke, and the mangaka draws exciting parallels here when the two are sorted into Team V along with said ace, and eliminate him in the first game of tag.
As the manga progresses, we see more and more of what makes Nagi click. However, the manga also offers a unique insight into the charismatic, all-rounder Reo Mikage whose struggle with defying his parents motivates him to keep going. As the story moves further, fans of the original Blue Lock series can spot more and more familiar faces returning including Ikki Niko, who is shocked and overwhelmed by the skills of Nagi, and Barou Shoei, who finds a way to fight him on equal footing.
It shall be great to see the movie on the big screen although an exact release date is yet to be confirmed, because the movie is expected to release sometime around 2024. What do you think about the movie, and how much of the manga will it adapt? How excited are you to see Nagi, Reo, Barou, Isagi, Bachira and the rest of the gang in visual format? Let us know down in the comments!
