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Blue Lock: Is Barou the next Snuffy? Exploring the next generation of Master Strikers - - News | Blue Lock,Blue Lock chapter 216 | GamesHorizon
Barou, as seen in Blue Lock anime (Image via Eight Bit)

Blue Lock: Is Barou the next Snuffy? Exploring the next generation of Master Strikers

Stuart RayBy Updated:7 Mins Read Anime

Fans of the series can now see Barou’s response to learning about Master Striker Marc Snuffy’s football philosophy, thanks to the publication of Blue Lock chapter 215. They are aware that Barou is too proud to play by someone else’s orders. Therefore, there had to be some back and forth between them.

The battle between the Ubers and Bastard Munchen resumed in the previous chapter, which also discussed World Master Marc Snuffy’s philosophy on football and his desire for his players to treat playing the game like a job and follow instructions. Then, after they had lost and gotten the ball back from Isagi, Ubers coordinated their play and started their brief counterattack.

Seeing Barou work well with his teammates was surprising for his opponents as well as his readers. However, the answer might lie in Marc Snuffy’s philosophy that favours coordinated teamwork over individual egoist plays. Snuffy’s philosophy seems to counter that of Barou and his desire to conquer the field by defeating other players. As such, he rejects Snuffy’s philosophy outright. However, there is a twist, and Barou, already a fan-favourite character, develops with an even greater nuance to his personality after Snuffy defeats him in a 1-v-1.

Blue Lock chapter 216 sets up Barou as the next Snuffy

This time, Barou had to accept a difficult realization that completely altered the way he thought. Snuffy had good reasons to be concerned and informed Barou that not everyone who was formerly regarded as brilliant continues to be so. Snuffy also poses a stunning query to Barou – Will Barou still adore himself if no one thinks he’s brilliant?

In chapter 216, Snuffy asks Barou if he wants to be the King of Ubers, basically giving his throne to him. Snuffy tells Barou that his specs and mindset make him the best in Blue Lock and even the best in this Neo-Egoist league. Snuffy asks Barou to work with him as the new King of Ubers. Surprisingly, Barou refuses Snuffy’s offer and tells Snuffy that he is who he is and he has his own way of thinking.

Barou keeps repeating that he is not Snuffy’s friend and that he wouldn’t commit suicide if he failed. In the future, Barou claims he doesn’t want to be an adult who hides in a shell out of fear of failure like Snuffy. As Barou walks away from Snuffy and leaves the practice area, he runs into several of his teammates who appear to be keeping an eye on what the two of them were talking about.

Barou is fantastic, says Aiko, for turning down Snuffy’s offer of the crown. Aiko is not the only one being cajoled, according to Barou, who also promises to exploit his talent solely for himself. In the following scene, Barou is stretching in Blue Lock’s relaxation theatre when the channel abruptly switches. He insists that the remote be brought back so that the background can be changed to what it was before Lorenzo asks if he wants to watch a movie with him instead of the forest scene.

Barou dismisses Lorenzo’s comment that Snuffy likes Barou and becomes irritated with him for changing the channel and dropping popcorn all over the floor. Snuffy can help any team he works with win, according to Lorenzo.

Snuffy is seeking a striker because he wants to play football to realise the dream he had with his closest buddy. If he and the Ubers win the Italian League, Snuffy will stop playing and turn into a coach.

This is disregarded by Barou, who dismisses Lorenzo. Barou reacts with horror when Lorenzo urges him to gaze at his flashing, golden teeth. Lorenzo starts out by telling Barou about his inattentive parents and his difficult upbringing. A young Lorenzo is seen in a flashback sitting next to a pile of trash when Snuffy approaches him and invites him to work with him and play football.

When Lorenzo begs Snuffy for money, Snuffy grants his erratic request by having Lorenzo’s teeth replaced with golden ones. When Snuffy appears, Lorenzo informs Barou that the former is mad enough to help someone like him. Barou tells Snuffy that while he is eager to cooperate, he would prefer for Snuffy to crown him King of the World. Soon after, Snuffy informs Barou that their agreement is complete, and they will start training immediately.

The World Masters: Their proteges and philosophies

With Barou seemingly bearing the mantle of Ubers in the future after Marc Snuffy retires, fans have begun wondering who the other heirs to the throne in the Neo Egoist League might be. By heirs, only one thing comes to mind. The World Masters, or the Master Strikers of each team are the undoubted kings of their territories and act as the respective coaches.

For Italy’s Ubers, Marc Snuffy is the coach and despite their differing personalities, he has already begun mentoring Barou. Combining his merit as a striker and physical stats as a powerful player with the foresight to play in a team and the guidance of Snuffy has the potential to make Barou Shoei a force to reckon with on the world stage. However, the question arises – do the other four teams in the Neo Egoist League have a similar dynamic between striker and Master that has been explored/will be explored yet?

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Isagi Yoichi can undoubtedly be regarded as the heir of Noel Noa, and his status as the underdog shonen protagonist who is mentored by and surpasses the greatest player in the world makes him the future tactician of the field. Noa’s plays imbibe individual egoism with logical plays that Isagi has shown to be adept at, and even the master acknowledges that while siding with Isagi during his match against Manshine City.

It is still unclear as to who might be the next Master Striker/World Master of Manshine City considering there are three major characters in that team. While Seishiro Nagi has undoubtedly the greatest natural talent and potential, he lacks the physical ability of Chris Prince, and Mikage Reo’s talents lie in a supporting role. Besides, the dependence of the two during plays is something different from Chris’s egotistical desire for glory. Instead, Chigiri Hyoma’s super speed can cause him to lean more towards their coach’s physical abilities and strength.

While it is too soon to comment on the Master Striker’s relationship with his students in France’s PxG, Julian Loki’s speed, soccer IQ and strength are not joke despite his age of 17. A prodigy and a coach of players his own age, it will be delightful to watch his ego clash with that of Itoshi Rin, Shidou Ryusei, and the other members of the team. However, who exactly will bear the mantle of the future Loki is doubtful since he is so young.

Spain’s FC Barca has no such problem, and Bachira Meguru and his eccentric football clearly aligns with that of the Master Lavinho’s playstyle. Bachira’s development in the manga recently has been hype-inducing and he even managed to shoot to the number #3 spot on the rank-list. Perhaps it is Spain’s free and relaxed atmosphere that has allowed this “monster” to thrive.

These dynamics are based on the author’s own opinion and are hardly conclusive. Nor does Barou’s adherence to Snuffy’s philosophy seem to be permanent, if fans know anything of this joker. The Blue Lock mangaka’s ability to constantly surprise fans might cause new dynamics and important characters to crop up soon.

Blue Lock serializes weekly in Shonen Jump, while fans can read It on Viz Media and MangaPlus. The anime finished its first season, with 24 episodes streaming on Crunchyroll, where fans can soon look forward to the subtitled version and more instalments in the Blue Lock franchise.

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Stuart loves anime, writing, and writing about anime. Someday, he hopes to illustrate his own manga from his novel!