Blue Lock Season 2 Episode 3 Review: Isagi Locks In

Today’s episode of Blue Lock Season 2 was great content-wise, but not so much animation-wise. Read to find out how the episode went.

Blue Lock Season 2 Episode 2 Recap

The long-anticipated second episode has finally arrived, marking the beginning of the battles between the teams. The format is straightforward, with five matches in total and a six-hour break between each one. The first matchup features Team A1 against Team B1, where we see Isagi’s name appear alongside two new characters we haven’t encountered before. What adds tension to the mix is the fact that Isagi will be facing off against his friend Chigiri, who happens to be the only familiar member of the new B2 team.

This match stands apart from the rest, as Isagi not only has to prove himself to his rivals but also to his new teammates. He quickly realizes that in this competition, there are no friends, and while he needs to win for the team, his primary focus must be on his own performance. However, his initial tension begins to fade when he discovers that his new teammates are surprisingly more cooperative than his previous ones.

But the moment the gem starts, the momentum shifts, and it becomes clear that winning will not be easy. Rin’s team is grossly mismatched with two very dominant top players and some average supportive players who can not do much other than cater to the two best players. Rin remains at the bottom here.

Blue Lock Season 2 Episode 3 Review

This episode starts with the part where we finally understand what is wrong with team A. Their team is very mismanaged, and the power structure is completely imbalanced. The two of the top players do not see eye to eye and are in constant battle with each other to dominate the court. This is why the other members of the team cannot really follow the star players and are taken advantage of by the other team. Thankfully, Isagi realises that he must use this weakness and exploit it for their improvement.

This is also the point when he finally awakens to his strategist role and elevates the game to a point where momentum gets built in team A. In this situation, we see that Rin and Hiori’s partnership gets noticed by the rival team, and it gets stopped because that is the only thing working for them. On the other hand, Karasu is always on Isagi’s side, determined to stop him from utilising the players.

Isagi also recognises the potential of Nanase and uses him as a decoy. Nanase, or the other members, apart from Rin and Shidou, are average. Hence, it is easier for them to follow Isagi rather than the two exceptional players. But, even after a steady play takes place, is it enough for Isagi to stand out? No, it is not. With the way he is playing, he can only support the team to score more, not stand out himself. However, he is also someone who can reach exceptional heights of potential when he is pushed back into a corner.

Yes, the animation was bad in this episode as well, and yes, it was disappointing and frustrating to see. But can we do anything about that? This is why I would advise everyone to just focus on the story itself, which honestly deserves recognition.

Verdict

If I had not looked at the PowerPoint slide animation, today’s episode would have been really good. It might take some time for viewers to get past the absolute abomination in the name of animation, but once you do, you will enjoy the story.

Must Read: Blue Lock Season 2 Episode 2 Review: What Happened To The Animation?!