Honestly, if you were scrolling through Twitter or Reddit during the Fall 2024 season, you probably saw the chaos. People were calling it "Blue Slideshow." Others were defending it like their lives depended on it. But now that the dust has settled on all 14 blue lock season 2 episodes, we can actually look at the full picture of the U-20 arc without the week-to-week emotional baggage.
The season was a weird, polarizing ride. It covered the Third Selection and the massive showdown against the Japan U-20 team, spanning roughly chapters 95 to 151 of the manga. While the story is arguably the best the series has ever been, the actual production was... complicated.
The Episode Breakdown: From Tryouts to the Big Stage
The season didn't waste any time. We jumped straight into the "Tryouts" to see who would actually make the cut for the Blue Lock Eleven. Ego basically told the remaining 35 forwards that they had three weeks to become a team that could take down the national U-20 squad.
The first few episodes focused on these high-stakes internal matches. You’ve got Team A1 (Isagi, Nanase, Hiori) going up against Team B1 (Karasu, Otoya, Chigiri). This is where things started getting meta. Hiori basically tells Isagi to stop overthinking and start playing on "reflex." He compares it to Tetris—if you wait to think about where the block goes when the speed picks up, you’re already dead.
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Key Moments in the First Half
- Episode 4 (Chameleon): Reo finally stops chasing Nagi’s shadow and debuts his "Chameleon" style, copying Yukimiya’s gyro shot. It was a huge moment for his character growth, even if he still felt like he wasn't enough.
- Episode 5 (FLOW): This is the bridge. The tryouts end, the starting lineup is set, and we find out Shidou—the absolute wildcard—has been "stolen" by Sae Itoshi to play for the U-20 team.
That Animation Controversy Everyone Won't Shut Up About
We have to talk about it. You can't mention blue lock season 2 episodes without addressing the "slideshow" allegations.
Around Episode 2 and 3, the quality took a noticeable dip. We're talking static frames with a camera shake to "simulate" movement. It was jarring, especially after the high-octane energy of Season 1. An animator who worked on the show, Martín Reyes (MartinKiings), actually went public on TikTok and Reddit to explain what happened.
Basically, the production committee put the team on a brutal schedule. They were removing frames and cutting resources just to hit deadlines. Reyes mentioned he left the project after one episode because the conditions were so bad. It’s a classic case of corporate suits rushing a masterpiece and leaving the artists to take the heat.
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The irony? The art itself was often beautiful and very "on-model" with the manga, but the animation (the actual movement) was missing for long stretches.
The U-20 Match: A Tactical Masterclass
Once the actual match started in Episode 6, the stakes shifted. We weren't just watching a game; we were watching a clash of philosophies. On one side, you have Oliver Aiku and the U-20's "Iron Wall" defense. On the other, the egoists.
The Turning Points
- Nagi’s Opener: Episode 7 gave us that legendary goal. The silence in the stadium followed by the roar when Nagi introduces himself to the world? Chills. Pure cinema.
- Shidou’s Entrance: When Shidou Ryusei subs in for the U-20s in Episode 10, the pace changes instantly. His "Big Bang Drive" (Episode 11) was one of the few moments where the animation actually "locked in" and looked incredible.
- Barou the Villain: Ego subbing in Barou to "cause chaos" was a genius move. Barou doesn't care about the team; he just wants to devour everyone, which ironically is exactly what Blue Lock needed to break Aiku’s defense.
How It Ended: The "Last Attack"
The finale, Episode 14, titled "Last Attack," was a double-length event in terms of impact. It focused heavily on the Itoshi brothers. Rin goes into this maniacal "flow state" where he stops trying to be a "beautiful" player and just starts destroying people.
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The sequence of Rin tearing through the U-20 defense was probably the best-animated part of the entire season. It felt like the studio saved 80% of their budget just for these final 20 minutes.
The match ends 4-3. Isagi, staying true to his "luck" theory from Season 1, positions himself perfectly to catch a loose ball and scores the winner. He then proceeds to tell the entire world on live TV that he will lead Japan to a World Cup victory. It was the ultimate "ego" moment.
Real Talk: Is It Worth the Watch?
Look, if you're a "sakuga" snob who only cares about fluid movement like Jujutsu Kaisen or Demon Slayer, some of these episodes will frustrate you. There are a lot of panning still shots.
But if you’re here for the psychological warfare and the character arcs? It’s still top-tier. Watching Rin’s descent into "hideous" soccer and Isagi’s evolution into a world-class playmaker is worth the price of admission.
Actionable Takeaways for Fans:
- Read the Manga for the U-20 Arc: If the static frames in the anime bothered you, Yusuke Nomura’s art in the manga (Chapters 107-151) is genuinely some of the best in the history of the genre. The "flow" looks much better on paper than it did in some of these episodes.
- Where to Start Reading Now: If you've finished Season 2 and can't wait for Season 3, start at Chapter 152. This begins the "Neo Egoist League" arc, which is where things get truly international and even crazier.
- Watch the Finale Twice: Seriously, Episode 14 fixes a lot of the visual issues of the middle episodes. It’s the standard we hope the studio maintains for the next season.
The journey through the blue lock season 2 episodes was a bit of a rollercoaster—sometimes for the wrong reasons—but it solidified the series as the king of modern sports drama. The project isn't dead; in fact, Season 3 has already been teased. Hopefully, the production committee gives the animators the time they actually need next time.