With Yoichi Isagi having surpassed one of his idols already in Blue Lock, fans wonder if Noel Noa could be next. The sports anime has already been the breakout hit of the year in its genre, with its highly unconventional and almost violent style. But the series had been a darling of manga readers for a while now, with the plot going places you wouldn’t expect. And in a narrative that is this highly competitive, of course, fans are going to ponder over what’s next.

Well, the biggest question is whether Isagi has surpassed Noel Noa yet. And while the question is valid, the answer is no. That’s just impossible for now. However, I can also see why this speculation is coming up so often. After all, Yoichi Isagi and his growth have been astronomical as of late, even getting one up on the likes of Rin Itoshi. And let’s not forget his recent win against Ryosuke Kira, a person he looked up to. So, is it so hard to imagine him being able to go toe-to-toe with someone like Noel Noa in the future?

Well, that’s the thing. While he might reach that position at some point, Isagi hasn’t surpassed Noel Noa yet. And likely won’t for a very, very long while. But that’s just how things go in Blue Lock, a series that prides itself on the competition, no matter how harsh it may feel. Unlike others in the sports genre, there is no emphasis on teamwork here. Instead, the entire narrative is based on the Ego, a principle of individuality. And you can’t win ahead if you aren’t selfish.

This is why when you pit world-famous athletes like Noel Noa against junior players such as Yoichi Isagi, it can feel unfair. But surpassing someone like that is kind of the point, no? So, in today’s Lore Analysis, let’s discuss why Yoichi Isagi hasn’t surpassed Noel Noa so far, despite being one of the most promising newcomers on the football field. It isn’t as simple as you’d think so let’s get right into it!

Blue Lock: Prodigies VS Hard Work?

I like how Blue Lock tackles the concept of a novice working hard and how they stack up to someone that is naturally more gifted. After all, there are plenty of ‘prodigies’ in the Blue Lock project itself, such as Rin Itoshi and Seishiro Nagi. In hindsight, they feel like they were handpicked by Jinpachi Ego himself because how they happened to be ideal candidates for his training ideology.

But that’s why it’s so satisfying to see someone like Yoichi Isagi come out on top. I mean, yeah, he started as a pretty naïve individual, with his ideals conflicting with the sheer selfishness that Ego promoted. So, when he suffered loss after humiliating loss, it felt like things would never get better. However, eventually, we got to see Isagi steel himself, surpassing many of his peers that were more promising than him. With a dream to become the best Striker in the world, Isagi persevered.

Has he changed his personality a lot to get there? Yes. But it also showed that rooting for the underdog was always a good idea.

Why Isagi Hasn’t Surpassed Noel Noa (Yet)

So, here’s the deal: Noel Noa is known for having the best Weapon in all of Blue Lock, as well as being the current best Striker in the world. He is Isagi’s senior and his idol too. When you put it like that, it’s kind of silly to imagine that a 17-year-old trainee can take on a 31-year-old professional, no matter how good they get.

But isn’t that what series like Blue Lock are all about? Meeting your heroes and becoming better than them in the process? Of course, Isagi hasn’t surpassed Noel Noa yet. We might not even see it happen in real-time during the manga. But this is Isagi’s story, at the end of it. It’s the story of seeing him eventually become the best in the game. He’s the protagonist, after all. And just like every other Shonen out there, the writing is already on the wall.

I think it’s more likely that Noel Noa will retire before Yoichi Isagi and he can meet on the playing field. But when it comes to stats and goals, Isagi will rank much higher than him when he reaches a similar age.

However, this isn’t happening for a while, so maybe let’s just wait and see how things will go.