Blue Lock happens to be the talk of the town when it comes to anime. And whether Yoichi Isagi will beat Itoshi Rin is the biggest question on everyone’s mind. After all the rivalry is what makes Blue Lock so special. We’ve seen a lot of sports anime come out in recent years where the focus had been sportsmanship and camaraderie, to the point where the actual sports itself took a back seat. But that is not the case with Blue Lock, where the competition is the name of the game.
And that rivalry is best seen when it comes to Isagi and Itoshi. I mean, will Isagi beat Itoshi Rin? Well, it’s already happened in the manga! For the longest time fans had believed that Itoshi Rin would be the kind of character that Yoichi Isagi would always get close to beating, but never quite get that achievement. And for a while, it was a will-they-won’t-they situation. That is until he gains the upper hand during the Neo-Egoist League and gets one-up on Rin.
But, come on. We already knew this was bound to happen. Isagi was always going to beat Itoshi Rin, he’s the main protagonist of a sports anime after all. But beyond that, we’ve been following Isagi’s progress throughout the manga (and now the anime!), and he is far from the callous, bright-eyed kid we started with. This new Isagi is a straight-up beast, with a fire that can rival the Egos of those in the bigger leagues. And that includes Rin, who we had seen being paraded around as basically a prodigy.
So, for Isagi to surpass him, it was only a matter of time. Blue Lock is about becoming the best Striker in the world, and everyone in the series is vying for that top spot. If you couldn’t survive the trenches, you wouldn’t be here. This is why it’s easy to see how Isagi beat Itoshi Rin. But let’s discuss that and more in Character Versus!
Yoichi Isagi: Going From Underdog To The Big Leagues?
Isagi was, at first, your average Shonen protagonist. You know the type. He was plucky, really friendly, and just a simple guy. However, he quickly learned that soft people are quickly eaten up by the fierce competition in the sport.
If you don’t dare to take the wins for yourself, you simply cannot survive something as harsh as the Blue Lock Training Program. And when Isagi receives this rude awakening, he changes. Initially struggling with his own ideal conflicting with those of the training, and a non-existent Ego, he trains himself to be more like his superiors. Gone is the lovable kid that played the sport for the fun of it, he was now here to win.
And Rin has been his ultimate goal through it all. In a way, after initially losing to Rin, Isagi wants nothing more than to beat Itoshi Rin when it comes to the Striker position. Luckily, Isagi has strengthened his abilities and honed himself to the point where he could actually achieve this. He has become analytical when it comes to his plays, with a will to win that’s almost ravenous.
When we talk about his skills, the biggest one that comes up is his Spatial Awareness. This ability helps him take stock of the entire playing field, from players to spacing. And through a thorough look, he can predict how the match will play out. This way, he can maneuver all the goals in his favor. And in the series, his version of Spatial Awareness is leaps and bounds higher than anyone else’s. It also helps that he is super adaptable, with a nose for seeking out goals when they happen.
Itoshi Rin: Prodigy Coming From Legacy?
So, how does a person gifted from the start fare compared to the underdog? Apparently, it cuts pretty close. The thing with Rin Itoshi is that we always knew he was going to be something amazing. After all, his brother is Sae Itoshi aka the best player in Japan.
But it isn’t always that simple. Sae and Rin had a falling out, and ever since then, Rin has been obsessed with beating his brother at the game. However, his motivations have changed since, and he’s become much more focused on being the best, period. And it’s a Striker like him that is the ideal candidate for Ego training. Truly, he has made a name for himself that is separate from his brother’s legacy.
But his devotion to football is nearly excessive. He used to be very innocent as a child, playing with the team instead of trying to outshine them. But as he understood how cutthroat the sport can be, he shaped himself to be much colder, almost blunt when it comes to his thought process. Truly, his wit and seriousness regarding being a Striker are unparalleled, except maybe when it comes to Isagi.
But where Isagi is starting, Rin is already in the top tier list of players. His stats are insane, with a football technique that is far superior to those of his peers. And the one thing that no one has been able to rival him is his kick. His main power is a Highly Accurate Kick, which means that if he’s shooting for the net, it is near confirmed to be a goal. I mean, the guy can kick 2 balls simultaneously in a way that they take different trajectories. Like, that is insane for a player his age, even in Blue Lock. But that’s why he’s also the main one to beat.
However, his main prowess is the fact that he is just a very balanced player. Not only is he serious on the field, but he has been sharpening his skills from a very young age. He isn’t just coasting by on being talented but growing himself to truly be the best at the game. Couple that with Spatial Awareness, and it isn’t hard to see why Isagi wanted to beat Itoshi Rin.
Winner: Isagi Finally Beat Itoshi Rin!
So, fans were waiting on this legendary match for a while now, and no one truly believed Isagi would win against Rin. But that’s exactly what happened. And honestly? I feel like it had been a long time coming. Yoichi Isagi has grown tremendously since his days as a trainee.
And we’ve only seen him put his best foot forward, especially during the Second Selection arc. Plus, protagonist plot armor!
I know it’s a cop-out reason, but that’s just how sports anime work. Clearly, Isagi will beat Itoshi Rin, there’s no doubt about it!
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