10 anime athletes who could outplay Blue Lock's Yoichi in football
Isagi Yoichi from Blue Lock might be the most versatile football player in anime given his ability to adapt surpasses most anime athletes. The player has numerous tactical skills on the field, some of which stand out including Metavision (giving him an omnipotent view of the field) and Two-Gun Volley (a recreation of Nagi's trap shot where the player kicks the ball mid-air).
However, some players might outclass Yoichi in his own game due to their experience playing as a normal player (unlike the Blue Lock player who played solely for the base of amplifying his ego). So, this article will compile 10 of the best anime athletes who have the potential to outclass Isagi Yoichi on the football field.
Disclaimer: Any opinions expressed in this article solely belong to the author.
Tsubasa, Ashita, and 8 other anime athletes that could outplay Blue Lock's Yoichi
1) Ozora Tsubasa (Captain Tsubasa)
Oozara Tsubasa is the central protagonist of Captain Tsubasa and also the football prodigy known for his skills. Moreover, he might also be one of the anime athletes who could outplay Blue Lock's Yoichi solely due to his arsenal of skills.
The protagonist names his skills after real-life footballers and perfectly nails them on the field, which makes him a versatile and innovative player. Moreover, he is also physically fit and has a good body posture which helps him cross defenders and score goals.
2) Mamoru Endou (Inazuma Eleven)
More specifically a goalkeeper who also plays as a libero (a central defender who plays behind the usual defenders), Mamoru Endo is the main protagonist of Inazuma Eleven and the captain of his football team.
While this player might be under Blue Lock's Yoichi as he has less freedom than a normal striker, his defensive stats are extraordinary, making him one of the few anime athletes who could stop Isagi Yoichi in the goalbox. Even as a libero or a goalkeeper, Yoichi could never score against Mamoru Endo.
3) Haruhisa Kuribayashi (Ao Ashi)
One of the supporting characters from Ao Ashi but also one of the most talented anime athletes, Haruhisa Kuribayashi is a part of Japan's U-20 team and a key part of the protagonist's football club, Tokyo City Esperion FC.
Being a supporting character, the anime athlete hasn't gotten much screen time (in the anime and manga). However, his talent as an attacking midfielder is still exemplary given how Kuribayashi is mentioned whenever 'football genius' is the talk. Earning a place in the U-20 team is no joke and that alone could make him outplay Blue Lock's Yoichi who is trying to get into the U-20 Japan team.
4) Tsukushi Tsukamoto (Days)
Tsukushi Tsukamoto is the central protagonist of Days. Playing as a central forward on the field, his position requires him to score a goal and have the team built around him. However, he opts to play differently and is more of a defensive-offensive plater, irrespective of his position on the field.
Additionally, he also has a high pain tolerance (mostly seen in defenders) and is one of the few anime athletes who can recover the ball in crucial situations. All of these skills might make Tsukushi Tsukamoto outplay Blue Lock's Yoichi.
5) Shuuya Gouenji (Inazuma Eleven)
Shuuya Gouenji is one of the main characters of Inazuma Eleven who was introduced as an antagonist and later joined the side of the protagonist. Moreover, he is also one of the few athletes who could outplay Blue Lock's Yoichi.
Being one of the main characters, outstanding gameplay is expected from Shuuya. Other than amazing gameplay on the field, he also possesses extraordinary states that surpass all concepts of logic, making him one of the few anime athletes who might easily outplay Isagi Yoichi.
6) Tatsuya Mizuno (Whistle!)
One of the main characters and also the footballer who is teaching the protagonist everything about the game, Tatsuya Mizuno is the best player from his school and is efficient at everything, be it shooting from the midfield or scoring bazooka goals from inside the goalbox.
Even though his character hasn't received much of a spotlight on the field (given his role as a teacher), he is still one of the most talented anime athletes who could outplay Blue Lock's Yoichi.
7) Kakeru Aizawa (The Knight of the Area)
The anime athlete who recovered from a set of horrible incidents in his young life, Kakeru Aizawa is the main protagonist of The Knight of the Area who had to give up soccer after fatally injuring his friend during a match. After this incident, Kakeru reduced himself to a football manager until he was involved in an accident during which he received a heart transplant from his brother.
After this, the main protagonist returned to the field as a central midfielder. Given his status on the field, Kakeru's stats were jacked, especially his intuition (which could be considered similar to Meta-vision). However, what makes him one of the anime athletes that might outplay Isagi would be his versatile play.
8) Ashito Aoi (Ao Ashi)
Ashito Aoi is one of the most versatile anime athletes and the only football player who might outplay Blue Lock's Yoichi in skills. The prime example of this is how Isagi's Meta-vision might have no chance against Ashito's Eagle Eye (giving the player a full view of everyone's position on the field).
Additionally, another key skill of the Aoi Ashi player is his ability to memorize matches, saving the trouble of re-watching a match to point out his blunders. Combined with his Scanning (ability to scan opponents around him), Ashito might be the brightest football player who could become sensational in the future.
9) Kota Furuya (Victory Kickoffs!!)
The anime athlete who started as a tennis player but soon followed his heart and pursued football, Kota Furuya is the central protagonist of Victory Kickoffs!! and a part of the Triple Demon siblings known for their exceptional physique.
As the center forward of his team, Kota has a similar playstyle to Blue Lock's Barou, who was Isagi's rival at the start. Kota's monstrous kicks are enough to score goals with ease, which might be the area where he might outplay Isagi Yoichi.
10) Kojirou Hyuuga (Captain Tsubasa)
The 'Fierce Tiger' of Captain Tsubasa and one of the main characters, Kojiro Hyuuga is one of the few anime athletes that might outplay Blue Lock's Yochi on the field.
As a forward player of Toho Academy Japan, the footballer's level as a professional differentiated him from others, given his offensive stats were maxed. Moreover, some skills added to his 'Fierce Tiger' persona make him unstoppable on the field.
Final thoughts
In the eyes of the fans who haven't watched most of these series, the characters from Ao Ashi might look like the only anime athletes capable of outplaying Blue Lock's Isagi Yoichi (as the characters from both these series have comparable heights).
However, the other characters are equally as talented and their sizes might be limited due to their character designs. Moreover, Isagi Yoichi is one of the most versatile players from Blue Lock so not anyone from a football anime could beat him on the field.
Related Links
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