Producer Arisawa is "far from satisfied" with the Blue Lock anime adaptation in his latest interview

With the BLUE LOCK vs. U-20 JAPAN anime currently ongoing, Bandai Namco Blue Lock Producer Ryoya Arisawa answered some questions raised by fans on the anime's official Instagram account. 33 USA Inc. has shared the producer's responses to Sportskeeda Anime via email correspondence.

Considering that Blue Lock anime is currently adapting its most highly anticipated U-20 Arc, some of the answers to the questions are what exactly fans have been looking forward to knowing about. These questions cater to topics about the anime's production process, future, and characters.

Blue Lock Producer Ryoya Arisawa answers fan questions

Yoichi Isagi as seen in the anime (Image via 8bit)

With the Blue Lock anime currently airing its second season, fans were most interested to learn Ryoya Arisawa's favorite part of the production. To this, Arisawa responded:

"It would have to be the time spent deepening my understanding of Blue Lock with the author, Muneyuki Kaneshiro, and then creating the script for the anime during our scenario meetings. Both have been highly meaningful and positive experiences for me."

Fans were also interested to learn what the producer thought about the anime's impact and whether it could have the same effect on fans as Captain Tsubasa did back in the 80s.

To this, Arisawa responded:

"That’s what I believe. We are creating Blue Lock with the goal of having such a significant impact, not only in Japan but also around the world."

Ryusei Shidou as seen in the anime (Image via 8bit)

Some fans were particularly interested in the characters' daily lives and asked the producer whether the anime would also adapt their lives outside of football. To this, Arisawa responded:

"The main focus of Blue Lock has always been fiery soccer, however, we also aim to depict as much of the characters' everyday lives as possible. With that in mind we made the decision to produce the "Additional Time!" shorts at the end of every episode."

Right after, the anime fans started questioning the producer about the characters. While it was revealed that Sae Itoshi was interested in Ryusei Shidou, the anime never revealed how the midfielder learned about him.

For this, Arisawa deduced a response:

"Sae Itoshi reviewed almost all of the information and match footage within Blue Lock before accepting the offer to participate in this match. He did this deliberately to determine whether the opponents were worth his time. Among the players, he became particularly intrigued by Shidou, who stands out as the most unconventional figure, breaking away from the norms of traditional Japanese soccer."

Reo and Nagi as seen in the anime (Image via 8bit)

Right after, the focus of the questions switched to the anime's adaptation. Many fans were concerned about the series' drop in quality in the second season. Hence, they asked the producer whether he was satisfied with the anime adaptation, the difference between the animations of season 1 and season 2, and the series' future.

To this, Arisawa explained:

"I am far from satisfied. Blue Lock is a story about pursuing one's "ego" to achieve greater strength, and in a way, satisfaction signifies the end of growth.

He added:

Characters, like Isagi and the others, relentlessly seek greater strength with insatiable determination, whether they win or lose and the same applies to me and everyone involved in the "Blue Lock" anime. To those ends, I believe we will never allow ourselves to feel fully satisfied moving forward."

He further elaborated on the differences between season 1 and season 2 animation"

"Having battled exclusively within a closed facility until now, the characters will, for the first time, battle on a grand stage that captures the attention of all of Japan. To fully express this shift, we have increased depictions of the outside world and the audience, elements that were rarely seen before.

He elaborated:

Additionally, reflecting on the lessons and feedback from the first season, we have enhanced aspects such as monitor work, imagery sequences, and aura effects. I believe these differences in approach are evident in the animation style this season. Of course, even in the production process of Season 2, we continue to iterate and fine-tune, aiming to build up to an exciting climax."

Lastly, Ryoya Arisawa commented on the anime's future and the possibility of a third season.

"With everyone’s support, I believe we can continue the series, so I kindly ask for your continued support for Blue Lock."

Anri Teieri as seen in the anime (Image via 8bit)

The questions then switched their focus to Ryoya Arisawa as fans wanted to learn much more about him. When fans asked him if he watched soccer, he responded:

"I do watch Japan’s national team matches, and occasionally, I’d go to the stadium when invited by friends. Since becoming involved with Blue Lock, however, the opportunities to watch have increased significantly."

Fans then asked the producer which character he related to the most and who was his favorite. Ryoya Arisawa responded with this:

"In terms of position, it would be Anri-chan, but mentally, I think I’m most like Isagi. Despite having more losses than victories, he’s always striving for the next win, which I feel is similar to me. I also aspire to be like Isagi. Since encountering this series, I can say without a doubt that my own ego has grown stronger (laughs)."

He further stated:

"I love all the characters, and one of Blue Lock’s greatest charms is that every character has something admirable. If I had to choose one, it would be Anri-chan, as I find a lot to relate to in my role as a producer.

He added:

Although she’s often treated like a mascot or someone who handles odd jobs, she’s the driving force behind this project. She’s the one who inspired many adults, including Ego-san, to take action and achieve these results. I truly think she’s an amazing producer."

Rin Itoshi as seen in the anime (Image via 8bit)

The questions then switched to Ryoya Arisawa's take on the characters. Firstly, they asked him who he thought would become the No. 1 striker at Blue Lock. To this, he responded:

"I can’t choose, and I’m on the edge of my seat with excitement and anticipation, following attentively on who will be the last one standing in the end."

Right after, fans asked him about his opinion on Nagi and Reo. He responded:

"Both of them are incredibly human and captivating, making it impossible to take your eyes off them. Reo is a bit emotionally immature and childlike—despite pursuing the same dream as Nagi, he ends up demanding that Nagi walk the same path with him. In contrast, Nagi has a more detached perspective. He genuinely believes in their shared dream and promise, which allows him to choose a different path without hesitation because he truly wants to fulfill it.

He explained:

This disconnect between them is so human and compelling. On top of that, both of their soccer plays are dazzling and cool, which makes them such an amazing duo."

Fans then asked Arisawa about the rivalry between Rin and Isagi and if it slowed down Isagi's progress, making Rin the true main character of the story. To this, Arisawa responded:

"Rather than saying he’s slowing down, I think Rin’s presence has made the wall that Isagi must overcome even larger and clearer. While Rin is certainly one of the main characters in Season 2, I still believe that the true protagonist of Blue Lock is Yoichi Isagi."

Sae Itoshi as seen in the anime (Image via 8bit)

Lastly, fans asked Ryoya Arisawa about possible future adaptations. Fans wanted to learn what happened to Sae Itoshi in Spain, hence one fan asked whether they could get to see a spinoff. To this, he responded:

"At the moment, nothing like that exists, but I would love to see it."

Another fan asked the producer if he was looking forward to animating the Neo Egoist League. To this, he stated:

"I personally want to see more and more of the Blue Lock anime, so I'd like to ask again for your continued support so that we may continue the series. That would make me incredibly happy!"

Final thoughts

While the Blue Lock anime has faced a lot of trouble during production, the anime's staff has remained adamant that they are producing the anime wanting to deliver the best they could. Nevertheless, they themselves aren't satisfied with the work and will be doing their best to surpass their limits with every new release.