English Dub Review: Bluelock “Awakening”

Overview:

The stakes are high with the match against Team V. In the first half, Team Z is overwhelmed by Team V’s super trio, Nagi Seishiro, Mikage Reo, and Tsurugi Zantetsu. Especially the formidable attack of Nagi and Reo pair, who have only started playing soccer six months ago with no record of losing, is enough to break their spirits. When everyone is about to give up, Bachira Meguru’s play sets fire to the ego in their hearts. In the last match of the first selection, under an extreme circumstance, the awakening of the diamonds in the rough, just as Ego wanted, has begun.

Our Take:

I’m going to start with a bit of a negative which is the first I can think of for Bluelock. This episode seemed to bring the focus outwardly on the players. To do this they used more CGI, up until now it had been few and far between. It’s not the worst I’ve ever seen but it is more lackluster than the rest of the animation for this series thus far. Still a fantastic series and episode but it was still a bit jarring.

A lot of the players got a chance to shine in this one and I am loving it. This manages to not use the “power of friendship” workaround a lot of other series like this do but still manages to do it if that makes sense. Bachira and Chigiri were the standouts in this one but I love how Bachira gets the most out of Isagi. I really don’t know how there can only be one player to come out of this I love them all.

One of the players on Team V, Nagi, has to join the crew in the next go-around. I don’t know how things will work once they advance and everything but Nagi seems intrigued by Isagi and the others of Team Z. That is just my theory and I really like the character so far so I hope it comes true. Bluelock might be my favorite part of Saturdays right now.