REVIEW: ‘Blue Lock’ Season 2 Episode 6 — “The Big Stage”

It’s finally here. The Blue Lock team is facing off against the Japan U-20 team in the match everyone has been waiting for. Blue Lock Season 2 Episode 6, “The Big Stage,” puts all the pressure on Isagi and the rest of the Blue Lock program to win and keep their dreams alive.

Blue Lock Season 2 Episode 6 is full of tension right from the start. The Japan U-20 team is struggling to find a cohesive lineup, with several players threatening to quit if Shidou is chosen for the starting lineup. This dynamic is at odds with the perceived notion that the U-20 team is a united front. The thought was that the Blue Lock team would struggle against a united and well-oiled U-20 team, but it is clear that won’t be the case.

While things are in disarray for the U-20s, the Blue Lock team is full of excitement. They are a bit nervous, especially Isagi, but they feel they might be more of a team than the U-20s. This dynamic is interesting because the entire premise of the Blue Lock program is that they are supposed to be individualistic. They should put their egos and progression over others. Now that they have to win to keep the program alive, they must adjust their mentality without losing their killer instinct for goal.

The U-20s were essentially billed as the bad guys when they first appeared, but Blue Lock Season 2 Episode 6 shows their motivations well. The Blue Lock program is a statement that the U-20s and their approach to building a national team is wrong, so this game is more than just a fight for Blue Lock’s survival. It is a fight over the identity of soccer in Japan. If the U-20s win, it proves that teamwork and the traditional approach to the sport is the right way to go about things.

This approach is interesting because it gets to the root of the entire series. Ego believes that soccer in Japan is fundamentally flawed, and only he can fix it. This game is the ultimate test. If his elite, egotistical strikers can beat the long-standing ideals of teamwork and balanced development it would radically change the way soccer is viewed.

It all challenges viewers in the way they view the sport. Both approaches have their pros and cons and there is no clear “right” way to approach it. Even within their own programs, both approaches take from each other and aren’t entirely entrenched in their ways. This is a great way to keep viewers thinking, never firmly taking a side but instead realizing that there are benefits to each approach.

All of this builds up for a decisive match that will put these ideals to the test. One key difference from the previous Blue Lock matches is that this is in front of a massive crowd. Thousands pour into the Blue Lock stadium to see the U-20 “Diamond Generation.” They all know very little about the Blue Lock team. Despite being a “home” match, the atmosphere is decidedly in the corner of the U-20s.

The matchday energy is quite authentic. Fans pour in to cheer on their favorite players, many with drinks in hand, ready to enjoy the event. The crowd chanting “Japan” as the teams enter the field gives an air of palpable tension that you would see on an ordinary matchday for your local professional soccer team. Nailing that atmosphere so accurately helps make this feel like genuine soccer, even while Blue Lock has been all about challenging the notions of what soccer really is.

It would make sense for the Blue Lock team to start off slow, but they waste no time taking it to the U-20s. They don’t seem to feel the pressure at all, likely down to all of their preparation. They are prepared tactically to fight from the opening whistle and push for a goal without hesitation. Their 3-6-1 “nitro” formation is explained to viewers as a pre-match briefing flashback. This is useful for non-soccer fans to understand what Blue Lock is doing heading into the match.

It also shows that, despite Ego’s preaching that it all comes down to individuals, soccer is still a team sport. Ego recognizes that in how he sets his team up, which makes one wonder how rigid he is in his own beliefs. He has a more pragmatic approach, hinting at the program evolving if they can survive this match.’

The bits of the match shown in Blue Lock Season 2 Episode 6 are a tad disappointing. Despite all the build-up, the animation is still weak and lacks the fluidity seen in the first season. A few moments stand out, especially when some of the inner “monsters” appear, but overall, it feels very static and needs more to drive home how great the action is meant to be.

Still, the players are now on the big stage. The match for their lives is going to be a heart-pounding one. Soccer in Japan is at a crossroads and this game will decide where it goes from here. If the Blue Lock team can stick together, they might be able to break through and defeat the U-20s.

Blue Lock Season 2 Episode 6 lays the groundwork for an intense battle and kicks off the season’s big event in excellent fashion. The insight into the soul of soccer helps make up for lackluster animation as the players finally hit the field for the ultimate showdown.

Blue Lock Season 2 Episode 6 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.