REVIEW: ‘Blue Lock’ Season 2 Episode 13 — “Not Alone”

The battle over the soul of soccer continues in Blue Lock Season 2 Episode 13, “Not Alone,” as team Blue Lock looks to defeat the Japan U-20 National Team. Both sides have improved dramatically as the match has progressed, but who will be able to take it over the finish line for the win?

The match is tied 3-3, and both teams are going all out to secure victory. Much of Blue Lock Season 2 has been spent on individual evolution, and now that all comes together in the match’s closing minutes. The Itoshi brothers, specifically, are leading their respective teams as their teammates play alongside their elite level.

What is cool about this is seeing the individual players realize their roles in their teams. Sae, the leading Itoshi brother in the U-20s, is an elite presence who takes his game up another notch in Blue Lock Season 2 Episode 13. He unlocks a new level of skill that threatens to leave team Blue Lock in the dust. The only real counter is his brother, Rin, unless the Blue Lock teammates can rise and match that same elite skill level.

A great sequence is unlocked in Blue Lock Season 2 Episode 13

This leads to a great sequence, with Sae making a solo run towards the goal. He leaves the Blue Lock defenders in the dust; only his brother can comprehend his actions. This sequence also features some of the best animation of the season, something the show has been seriously lacking. Seeing Rin decipher Sae’s movements in real-time alongside excellent animation finally delivers the on-field excitement we have been waiting for.

The Itoshi brothers’ evolution unlocks something in their teammates as well. Isagi is the first to realize that they can all come together to play even better, and he “solves” the match like a puzzle. That puzzle is shown on-screen, another example of Blue Lock Season 2 Episode 13 explaining what is going on in the players’ minds to those who might not be as well-versed in soccer.

Isagi’s growth makes his teammates better, and the rest of team Blue Lock starts to put the team first instead of exclusively focusing on themselves. They finally realize their role in all of this and are ready to play it. This is interesting because the whole point of Blue Lock is to focus on the individual instead of the team. This meshing of the two styles of soccer has been playing out all season, but the players are finally closer to getting an answer about which method is correct.

The answer still won’t be as straightforward as it seems. Blue Lock Season 2 Episode 13 keeps viewers on their toes with exciting back-and-forth action as the players and teams fight to take the lead. Even while players work together as a team, we still get moments of individualism that make it clear that not everyone is 100 percent on board with being a team player. This is a nice way of evolving their mindsets without completely ignoring what makes them special players.

Blue Lock Season 2 Episode 13 gets us hyped for finale

These players debate which soccer style is best, all while doing whatever they can to win the game. It can be frustrating at times to see them come so close to understanding teamwork’s importance only to throw it away in service of their own individual brilliance. Still, that approach makes these characters special, and seeing it play out in Blue Lock Season 2 Episode 13 shows these characters will not change dramatically overnight. They are all special players, and they know it, so don’t expect them to be something they are not.

What really makes Blue Lock Season 2 Episode 13 great is the animation. It is present not just in Sae’s solo sequence but throughout the match. Dribbling looks fluid and exciting, and the individual moves are given the visual appearance their excellence deserves. There has been so much talk about these players unleashing special moves and grand skills, but until now, the animation has sorely let these moments down. It is a relief to finally get the visual quality the story deserves as the match reaches its peak.

Blue Lock Season 2 Episode 13 tees up an exciting finale through character evolutions and dramatically improved animation. After a slower start, it looks like Blue Lock Season 2 might be able to stick the landing and redeem itself after some lackluster performances.

Blue Lock Season 2 Episode 13 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.