Blue Lock: Reos New Move Points to His Biggest Flaw

At the beginning of Blue Lock, Reo Mikage had trouble attracting attention among the other more experienced players. In season two, though, he is gradually learning to stand on his own and assert himself for the first time. His soccer journey began in high school, as a partner to his best friend at the time, Nagi Seishiro. Nagi was immensely skilled but lazy, preferring video games over soccer, and had to be pushed to try his best and pursue soccer by Reo.

Thanks to Reo's urging, the duo rose in the ranks of high school soccer and eventually qualified for the Blue Lock competition. However, Reo was the weak link and began relying on Nagi's exceptional talent to carry him forward. Reo is a great soccer player, but because of his privileged upbringing, he has often had the things he valued in life handed to him without much effort on his part. Having to fight for his dream was a completely foreign concept to Reo, and the new move he just unveiled points out a concerning pattern in his playing style.

Reo’s New Chameleon Move Allows Him To Copy Other Players, but It Comes at a Price

The Chameleon Move Points to Reo’s Fatal Flaw That May Cost Him Success in the Blue Lock Competition

In Blue Lock’s recent episode, Reo finally uncovered his special talent. He was pushed to desperation when Nagi left him behind, joining another team with more experienced players. Reo was forced to confront the fact that he had to establish his own soccer style, rather than leaning on Nagi's genius to carry him through the Blue Lock competition. In the second match of the U-20 tryouts, he created a new move he titled, "The Chameleon." This play allowed him to copy the moves of other players almost exactly, taking others' skills and twisting them to his own benefit.

Related

Blue Lock Season 2's Anime Changes Builds Up One Of The Series' Most Anticipated Matches

Blue Lock Season 2 anime just premiered and introduced some changes from the manga that build up the characters before one of the biggest matches.

However, as fellow players Isagi Yoichi and Yo Hiori pointed out in their analysis of the match, Reo’s recreations can only ever be 99% as effective as the original moves, leaving him at a crucial disadvantage. Although it seemed like Reo had created a unique new move that makes use of other players' talents, in actuality, Reo is still not "asserting" himself like Blue Lock competition leader, Jinpachi Ego, explained was crucial. Reo is merely producing imitations of others' moves, not coming up with a distinctive move that is fully his own and does not require others' help.

The Chameleon Method Points to a Dangerous Pattern in Reo’s Playing Style

Reo’s Tendency to Rely on Others to Guarantee a Win Has Been a Hindrance in His Soccer Career

Reo's new Chameleon move was impressive at first and even scored his team a goal, but it points to a more concerning issue that Reo has faced since his soccer career began. Reo has always depended on others for his success. His fortunate lifestyle has allowed him to have whatever he wants immediately, and Reo has openly admitted this. During his youth, his parents ensured he had everything he wished for, he was at the top of his class without trying very hard in school, and he was popular and beloved by everyone. When Reo pursued soccer seriously, his way of life changed.

At Blue Lock, Reo's status and riches could no longer help him. Rather than begin honing his own abilities, Reo made the same mistake again. Rather than leaning on his parents and wealth as a crutch to ensure his success, Nagi took their place. Nagi became his secret weapon because Reo knew he would rarely lose a game with Nagi by his side. Their chemistry as players was astounding and Nagi is a true soccer prodigy. However, when Nagi rose above Reo and became better than him in terms of soccer ability, Reo was forced to confront his own weaknesses.

Reo Depended on Nagi Too Heavily and Now He Is Shifting That Codependency Elsewhere

Although Reo Is Trying To Improve, the Chameleon Skill Proves He Still Has a Ways To Go

Reo's Chameleon skill is, in some ways, a step forward, since it proves Reo is motivated to win and wants to differentiate himself from Nagi and the other players. Tired of living in Nagi's shadow, Reo wants to prove his parents wrong, reveal his potential as an excellent soccer player, and succeed purely on his own. However, his Chameleon move is just another example of him using other people to win. When he first began playing, he struggled to succeed without Nagi as a crutch. Now still, he is essentially relying on other player’s moves to help him win, in a roundabout way.

Related

Blue Lock's Another Potential Main Character Was Staring Fans In the Face All Along

Aside from Isagi, another character has exhibited traits that position him as the ideal protagonist for Blue Lock.

Episode #5 of season two was a turning point for Reo because he realized if he does not improve, he will be left behind by everyone. Losing Nagi was a massive blow to Reo's ego and emotional state, and the possibility of playing alongside Nagi again spurs him on to try hard, as well as his goal of proving everyone who said he could not be good at soccer wrong, including his parents. Reo is not a bad player, and his willingness to try new things on the field shows that he is making efforts to better himself and rise above the difficult competition.

All Is Not Lost for Reo Because His Soccer Skill Is Steadily Growing

If Reo Can Discover His Unique “Ego,” He Will Be One of Blue Lock’s Best Players

Sadly though, Reo will never truly succeed until he figures out a playing style that helps him develop “ego” or individualism. A move like the Chameleon will never ensure long-term success because it once again reflects Reo's unhelpful pattern of banking on other people's actions to move him forward in the competition. His ability is admittedly remarkable and deserves credit, since copying someone's actions at 99% accuracy is no easy feat. Although Reo's tendency to depend on others is holding him back from winning in Blue Lock, he is continuing to grow and if he surpasses this setback, he can be nearly unstoppable.

Blue Lock is a sports-centric animated series based on the manga series of the same name. The show follows the Japan Football Association trying to recover from their poor showing in the 2018 FIFA World Cup by hiring a football genius, Ego Jinpachi. With his new intense training regimen, Jinpachi invites the best football players in Japan to compete to become the team's new star player - and high school student Yoichi Isagi may be exactly who he's looking for.

Cast Ricco Fajardo , Drew Breedlove , Alex Horn , Mark Allen Jr.

Release Date October 8, 2022

Seasons 2

Writers Taku Kishimoto

Directors Tetsuaki Watanabe , Shunsuke Ishikawa