Blue Lock: Episode Nagi is an exhilarating introduction to the world of Blue Lock for newcomers and a delightful prequel for fans of the original series. Focusing on the origins of Seishiro Nagi and his dynamic with Reo Mikage, this spin-off dives into the unlikely partnership that sparks Nagi's journey from a lethargic slacker to a rising soccer prodigy.

As someone new to the Blue Lock universe, I found Nagi immediately endearing. His quirky personality shines through from the very beginning—his sleepy confusion leading to him accidentally touching his cactus (ouch!) had me laughing, and his casual farewell to the cactus before heading to school set the tone for his unique, laid-back charm. Nagi’s indifference to everything, juxtaposed with Reo’s fiery ambition, makes for an intriguing duo.

While the story throws in quite a few characters, which can feel overwhelming at first, it’s clear that this manga assumes some familiarity with the main series. That said, it still works as a standalone introduction. Reo’s determination to shape Nagi into a soccer star is a compelling narrative thread, and the fiery action on the soccer field more than makes up for any initial confusion. The matches are dynamic, with vivid illustrations that capture the intensity and strategy of the game. These scenes left me eager to experience more, especially in anime form!

For readers like me who are new to Blue Lock, Episode Nagi serves as an engaging entry point. It teases the deeper character development likely explored in the main series, while offering enough humor, action, and personality to stand on its own. Whether you’re a sports manga fan or just curious about what makes Blue Lock a hit, this prequel is worth a shot—and it might just kick-start your obsession with the franchise.

Thank you for letting me read this.

I appreciated the consistent art style and the cover does a good job of showcasing the two main characters of this book. However, the dialogue is rough. It feels forced, inhuman, and bland. I am not sure this book adds anything to the overall story - nor does it give brand new contextualization to the characters.

Blue Lock is one of the most enjoyable sports manga out there. It has heart, action, and humor. This spinoff for Nagi is no different and I'm excited to read more.

Nagi is such a classic anime character: lazy but good at everything. I love the found family trope, it is one of my favorites. My friends had raved about the movie so I was super excited to read this one and it didn't disappoint. I really like Reo too, their relationship is so good (iykyk).

Perfect for fans of the original series!

It's really interesting to see more of Nagi's story and his friendship with Reo.

I really enjoyed reading this and can't wait for the next volume!

Thanks to NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for providing me with this arc.

Had lots of expectations for this, considering blue lock is one of my favourite anime. It did not disappoint and the drawing was nice. Any blue lock fans would enjoy this and looking forward to the next chapter.

Thank you NetGalley and Kodansha for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Episode Nagi is for people who read or watched Blue Lock and went “wow, what’s up with those two???” because sometimes Reo says things that make him sound like a jilted lover. And then you read their spinoff and you’re like, what do you MEAN Reo sees Nagi in the hallway once and goes “I need to play soccer with this guy”???? Like, who does this???? I need to study them under a microscope.

In the main series, Nagi and Reo are very well done characters and it makes sense that the spinoff is about them, and I really liked the depth that it gives them and their relationship (which is obviously… hinted at, for lack of a better word, but is not any sort of focus of the main series). The Episode Nagi manga fills in some emotional gaps quite well and helps flesh out the side characters in the main manga. I love the little cactus. I love Reo being like “what if I just make a soccer team?”. It’s interesting to see the opening of Blue Lock from another perspective, especially with how Isagi is portrayed. It can probably be read without having read/watched the main manga first and still make sense, but I think the impact is bigger if you’ve at least got up to the U-20 arc.

I've noticed a lot of buzz recently about the Blue Lock anime, so I was very interested in reading this spin-off series. As a newcomer, I didn't find anything difficult to understand, and I enjoyed jumping into the Blue Lock world. I can't wait to read more!

The two protagonists both felt relatable for their opposing outlooks on life. One is driven to achieve his goals, while the other is laid back and just wants to nap! This laid the foundation for interesting dialogue between the two characters, and I'm looking forward to seeing how their friendship develops. The artwork was also dynamic and engaging, which suited the soccer theme well. I enjoy competition/knockout type stories, so this was fun to read.

I would recommend this to fans of Blue Lock, as well as anyone interested in trying out sports manga. Thank you NetGalley and Kodansha Comics for providing this e-ARC for an honest review.

Ready? Storytime!

Second-year high school student Reo Mikage wants to make a name for himself. But this will be done by stepping away from his family name. He wants to prove how far he can get out of his own accomplishments. Not because of his family’s prestigious name and wealth. Thus, he’s scouted into the Blue Lock project.

His ambition drives him to become a soccer star and win the World Cup before he’s satisfied. He can’t do it alone, so he quickly becomes friends with Seishiro Nagi, a slacker who mostly only cares about sleeping and playing on his phone. But his reflexes are promising, so Reo is going to help him get in tip top shape!

I feel like Mikage and Nagi are relatable characters in their own ways. Mikage is hardworking and expects others to do the same. While Nagi is a lot more laid-back, but he knows when to step up to deliver. I really enjoyed their dynamics and I can’t wait to see where the story goes. What can I say, I love stories with hardworking protagonists!

If you’re looking for something action-packed that’s a little different from shonen fights, you’ll feel right at home with Blue Lock. I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading this and highly recommend it! This is actually my first experience with the series, but I’m off to watch the anime before collecting the manga after I’ve made some space!

The anime movie is coming soon, so now’s the perfect time to get into the series if you haven’t already! Episode Nagi came out in October 15th and Blue Lock itself is ongoing, as well!

See you in the next one!

♡ Trope: soccer
♡ Episode Nagi is Blue Lock’s side story if you want to see some more of Nagi!

About Blue Lock;

The Japan Football Union is hell-bent on creating a “striker” who will get the country back on the map. After losing the 2018 World Cup, they’re looking for a new Ace to add to their team. This new integrante needs to be hungry for victory to ensure their win—and become the best of the best. So they gather 300 of the best upcoming players in Blue Lock, where only one will come out victorious!

Blue Lock won the 45th Kodansha Manga Award in the Shounen Category back in 2021. It was also nominated for a Harvey Award in the Best Manga category in 2022.

Finally! A new series with Nagai as the MC. I started reading Blue Lock when it first released and was so excited when it got an anime adaptation! Nagai is one of my favorite characters. He's relatable, funny, and cool and cute! He's usually laid back but when he's on the field...he'll kick your ass. Volume 1 is a general introduction to Nagai's background and how he came to be in Blue Lock. The manga also dives into Nagai and Reo's relationship and how their bond develops. Sorry Reo but I can't wait for Nagai to meet Isagi!!! I love the two of them together and how intense the atmosphere is. Overall, a fun quick read that's perfect for fans of Blue Lock and sports!

As a precursor to my review, I’ll just put it out there and say that I have only read one volume of the original Blue Lock series, so I’m coming at this as someone new to the series, and you can take my review with a grain of salt.
Nagi starts off as an intriguing character, someone who is listless and doesn’t put much effort into life. His behavior makes me wonder if there’s something deeper there or if this is just how he’s always acted. His new friend Reo is more of what you’d expect of a sports manga protagonist—loud, driven, and determined to win. I think I really only stayed in the story for Nagi since he’s different.
Art style wise, the art for Blue Lock is gorgeous. Big, expressive eyes, clean lines, solid appearances. Overall I think I’d say I like the art the best. When it comes to the plot, it’s really not for me. I can’t really wrap my head around having a Hunger Games styled training camp just to train a new talent in soccer. Then again, I’m not really a sports fan, but this seemed a little overly dramatic. (Which I guess is normal for the genre but really not for me.) If I looked at it more like a death game, I can see the stakes, the tension, and the drive of the characters, but I don’t really get why these kids’ soccer careers would be over if they fail. They could always just join a team in college, but I digress.
Overall, I think Blue Lock: Episode Nagi is a nice intro to what I assume is a beloved character in the original series and does a good job at characterization, perfect for lovers of sports manga.
NOTE: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher via NetGalley for review purposes only. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The plot of Blue Lock is retold through the eyes of another character, Nagi, in this manga originating from the original Blue Lock. Nagi, a fan-favorite character and personally one of my favorites as well, goes from unmotivated playing soccer to inspired from seeing how others pursue their passion. Nagi is someone not to be underestimated and his growth and humor plays a major part in how great the manga is.

I’m a big fan of Blue Lock the anime so when I got the chance to read this spin off I was thrilled. It was interesting getting to see where Nagi and Reo started from. Reo really has been looking out for Nagi’s wellbeing and pushing him to be someone. Nagi needed a friend like that to keep him going.

See the beginning of the action-packed competitive soccer manga Blue Lock from a different point of view!
We follow Nagi, a listless prodigy who is roped into the sport by his friend and teammate Reo.
This is only the start, and readers will be hooked to being back into Blue Lock and seeing what other teams go through and how and if they get the other selections. Fans of Blue Lock, welcome back!

I absolutely love Nagi and Reo, so it was really interesting to see the events of the main manga from their perspective! I am really looking forward to seeing how their persepctive plays out in future volumes!

4.5/5 stars

This quite enjoyed this prequel/companion volume!

Nagi’s backstory received a bit more depth and we got to further explore the inner workings of his mind and “motivations” for playing soccer. I also liked that we got to see more of his friendship with Reo.

The only gripe I had with this volume was that Nagi felt like a side character in his own story.

There were a lot of phenomenally drawn panels in this volume and I can’t wait for Vol. 2.

One of my favorite characters from Blue Lock, Nagi is finally getting his backstory and his relationship with Reo fully explored. If you're a fan of the original manga this is nice additional reading material. I would recommend getting through the 1st selection arc before reading this. Thank you Netgally for providing me a copy for review.

I love them. The dynamic between Reo and Nagi is nice to read. These two characters really shine through in their spin off. It was fun reading the events of the main series under a different pov. Can’t wait to read the other volumes for sure!

First of all, I absolutely adore prequel mangas! Technically this one isn’t but I really like when you explore different characters within a manga series. This manga was funny, action packed, and entertaining. I like the writing because it’s easy to understand. It’s really interesting to see the story that was present in the original story through a different perspective . These characters are fun and have my heart!

Wonderful art style, character development and much love for the story

Would recommend

4 stars