How to Watch Blue Lock in Order: A Complete Guide

Blue Lock is an action-packed sports anime following a group of high school soccer players participating in the Blue Lock training program, which hopes to find Japan’s top striker. The twist is that when players get eliminated from the program, they’re banned from ever playing soccer again. If you’re interested in checking out this series, we’ve put together the best order to watch it. Plus, we’ll tell you where to stream it, whether the movie is necessary, if you can expect more seasons, and more, so keep on reading!

What is the best order to watch Blue Lock?

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An illustration showing the best way to watch Blue Lock.

Anime Expert Elijah Martinez says when watching Blue Lock, start with Season 1, followed by the Nagi movie, then Season 2. Episode Nagi is technically a prequel. It provides more background information on Nagi, who is introduced in Season 1 but isn't the main character. This will help provide context for Season 2.

Section 1 of 8:

Blue Lock Recommended Watch Order

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Most fans of Blue Lock simply recommend watching the anime in the order it was released! There are only 2 seasons of the anime so far, plus a spin-off movie, so that makes watching this series super easy. Here’s the recommended watch order:^{[1]
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- Blue Lock Season 1 — Episodes 1-24 (2022-23)
- Blue Lock: Episode Nagi — Film (2024)
- Blue Lock vs U-20 Japan (Season 2) — Episodes 1-14 (2024)

Section 2 of 8:

Do you have to watch Blue Lock: Episode Nagi?

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It’s a spin-off, so you don’t have to, but it’s recommended if you like the anime! Blue Lock: Episode Nagi is about the secondary character Seishiro Nagi and follows his perspective on the events of Season 1. This provides more insight into Nagi’s backstory and character, as well as other key players, like Reo Mikage. So, while the movie doesn’t necessarily add anything new to the main plot of the anime, it’s still a great watch if you want more of the Blue Lock universe.^{[2]
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- Some fans equate Episode Nagi to a recap of Season 1 that just centers on different characters.
- So, if you decide not to watch it, it’s not like you’ll be missing out on any super important plot points.
- When is the best time to watch Episode Nagi? Since the film is about Nagi’s perspective on Season 1, it’s best to watch it after Season 1 of the anime. It’s also fine to watch it after Season 2, if you prefer.
- Martinez says Episode Nagi is a prequel, but you don't need to see it first to understand Season 1. It provides more background about Nagi, but the main character of Season 1 is actually Isagi.^{[3]
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Section 3 of 8:

Where to Watch Blue Lock

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All of Blue Lock is streaming on Crunchyroll. Currently, the only place to stream Blue Lock in the US is on Crunchyroll, which requires a subscription. Crunchyroll has both seasons of the anime, plus the Episode Nagi spin-off film.

Section 4 of 8:

Will there be more seasons of Blue Lock?

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Yes, Season 3 of Blue Lock is in production. In September 2025, the official Blue Lock X/Twitter account posted a tweet confirming Season 3 of the anime. The new season will adapt the “Neo Egoist League” arc from the manga.^{[4]
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Research source} While there is no official release date yet, fans speculate that it will be out in Japan in late 2026 or early 2027 (with an international release several months later).^{[5]
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Quiz

wikiHow Quiz: Do You Agree with These Blue Lock Hot Takes?

We’re diving into the most controversial takes that have the Blue Lock fandom divided. Cast your vote now to decide if these spicy takes are elite or just plain trash.

1 of 5

Hot take: Blue Lock is basically Squid Game with a soccer ball.

🔥 So true! It's a total ripoff.

🟥 Um, no, it's about ambition, not survival.

Section 5 of 8:

What is Blue Lock about?

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Blue Lock is about soccer players competing to become Japan’s top striker. The sports anime begins after the 2018 FIFA World Cup, with Japan losing badly. The team believes that they need an ace striker to win the upcoming 2022 Cup, and decides to host a massive competition to find the best player. So, they invite 300 talented high school players to a secluded compound, called Blue Lock, to train. The catch is that the trainees are ruthlessly eliminated one by one, and if they’re eliminated, they’re banned from ever playing professionally.^{[6]
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- The series primarily follows Yoichi Isagi, who’s a bit of an underdog at the beginning of the series, and the team he’s put on at Blue Lock, Team Z.
- Naturally, the anime involves a lot of soccer matches between the various teams at Blue Lock, so it’s action-heavy with a lot of thriller-like elements.
- As anime and manga expert Ryan Burns explains, Blue Lock has a Squid Games-like vibe, with each of the players striving to be the best striker while not being eliminated from the “game.”^{[7]
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Section 6 of 8:

Blue Lock Series Breakdown

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Season 1 opens with Yoichi Isagi getting invited to participate in Blue Lock after getting noticed by the Blue Lock coach, Jinpachi Ego. Isagi starts out on the team with the lowest ranked players and throughout the season, competes against the other teams to survive the program and improve his ranking. The season culminates with the trainees competing for the chance to play against the Japan National Under-20 Team (U-20).
Season 2 follows the 35 Blue Lock players, including Yoichi Isagi, who are competing to play against the Japan U-20 team. The season involves intense matches to narrow down the trainees to a team of 11. The second half of the season follows the Blue Lock vs U-20 match, with the catch that if the Blue Lock team loses, the whole program will shut down.
Episode Nagi follows Seishiro Nagi’s perspective of Season 1. It starts with his backstory of getting into soccer and his invitation to join Blue Lock, where he is put on Team V. The film details how he goes from a lazy, apathetic high schooler to a genius soccer player with a new motivation to be the best striker and win the competition.^{[8]
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Section 7 of 8:

Extra Blue Lock Content

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Blue Lock manga The anime series is actually adapted from the manga series of the same name, which is written by Muneyuki Kaneshiro and illustrated by Yusuke Nomura. The manga began in 2018 and is still ongoing, with 343 chapters released as of April 2026. The anime hasn’t caught up to the manga yet, so there’s still plenty of Blue Lock content for you to check out!^{[9]
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Episode Nagi manga Episode Nagi is a short spin-off manga series following Seishiro Nagi, which the film of the same name is based on. The manga is also written by Muneyuki Kaneshiro and illustrated by Yusuke Nomura, and ran from 2022 to 2025. There are 36 chapters, making this an easy series to read if you want more Blue Lock.^{[10]
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- Lots of Blue Lock fans note that the film felt rushed compared to the manga. So, if you’re interested in Nagi’s story, definitely check out the manga!
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Live-action movie A live-action version of Blue Lock is set to release in Japan on August 7, 2026. The movie will likely follow the events of Season 1.^{[11]
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Research source} It’s unclear if and when the movie will be released internationally, though.
- Check out the trailer for the film on Blue Lock’s YouTube channel!
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Stage plays In 2023, Blue Lock was adapted into a stage play, which was only performed in Japan. The plays ran until 2025 and were based on both Season 1 and Season 2 of the anime. Later in 2025, a play version of Episode Nagi was released, with additional dates coming up for summer 2026.^{[12]
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- It’s already been announced that the third season of Blue Lock will be adapted into a play, likely releasing in the fall of 2026.
- There doesn’t seem to be any official video releases of the plays, but you may be able to find them on YouTube.

Section 8 of 8:

More Anime Watch Guides

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Looking for another anime series to watch? We’ve compiled additional watch guides for some of the most popular anime series out there, including some more action-packed sports anime. Check them out below!