Character designs in anime are definitely part of what makes anime such a beloved art form by fans all over the world. Even though each artist has their own approach to the medium, many characters end up having similar looks between series, and the hit soccer-themed anime, Blue Lock, is no different.
Some of Blue Lock‘s characters directly resemble those in other series to the point that it seems some degree of inspiration must have been taken from that character. Other times, it is a passing resemblance or even one based more on personality than physical features. Whether it’s due to hairstyle, color, or the overall vibe a character gives off, some characters in Blue Lock are nearly identical to other popular anime characters.
Updated on May 8th, 2023 by Xandalee Joseph: One of the ways many modern-day anime creators pay homage to other works is by designing characters that resemble other characters from different anime. To help fans discover who specific players remind them of, we’ve updated this with more information on who certain Blue Lock players resemble the most.
10 Isagi & Kirito (Sword Art Online)
Kirito Is the main protagonist of the famed isekai series Sword Art Online. His dark hair and medium build resemble another main character of a popular anime series: Blue Lock‘s Isagi.
Isagi’s soccer IQ surpasses nearly any player he faces up against. This allows him to spot holes in the opposing team’s strategy and sense a scoring opportunity before it comes. Even without these strengths though, Isagi can’t fail due to his protagonist plot armor — another thing that he shares in common with Kirito.
9 Chigiri & Kenshin (Rurouni Kenshin)
With their long, red/pink hair and bright-colored eyes, Kenshin and Chigiri have a lot in common. Like Kenshin Himura, Chigiri is haunted by his past, though his was considerably less murderous than Kenshin’s. This difference is also visible physically in Kenshin, with his characteristic scar received during his days as the Battosai.
Also like Kenshin, Chigiri is impressively fast on his feet. Kenshin is known for being so fast he can take out opponents in the literal blink of an eye using his Hiten Mitsurugi-Ryu swordsmanship, and Chigiri’s speed on the pitch is the closest thing Blue Lock has to that.
8 N & Nagi (Death Note)
The white hair, pale complexion, and dead-pan stare — N from Death Note may very well be a younger version of Nagi. Being that Nagi only started playing soccer a few months before the start of Blue Lock, it’s not outside the realm of possibility to assume that he could have been a detective as a child.
While it’s obvious that Nagi and N aren’t the same person, Nagi is one of the most naturally skilled players in Blue Lock. His weapon is an incredible first touch that allows him to get the upper hand on any defender, no matter how fast or skilled they are.
7 Bachira & Kazutora (Tokyo Revengers)
Aside from his blonde-on-black hair style and golden eyes, Bachira has even more in common with Kazutora from Tokyo Revengers. Specifically, his over-the-top personality that borders on manic allows him to push his limits under even the most unrealistic circumstances.
Even though they both come off as creepy and have similar looks, Bachira and Kazutora turn out to be good people in the end. Kazutora was a broken person in the past who changed after prison, while Bachira is a team player that recognizes the hidden abilities of his teammates and pushes them to bring out their potential.
6 Kunigami & Ichigo (Bleach)
Any fan of Bleach — or anime in general — will likely have noticed Kunigami’s striking resemblance to one of the most famous shonen anime protagonists ever, Ichigo Kurosaki. It’s not just the spiky orange hair; both also have a similar, tall build and in-your-face demeanor.
Like Ichigo, Kunigami isn’t afraid of a fight, but he would rather it be a fair one. Kunigami is one of the most potent mid-range shooters in Blue Lock, allowing him to hit the shot as long as there’s even the slightest opening.
5 Gurimu & Connie (Attack on Titan)
Gurimu’s distinctly round head which is further extenuated by his short haircut shares a striking similarity to one of Attack On Titan’s most beloved supporting characters, Conny. Through tragedy, heartbreak, and hardship, Conny emerges as a brave and seasoned soldier willing to do what it takes to protect those he cares about.
Gurimu was the lowest-ranked character at the start of Blue Lock. Like Conny, Gurimu is distinctly aware of his own weakness but refuses to give up in spite of it. While it’s yet to be seen how Gurimu changes over time in the Blue Lock anime, if he wants to be anything like Conny, he has a lot more growing up to do.
4 Raichi & Bakugo (My Hero Academia)
Bakugo, also known as Dynamight, is best friends with Deku in My Hero Academia and an incredible hero in his own right. His spiky blonde hair, sharp teeth when angry, and constantly annoyed look can only be paralleled by one Blue Lock character: Raichi Jingo.
Like Bakugo, Raichi has a fiery attitude and explosive anger which he uses to his advantage in overwhelming his opponents. If something doesn’t go his way, Raichi will blow up on his teammates just as quickly as Bakugo would, though perhaps not as literally.
3 Tsurugi & Rintaro (Steins;Gate)
Steins;Gate‘s Rintaro Okabe is a self-proclaimed mad scientist with enough intelligence to help create a time machine. His Blue Lock doppelganer, Tsurugi, on the other hand, wears glasses to make himself look intelligent but has trouble using simple vocabulary.
Tsurugi makes up for his lack of smarts with his skill on the field; he isn’t called the Lefty Speed Demon for no reason. While he’s not fast enough to travel back in time like Okabe, Tsurugi at the very least shares a cosmetic connection with the infamous scientist.
2 Leorio & Barou (Hunter X Hunter)
Like Barou Shouei, Hunter x Hunter’s Leorio has strength and size that are uncharacteristic for kids his age. Stemming from their grown-up physique, they both have a certain mature, tough-guy demeanor that suits them as characters. However, their likeness in the domain of personality doesn’t continue much further than that.
Barou tends to be an extremely selfish player that believes he can win through his individual skill alone. He’ll even refuse to pass to his teammates because he sees them as inferior to him. Leorio, on the other hand, will do anything for his friends, and would even put Gon and Killua’s well-being over his own.
1 Reo & Shinobu (Demon Slayer)
Naturally purple hair and eyes aren’t easy to come by in real life, but they’re just a fact of the world in anime. Two examples of this phenomenon are Demon Slayer’s Shinobu and Blue Lock‘s Reo. While they look somewhat similar, that’s about where the similarities end between these two characters.
Shinobu is an extremely powerful Hashira who will defeat any demon to get revenge for the loss of her family and sister. On the other hand, Reo is somewhat reliant on Nagi to the point that he can’t stand playing soccer without him. In that sense, both Shinobu and Reo are willing to fight for those they care about, though Reo’s motivations are notably more selfish in nature.
