This past weekend at Anime Expo, the largest celebration of Japanese pop culture in North America, we sat down with Ryoya Arisawa, the producer of the hit anime series BLUE LOCK. As well as Kazuki Ura, the voice actor behind the main character, Yoichi Isagi. Via their English speaking translator they conveyed their message to us and fans. Giving us informative but also incredibly insightful insights, and providing a deeper understanding of the creative process behind BLUE LOCK.
The Unexpected Success of BLUE LOCK
BLUE LOCK‘s international acclaim surprised even Arisawa himself. He credits this success to the exceptional teamwork and talent of the animation team and the creators of the original manga. While the manga enjoyed popularity in Japan, the rapid international recognition was unexpected and welcome.
Arisawa expressed his delight, stating through his translator, “We didn’t anticipate the anime reaching such a large international audience so quickly.” He acknowledged the burgeoning growth of the animation industry overseas and felt they had timed the release of BLUE LOCK perfectly. He also highlighted their decision to produce the movie while season one was still in production, which allowed them to reach a wide audience at an accelerated pace.
Arisawa is enthusiastic about the future of the series, stating, “I still can’t believe how far it’s come and how many international fans we’ve gained.” While the manga was successful in Japan, the anime’s rapid growth and reach across numerous countries have exceeded all expectations.
He attributes the anime’s success to the collaboration between the animation team and the manga creators, praising their seamless teamwork and excellent taste. This collaboration, in his view, has been instrumental in propelling the animation to its current level of success.
As a fun bit, we asked Arisawa how he felt he’d do in a BLUE LOCK training facility. Arisawa said “I would be out in a second.” However, he stated if there if there was an animation producer version of the BLUE LOCK, he would go pretty far.
Adapting Manga to Anime: A Creative Challenge
The interview also explored the challenges of adapting the manga into a 25-minute anime episode. Arisawa explained that the process required extensive discussion and careful consideration of how to faithfully portray the story within the time constraints. The team’s primary goal was to remain true to the original work while making necessary adjustments to fit the anime format.
Arisawa detailed the initial steps, stating, “First, we had to thoroughly read the original work and have in-depth discussions about how to properly adapt it into an animation. So the prep time took a while, especially when discussing scenarios. Additionally, we had to consider the overall story and how to fit it within the 25-minute television time limit.” He continued, “In essence, we had to think, ‘Okay, how are we going to adapt this and portray it in 25 minutes, with a beginning, middle, and end? How do we decide which scenes and arcs from the manga to animate?'”
Arisawa acknowledged the difficulty of fitting everything into the episodes, stating, “Obviously, it’s hard to include everything. However, my team and I had extensive discussions about how much we could feature. We wanted to feature as much as possible, but also had to determine which parts to condense. In those discussions, we agreed and disagreed on some of the scenes that could potentially be shortened.” He emphasized that throughout the process, the team always kept both the anime audience and manga readers in mind. “Ultimately, the end product always considered both the readers and the audience,” Arisawa explained. “As a team, we wanted to ensure we were on the same page about which parts to highlight and focus on, showcasing the best from the original work.”
A Personal Connection to the Characters
Kazuki Ura, the voice of Yoichi Isagi, expressed a deep connection with his character. He identified with Isagi’s journey of starting as an underdog and gradually unlocking his potential. Furthermore, Ura drew parallels between Isagi’s experiences and his own as a voice actor, facing auditions and rejections before landing a major role. Ultimately, this shared experience of overcoming obstacles and achieving growth created a unique bond between Ura and the character he portrays. In fact, Ura felt as if he was growing alongside Isagi, further deepening his connection to the character.
Additionally, the interview touched upon the unique premise of BLUE LOCK, which involves a training facility where 300 young soccer players compete for a spot on the national team. Ura compared this concept to the competitive world of voice acting, where numerous actors audition for a single role.
When asked how he felt he’d do in a BLUE LOCK training facility, Ura stated “I would be out in a second if it were for soccer. However, if there were a Blue Lock voice actor edition, I believe that I could channel my inner psyche and go to the top.”
“To connect that to the life of a voice actor, it’s quite similar to the concept of BLUE LOCK because there are really 300 voice actors that audition for a main role. For me to get the role, I feel that the Blue Lock worldview is similar to that of voice actors.”
A Promising Future
Finally, both Arisawa and Ura expressed their excitement about the future of BLUE LOCK. The creators are optimistic about the continued growth and success of the franchise. As the series continues to gain popularity, it’s clear that BLUE LOCK has struck a chord with audiences worldwide.
