The official X/Twitter account for the live-action film based on Muneyuki Kaneshiro and Yūsuke Nomura’s BLUELOCK soccer manga announced two new cast members on Monday and Tuesday.
The staff announced on Monday that Raizo Ishikawa plays Jingo Raichi:
Image via BLUE LOCK live-action film’s X/Twitter account
© 金城宗幸・ノ村優介／講談社, CK WORKS
Image via BLUE LOCK live-action film’s X/Twitter account
© 金城宗幸・ノ村優介／講談社, CK WORKS
The staff then announced on Tuesday that Joey Iwanaga (live-action Rurouni Kenshin Saishūshō The Final, Tokyo Tribe) plays Okuhito Iemon:
Image via BLUE LOCK live-action film’s X/Twitter account
© 金城宗幸・ノ村優介／講談社, CK WORKS
Image via BLUE LOCK live-action film’s X/Twitter account
© 金城宗幸・ノ村優介／講談社, CK WORKS
Image via BLUE LOCK live-action film’s X/Twitter account
© 金城宗幸・ノ村優介／講談社, CK WORKS
The account has been unveiling a new character every day. A previous visual (image right) showed the eyes of the 12 members of Team Z.
Previously announced cast members include:
The film will open in Japan in summer 2026.
Yūsuke Taki is directing the film. Tetsuo Kamata is writing the screenplay. Shinzō Matsuhashi is serving as a producer. CREDEUS (live-action Golden Kamuy film) is producing the film and TOHO is distributing.
Kaneshiro and Nomura launched the manga in Kodansha’s Weekly Shōnen Magazine in August 2018. Kodansha published the manga’s 37th compiled book volume on January 16. The manga won the Best Shōnen Manga award in Kodansha’s 45th annual Manga Awards in 2021.
Kodansha USA Publishing is releasing the manga in English digitally, and is also releasing it in print. The company describes the story:
After a disastrous defeat at the 2018 World Cup, Japan’s team struggles to regroup. But what’s missing? An absolute Ace Striker, who can guide them to the win. The Japan Football Union is hell-bent on creating a striker who hungers for goals and thirsts for victory, and who can be the decisive instrument in turning around a losing match…and to do so, they’ve gathered 300 of Japan’s best and brightest youth players. Who will emerge to lead the team…and will they be able to out-muscle and out-ego everyone who stands in their way?
The original manga inspired a television anime series that premiered in Japan in October 2022 on TV Asahi and its affiliates in the NUMAnimation programming block. The anime ran for 24 episodes. Crunchyroll streamed the series as it aired, and is also streaming an English dub.
BLUE LOCK vs. U-20 JAPAN, the second television anime season, debuted in October 2024, and aired for 14 episodes. Crunchyroll streamed the anime as it aired in North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East, and CIS.
The anime is getting a third season, adapting the “Shin Eiyū Taisen” (New Hero Wars) story.
Kōta Sannomiya’s BLUELOCK -Episode Nagi- manga spinoff focuses on Seishirō Nagi before he enters the titular BLUE LOCK facility. The manga launched in June 2022 in Kodansha’s Bessatsu Shōnen Magazine and ended in July 2025. Kodansha USA Publishing is releasing the spinoff manga in print.
The spinoff inspired an anime film that premiered in Japan in April 2024. The film sold 337,000 tickets to earn 463 million yen (about US$2.99 million) in its first three days, and ranked at #2 in the Japanese box office in its opening weekend. The film opened in North America in June 2024. Crunchyroll is streaming the film with subtitles and with several dubs.
Source: BLUE LOCK live-action film’s X/Twitter account (link 2)
