The live-action film adaptation of Blue Lock, based on the manga by Muneyuki Kaneshiro and Yusuke Nomura, has unveiled its official trailer along with a new main visual, confirming that the movie will open in Japanese theaters on Aug 7, 2025.
The latest update also reveals that Masataka Kubota has been cast as Jinpachi Ego.
The film was made with full cooperation from the Japan Football Association and the J.League, and former Japan national team midfielder Daisuke Matsui served as soccer supervisor. Matsui said the actors underwent rigorous training and that their improvement was comparable to that of experienced players.
“It was a great honor to be involved in this film as the soccer supervisor. I was personally very inspired. The actors showed incredible dedication—no matter how busy they were, they always found time to train seriously.
I remember the first day I taught soccer to Fumiya Takahashi—it feels like a long time ago now. Watching everyone improve through trial and error was incredibly rewarding as a coach.
Even before filming, seeing them practice passing drills and juggling made it feel like they were already experienced players. The staff also showed great care, creating a strong sense of unity on set. Their respect for the work and refusal to compromise was something I deeply admired.
As someone who supervised the soccer scenes, I can say with confidence that Blue Lock is a truly outstanding and authentic soccer film. Please look forward to its release.”
Author Kaneshiro praised both the cast and crew, calling them “incredibly passionate” and noting that visiting the set made him feel as if a real-life Blue Lock facility truly existed. Nomura echoed that sentiment, saying that even off-camera, the actors embodied their characters so completely that the set felt like the actual “Blue Prison.”
Director Yusuke Taki emphasized the grueling nature of the shoot, describing long training periods and physically demanding soccer scenes that pushed the performers to their limits. He said the cast carried that intensity onto the pitch, creating a collective sense of ego.
The live-action project had been gradually unveiling its main cast from Jan 26, beginning with Fumiya Takahashi as protagonist Yoichi Isagi. Other confirmed cast members include:
- Kaito Sakurai as Meguru Bachira
- Kyohei Takahashi as Hyoma Chigiri
- Kota Nomura as Rensuke Kunigami
- Yuzu Aoki as Gurimu Igarashi
- Sho Nishigaki as Asahi Naruhaya
- Yuki Tachibana as Gin Gagamaru
- Raizo Ishikawa as Jingo Raichi
- Joey Iwanaga as Okuhito Iemon
- Shunya Asano as Wataru Kuon
- Yuki Sakurai as Yudai Imamura
- Yuki Kura as Ryosuke Kira
Blue Lock began serialization in Kodansha’s Weekly Shonen Magazine in August 2018, and its chapters have been compiled into 37 tankobon volumes as of January 2026.
The manga inspired an anime adaptation produced by Eight Bit, which aired from October 2022 to March 2023. A theatrical anime film based on the Episode Nagi spin-off debuted in April 2024. A second season was broadcast from October to December 2024, and a third season has since been confirmed.
Source: Comic Natalie