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17:18 It wasn't until I read the manga that I realized kaiser and isagi were on the same team. All the panels I see of them make it look like they aren't on the same team lol

Isagi kinda reminds me of goku. He wants you be strong or get stronger because he knows it'll make him stronger. Kinda sadistic sometimes but that's why we love him.

I always loved the curious expression isagi almost always had. Others often carried a pair of confident eyes—alongside a cocky smirk, thinking they’re already beyond the expectations they set themselves and that they had already reached the top. but isagi? He was different. He looked at the world of soccer as if he was lost in it, as if he was destined to climb a mountain forever. I love it, his expression. When his eyes go wide and his lips slightly part, as if he’s viewing the sport as something that others can’t see. It amazes me. Genuinely one of the best MCs i’ve ever countered, he made me LOVE blue lock more and more.

These blue lock mindset analysis' are always so good. That's honestly the main reason I like blue lock, because their mindset, leaning, putting things into practice, and things like that. It reminds me of a book called "Psycho cybernetics" which talks a lot about this

Honestly, my favourite phenomenon in Blue Lock is how a player's "hunger" or personality becomes the building block of their weapons and playstyle. It's really cool and helps with analyzing each player. For example:

Isagi --> Desire: Winning at all cost even if it means changing or losing his former self
             Playstyle: Adaptability, Perfect positioning on the field, Direct shot to exploit the perfect positioning etc.
Rin --> Desire: Risking himself to destroy an incredible person/person that gives him mental pressure.
           Playstyle: Forcing an opponent to bring out his best moves so he can destroy it hideously.
Karasu ---> Desire: Protecting himself while analyzing his surroundings to find the insecurities of others and poke at them.
      Playstyle: Using his hands to gauge his distance from other players for good ball keeping while attacking the weaknesses of others.
Otoya --> Desire: Going with the flow, not thinking too hard about problems and just overwriting them with fun stuff.
                    Playstyle: Avoiding opponents by slipping smoothly and freely through their blind spots in order to get the ball.

There are probably more but I haven't analyzed the others well enough to understand their "hungers". That's just what I've simplified so far.

I think ine of Isagi's most significant strengths is his ability to get into the mindset of the other players. I think it started when he first played against Nikko but it also showed the first time he played with Barou on his team during the second selection. He's like Reo, only instead of copying techniques - it's their mindset.

This doesn't just make him stronger but his teammates and opponents too. Blue Lock is about breaking free from what holds you back. Specifically how one holds themselves back. Isagi holds a mirror to the other players - and they are forced to battle themselves, which is why so many characters find their awakenings with him and also why many of them start find playing soccor fun again.

When Isagi does some anti-heroic things in the first episode and even mentions how fun it was to see his opponents crushed - he was having fun because he was overcoming what was holding him back. And he becomes a catalyst for others to do it too.

(Or at least that is my interpretation so far.) I see a lot of criticism about Isagi being an ass on the field - but from what I have seen, he's just matching the energy of his environment. The "has two loving, supportive parents" comes up like it's weird hes so edgy but... maybe that's why he is able to adapt so well - because he is so secure, he doesn't need to be defensive about his ego - he CAN break himself down and build himself up again as the environment needs.

41:45 i think you misunderstand isagi. His core desire is "I want to win", not "I want my team to win". HE wants to win, he wants to be responsible for victories acheived. Hes perfectly aligned with Ego on this.

What I love about Isagi is his adaptability and willingness to keep growing. Like the best kind of underdog. He also makes everyone else grow. Isagi's an awesome team mate. I think he'll make a great captain later. He's the kind of guy opponents underestimate because he's not physically strong  but they regret it later.

My glorious king dropping this right after I finish reading the neo egoist arc 🙏 gotta grab my notepad for this

The anime frames Yoichi Isagi's philosophy as a deliciously infectious mindset that one can't help but devour

18:34 of course we are enjoying it, you took the time to explain how isagi's mindset is for 49 minutes, i can't even predict how much time it took to gather up the raw footage

I started reading and watching blue lock like 2 to 3 years ago and now it’s a part of my everyday life all because of this amazing main character who is the only mc who is actually my favorite character or very high up there 😂

I think Isagi's choice of playing to win was to fit that specific moment. He wanted to stick it to the master that used him and the geniuses he loathed, the best way to do that then was to abandon everything and win. But as he switched from assisting to scoring everything in the NEL, his plan is ALWAYS to be the center of everything and score his own goals. He's pragmatic in knowing when he can't win by himself and cooperating, but as the series goes on Isagi gets more and more capable, which could mean he's getting closer and closer to the mindset of not depending on anyone but himself, or using and manipulating people in a more aggressive and malicious way instead of the cooperation he's doing right now.

Who realized the hard pass to kunigami that isagi set up started his growth was the same pass that killed the chances nagi had to stay in blue lock

true, isagi has that perfect, admirable mindset that is healthy and practical, leading him to success. also there are glimpses and indications of some darker impulses every now and then so i think it is plausible that he might go totally bonkers at some point in the future and act in a ways that would seem not very isagi-like. i wouldn't mind if that happens bc i think that he would be able to sort it out in the end, if there is anyone who i think of first as being able to crawl out of the deepest crisis, that would be himsagi.

Idiots don't understand how realistic Blue Lock is with it's philosophy...
The fact that an average kid wants to become the best in the world, sets the stage of a full ego development and the creator is a genius for doing this. Unlike other trash anime where the MC starts as the final boss and "reincarnates" or "awakens some supernatural power/ gets chosen", Isagi is literal trash in the eyes of people around him.
He doesn't have a linear development like basically every other MC in the big top 10 anime, in fact; he doesn't even have a graph. Every time Isagi evolves, he doesn't get higher on some line graph. He literally freefalls and goes deeper into his mind and finds ANY WAY to win.
It's a constant battle of: grow as if you'll die if you don't, adapt to the situation and be ready to throw away training to improvise, push forward in the face of adversity and the most important of all: **Destroy your mentality and current self completely**, go through Ego death and rebirth. Be reborn as not someone who's more mechanically skilled, but someone who is adapted to win naturally.
When in the face of fire, don't be the fool who screams and tries to blow it out; only for it to grow. Adapt and become "Formless, shapeless... Like water."
All of this is real philosophy; that if you use it correctly and you push yourself in competitive fields, you will triumph.

I look up to Isagi because he inspires me to become a better version of myself, he always pushes himself past his limits to dominate against his rivals and he didn't start out with crazy talent like nagi did but he made the most of it. If I were to show how I am as a person, its between nagi, hiori, and Isagi. Nagi because I do know I have talent but I put it to waste, Hiori because I hate having expectations put on me, and obviously Isagi because I want to be a better version of myself! Those 3 are my favorites but Isagi will stay as my indesputable #1 as he is what I strive to be everyday! (Holy Yap but aye I'm always glad to see another video talking about the goat Isagi!)

Isagi in this arc becomes one my favorites MC's ever in shonen manga honestly..his development as a character and player was beautiful And impressive..

Finally SOMEONE gets it