Blue Lock could get more spin-offs after Episode Nagi

Episode Nagi takes Blue Lock to the big screen, adapting the namesake spin-off manga, and we could get other similar stories in the future.

Episode Nagi is an anime movie that recontextualizes the first season of Blue Lock from Nagi’s perspective. We follow him through the early trials instead of Yoichi Isagi, learning about different players and why they want the opportunity to play for Japan. (You can read our Blue Lock: The Movie review for more.)

As fans around the world get to see the sports movie, we spoke to manga editor Moe Tsuchiya and film producer Ryoya Arisawa about what it might mean for future plans at Anime Expo 2024. To put it simply, nothing’s off the table for Blue Lock.

“In the original works, Nagi was in one volume of the manga, and the movie was a spin-off based on the manga,” Moe tells Dexerto. “So, it would be interesting to see if they could do something similar, since there are so many characters and stories to portray.”

Ryoya enjoys the prospect of doing more within the sports anime. “Blue Lock has so much charm that it can make any character into a main character. I’d like to try a lot of things, but I’m not sure if I can make it happen,” he states.

The producer adds that, like many things in filmmaking, it depends on the numbers. He wants to see how Episode Nagi does at the box office. So far, Blue Lock: The Movie – Episode Nagi has earned just over $11 million in theatrical earnings.

That doesn’t compete with the likes of Haikyuu!! The Dumpster Battle or The First Slam Dunk, but those are much more established franchises, so the expectations would be different. It’s hard to know what constitutes a success or failure these days, so we just have to wait and see what happens.

In the meantime, have a look at our guides to Solo Leveling Season 2, Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle, and Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3.