Who is Itoshi Sae and how good is he?

Muneyuki Kaneshiro’s Blue Lock is a captivating story of the transformation of Japanese football, driven by coach Jinpachi Ego’s vision. At the heart of this vision are some of the most talented forwards in the country, who possess the talent to become the best in the world. However, when they cross paths with Japan’s most talented youth, Itoshi Sae, they find themselves completely dumbfounded by his excellence. The football star single-handedly runs circles around the Blue Lock Eleven, effortlessly dominating each player. But what makes him so great? In this article, focus is thrown on Sae Itoshi’s personality, temperament, and football genius that set him apart from everyone in Japan.

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Who is Sae Itoshi?

A Generational Talent Who Made it to Europe

Dubbed Japan’s Greatest Treasure, Sae Itoshi is a prodigious footballer who has made a name for himself on the international stage in a short span of time. With immense talent for the game from a young age, Itoshi has always been quite confident in himself. In his pursuit of excellence, he leaves no stone unturned and has dedicated his life solely to the sport of football. His single-minded focus has yielded results and has allowed him to surpass countless rivals to become the best of the best.

In person, Sae Itoshi can be cold, distant, uncaring, and often blunt. He has a reputation for looking down on his peers and insulting anyone he deems unworthy of respect. Growing up in Japan, Sae faced little to no challenge from other footballers, and he was always too good for the competition around him. This, in turn, further fueled his arrogance and made him even more of an insufferable person. Itoshi lost all respect for Japanese football and even went as far as ridiculing senior officials with serious organizational authority. However, his rowdy behavior and disrespectful antics were tolerated solely because he was considered a prodigy.

Sae eventually moved abroad and started playing football in Europe. He now considers Japanese football inferior and not worth his time. He goes as far as claiming that he would prefer dying instead of playing for the Japanese national team. Itoshi bemoans the fact that he was born in a country like Japan, where, from his perspective, the standards of football are unlikely to match those of Europe. Sae’s pessimism for Japanese football is rooted in the structural limitations within the country’s football system.

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Despite harboring such bitterness for Japanese football, Sae Itoshi still commands huge respect in the country. The Blue Lock 11 versus Japan U20 game became financially viable only because he was advertised as the face of the game. The fans flocked in huge numbers to see Sae in action and experience his brilliance live. Interestingly, that game ended up changing his opinion of Japanese football, and he accepted that the country still had hope of turning things around.

Sae Itoshi can be a difficult person who is extremely problematic to deal with. However, when it comes to playing football, he is surprisingly professional. He knows how to restrain himself and give others the opportunity to be in the limelight if his position demands it. Despite his once-in-a-generation talent, Sae understands that football, at its heart, is a team game and does not allow his ego to overlook this obvious fact when he is on the ground. His professionalism and profound respect for the game are one of the main reasons for his success as a footballer.

Sae Itoshi’s Superhuman Talent

Rin’s Brother is a Dangerous Playmaker Who Knows How to Create a Goal

Sae Itoshi is a genius who understands the flow and ebb of the game better than anyone else in the world in his age group. With his natural talent, passion, and love for football, he has grown in stature beyond everyone’s wildest imagination to leave a mark on the international stage, despite his young age. Itoshi’s gameplay is a combination of varied skills that are pushed to the extreme, giving him an almost superhuman edge over his opponents, who struggle to keep up with him.

Perhaps Itoshi’s most underappreciated skill is his omnipotent meta-vision that allows him to put himself in a position on the field that helps him control the game. Observing the opposition, studying their playing position, and with a uniquely trained vision, Sae can make predictions and judgments that no one else can replicate. This makes it incredibly hard to bypass Itoshi’s defensive maneuvering or to stop him from scoring a goal if he sees an opening.

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As a footballer, the kick technique is a crucial part of a player’s toolkit. The best players in the world are celebrated because of the accuracy, speed, timing, and angle of their kicks. Sae Itoshi, like other geniuses, thrives in this regard, as he possesses an extremely effective kicking technique that makes him unstoppable. His pass accuracy is extremely high, as he understands the opposition’s positioning and makes his kicks almost impossible to intercept. Very few can replicate Sae’s long-driven passes, trivelas, and ultra-fast passes.

Itoshi’s reflexes have evolved to a level that few in Japanese football can match. This makes it incredibly complicated for the opposition to keep track of his moves, let alone stop him. Sae’s dribbling skills are further bolstered by his reflexes. Adjusting to the opponent’s style of play, he can dribble past most players he encounters without breaking a sweat. He is so skilled at it that he manages to single-handedly break Blue Lock Eleven’s formation, leaving their defense vulnerable. Even his talented younger brother, Rin, who also happens to be Jinpachi’s best mentee, struggles to keep up with Sae’s dribbling. Itoshi beautifully uses nutmegs, Marseille turns, and double touches to stay a step ahead of everyone on the field.

As a playmaker, Sae uses his strengths to his advantage to lead his team’s offensive movements and constantly puts pressure on the opposition. With his deep understanding of the game and exceptional vision, he smells a goal well before anyone else. He is also extremely dexterous at turning those opportunities into scoring chances. It’s interesting that Itoshi, despite being primarily an attacking player, still makes sure that his team’s defenses have almost no vulnerabilities that can be exploited. These unique abilities and tactical understanding of the game make Itoshi Sae a genius footballer who has no equals in the Japanese football scene.

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Release Date

October 9, 2022

Studio

8bit

Creator

Muneyuki Kaneshiro