Blue Lock: The Flow State, Explained

Jinpachi Ego’s Blue Lock project is an ambitious mission to create the best striker in the world, who would help Japan lift the football World Cup for the first time. A player of such caliber can only be forged by providing an intensely competitive environment where they hone their skills and achieve a superhuman level of creativity and instinct.

Perhaps the most important prerequisite to becoming the best in the world is to consciously enter a flow state to surpass one’s limitations. But what exactly is it? In this article, we look at the origins of the idea and understand its implications for players dreaming of becoming the best striker in the world.

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What is the Flow State?

The Origins of the Idea and the Art of Effortless Attention

Also referred to as being locked in or in the zone, the flow state is a mental condition in which the individual is fully immersed in an experience and draws immediate gratification from the activity itself. The attainment of this state causes a person to undergo warping of temporal experience heightened by effortless attention. However, one should not make the mistake of confusing the flow state with hyperfocus. While the former is primarily used to describe positive, engaging experiences, the latter is mentioned in the context of neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric conditions.

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the Hungarian-American psychologist, is credited with pioneering research into the state of flow and is widely recognized for his contributions to positive psychology. His interest in the flow state was sparked by artists’ effortless ability to get lost in their work. He noticed that people in this state would get so preoccupied with the task at hand that they even forego their physiological needs and draw satisfaction from dedicating themselves fully to the experience.

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Mihaly’s fascination with this phenomenon laid the groundwork for understanding peak experiences, motivation, and engagement. The research on the flow state was popularized during the 1980s and 1990s. After extensive studies, it has now been well-established that there are several characteristics of the state of flow. The individual who is locked in goes through an autotelic experience, which is accompanied by warping of temporal experience, loss of contemplative self-consciousness, effortless attention on the present moment, agency over self, and integration of action and awareness.

Although accessible to everyone, the flow state is rarely experienced by individuals. The discrepancy lies in the fact that achieving the locked-in state requires a cognitively challenging task that is neither overwhelming nor underwhelming. Even with the ideal conditions in place, an individual’s temperament and drive play a huge role in determining whether they will achieve the flow state or not. However, it has been observed that individuals who can enter the flow state at will can lead more gratifying lives.

Flow State in Blue Lock

• First Usage in Manga: Chapter 28, titled “Super Special”
• First Usage in Anime: Episode 8, titled “Awakening”
• Notable Users: Nagi, Bachira, Isagi, Gagamaru, and Rin Itoshi

Jinpachi Ego’s understanding of the flow state is not much different from the traditional concept. He describes it as a trance-like state in which the players get absorbed in the game and achieve the tricky synchronization of mind and body. Ego feels that when an individual takes on a task that challenges them just enough to bring the best out of them, they can bring out an exceptional performance. Such an opportunity is critical in the evolution of a player’s game and reaching the next level. Jinpachi argues that from the observer’s point of view, this may seem like a miracle, but it is technically the awakening of the dormant potential in a player.

According to Ego, there is a method to achieve the flow state. He argues that the locked-in state is tied to one’s ego and demands a complete immersion in the game. Only individuals who escape the passive, trancelike state induced by mindless indulgence can hope to get this far. Once a player has finally overcome such negative tendencies and achieved synchronization of mind and body, they perform at optimal levels, surpassing their limitations and accomplishing new heights in their game.

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However, Jinpachi warns that the modern world makes it extremely difficult to get into the flow state. He points out that people today are bombarded by information and entertainment from countless sources. When people get absorbed in such mindless entertainment, they also enter a trance-like state. But unlike the flow state that allows individuals to evolve and surpass their past limitations, this passive, trance-like state leads to mediocrity. It appears that Ego is alluding to the dangers of complacency and the loss of potential, which are triggered by indulging in superficial experiences. Jinpachi does not directly say it, but his explanation strongly suggests that the achievement of footballing genius rests on a player’s potential to consciously get into a flow state on the field.

Blue Lock has some talented footballers who have demonstrated that achieving the flow state is well within the reach of players of their stature. They have also demonstrated how it could lead to a sudden and dramatic evolution that is difficult to keep up with. Bachira, during the First Selection, unintentionally entered the state and effortlessly performed the triple nutmeg, breaking through the opposition’s defense and leaving some of the most talented footballers from the country scratching their heads. While this was the first experience of its kind for the players at Blue Lock, it wasn’t the only one.

Nagi Seishiro also achieved the flow state during the high-pressure game against Rin’s Team Red. He performed a 2-stage fake volley shot to score a goal that left everyone watching awestruck. The almost miraculous shot could not even be explained by Nagi at the time, and only Jinpachi realized that he had achieved the flow state, albeit briefly.

In the Neo Egoist League Arc, Nagi went a step further and scored what many described as the goal of the century. He pulled it off by performing a five-shot revolver fake volley that was made possible only by entering the flow state. Players like Isagi Yoichi, Gagamaru, and Rin have also shown glimpses of greatness by utilizing the flow state beautifully in their game. One can even argue that becoming the best striker in the world demands the conscious mastery of the flow state that allows players to surpass their skills and perform at a superhuman level.

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Based on Muneyuki Kaneshiro’s soccer manga, Blue Lock revolves around a program to develop a world-class Japanese striker. Just about qualifying, Isagi has to face off against the nation’s best young talents and survive selections, while constantly growing as a player.

Release Date

October 9, 2022

Studio

8bit

Creator

Muneyuki Kaneshiro