Blue Lock season 2 episode 2, titled The Assassin and the Ninja, premiered on Saturday, October 12, 2024, at 11:30 pm JST. The episode continued with the Third Selection Arc, showcasing the much-anticipated debuts of Hiori Yo and Nanase Nijiro, voiced by Eiji Mikami and Kakeru Hatano, respectively.
While the storyline progressed, the spotlight shifted more to 8bit’s attempt to fix the poorly animated scenes from the second promotional video.
The promotional video stirred fans’ disappointment due to subpar scenes, especially the Ryusei Shidou no-look backheel goal, which fell short of expectations compared to its manga counterpart.
Following fan backlash, the studio made an effort to improve these scenes by adding extra colors and effects. However, these adjustments, though an improvement, failed to fully fix the issues. While the enhanced scenes offered a slight upgrade from the promotional video, they didn’t entirely fix the quality concerns.
Unfortunately, Blue Lock season 2 episode 2 had numerous other production flaws. The 2D animation quality was notably poor, with minimal action sequences. Instead, characters were often shown in still frames, and the lack of seamless transitions between scenes further hampered the viewing experience.
The Ryusei Shidou goal scene was particularly disappointing. The addition of color made parts of it appear more vibrant, but it felt mismatched, as though it belonged to a different anime altogether. These inconsistent visuals left much to be desired.
In terms of the episode’s strengths, the use of CG animation stood out. Typically, CG animation is criticized by fans, but in this case, it was a saving grace, especially when compared to the lackluster 2D work.
The studio also did well in incorporating background music, which helped inject some intensity and atmosphere into otherwise stagnant moments. The score, at least, succeeded where the animation faltered, offering some redemption.
As for the voice performances, both Eiji Mikami and Kakeru Hatano delivered decent work in their respective roles. Kakeru Hatano’s portrayal of Nanase Nijiro was solid, while Eiji Mikami’s softer take on Hiori Yo was somewhat unexpected. It remains to be seen if their performances will evolve as the series progresses.
While 8bit’s attempt to address the animation issues from the promotional video was commendable, it wasn’t enough to overshadow the other glaring production problems. Fans can only hope the studio improves as it adapts the more action-packed U-20 Arc in future episodes.
