At the beginning of Blue Lock, Reo Mikage had difficulty attracting the attention of other more experienced players. In the second season, however, he is gradually learning to stand on his own two feet and assert himself for the first time. His football journey began in high school, as a partner with his best friend at the time, Nagi Seishiro. Nagi was immensely skilled but lazy, preferring video games to football, and had to be pressured to do his best and pursue football for Reo.
Thanks to Reo’s insistence, the pair rose through the school football ranks and eventually qualified for the Blue Lock competition. However, Reo was the weakest link and began to trust Nagi’s exceptional talent to carry him forward. Reo is a great football player, but because of his privileged upbringing, he has often had the things he valued in life handed to him without much effort on his part. Having to fight for his dream was a completely foreign concept to Reo, and the new move he just revealed highlights a worrying pattern in his playstyle.
Reo’s new chameleon move lets him copy other players, but it comes at a price
The chameleon move points to Reo’s fatal flaw that could cost him success in the Blue Lock competition
In Blue Lock recent episode, Reo finally discovered his special talent. He became desperate when Nagi left him behind, joining another team with more experienced players. Reo was forced to face the fact that he needed to establish his own style of football, rather than relying on Nagi’s genius to lead him through the Blue Lock competition. In the second match of the U20 qualifier, he created a new movement that he called “The Chameleon”. This move allowed him to almost exactly copy other players’ moves, taking others’ abilities and twisting them to his own benefit.
However, as fellow players Isagi Yoichi and Yo Hiori pointed out in their analysis of the match, Reo’s recreations can only be 99% as effective as his original moves, leaving him at a crucial disadvantage. Although it appeared that Reo had created a unique new move that makes use of other players’ talents, in reality, Reo is still not “asserting” himself as Blue Lock competition leader Jinpachi Ego explained it was crucial. Reo is merely producing imitations of others’ movements, not inventing a distinct movement that is entirely his own and does not require the help of others.
The Chameleon Method points to a dangerous pattern in Reo’s playstyle
Reo’s tendency to rely on others to secure a victory has been a hindrance in his football career
Reo’s new chameleonic move impressed at first and even scored a goal for his team, but points to a most worrying issue that Reo has faced since the beginning of his football career. Reo has always depended on others to succeed. His fortunate lifestyle allowed him to have everything he wanted immediately, and Reo openly admitted this. During his youth, his parents made sure he had everything he wanted, he was at the top of his class without trying too hard in school, and he was popular and well-liked by everyone. When Reo got serious about football, his way of life changed.
At Blue Lock, Reo’s status and wealth could no longer help him. Instead of starting to improve his own skills, Reo made the same mistake again. Instead of relying on her parents and wealth as a crutch to ensure her success, Nagi took their place. Nagi became his secret weapon because Reo knew he would rarely lose a game with Nagi by his side. Their chemistry as players was surprising and Nagi is a true football prodigy. However, when Nagi surpassed Reo and became better than him in terms of football skill, Reo was forced to face his own weaknesses.
Reo depended on Nagi a lot and is now moving that codependency elsewhere
Although Reo is trying to improve, the chameleon’s ability proves he still has a long way to go
Reo’s Chameleon ability is, in a way, a step forward, as it proves that Reo is motivated to win and wants to differentiate himself from Nagi and the other players. Tired of living in Nagi’s shadow, Reo wants to prove his parents wrong, reveal his potential as an excellent football player, and succeed on his own. However, his Chameleon move is just another example of how he uses other people to win. When he first started playing, he struggled to succeed without Nagi as a crutch. Still, he essentially relies on other players’ moves to help him win, indirectly.
Season 2 Episode 5 was a turning point for Reo because he realized that if he doesn’t improve, he will be left behind by everyone. Losing Nagi was a huge blow to Reo’s ego and emotional state, and the possibility of playing alongside Nagi again spurs him on to try harder, as does his goal of proving everyone who told him he couldn’t be good at football. were wrong, including your parents. . Reo is not a bad player and his willingness to try new things on the pitch shows that he is trying hard to improve and overcome tough competition.
All is not lost for Reo because his football skill is constantly growing
If Reo can discover his unique “ego”, he will be one of the Blue Lock Best players
Unfortunately, however, Reo will never truly succeed until he discovers a play style that helps him develop his “ego” or individualism. A move like Chameleon will never guarantee long-term success because it once again reflects Reo’s unhelpful pattern of relying on other people’s actions to advance the competition. His skill is admittedly remarkable and deserves credit, as copying someone’s actions with 99% accuracy is no easy task. Although Reo’s The tendency to depend on others is stopping you from winning Blue Lock, it continues to grow and If he overcomes this setback, he could be nearly unstoppable.