Blue Lock

Yochi Isagi is considered a great striker among the high-school club soccer teams, but overall, Japan does poorly in every World Cup. The Japanese Football Union hires a twisted visionary, Jinpachi Ego, to help solve this problem. Ego creates "Blue Lock," a cutthroat, Squid Game--style competition arena and invites 300 of the best high-school strikers to participate, including Isagi. Isagi scores poorly and ends up on the lowest cadre: Team Z. He and his teammates must work together yet stand apart and defeat 25 other teams in order to prove themselves the best strikers in Japan. While the premise may seem ludicrous, this story is addicting and is sure to be a popular one among teen readers. Kaneshiro creates a high-stakes environment where everything feels like life-or-death, even though no one is actually dying when they are eliminated. The premise of egotism and advocating for yourself above all else will resonate and is a departure from most Japanese manga that prizes friendship and cooperation--it's a message that will definitely resonate with Western audiences. Nomura's artwork emphasizes action with tons of zoom lines and dark outlines, and all the play sequences--illustrated like battles--are easy to follow. This is an exceptionally well-executed, high-intensity sports manga that readers will devour.