Team V[]
Seishiro Nagi[]
Reo was committed to his dream of winning the World Cup, but after getting the soccer club’s team together and preparing everything, he realized he was missing something- another him. More accurately, he was missing the soccer genius necessary to make the team work. Reo realized that while he couldn’t win on his own with the team he had, with just two- or even one- other person who could match him on the field, his dream would get even closer to being a reality.
The two of them met in high school when Reo accidentally bumped into Nagi who was sitting on the stairs playing a game on his phone. Reo was searching for his soccer genius while Nagi wanted to just play games on his break. Nagi's phone slipped out of his hands and Reo was immediately taken aback when Nagi saved his phone by jumping off the stairs without stumbling and resumed playing his game. When Reo found out that Nagi has never played football, he was surprised and wanted to encourage him to play with him, and that they even might become pros. He has realized that the man in front of him was the one he needed, the chosen one. However, Nagi was reluctant to play and put effort in practicing, wanting to live a lazy and carefree life. This only made Reo want him even more (parallel to his desire to want something he cannot easily obtain). Reo knew he had natural talent, being the first in Nagi’s life to realize his well of potential, and tried to convince him to play with him on the team. Nagi eventually gave in and they eventually ended up playing together.
They first began playing together in the Hakuho High School soccer club, their first match being against Aomori Dadada High School. This team was known for regularly competing in nationals. The practice match was set up by Reo’s father, which only fueled his desire to win. He asked Nagi to lend him his talent, and Nagi doesn’t give a clear answer but they do play together in the match. There Reo demonstrates his genius plays and ability, passing the ball to Nagi. Prior to the match, Reo made one rule- be where you can score. Nagi finds this to be a self-centered strategy but Reo disregards this. In the match, Nagi runs towards the goal and Reo passes to him, but the opponent’s team captain puts him in a bad position. However, Nagi questions what the problem was with this position and does a scorpion trap into a roulette volley. This match is what eventually leads to their invitation to Blue Lock. After this match, we’re told that their record remained perfect with no losses.
Upon being in Blue Lock, Nagi is unmotivated whereas this is the perfect place for Reo. When all the other invitees run inside, Nagi and Reo are the only ones left standing outside the door. This is when Reo convinces him to give it a try, claiming he’ll show him a life more interesting than any snacks or video games. They both head inside the building, making a promise to stay together to achieve their dream. In the tag match. Nagi and Reo seem to be the only ones to realize what the goal of this test was. When they talk about how the room is the size of the penalty area and the time limit representing the time a striker is meant to have the ball, the opponents seem surprised at this revelation. During the match they were targeted by the Aomori Dadada Captain, and while they continuously dodged Zantetsu Tsurugi ended up taking the bal (under the impression it would win him the game). After Reo and Nagi laugh at this, Zantetsu sends a curve shot seemingly at Reo, though it ends up actually being targeted at Nagi. After being hit, Nagi calls it a drag but asks Reo if everyone was fair game to get. However, Nagi instead leaves the ball and sits down, saying that he’ll just stay “it” and get sent home.
Reo tells him to stop fucking around and takes the ball, becoming the new “it”. Nagi says that he knew Reo would do that. Reo quickly plans out a strategy, seemingly missing his shot at the opponents. However, it turns out that it was according to plan because it grouped everyone in a corner making it an easy shot. Reo shoots at them, hitting Zantetsu. Nagi says that it was expected of Reo to do that. However, Zantetsu quickly recovers and shoots the ball at the wall, which bounces off and heads right at Reo. Nagi intercepts this, saying that if Reo was gone, he’d be in trouble. He shoots the ball at a line of other players, and it ends up hitting the Aomori Dadada captain. Despite being saved, Reo jumps onto Nagi’s back and lectured him for purposely trying to lose. Nagi realizes that he had been caught and said that that was what he was trying to do. Reo thanks him, but Nagi asks for what, so he just says never-mind.
Throughout the first selection, Nagi remains unmotivated but continues on due to Reo. In the first match against Team Y, while Reo continually scores goals, Nagi hangs back as goalkeeper and does not try. This leads to Reo worrying that if Nagi doesn’t show his worth, he will be dropped. To convince him to work hard, Reo says that if he scores 3 goals he’ll be able to get his phone back and slack off. This motivates Nagi enough to score some goals. Reo describes the strategy as him turning the “0” into “1”, while Nagi turns that “1” into “100”. The first goal Nagu scores (trapping the ball on his chest then going for a bicycle shot) results in Reo calling him an ultra genius. After, he then scores 2 more goals, the match ending in 8 to 0, a win for Team V.
Zantetsu Tsurugi[]
Reo and Zantetsu first meet inside of Blue Lock. Reo’s first impression of Zantetsu is the latter wearing his shirt as pants and vice versa. Reo and Nagi help him get out of his bind, and when Zantetsu attempts to speak English, Reo laughs at how incorrect it was. A repeated theme of their relationship is Reo calling him an idiot attempting to seem smart. In the tag match, Reo and Nagi are targeted by an old opponent but dodge his attacks. That’s when Zantetsu steals the ball, questioning why he didn’t win after stealing the ball. This causes Reo to point and laugh at him. Zantetsu mutters “Idiot.. Idiot”, then states that the only people who call others idiots are idiots themselves. He charges at Reo and Nagi, and while Reo assumes that it would be difficult to dribble with such a high speed, he’s able to dribble very well and sends a curve shot towards him. However, the curve shot was not aimed at Reo, but Nagi, who was behind him. After this, Zantetsu says not to call him an idiot again. Nagi decides to just leave the ball in the center, which Reo steals. He gathers all the opponents in a corner and shoots into the crowd, and the ball hits Zantetsu. (“It’s the idiots that fall first.” - Mikage Reo)
Zantetsu then claims that if he ends up winning, everyone else would be the idiots. Zantetsu aims the ball at a wall, to Reo’s confusion, but it ends up bouncing off the wall and heads straight for Reo. Nagi blocks the shot and it heads back towards the rest of the people, but Zantetsu dodges. Thereafter the three of them are all on Team V together. In the first selection’s opening match, Reo and Zantetsu butt heads and constantly fight over the ball despite being on the same team. After winning the match, Reo attempts to unite the team by offering up his steak. Zantetsu tells him to quiet down so he can eat in peace, saying that his petty tricks won’t work. Reo says he doesn’t care since he only likes cool and interesting guys, then proceeds to call Zantetsu an idiot ignoring his benevolence. After he asks what that means, it only makes Reo think of him as an even bigger idiot.
In the match against Team W, due to having a talk with Nagi as well as receiving a pass from him, Zantetsu is temporarily listen to Reo. Reo relents thanks to Nagi and explains what Zantetsu is best at to him, as well as how to properly take advantage of this. Zantetsu then tells him he doesn’t care, because he would never listen to someone who calls him an idiot. Reo proceeds to go off on him, saying he was a massive idiot. He decides he can only trust himself and Nagi, so he passes to ball to Nagi. Nagi then kicks the ball to seemingly no one, but as it turns out, it’s right into Zantetsu’s range. Zantetsu decides to listen to Reo’s advice, and using it he scores a goal.