The hit manga "Blue Lock" was adapted into an anime in October 2022. In 2023, it became the top-selling manga in Japan, surpassing popular titles like One Piece and Jujutsu Kaisen. Starting in October 2024, the second season of the anime will begin airing. This article provides an in-depth explanation of Sae Itoshi, a character from Blue Lock. It includes details about his height, weight, abilities, past episodes, and images of his appearances in the anime.

What is the Anime "Blue Lock" Where Sae Itoshi Appears?

"Blue Lock" (BLUELOCK) is a Japanese manga series written by Muneyuki Kaneshiro and illustrated by Yusuke Nomura. It began serialization in Weekly Shonen Magazine (Kodansha) in issue 35 of 2018. In May 2021, it won the 45th Kodansha Manga Award in the shonen category.

Blue Lock is a facility designed to produce the ultimate egoist—a single forward chosen from 300 high school players to become the world's best striker, with the goal of leading Japan to victory in the World Cup. The story follows the strikers as they are thrown into a series of ruthless selection tests, each sharpening their skills while grappling with the harsh challenges presented by the unforgiving system.

Basic Information on Sae Itoshi from "Blue Lock": Height, Birthday and More

Name: Sae Itoshi
Sae Itoshi is a player who belongs to the youth academy of a prestigious club in Spain and has been selected as one of the "New Generation World 11," making him a highly watched talent globally. He had completely written off Japanese soccer as low-level, but during a temporary return to Japan, he learned about the "Blue Lock" project and became intrigued. Although he had no interest in the Japanese national team before, upon hearing about a match against the Blue Lock participants, he accepted the call-up for the Japan U-20 national team.

Birthday: October 10
Age: 18 years old (3rd year high school student)
Hometown: Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture
Family: Father, mother, myself, younger brother (Rin)
Height: 6 ft 3 in (190 cm)
Foot size: 8 in (26.5 cm)
Blood type: A
Team before joining Blue Lock: The youth academy of a prestigious Spanish football club
Dominant foot: Left
Favorite player: Álvaro Recoba (a left-footed genius who "paints rainbows on the pitch")
Started playing soccer at: 1 year old (I was playing soccer before I even realized it)
Nickname: Japan's Treasure
Strength (self-assessed): Ability to view things objectively (people often call me cold, but I don't care)
Weakness (self-assessed): I know nothing outside of soccer (Don't live like this, seriously)
Favorite food: Salted kelp tea (it brings me back to zero)
Disliked food: French fries (they're delicious, but I think they're incredibly unhealthy)
Best food to eat with rice: Salted kelp (I have my family send it from Japan since they don't have it in Spain)
Hobby: Analyzing soccer player and team data (I like how everything is visualized as numbers)
Favorite season: The end of summer (it feels like the whole world becomes a little lonely)
Favorite TV show: "Chibi Maruko-chan" (reminds me of home)
Favorite music: tofubeats "Suisei (feat. Seira Karaya)" (I listen to this to cool down)
Favorite movie: "Taxi Driver" (De Niro is the coolest in this one)
Favorite manga: "GeGeGe no Kitaro"
Character color: Azuki (dark red)
Favorite animal: Seagulls (I like migratory birds that never stay in one place)
Favorite brand: All of my sponsors (They wouldn’t bet on me if they weren’t sharp)
Best subject: I don't know, I never paid attention to class because all I do is play soccer (I’ve never even seen my report card)
What I’m obsessed with: Backsides (I can tell an athlete’s ability by the shape of their butt)
What makes me happy: A play that surpasses my imagination
What makes me sad: Being burdened with Japanese soccer’s future (I’m talking about you guys)
First time I got a love confession: I don't remember which one was the first
Number of Valentine's chocolates received last year: Around 2000 (according to my manager)
Sleeping hours: 8 hours (7 hours at night + 1-hour nap)
First place I wash in the shower: The roots of my bangs
Mushroom or bamboo shoot snacks: Depends on my mood
Last time I cried: I'm not telling you that
How old I was when I stopped getting Christmas presents from Santa: 10 years old
What I asked Santa for: My untapped potential
What I'd do on the last day on Earth: Deliver the world's best pass to the world's best striker
What I'd do with 100 million yen: I don't care about such petty cash
How I spend my days off: Staring at the sea

Source: Blue Lock Official Character Book EGOIST BIBLE

Sae Itoshi's Background in Blue Lock

In the Blue Lock novel, it is revealed that Sae had been making a name for himself from a young age, receiving media attention for his accomplishments. He and his younger brother, Rin Itoshi, once shared a dream of becoming the world's top players, with Sae aiming to be the number one player in the world and Rin aiming for the second.

However, Sae was scouted by a prestigious European club and moved to Spain. Until then, his goal had been to become the best striker in the world, but upon his return to Japan, he declared to Rin that he would now aim to become the best midfielder in the world.

Rin couldn't accept this change, leading to a rift between the two brothers.

Who is Sae Itoshi's Voice Actor in the Blue Lock Anime?

The voice of Sae is performed by voice actor Takahiro Sakurai. Some of his notable roles include Giyu Tomioka in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba and Suguru Geto in Jujutsu Kaisen, among many other popular characters. He has also voiced a pair of brothers in the past, alongside Koki Uchiyama, who voices Rin, in the anime Haikyuu!!.

Sae Itoshi's Key Moments and Images from Various Episodes

Next, we will look back at Sae Itoshi's key moments in each anime episode, along with images.

A promising young player who has caught the attention of club teams worldwide as a midfielder. He has been selected as one of the "New Generation World 11." Until shortly before the story begins, he was playing for the youth academy of one of the world's most prestigious clubs. In media interviews, he has openly stated that he has no intention of playing for a Japanese club and that his dream is to win the UEFA Champions League in Europe.

During a press interview upon his return to Japan, he boldly declared, "I was simply born in the wrong country," and ended the interview with a confident smile.

Later, by chance, he witnessed a press conference for the Blue Lock project. Fascinated by the project's goal to develop strikers who can compete on the global stage, he became interested and decided to stay in Japan.

Although he had few opportunities to appear after the beginning of the story, he was approached to join the match between the U-20 Japan national team and the Blue Lock Eleven, a direct result of the conflict between the Japan Football Association and Jinpachi Ego. After reviewing footage of the U-20 Japan team, he harshly criticized the players and initially declined to participate. However, when offered the option to call up a teammate of his choosing, he set the condition that Ryusei Shidou be included in the U-20 team, agreeing to participate only if this condition was met.

■BLUE LOCK vs U-20 Japan
During the match, he supported his teammates on the Japan national team with his exceptional skills. Shuto Sendou, receiving his pass, was stopped by an impressive save from Gin Gagamaru. However, he ultimately scored the opening goal with a stunning shot from the sidelines. In the first half, he faced off against his younger brother, Rin, showcasing the clear difference in their abilities.

Summary

Sae is a genius player active in Spain and the older brother of Rin, who is participating in Blue Lock. From Rin’s actions and words in the original story, it’s clear that there is a rift between the brothers.

Although Sae’s appearances are limited in the first season of the anime, it’s undeniable that he has had a significant influence on Rin. We can look forward to his future role in the story. As we watch the show, let's keep in mind that there are genius players like Sae outside of the Blue Lock project, who have connections with its participants.