‘Ego Slashes Through’: Blue Lock Film Unveils Zantetsu, Nagi’s Rivals & Anri in Latest Cast Drops

Blue Lock fans have plenty to cheer about as fresh cast announcements for the film continues to drop ahead of the August 7, 2026 release. The official social media account has unveiled Team V rivals featuring Kohei Higuchi as the intense Zantetsu Tsurugi, while Mei Hata joins as the driven Anri Teieri — adding more star power to this highly anticipated soccer adaptation.

New Cast List:

These new cast members bolster an already impressive lineup featuring Fumiya Takahashi as protagonist Yoichi Isagi, Kaito Sakurai as Meguru Bachira, Kyōhei Takahashi as Hyoma Chigiri, Kōta Nomura as Rensuke Kunigami, plus Yuzu Aoki (Gurimu Igarashi), Shō Nishigaki (Asahi Naruhaya), Yūki Tachibana (Gin Gagamaru), Raizō Ishikawa (Jingo Raichi), Joey Iwanaga (Okuhito Iemon), Shunya Asano (Wataru Kuon), Yūki Sakurai (Yudai Imamura), Yūki Kura (Ryosuke Kira), and Masataka Kubota as the mastermind Jinpachi Ego.

The live-action Blue Lock movie is directed by Yusuke Taki, with screenplay by Tetsuo Kamata. Producer Shinzō Matsuhashi is overseeing the project, which is being produced by CREDEUS (known for Golden Kamuy) and will be distributed by TOHO.

AD: Available now from Kodansha USA: Blue Lock Omnibus Vol. One (Volumes One- Three)

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Blue Lock (ブルーロック), written by Muneyuki Kaneshiro and illustrated by Yusuke Nomura, has been serialized in Kodansha’s Weekly Shōnen Magazine since August 2018. The ongoing series has released 38 tankōbon volumes as of April 2026, with English print releases from Kodansha USA beginning in 2024 and chapters available on the KMANGA app. The massive popularity of the Blue Lock manga led to a hit anime adaptation (seasons 1-3 streaming on Crunchyroll), the 2024 theatrical film Blue Lock: Episode Nagi, multiple stage plays (including the upcoming Neo Egoist Arc adaptation), mobile games, and collaborations such as with Konami’s eFootball 2024, plus a prologue novel.

After a disastrous defeat at the 2018 World Cup, Japan’s team struggles to regroup. But what’s missing? An absolute Ace Striker, who can guide them to the win. The Japan Football Union is hell-bent on creating a striker who hungers for goals and thirsts for victory, and who can be the decisive instrument in turning around a losing match…and to do so, they’ve gathered 300 of Japan’s best and brightest youth players. Who will emerge to lead the team…and will they be able to out-muscle and out-ego everyone who stands in their way?

Source: Oricon, Anime News Network

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