Blue Lock Manga Makes History By Becoming The 1st Chart-Topping Manga For Kodansha!

Since the inception of Oricon lists in 2008, Blue Lock has become the first manga published by Kodansha to rank #1 in the yearly best-selling list.

Blue Lock sold over 10.5 million copies in 2023, followed by Jujutsu Kaisen and One Piece at 8.5 million and 7.1 million respectively.

Oshi no Ko had an impressive run as well, securing the #4 spot with 5.4 Million copies sold.

Blue Lock TV anime is based on Muneyuki Kaneshiro (story) and Yusuke Nomura’s (illustrator) manga with the same name. The is still running and is published in Kodansha’s Weekly Shonen Magazine since August 2018.

The manga currently has 20 volumes in publication in Japan. Kodansha Comics is publishing the manga in English and has released 14 volumes to date.

Kodansha describes the first volume of Blue Lock as:

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