Is Blue Lock Manga Finished? Status Update (2026)
Is the Blue Lock Manga Finished? No — the Series Is Still Ongoing
Blue Lock (ブルーロック) is an ongoing manga series. Since August 2018, new chapters have been published weekly in Weekly Shonen Magazine (a manga magazine published by Kodansha that focuses on action and adventure stories aimed at younger readers). The first collected volume followed in November 2018. The series is written by Muneyuki Kaneshiro with art by Yusuke Nomura.
If you’re new to manga, here’s some quick context: manga series are first published as individual chapters in magazines, then those chapters are collected into numbered books called volumes — think of them like paperback collections of several chapters bundled together. Each volume is typically around 180–200 pages.
As of mid-2026, Blue Lock has reached 39 volumes in Japan and 37 volumes in English through Kodansha Comics (the publisher that handles the English-language editions). New chapters continue to come out on a weekly basis — this is very much an active, publishing series.
So what does that mean if you’re thinking about jumping in?
It means you can absolutely start reading now, but you’ll be catching up to an incomplete story. For some readers, that’s part of the fun — following along week to week with a series that still has surprises ahead. For others who strongly prefer finished stories, it’s worth knowing upfront that you’ll eventually hit the point where you’re waiting for new chapters like everyone else.
Either way, Blue Lock is one of the most popular sports manga running right now, and there’s a lot of material already available to keep you busy.
How Far Along Is Blue Lock Right Now?
Here’s a quick snapshot of where the series stands:
| Detail | Status |
|---|---|
| Japanese volumes | 39 (as of mid-2026) |
| English volumes | 37 (as of May 2026) |
| Started serializing | August 2018 |
| Publication schedule | Weekly |
| Announced end date | None |
A few things worth noting here.
The English translation is remarkably close to the Japanese release. With 37 English volumes available compared to 39 in Japan, English readers are two volumes behind. That’s still a tight gap for a manga series — many popular titles have English editions trailing Japan by a year or more. Kodansha Comics has clearly prioritized keeping the English release on pace.
The series has been consistently productive. Since debuting in 2018, Blue Lock has averaged roughly five volumes per year. That’s the kind of steady output you’d expect from a weekly series with no extended breaks in publication.
For new readers, catching up is a real commitment. Thirty-seven English volumes is a substantial read. Each volume takes most readers roughly 30–45 minutes, so you’re looking at somewhere around 20–25 hours total. If you’re the type who blows through manga quickly, you could knock it out over a few dedicated weekends. If you read more casually, expect it to take a while — but honestly, that’s just more time to enjoy the ride.
There’s no official final chapter count and no announced timeline for when the story will end. The manga continues to publish new chapters weekly with no signs of slowing down.
Has the Story Reached Its Final Arc?
Whether you’ve been reading for years or you’re just discovering Blue Lock now, this is a natural thing to wonder about a series this far along. Here’s what we know — keeping things spoiler-light.
Blue Lock’s central premise revolves around an extreme, high-stakes program designed to produce Japan’s greatest striker. The story has moved through multiple major story sections — often called arcs in manga (self-contained stretches of the story with their own beginning, middle, and end that feed into the larger narrative) — including selection phases, training sequences, and tournament-style competitions. Each one raises the intensity and the personal stakes for the characters.
As of the latest chapters, there have been no confirmed public statements from the creators about entering a final arc or wrapping up the story. The manga hasn’t signaled that it’s heading toward a conclusion in the way that some long-running series do (you know the feeling — when a series starts tying up loose ends and giving characters their final moments).
The premise itself still has room to grow. The concept of forging the world’s best striker through competition is flexible enough to support additional arcs, new rivals, and escalating challenges without feeling artificially stretched. Whether the story is closer to its midpoint or its final third is genuinely hard to say without official word from the creative team.
What This Means for New and Current Readers
- If you prefer completed stories: Blue Lock isn’t there yet, and there’s no clear timeline for when it will be. You might want to bookmark it and check back periodically.
- If you enjoy following ongoing series: This is a great time to jump in. There’s a massive backlog to read through, the weekly release schedule means you’ll never wait long for new content, and the English volumes are practically caught up to Japan.
There’s no wrong approach here — it just depends on how you like to read.
The Blue Lock Anime — How It Connects to the Manga
If you’re new to manga, here’s one important thing to understand: anime adaptations and their source manga tell the same story, but the anime usually covers only a portion of what the manga has published. That means you can switch from watching to reading and pick up where the anime left off.
Here’s how the Blue Lock adaptation breaks down:
| Anime Release | Details |
|---|---|
| Season 1 | 2022, 24 episodes |
| Season 2 (VS. U-20 Japan) | 2024, 14 episodes |
| Season 3 (Neo Egoist League) | Announced (2025) |
| Theatrical film | Blue Lock -EPISODE Nagi-, 2024 |
Season 1 covered the early selection arcs and did a strong job introducing the main characters and the high-pressure atmosphere of the Blue Lock program. With 24 episodes, it had enough time to develop the story without feeling rushed.
Season 2 adapted the U-20 Japan arc in 14 episodes, continuing the story into one of the manga’s most intense stretches. If you’ve finished Season 2 and you’re hungry for more, the manga continues well beyond where the anime has reached — and there’s a lot of story waiting for you.
Season 3 was announced in September 2025 and officially titled Neo Egoist League in June 2026. No air date has been confirmed as of this writing, but its announcement means more of the manga’s story will eventually be adapted for the screen.
The EPISODE Nagi film released in 2024 is a separate, self-contained story focused on Seishiro Nagi, a fan-favorite character from the series. It’s not a direct continuation of the main storyline, so you can watch it whenever you’d like without worrying about spoilers for future seasons.
Should Anime Fans Switch to the Manga?
That depends on your patience. The anime has covered a relatively small portion of the manga’s total story so far, and while Season 3 has been announced, there’s no confirmed release date yet. If you don’t want to wait for future anime seasons to find out what happens next, the manga is right there waiting. Yusuke Nomura’s art is dynamic and expressive, and the action scenes work beautifully on the page — you won’t feel like you’re missing out by reading instead of watching.
If you’d rather experience the story animated, that’s completely valid too. Just know that the manga is significantly further ahead, and even with Season 3 on the way, it will take multiple additional seasons to cover all the available material.
Where to Buy Blue Lock in English
All 37 English volumes of Blue Lock are published by Kodansha Comics and are widely available in both print and digital editions at major retailers.
Where to Start
Volume 1 is the natural entry point. It introduces the main character Yoichi Isagi, the mysterious Jinpachi Ego, and the brutal premise of the Blue Lock program. You’ll know within the first few chapters whether this series clicks for you.
If you’ve already watched the anime and want to continue from where Season 2 left off, the anime’s second season ends around Chapter 151 of the manga (roughly Volume 17). You may want to start a chapter or two earlier to overlap with content you’ve already seen animated, since the transition isn’t always a perfectly clean break between episodes and chapters.
Blue Lock
Keeping Up with New Releases
The English release schedule has been impressively consistent, closely tracking the Japanese publication timeline. With only a one-volume gap between the Japanese and English editions, you won’t be waiting long for new material to become available.
The latest English volume released on May 19, 2026, and given the pace of publication, you can expect new volumes to continue arriving regularly.
Print vs. Digital
Both formats give you the full experience. Print volumes are standard manga size from Kodansha Comics. Digital editions are convenient if you want instant access or prefer reading on a tablet. There’s no exclusive content in either format — pick whichever suits your reading style.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many volumes of Blue Lock are there?
As of mid-2026, there are 39 volumes in Japanese and 37 volumes in English. The series continues to add new volumes regularly.
When did Blue Lock start?
Chapters began serializing in August 2018 in Weekly Shonen Magazine (Kodansha), with the first collected volume released in November 2018. It’s been running for over seven years.
Is Blue Lock a weekly or monthly series?
Weekly. Blue Lock is published in Weekly Shonen Magazine, which means new chapters come out on a weekly schedule (with occasional breaks, as is normal for weekly manga).
Will Blue Lock end soon?
There’s no confirmed end date. The creators have not announced a final arc or a target conclusion point. The series continues to publish new chapters with no indication of wrapping up in the near future.
Is the English translation caught up to Japan?
Nearly. The English edition is two volumes behind the Japanese release — 37 English volumes compared to 39 in Japan. That’s a relatively tight gap for a manga series, and Kodansha Comics has maintained a close pace consistently.
Can I start the manga after watching the anime?
Absolutely. If you’ve finished the anime and want to continue the story, you can pick up the manga from around Chapter 151 (roughly Volume 17), which is where Season 2’s story wraps up. Starting a chapter or two before that point can help smooth the transition. You can also start from Volume 1 to experience the full story in manga form — many fans find details and nuances in the manga that the anime doesn’t fully capture.
Is Blue Lock worth starting if it’s not finished?
That’s really a personal preference. If you enjoy following ongoing series and being part of the weekly conversation, Blue Lock is a fantastic pick — there’s a huge community of fans discussing each new chapter. If you only read completed manga, you’ll want to wait. But with no end in sight, that could be a long wait. Volume 1 is a low-risk way to find out if the series grabs you — individual manga volumes typically retail for around the same price as a standard paperback novel.
