Hidetoshi Nakata Reveals He Has Never Missed a Weekly Manga Magazine in 40 Years, Even During His Time in Italy; Talks With Blue Lock Creator Muneyuki Kaneshiro

Japanese football legend Hidetoshi Nakata and Blue Lock creator Muneyuki Kaneshiro sat down for a special interview published in the 29th issue of Weekly Shonen Magazine, released on August 17.

Known as an avid manga fan, Nakata spoke extensively about his lifelong passion for manga during the conversation. He revealed that he has been reading weekly manga magazines such as Weekly Shonen Magazine without fail since he was around 10 years old.

“I've been reading them continuously for 40 years. That's much longer than I've been involved with football,” Nakata said. “Even when I was playing professionally in Italy, I had manga magazines shipped from Japan every week. Even now, whenever I travel overseas for work, I always bring them with me.”

He also shared a daily habit that has remained unchanged for decades.

“My routine is to read one physical weekly manga magazine every day while taking a bath.”

Nakata further revealed that he had read Kaneshiro's previous hit manga As the Gods Will, demonstrating the depth of his manga fandom.

Nakata Praises Kaneshiro's Works

During the interview, Kaneshiro opened by expressing his admiration for Nakata.

Kaneshiro:
“Thank you for joining me today. I've been a huge fan of yours, so I'm really happy to meet you.”

Nakata:
“Thank you. Since each of your series has a different artist, I didn't realize they were all your works at first, but I've actually read many of your manga over the years.”

Kaneshiro responded with surprise and gratitude.

Kaneshiro:
“That's an incredible honor. Thank you so much!”

Nakata then reflected on Kaneshiro's storytelling.

Nakata:
“When I read As the Gods Will, I found myself wondering, ‘What kind of thoughts go through this person's mind when creating something like this?’ Then when I read Blue Lock, I felt it was packed with humanity's most fundamental desires. It made me think that ‘living’ might be the central theme of your work.”

Kaneshiro:
“At this point, we could end the interview already! That's how happy I am to hear that.”

Why Blue Lock Chose Soccer as Its Theme

Nakata also asked Kaneshiro what inspired him to create a soccer manga.

Nakata:
“Why did you choose soccer as the subject?”

Kaneshiro:
“I've always loved watching soccer. I became a fan after watching the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan when I was a child, which was when you were playing. Soccer is a huge sport with the power to captivate people, and that's why I love it.”

Nakata responded by noting that Kaneshiro clearly had a strong foundation in the sport before creating Blue Lock.

He then reiterated his own passion for manga.

Nakata:
“I started reading weekly manga magazines when I was about 10 years old. Since then, I haven't missed a single week.”

Kaneshiro:
“Even now?”

Nakata:
“For 40 years. Much longer than football. Even during my time in Italy as a professional player, I had them sent from Japan every week. And when I travel abroad for work now, I always bring them with me. Reading one physical weekly manga magazine in the bath every day is part of my routine.”

About Blue Lock

Blue Lock is a soccer manga currently serialized in Weekly Shonen Magazine. The story follows protagonist Yoichi Isagi, an unknown high school forward, as he battles rivals and develops into the striker capable of revolutionizing Japanese football.

The series centers on the Blue Lock Project, an initiative launched by the Japan Football Union to create a striker capable of leading Japan to victory at the FIFA World Cup. Three hundred high school forwards from across the country compete in an intense survival program where only the best can remain.

The manga has surpassed 60 million copies in circulation. The first anime season aired from October 2022 to March 2023, while the second season aired from October to December 2024. The franchise has also inspired a video game in 2022 and a stage play adaptation in 2023. An anime sequel is currently in production.

A live action Blue Lock film is scheduled to open on August 7. The film is being produced by CREDEUS, the company behind the Kingdom film series, the Golden Kamuy films, and Kokuho. Fumiya Takahashi stars as Yoichi Isagi.

Source : ORICON NEWS