Itoshi Sae

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Itoshi Sae (糸师冴)
Gender	Male
Age	18 18
Affiliation	Real Madrid; Japan U-20 representative team; Spain during Blue Lock's second stage; Japan National Team 56 105 184 190
Occupation/Role	Footballer; midfielder and field organizer 18 190
Status	Active
First Appearance	Chapter 18

Background / History

Sae and his younger brother, Itoshi Rin, originally shared the goal of becoming the world's best strikers. After traveling abroad to train, Sae witnessed the level of elite international forwards and decided to pursue becoming the world's best midfielder instead. He proposed that Rin become the top striker while he supplied the passes, but Rin rejected the change and their relationship fractured after Sae overwhelmingly defeated him in a one-on-one match. 189

By age eighteen, Sae had already earned international recognition as a midfielder, with exceptional passing, ball control, and offensive ability. He returned to Japan temporarily because his passport had expired, but held Japanese football in open contempt, believing it lacked forwards worthy of receiving his passes. 18

His interest in Blue Lock began when he received match recordings from Football Association president Furannami Hirotoshi. Initially reviewing the footage for amusement, Sae stopped on Kira Ryosuke's clip after seeing him generate a powerful left-footed shot despite being right-foot dominant. Sae subsequently requested recordings focused specifically on Kira's matches and training. 18 23 28

Personality

Sae is cold, sharply arrogant, and extremely selective about whom he considers worth his attention. He dismisses players he deems weak—including the U-20 squad—and initially treats Blue Lock as little more than a test of whether Japan can produce a “decent” player. 18 59

His priorities are rooted in football rather than reputation. Despite his agent's concerns that Blue Lock's globally broadcast second stage could damage his market value, Sae chooses to participate because he wants to play with “interesting” people, especially Kira. 97

Though rarely warm, Sae respects players who demonstrate genuine ability. He acknowledges Kira's potential to change Japanese football, recognizes Isagi Yoichi's capacity to influence the country’s game, and gradually makes an effort to cooperate more constructively with Rin during National Team training. 84 89 189 190

Abilities & Skills

Superior Vision

Sae uses peripheral vision to continually update his awareness of every player's position and movement. He processes that information to control the field, predict actions, set traps, and locate the optimal passing target. 66 68

• Can deliver accurate passes without directly looking at the receiver. 64 68
• Exploits opponents' blind spots to intercept attacks, including Isagi's Direct Shot Bullet. 66
• Tracks attacking patterns well enough to identify Isagi as the true shooter behind a multi-player scoring setup. 84

Passing and Field Control

Sae's passes are unusually difficult and precise, often sent into spaces that ordinary players would struggle to reach but that create ideal shooting opportunities if received cleanly. 64 132 190

• Creates deceptive passing traps by directing defenders’ attention toward false targets. 68
• Formed a highly effective silent partnership with Kira during the U-20 match; Sae's passes repeatedly found Kira in dangerous positions. 64 67 86
• Serves as the Japan National Team's central midfield organizer behind its attacking line. 190
• Calls Kira the team's “ace” when supplying him against Saudi Arabia. 194

Dribbling and Ball Control

Sae combines technical footwork, quick acceleration, and positional shielding to beat defenders even when outnumbered. 81 85 108

• Uses the Back Leg Reverse Rabona Dribble to bypass defenders at speed. 81
• Uses a Reverse Heel Cruyff Turn to defeat Kaiser in a one-on-one confrontation. 110
• Shields the ball effectively while turning past Rin during their U-20 clash. 66

Left-Footed Technique

Sae is a left-footed player whose accuracy and dexterity with that foot are regarded as exceptional among the new generation. 152

• Delivers high-arcing and curving passes with extreme precision. 64 194
• Uses his left-foot technique to produce accurate passes under pressure and from difficult angles. 110 220

FLOW

When Sae becomes serious, he can enter a FLOW state that elevates his pace, dribbling rhythm, and ability to dismantle multiple defenders. 85 116

• Broke through Uro Agito, Shikimiya Kenyu, and Otoya Kageito in succession during the U-20 match. 85
• Accelerated past Isagi despite Isagi's improved field-reading ability. 116

Relationships

• Kira Ryosuke — Sae's primary interest within Blue Lock. He specifically demanded Kira as his U-20 teammate, developed an intuitive on-field partnership with him, offered to introduce him to a bigger stage, and later recognized him as Japan's ace. 56 64 89 194
• Itoshi Rin — Younger brother and former partner in their shared striker dream. Their relationship broke down after Sae changed his ambition to midfield; they later improve their coordination after training together under Kira's direction. 66 189 190
• Isagi Yoichi — Opponent whose growth earns Sae's attention. Sae recognizes Isagi's potential to change Japanese football and notices that he has acquired a comparable form of field-wide vision. 69 84 85
• Oozora Tsubasa — Fellow elite player and Spanish-team teammate during Blue Lock's second stage. Sae acknowledges Kira's strength when asked by Tsubasa, then supports Tsubasa through precise counterattacking passes. 105 107 110
• Oliver Aiku — U-20 teammate. Aiku considers Sae difficult to deal with, but recognizes his exceptional talent and works with him in U-20 defensive transitions. 61 66
• Furannami Hirotoshi — Football Association president who provides Sae with Blue Lock recordings and views his domestic appearance as a major commercial opportunity. 18 56

Story Role / Major Arcs

Blue Lock Observer

Sae first follows Blue Lock from outside the facility, using Football Association recordings to assess its players. Kira's ambidextrous shooting potential is what changes Sae's casual curiosity into focused interest. 18 23 28

U-20 vs. Blue Lock Match

Sae agrees to represent the U-20 team only on the condition that Kira joins him. During the match, his Superior Vision and passing synchronize with Kira's movement, helping U-20 establish an early lead. 56 64 68

He repeatedly rejects Rin's attempts to turn their encounter into a personal duel, treating the optimal play as more important than their rivalry. As Blue Lock adapts, Sae recognizes Isagi's growth and enters FLOW to directly overwhelm its defenders. 67 84 85

Following U-20's victory, Sae tells Kira that he can help him reach a larger stage and exchanges contact information with him. 89

Blue Lock Second Stage

Sae accepts Blue Lock's second-stage invitation despite the potential risk to his commercial value, explaining that playing with interesting people matters more to him. He represents Spain against Kira's German side and combines with Oozora Tsubasa in attack. 97 105 107

Japan National Team

Sae returns as Japan's central midfielder and organizer for the U-20 World Cup qualifiers. Kira works to mediate his relationship with Rin, prompting Sae to greet Rin and acknowledge his footballing ability; the brothers subsequently coordinate more effectively in training. 189 190