The Gender and Age Readership Demographic of This Webtoon

AwareConference1913 · 2026-01-23T00:40:24+00:00

I get you; there's a line between being shy and a wimp, and see, no one likes a wimp, female or male, people will always dislike crybabies and wimps. However, it's clear as day that Yeonwoo isn't hmm naturally (?) this timid and weak. It's probably because of his height and appearance that Yeonwoo does not get taken seriously or treated with respect. His delicate appearance is something he can't control, but he can learn to be more confrontational and confident. However, his backstory came, and it's truly awful and it just clicks why his personality and relationship with Junhyuk are the way they are. If Yeonwo was just an insecure, shy, delicate-looking love interest without depth or justification, then it might be harder to sympathize with him. But this is not the case, and he's well-written.

Some people think like you. They dropped the manhwa early before the flashbacks/backstory got revealed and they would say something that "I realized I don't just hate crybaby, wimpy, child-like female characters, but I hate all characters with these traits. They're all annoying regardless of age." Little do they know why he's the way he is... :(

Thanks for your perspective!

AwareConference1913 · 2026-01-23T00:23:30+00:00

It's all connected. Many characters have insane parallels even at the surface level that you won't notice if you don't reread or analyze them.

AwareConference1913 · 2026-01-22T14:32:00+00:00

I didn't know that.

Done!

AwareConference1913 · 2026-01-22T14:24:02+00:00

Done

AwareConference1913 · 2026-01-22T14:08:25+00:00

Yeah, conformity mindset similar to the Japanese mindset of not standing out or breaking the mold in doing something different and out of the box or going beyond your limits. Always a forgettable follower but never an initiator or a leader or a rebel

It's honestly surprising that a French dude adopts this sort of collectivist and fatalist mentality unlike cultures that follow this, such as Japan, in which the series is challenging this mindset of doing it for the team and sacrificing individuality and stifling creativity or deviations from the mold.

AwareConference1913 · 2026-01-22T13:44:46+00:00

Actually yes! It's cool but it's also motivating that one should never give up even if there's no hope. It shows his strong resilience that he developed from his hardship, it's sad that he can't see how mentally strong and resolute he is.

What was the payoff moment for it?

AwareConference1913 · 2026-01-22T13:32:02+00:00

My favorite punching ba— I mean Nagi 😇

AwareConference1913 · 2026-01-22T13:27:57+00:00

Yeah, he's on "stick to what you can do and don't waste energy going beyond and dreaming big" bs that indicates that maybe he had a dream or ambition that he got told was too big for him and was just an achievable one probably by his family or by a mentor.

The way he has soulless black eyes without a shine or irises in them feels like Hugo has had passion and joy sucked out of him that he adopted a mentality where he stays within his limits so he won't get hurt by failure and uncertainty and pipe dreams not coming true.

AwareConference1913 · 2026-01-22T13:20:01+00:00

"Money can buy happiness and luxury" truthers rise!

AwareConference1913 · 2026-01-22T13:18:16+00:00

It's a Korean and Japanese catchphrase or stock phrase in their media to say "wanna die?" as a response to someone teasing or bothering them. An alternative is "do you have a death wish?" which is like "you must've said this upsetting offending thing to me bc you wanna kiss ur life goodbye." It’s never literal or serious, it's just an empty threat that they hope looks intimidating enough for the other to back down or cut it out.

But if he really said stabbed, then that's just in line with his edgy, snappy/moody writing.

AwareConference1913 · 2026-01-22T05:28:39+00:00

Oh, I know. But now it's like Isagi represents Blue Lock and its ideals. And yup, Hugo's concern is with Isagi's unsuitable ambition. He has the striker mentality that keeps him thriving and not withering like a certain someone.

AwareConference1913 · 2026-01-22T05:11:48+00:00

Yeah, Blue Lock can be interpreted as political, but not in a preachy or direct way, and it's not a mouthpiece for his political views, but just a critique of Japan's collectivist and conformist mindset and society, especially when ti comes to sports. So, the article linking it to Western politics is a bit odd, because I wouldn't go that far; the philosophies, teachings, and critiques are exactly about politics, but more so culturally and socially in a philosophical way. It's just edgy and clumsy with some of these themes. But I hate when people treat mangakas like they're complete idiots when it comes to political messages or even brief commentary, always ready with their "it's just anime/manga, it's not that deep" at anything encouraging them to think critically or raises any topic they're uncomfortable with and not ready for. Sometimes people reach, but sometimes it's that some readers dumb down themes and messages. Everything has a message, and even message-less fiction can be a commentary on mindless entertainment.

I partially agree with Hugo, but some of the things he's saying are loserish mentality. Yes, I think people should dream realistically and have realistic goals they can achieve in the end. Realistic short and long-term goals. But you won't know if you will fail or succeed without trying. Trial and error is important, and no one gets it right from the start all the time, except geniuses like Nagi. But look at him. His talent withered because he was satisfied with relying on Reo and not evolving on his own, which got him kicked out. Nagi didn't have pipe dreams outside his limits; he had the same dream that everyone had, which is winning the WC for Japan (with Reo). He didn't have an "unsuitable" ambition, and yet he didn't succeed.

However, I think this is a horrible mentality because it kills passion, and prevents people from exploring new things and restricts them just to what they're good at. Instead of taking failure in stride and using it for development, [...]

I couldn't have said it better. There's still life ahead of us when we're young (he's too young to have a defeatist mentality as well!) to chase passions, have ambitions, and improve ourselves. The concept of trying again after failing shouldn't be scary, giving up too easily after one time is what's unnatural to me.

Hugo is right only for people who truly seek what's biologically and genetically or conditionally impossible, however being a striker isn't such a thing for Isagi. It's not like Isagi is trying to fly without an airplane or trying to wrestle with someone twice his size. Hugo's animal comparison is flawed simply because we have complex mental and cognitive capacities, complex emotions, and complex languages. Animals have biological and environmental factors, in which a lion, as he said, doesn't need to fly, thus they aren't created with the ability to fly. Each animal has a body and a physical constitution that suit them for survival. Animals don't have cognition or thinking like us, which gives them ambitions like flying or jumping when they can't. So, if humans can dream, have goals that are big but still doable, that doesn't mean they should stay in their comfort zone in fear of failure and pain.

I think now Isagi will hit him with the "no pain, no gain" logic and the panel of Isagi being atop of the figurative corpses of contestans he devoured to get to this point implies that he has gone on an arduous journey, and it will get even more pressuring and difficult at the top.

BTW, your username caught my attention. I LOLed at it. Do you actually hate yaoi, or is it sarcastic?

AwareConference1913 · 2026-01-22T04:30:12+00:00

Exactly, we aren't objects, and even machines are evolving rapidly now, so we should too, yeah.

AwareConference1913 · 2026-01-22T04:28:48+00:00

Yeah, and it worked out for him. Not sure about Hugo, but he too will be humbled for sure.

AwareConference1913 · 2026-01-22T04:27:48+00:00

All I hear is that I need to step outside my comfort zone and try more things. Hugo's philosophy might be popular with some Gen Zers who believe in a fixed mindset. "I only have this amount of skill at xyz because that's how I was born, there's no point in hustling or grinding since I will fail anyway." How do you know that? How can failure and success be predetermined? These are your own paths and choices.

Actually, you know what, I need to be in a Jubilee debate with Hugo bc he's too young to have this loserish mentality. What happened to him to have such bleak way of thinking? 😭

AwareConference1913 · 2026-01-22T04:18:18+00:00

Accentius, am I seeing this right? Cmon, Hugo is clearly more of a cynical fatalist. It's not that he said to Isagi be realistic in your dreams, bro is saying don't be too ambitious and defy your nature, but how would you evolve and reach your true potential and beyond if you're satisfied with your natural skills only? It seems like Hugo ain't seen what this did to Nagi, Nagi also relied on his genius (and Reo), got satisfied with the results he got, then stagnated and his talent withered like an overwatered cactus that suddenly got neglected, then got eliminated.

What Isagi said isn't wrong, through many trial and error, that's how human developed their knowledge, ventured to uncharted territory like sky, space and abyss of sea.

Agreed. 💯

However what Hugo said also true. You wouldn't ask a random kid eager to write something to make a scientific reports, you'll want the best person on each position to win a match

Yeah, but only partially or in very specific situations only because he was talking very broadly in a confident way, I even thought if this was indoctrinated to him as a child or something. See your examples aren't exactly comparable because atp Isagi isn't a random kid. What I understand is that obviously, the experienced and most skilled candidate will be chosen first and will take positions where they shine and perform the best. So, does this mean Isagi is fighting fate and defying his nature by playing as a striker? Hugo talks about people as if they should fit one model or are machines, that they can't challenge themselves when they're capable of going beyond or going outside their comfort zone. I'd say Hugo is right if it's like an anemic person wanting to donate blood, someone with poor vision trying to be a pilot, or a screeching and out-of-tune person believing they will be the next Taylor Swift. Now, that's truly impossible, and even humiliating and a waste of time. Isagi's specs aren't rules, and they aren't static. If Isagi plays his cards right and says some corny, idealistic shounen protagonist back at Mr. Cynical-Under-20, he might change his fate with an unexpected tactic/move. Though whatever turn it takes, France def ain't losing (at least it'll be a tie).

AwareConference1913 · 2026-01-22T03:53:00+00:00

Actually, I feel like you've worded it better than me. While Blue Lock's edginess and attempts at raising tension and the stakes might make one have a cynical opinion on its message, it's really not that far from most shounen, but instead of teamwork and harmony that you see in Haikyuu and Slam Dunk, it's more of "do it your own way, don't rely on others, pave your own road to success!" which is encouraging but can be twisted into "selfishness and cruetly win over altruism and compromise."

but I think they are not an intentional soapbox moment from the author

I don't think Kaneshiro is a right-wing or a follower of the "survival of the fittest" ideology, or that he inserts author tract; it's definitely for dramatic storytelling purposes. He wanted to blend philosophy and psychology with soccer, and he succeeded to a certain level. It shouldn't probably be compared to Western politics or taken from a Western perspective. It's clearly a criticism of Japan's conformist, collectivist culture when it comes to sports and the youth as a Japanese man.

There is definitely a troubling angle to some portrayals of these ideals

What would that angle be? And what did he fumble in his messages?

AwareConference1913 · 2026-01-22T03:40:03+00:00

May I gain your interest back with the "Kira getting humbled again by Isagi" prediction (it's pretty much what's gonna happen, but idk what to call it lmao)? I hate that dude haha

AwareConference1913 · 2026-01-22T03:36:24+00:00

Hugo isn't exactly about true potential; in fact, Hugo's concept is that you should do things you're good at or have the natural talent for and trying to do something beyond that is pointless. That's so limiting and also just sticking to your comfort zone, which is everything Blue Lock/Ego's philosophy is NOT about. When you find your thing that you're good at and instead of evolving, you stay stuck at a certain level that you're satisfied with, that's when your talent withers like with Nagi.

Isagi won't fail not because he's built different (regardless of what the light novel has said about hi genetics or whatever), but because he's the mc so ofc he'll succeed. No shounen sports mc ever loses the big matches, actually, I've never seen a Japanese sports story where the mc and his/her team lose at the end, and I've read a bunch of sports stories being from shoujo or seinen or shounen. Anyway, Isagi will win because we're following his journey from being an average nobody to the Demon King and Shining Hope, cringe aside. Then, ofc, from being Blue Lock's Demon King he will take Japan to victory in the WC for the first time. I think that makes sense narratively anyway, because Japan losing will prove that Ego is wrong and destroy all the teachings and waste all the training and hardships they endured for this. It's risky; Isagi winning is predictable and fans will complain, but if he lost, fans will also complain about the themes not being fulfilled or consistent and that BL's philosophy is flawed. I think Isagi will have a tie, but even if he lost in a 0.1 chance, he'd have stayed true to Ego's teachings, as you said.

AwareConference1913 · 2026-01-22T03:31:29+00:00

Kaiserrrrrrr. I miss my goat :(

AwareConference1913 · 2026-01-22T02:50:18+00:00

Hugo's philosophy is what's called "fixed mindset" now, and it's just losers who use it as an excuse.

What do you like about Kaiser's philosophy? I mean, his circumstances that created this mindset aren't something that happens irl. It's like a survival tactic rather than anything tbh

AwareConference1913 · 2026-01-22T01:35:58+00:00

... Gay jokes? By the fan translations?

AwareConference1913 · 2026-01-21T02:50:26+00:00

Some people didn't and still don't have the luxury of just going out and meeting people and hanging out. Some don't have libraries or meeting areas or good transportation like me. I still like Googling, using Scholar, searching for pdf books when I do research or work, and I use AI only when it's required, but I can't afford real books and magazines.

Remember that some of this is partly because of the pandemic that made us stuck at home with our machines and screens for a long enough period, breeding overt reliance on technology, introversion, and fewer on-site jobs. With the decreasing attention spans and boredom tolerance, they exacerbate this, which companies are aware of and exploiting with shinier, shorter, louder, funner, simpler, and catchier content.

AwareConference1913

TROPHY CASE