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strawberryj0y · 1 month ago

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Karasu's soft spot for Hiori (tabiori analysis/meta)

Note: I had this entire analysis done a while ago, with this exact title, sitting in my drafts as I revised it, but then the latest main manga and Ep Nagi chapters came out that affirmed a lot of what I wrote. So the process of combining my initial informed speculations with the new textual evidence ended up costing me so much extra time. But I'm happy with it, finally!!

This analysis is extensive so I separated it into 4 sections. It contains a character analysis of Karasu and spans tabiori's journey in the main Blue Lock manga, Ep Nagi and Hiori's light novel — which, if you haven't already, I strongly recommend you read (part 1 and part 2) for more insight into tabiori's origins! All excerpts from it used in this post are indented in the text accordingly.

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Let's explore Karasu's soft spot for Hiori!

Karasu is first introduced to us in the Third Selection and presented as ‘The Assassin' — his play style involves targeting the weakest link of the opposing team which, for this match, was Isagi. According to Karasu, this approach isn't playing dirty, but simply following ‘the absolute rule in the world of winners.’

Through observation and analysis executed with surgical precision, he strikes Isagi's core insecurity at this point in his Blue Lock journey — his independent utility to the team, beyond synergization with stronger players.

Throughout the match, Karasu employs a range of tactics designed to break Isagi's morale; taunting him at every opportunity, his signature smirk revealing the amusement he takes in exploiting his opponent’s fault lines. All while maintaining unflinching eye contact to drive home the fact that he's seeing right through him.

The sharpness and depths of his observational capacity even shocks Chigiri to his core when Karasu records the decline in his speed down to 0.4 seconds.

In Episode Nagi, we're shown the Second Selection match between Karasu's Team Red and Nagi's Team White. Upon conceding a few goals, Karasu initially seems disheartened, but a renewed fire quickly sparks in his eyes as he leads the team into a bold new strategy for victory.

This is aptly demonstrates not only his resillience but also his capacity to utilise teammates' skills to create effective plans for success — establishing him as an excellent playmaker. Karasu is someone others want to follow because they trust his exceptional football IQ and judgement.

Karasu takes winning very seriously, displaying intense frustration on the occasions that his plays and plans fall through. From when Shidou intercepts his pass to Chigiri to Rin managing to block his classic arm move — cracks appear in his cool composure. This is also an ode to the sheer passion embodied by this character, present in his approach to every match and match-up. He's never one to leave a single stone unturned in his pursuit for victory.

Having said that, it is odd how a particular person has him frequently throwing his chances of winning away and appears to ignite said passion in a completely different way.

Let's look at the incident of Hiori passing to Nanase who sends it to Isagi, creating a passing chain that manages to outplay Karasu and results in Isagi finally managing to evade him. In response, Karasu directs his anger solely at Isagi, never at the one who truly set the chain in motion and the real orchestrator of his momentary defeat — Hiori.

This isn't a case of Hiori not being on Karasu's radar, since we know from the Second Selection match that Karasu can accurately assess and rate the conditions of every person on the opposing team.

Further evidence of Karasu being well aware of Hiori's plays appears after Rin manages to win their tussle and scores a goal off of Hiori's brilliant pass. Karasu is amused and begrudgingly acknowledges his strength and that of his team, specifically noting their progression thanks to Isagi. This is a direct reference to the Isagi, Nanase and Hiori trio managing to best him earlier.

Granted, Karasu's primary target in this match is Isagi due to being deemed as the weakest link in the opposition, however that doesn't stop him from confronting the two strongest, Rin and Shidou, head-on. Meaning his focus is flexible and can deviate from his original gameplan to pressure players beyond his main target.

As supported by his behaviour in the Second Selection, where we witness how indiscriminate his matchups are — attacking every single member of Team White when and where he can, without mercy.

There are several points where targeting Hiori would've been the most logical route to success, but he simply won't do it.

In the Third Selection match, Hiori adopts the crucial role of a playmaker. Starting by easily managing to copy and exchange Isagi's one-two passes with Rin — to even Isagi's great surprise and praise. Hiori continues being an asset to the team and shifts the tide of the match in his team's favour through perfect passes that significantly elevate their goal-scoring chances.

In response to Isagi falling one step short of receiving Hiori's pass to score, his exceptional analytical ability is shown through some important advice. Upon identifying the source of Isagi's issue as bridging the gap between seeing > thinking > moving, he suggests a change in perception by performing it in reverse — do first, think later. This resonates with and forms the foundation of Isagi's game-winning goal.

As previously mentioned, Karasu keeps track of every player on the pitch; friend or foe. So it's expected that he would've swiftly identified the point at which the opposition began relying on Hiori's passes and it's his final pass that leads to Karasu's loss. Yet, throughout this match, he never once attacks Hiori — as if consistently and deliberately working around him.

This is most evident when Isagi is desperately asking for Hiori's pass and rather than attempting to cut off this play at the root by intercepting Hiori, he continues to pursue Isagi instead.

Another cause for concern is that Hiori has the most intel on both Karasu himself and his team. As exemplified by Hiori being the only one to notice and warn Rin about Otoya lurking in the shadows to receive Karasu's pass.

Even during Isagi’s first encounter with Karasu, Hiori suddenly appears to supplement Isagi with knowledge of Karasu's nickname "The Assassin" and its origins. His breakdown of Karasu's playstyle becomes an important piece in Isagi learning to escape Karasu's impossible surveillance.

The question is: are all these facts and observations, something Karasu has simply missed? Absolutely not.

Karasu's first assessment of and compliment to Hiori back in Bambi Osaka, were about his football IQ. Karasu prizes knowledge as an incredibly important and tide-turning tool on which he bases his own plays.

So as someone with intimate and exclusive knowledge of Hiori's strengths, he's well aware of the need to mark and shut it down. Leaving him as the sole member of his team truly capable of neutralising Hiori.

Still, he refused to intervene, and would rather pursue anyone else — even when this resulted in his team's loss.

This behaviour is quite unusual for someone who feels uniquely responsible for securing his team's victory, which stems from a philosophy he internalised at a very young age and has begrudingly enforced and lived by ever since.

During the Second Selection matchup between Karasu’s Team Red and Nagi’s Team White, this philosophy is established to us: “The actions of desperate weaklings…are exploited by the strong. That’s how the world works...”

This is ties back to the Third Selection when Rin asks him, "Do you only know how to prey on the weak, you hyena?" to which Karasu expresses his distaste about the 'what's yours is mine, and what's mine is mine' mentality, adding that he's going to "sue for power harassment." This suggests that, despite his strict commitment to the system where the strong devour the weak, Karasu still harbours a deep disdain for the way the strong operate in the world.

This links directly to Karasu's strong dislike of Nagi’s musings about being a soccer prodigy. With a menacing grin, Karasu warns: “Don’t get cocky, ya dumbass trash moron,” dismissing Nagi as nothing more than a "self-claimed prodigy" and vowing to crush him.

Nagi's casual contemplation of his own talent reveals a certain naivete — something Karasu takes great issue with. In Blue Lock, there's little room for innocence and those who aren't immediately sharp, driven, or adaptable are quickly discared. Yet players like Nagi, blessed with immense natural talent, are afforded the luxury of growing into the game at their own pace.

Whereas Karasu has had to relentlessly hone his skills just to remain competitive — let alone share the field with players like Nagi. So while Nagi's attitude is not ill-meaning, it emobodies everything Karasu finds infuriating; effortless talent treated lightly. For Karasu, challenging Nagi becomes more than just his game plan — it's a statement.

Karasu may appear harsh and merciless towards his opponents, but he's just as harsh on himself — if not more. After losing this match, Karasu is the only one with his back turned away and head hanging low. He obviously took it the hardest and felt most responsible, since his lead hadn't secured their win this time.

Notably, he also doesn't have any tolerance for perceived pity as he finally turns around solely to push back against it from Nagi.

It's rooted in Karasu's deeply ingrained self-image — the belief that, at his core, he's mediocre. He explains it through his reactions to ordinary moments, like finding joy in the simple beauty of a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis, or the sorrow he feels when bullied by those stronger than him. These are entirely human emotions, yet he interprets them as proof of his mediocrity — a telling sign of how profoundly his perception and pain shapes his identity.

The rule of the strong devouring the weak has been drilled into him from an early age. As a protective mechanism against it, he developed sharp eyes — through which he gathers intel on the people around him, becoming acutely aware of the skills, habits, and motivations that shape them. The underlying purpose is to see before he is seen.

Thanks to Hiori’s little crush and subsequent commitment to observing Karasu day-in and day-out in the light novel, we learn that this self preservation tactic extends into Karasu navitaging all his interpersonal relationships with a degree of emotional detachment.

Firstly, Karasu's sharp eyes and analytical mind are always at work, on and off the pitch. In social interactions, he’ll supplement when and where necessary to maintain the general flow but won’t allow anyone access to himself. This cultimates in his skill of extracting personal information from others.

Secondly, Karasu’s dominant tactic as a player involves using his long arms to control the distance between him, the opposition, and the ball. Which I think ties in with the previous point and is a physical manifestation of Karasu's way of life — expertly creating and maintaining a distance between himself and others.

Drawing from Karasu's interpersonal dynamics and self-perception, it becomes clear that, to some extent, he views his own skills as an illusion — believing that, beaneth the polished image he's worked so hard to build, he is innately mediocre. As exemplified in the following excerpt from Hiori's light novel:

"...Yeah sorry. ...Um, does Karasu-kun have any weaknesses?" "What kind of question is that?" [...] "......There are so many things I'm not good at. I have to work hard every day. I have to keep up with our high-level teammates, being a proper high school student, dealing with people, and studying."

This extends into Karasu being a master at deflecting compliments and expressions of gratitiude. On some level, they feel inherently disingenuous to him, as if they stem from a lack of understanding. In his mind, people are praising a carefully crafted illusion. Yet in reality, others are speaking with genuine sincerity and Karasu has a hard time reconciling with that.

Karasu neither readily accepts praise nor offers it to others. He's rarely shown to be openly or enthusiastically impressed. That's what makes it so striking when, during the NEL, he's seen grinning from ear to ear, eyes glowing with excitement, unable to contain his elation at Hiori's evolution. In fact, he seemed more excited that Hiori himself, and they were on opposing teams LMAO

This is in stark contrast with his tendency to see right through other players' incredible plays and boil them down to their flaws.

There was a point in the Third Selection where he clashes with Rin and declares "this is why I hate abnormal dudes!" which is very interesting since the moment Hiori becomes one of these ‘abnormal dudes’ in the NEL, Karasu is beyond thrilled to face him — "I've been waitin' fer this, dumbass."

In fact, he was the one who actively fanned the flames of this transformation all the way back in Bambi Osaka, by advising Hiori on how to embrace and actualise his extraordinary potential when they first met.

In their NEL face-off — smirking, Karasu locks eyes with Hiori: “Idiot, show me what you’ve got.” Once again, he's provoking Hiori into showing his best self, just as he did during the U20 match (discussed this further here). His voice brims with excitement as he yells, "Show me what you've got!!" with a huge smile spreading across his face as they charge toward each other.

With other players, Karasu typically maintains his trademark cocky, playful smirk — a controlled, deliberate expression. But with Hiori, it shifts into an unabashed, genuine grin, fueled by pure excitement — an unrestrained reaction sparked by his uncontainable emotions. This break from his usual composure is significant, especially for someone like Karasu who views emotional restraint as the foundation of his strength.

The belief was established during the Second Selection match, where Karasu concluded that staying calm and collected suits him better than getting "fired up." Perhaps that's precisely why he lost the match-up against Hiori during the NEL. In finally facing the version of Hiori he had always believed in and rooted for, he lost the composure he relies on to stay in control.

Karasu didn’t initiate this matchup when Hiori was still lost and uncertain. He waited, his faith unwavering, and jumped in the moment Hiori had fully awakened. This level of consideration traces back to their first meeting. To understand its full significance, we need to look at Karasu's usual approach to relationships and how Hiori stands out as an exception.

Drawing from Hiori's extensive observations recorded in the light novel, we can garner that Karasu is very personable and gets along well with others off the pitch. He even brings Hiori into his circle — as someone forced into a life of isolation by toxic parents, Hiori is deeply grateful, crediting him for changing his life and allowing him to finally have friends and be comfortably social with others.

His encounter with Karasu has brought out his true personality, which is calm and cooperative. A normal high school boy who hangs out with friends and eats while walking around. But that's only outside of home. When he returns home, his eyes lose their light. [...] "………Karasu" "Hmm?" "If Karasu wasn’t there, my life would have been much harder."

Otoya is positioned as Karasu’s contrast. Where Karasu is a chronic dissector of the people and events in his life in an effort to assert control over outcomes — Otoya doesn’t dwell on what he can’t do and doesn’t know. Karasu has high compatibility with Otoya because of their shared nature as “self-reliant egoists.” Whereas a character like Nagi has always been the opposite (until the Second Selection, but eventually regresses in the NEL) — hence the initial friction between him and Karasu.

He appreciates Otoya’s “what you see is what you get” personality as he doesn’t have to put excess energy into discerning someone's true feelings. Their union is based on “neither passionate promises…nor bitterly cold betrayals,” and as Karasu puts it — the result of their interests aligning, which Otoya confirms by deeming it “a relationship of convenience.”

This offers insight into the kind of people and relationships Karasu gravitates toward — easygoing and low-maintenance with minimal emotional investment. He prefers dynamics where everyone is upfront about their intentions and can simply enjoy each other’s company and mutual benefits without becoming overly entangled.

This is why he thrives in group settings, where there exists less pressure to engage in the type of deep intimacy that requires revealing one’s true self. Such preferences are understandable for someone who has been hurt in the past — made to feel inherently mediocre, and taught that unless they maintained the upper hand in every situation, they would be exposed and discarded as weak in a world that favours the strong.

However the relationships he has with Hiori is unique, and this is established through their very first interaction.

Karasu's first words are, "you're remarkable," delivered with a playful, genuine grin. Caught off guard, Hiori can only manage a hesitant thanks while fumbling to recall Karasu's name. It's clear they've never spoken before, prompting Karasu to introduce himself before diving into a detailed analysis of Hiori's strengths — and even touching on his deepest secret. It becomes evident that, entirely on his own, Karasu has been expending energy in observing and trying to understand Hiori for some time.

Karasu's final assessment leaves Hiori stunned, his deepest feelings laid bare: "You don't truly love football, do ya?" Amazed, Hiori admits it openly: "You're right...you're amazing, Karasu-kun. I guess it's really obvious for some people." In classic Karasu fashion, he deflects the praise with self-deprecation: "Well, I am an analyst nut to begin with. But in your current state, you don't stand a change against me."

All of this also goes against Karasu's tendency to focus on weaknesses rather than offering praise. The closest he usually comes to approval is a cold, calculated acknowledgement of a player's usefulness to victory. Here, he overwhelms Hiori with compliments.

Being so profoundly understood strikes Hiori so deeply that he lowers his defenses and steers the conversation into deeper, forbidden territory: "I see…Karasu-kun…do you like having huge expectations forced on you?” The question catches Karasu off-guard, but he lets Hiori continue.

Lowering his gaze and squeezing his towel, Hiori revels that suffocating expectations are the root of his dislike for football. Karasu listens intently, a tender intensity growing in his gaze.

Soon after, Karasu delivers his verdict: "Boring." Leaving Hiori stunned and speechless, eyes wide and glowing at Karasu's blunt honesty.

“You don’t have to worry about how it looks to other people until later. First of all, it’s about yourself. Expect from yourself. Excite yourself. That's the only way to get anything done, you idiot.”

For the first time in his life, Hiori receives sincere guidance from someone who truly cares — Karasu, who shows more heart within minutes of meeting him than Hiori's parents have in a lifetime.

Not only did Karasu approach first, but he also didn't shy away when Hiori exposed his most vulnerable truths — a degree of intimacy Karasu's known to avoid. Instead of retreating, Karasu became emotionally invested in Hiori's growth. Thus, this encounter became a turning point for them both.

Karasu was the first person in Hiori's life to see beyond his football specs. He concluded his appraisal of Hiori with something far deeper than a technical critique which is the observation that Hiori didn't actually like soccer. And that this lack of passion would be the very reason he'd lose, unless he changed. Unlike Hiori's parents, who fixated on training schedules and nutrition, Karasu pointed to something far more human — his heart.

“But in the end, your passion in front of the goal is just average. As if your heart and body are out of sync in your play…” [...] (Karasu-kun…is an amazing guy) Even though he's a little bit bad-mouthed, and even though he’s not sure what he means by “erotic”. His heart, which was just dying cold like ice, became faintly heated.

Karasu's advice becomes foundational to Hiori's evolution in the NEL, repeatedly resurfacing in flashbacks whenever Hiori searches for direction in his lowest moments.

Karasu's exceptional restraint toward Hiori stands out, manifesting even before they formed a connection. Referring to Karasu's knack for identifying and exploiting weaknesses, Hiori once remarked, "I wouldn't want Karasu-kun to set his sights on me..." Yet, when we consider the full picture, Karasu had been observing Hiori long before Hiori even knew who he was — and still, Hiori remained unscathed. So much so, in fact, that he couldn't even put a name to Karasu's face initially.

Karasu is the kind of person who, if he wants you to notice him — you will. Oppponents always learn this the hard way, as seen in the Second and Third Selection matches. That's what makes it clear that Karasu made a conscious decision to not unleash his "assassin" techniques on Hiori, before or during Blue Lock. Instead, he allowed him the space to grow, only stepping in once Hiori had become strong enough to face him.

Karasu is meant to be the one in control — someone who's spent most of his life building careful distance between himself and others. But when it comes to Hiori, that control begins to slip. And he knows it. So much so that he occassionally puts on a show of pushing Hiori away, as if trying to reassert the boundaries he's afraid of crossing in a "push and pull" system.

Being seen has never been advantageous for Karasu. If you look at the weaknesses he lists — ones that supposedly doom him to mediocrity — they are actually quite ordinary, things most people share, yet have made him a target of ridicule. He internalised the bullying to the point of developing this hypercritical eye and fashioned it as a weapon for self-protection. It became his life's mission to figure everyone out before they had a chance to figure him out. Therefore, being seen is something he's been adamant to avoid.

In the light novel, Karasu, upon discovering he's been followed home by Hiori, is initially disappointed — before quickly shifting into playful mischief as he catches onto Hiori's motivations. Smirking, he calls Hiori out for secretly watching him, clearly enjoying not just catching him in the act, but making him admit to it. When Hiori once again confesses honestly, Karasu tells him that he finds it "annoying" and "creepy."

Yet despite the jab, Karasu has no problem indulging Hiori's curiosity. Previously described by Hiori as someone who never reveals anything about himself, Karasu now does just that — perhaps as a way of returning the favour. Hiori has exposed his deepest self to him, and now it's Karasu's turn.

He offers intimate insight into how he doesn't believe he's naturally good at much, and so he compensates by working relentlessly just to keep up with their high-level teammates. On top of that, he expends energy managing the demands of everyday student life and admitting to finding people difficult to deal with. Even Hiori is taken aback, both by Karasu's self-perception and the rare honesty he chooses to share.

It was surprising. "I didn't see it that way. Karasu-kun, you’re perfect." "Well...I cut corners so it doesn't show. Well, the rest is a sense of play. I don't think people who only play soccer can become great players. I'm interested in stocks and management, so now I'm playing a city-building game. And an amusement park management game. And a convenience store management game." "Do you also play games, Karasu-kun?" Although the genre is different, Karasu was also a gamer. It made him a little happy. "Yeah. There's a saying that life is killing time until you die, right? I kinda hate that. If it's killing time, it sounds negative and passive, so I call it "play" until I die. Life’s game to enjoy to the fullest with my character specs. That's more exciting." (Ah, that part is kinda like me too.) Yo becomes happy again. (...But I'm the exact opposite. This person is really amazing after all) The more he knew about Karasu-kun's ways, the more interesting it was.

Karasu deflects Hiori's earnest compliment by insisting he's mistaken. Hiori calling him "perfect" seems to fluster him — prompting a tangent that veers widly off-topic. He jumps from football and the nature of greatness to stocks, management strategies, and even games about city-building, amusement parks, and convenience stores. In doing so, he reveals far more about himself than he likely intended.

Hiori, clearly delighted, leans into the moment and asks if Karasu also plays games — an attempt to relate. Karasu responds in kind. For someone who rarely talks about himself, Karasu now can't seem to stop. With just a little prompting, he's letting Hiori in — the pull.

But this moment of closeness is quickly followed by a push. Just as their interaction edges toward something more intimate, Karasu diverts it with a prank — tricking Hiori into thinking he's opening up about his home and family life, only to undercut it with a joke.

Karasu likely realises how unusually open and talktative he's become around Hiori. He's supposed to be the one who dissects others, yet here he is, voluntarily laying himself bare. Of course, part of it is also comprised of his enjoyment in teasing Hiori and watching him get flustered. In the end, they share a warm, fun moment — a rare, cherished experience for Hiori, and perhaps his first genuine memoery of joy with someone else. Still, it's an instance of Karasu's guarded nature resurfacing.

Another push follows when Hiori suggests they travel to Blue Lock together. Karasu rejects the idea immediately, even physically moving away from him. Karasu declares his dream of becoming Japan's striker and adds, "If people think I'm paired with a passive-minded average guy like you, it'll hurt my evaluation." Hiori sees this as cold, but unmistakably Karasu: "When you try to get close, he pushes you away."

What Hiori doesn't realise is that Karasu is doing this for him. He knows Hiori needs to find his own passion, independent of outside influences. Karasu is incredibly emotionally intelligent and therefore understands the risk of someone clinging to their first meaningful connection as a guiding beacon — and refuses to allow Hiori down that path, even if it means pushing him away.

Kaneshiro explores this concept in the most recent Ep Nagi chapter, where Ego outlines the process of the birth of a prodigy. It begins with his assertion that prodigies can never do it alone — there must be someone who discovers them first and ‘traces their outline.’ In Hiori’s case, at first it’s his parents but the real person with tangible impact is Karasu.

However, Ego emphasizes that this is only the first step. True success lies in the prodigy refusing to grow complacent and continuing to refine their inner ego; Karasu clearly understands this. This also sheds light on why, during their first encounter in the Second Selection, Karasu warned that Nagi's naive pride in his "self-proclaimed prodigy" status would spell his downfall. Both Ego and Karasu foresaw the consequences of complacency for a prodigy like Nagi.

Karasu and Hiori's beginnings closely mirror that of Nagi and Reo — knowing each other before Blue Lock, forming an intense connection from the start, and Karasu profoundly impacting Hiori's life. Their path could have been destined to echo Nagi and Reo's current predicament with Nagi's elimination. Had Karasu not taken the initiative to separate just before entering Blue Lock, Hiori might have grown too reliant on him — risking stagnation and erosion of his internal ego.

An ego that had already been deeply fractured by his parents' toxic expectations, which is something that Karasu recognised and addressed from their very first meeting to their final conversation before going to Tokyo. Hiori needed to learn to stand on his own, to build his ego, and live by his own expectations. That's what ultimately allowed him to blossom into the person and player he had long given up on becoming — the one Karasu had always seen and believed in more than anyone else.

All of which culminated in this interaction in the chapter 311...

Isagi critiques Hiori's passing tempo, essentially stating it's not good enough for the world stage. As he listens, Hiori crouches slightly, panting and drenched in sweat — clearly worn down by intense exertion. Though everyone appear fatigued, Hiori looks especially drained. Karasu notices this but doesn't immediately jump to his defense. Instead, he gives Hiori the space to speak for himself, then follows with a firm affirmation.

With deep understanding of Hiori's tendencies, Karasu knows he rarely pushes back unless he has a strong reason. Despite their separate Blue Lock paths, he has always remained attuned to Hiori — both emotionally and in-game — so he's fully aware of the dynamic between Hiori and Isagi, especially since the NEL. So Karasu's response was accompanied by a light smile and playful tone, but Isagi fires back with sharp intensity, escalating the situation.

Hiori tries to diffuse the tension by laughing it off and agreeing with Isagi's sentiment. Karasu, however, doubles down as his smile fades and his eyes harden to match Isagi's intensity. The issue shifts from defending Hiori's point to something more personal; Karasu can't tolerate seeing Hiori subjected to what he perceives as harsh or unreasonable expectations.

Even after Isagi logically explains himself, Karasu doesn't relent. He zeroes in on Isagi's use of the word 'lukewarm' — not because it targeted his own words, but because it implied that treating Hiori with more consideration just then was pointless in the bigger picture. That reframes Isagi's initial critique in Karasu's eyes as an unreasonable demand.

It's clear that Isagi didn't mean to accuse Hiori of slacking, but Karasu interpreted it that way — highlighting how personally he's taking the situation. To him, even the faintest suggestion that Hiori isn't trying hard enough is unacceptable. He knows the long, painful journey it took for Hiori to awaken, and he's fiercely protective of that progress. Karasu understands how much Blue Lock means to Hiori; not just as a dream opportunity, but as a chance to finally escape his parents and their toxic expectations to build his own identity.

[In reference to Blue Lock] ".....Are ya going, Karasu?" Karasu, as a senior, demands polite language from Yo, who has become accustomed to calling him without any honorifics. And Yo ignoring that has become a recent promise. "Of course. What about you?" "......I'll go. I can escape from my parents." Yo tells Karasu the truth. "Ha, I don't think someone can make it in the future for that reason." He disses him with his usual grin. [...] The sky was a glowing orange as they finished putting the ball away, and the setting sun lengthened the shadows of the two of them. "Have you learned to expect from yourself?" Looking at the sky, Karasu asks. "………Not at all. If it were that easy to change, I would quit soccer." He wants to change. That's why he’s going to run away to Tokyo. "Haha! Did your family put a cursed iron ball on you?" "Haha! Maybe." It fits when told. He has been given an iron ball that is too heavy to move. The iron ball is firmly connected to him with a chain, and he can't just discard it. "………Karasu" "Hmm?" "If Karasu wasn’t there, my life would have been much harder." At that time, when Karasu saw him, the sky was this orange color too. —------- First of all, have expectations from yourself. That’s what he said. With those words, he really felt relieved. He taught him that he doesn't have to kill himself to meet my parents' expectations. If he hadn't met Karasu, he wouldn't know what would have happened. He thought that the iron ball would gradually get bigger and eventually crush him. "What's that? Is it like some cold remedy?" "Haha! Maybe that's true. It's better than nothing." "Ha. That's enough. Other people's words are just comforting. In the end, you have to do something about it yourself." That's right. From now on, he has to do something about it himself. Because what he wants to do is something only he knows. "Oh, I wanna have a quick chat after you broke your cursed iron ball." Karasu deliberately raised his voice loudly. "What is that? Am I being "expected"? "Yes! I’m expecting you!" He’s grinning with a smug look at his face. "Stop it. You damned Karasu." He laughs. But that expectation is not bad.

Karasu has never babied Hiori — he respects him too much for that. He isn't the type to get heated on someone else's behalf, either. But when he senses expectations that could undermine Hiori's hard-earned breakthrough, he doesn't hesitate to push back.

Karasu isn't the type to get heated on someone else's behalf, either. In Blue Lock, he surrounds himself with self-reliant egoists. Hiori shares those traits to a degree, especially post-awakening, but he still tends to seek peace and de-escalation rather than double down to assert his point, as shown in this moment. So this carries the risk of him pushing himself too hard and too far, falling back into the pattern of overextending to appease — something he's spent much of his life doing.

Karasu knows Hiori has broken free from the emotional prison that held him back, but that doesn't stop Karasu from feeling protective. He wants to preserve the mental space Hiori has worked hard to cultivate — his newfound passion, freedom, and sense of self. Where Hiori's parents' so-called "protection" was suffocating and solely self-serving, Karasu's is rooted in genuine care and love.

End Note:

So that's why things got blown a little out of proportion here. Additionally, there is the factor of Isagi and Karasu both being analytical, strong-minded types so naturally they'd butt heads on occassion. In this case, especially on Karasu's end because it concerns Hiori. In general, it's right before the World Cup so tensions are high, everyone's exhausted, and Karasu loves Hiori. That's the gist of it really LMAO

So I hope this clears up any confusion over the latest chapter, and hopefully this post in its entirety has shown you that this is very much in-character behaviour from Karasu.

I never expected a sudden tabiori moment right before the world cup so it threw me off LMAO. What a coincidence, though! Just as I was preparing an extensive tabiori analysis, this absolute gem comes our way! :D

#tabiori #krho #karahio #karasu x hiori #hiori x karasu #karasu tabito #hiori yo #bllk karasu #bllk hiori #karasu #hiori

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