#michael kaiser analysis

[dreamingjuno]

THOUGHTS ON : Michael Kaiser !

MICHAEL KAISER’S NARCISSISM ( not a licensed professional, i just thought it would be fun to take a look at this perspective to better understand him! )

i was having a conversation about his character, more specifically his narcissism and had the idea to share my findings after deep diving into his character again!

NOTES ; cracks the old analyst bones in me. with the conclusion of the NEL arc (as it seems), i thought i’d explore my favorite complex god-chosen emperor! (edited a bit to fix some wording)

This part of my Kaiser analysis shows me analyzing his narcissistic traits!

SPOILERS FOR : Chapters 158-295 (basically the entire NEL now that I think about it)

(sorry if this isn’t too good or just repeating points lol)

KAISER’S NARCISSISM

I’ve heard multiple times before about Kaiser being possibly NPD coded and I considered it too, I mean — yeah it makes sense, he’s very narcissistic on the surface!

Talking through Kaiser’s character with my therapist however (yes, I did use a bit of my therapy session to discuss a fictional character’s diagnosis) and going through the important chapters where Kaiser’s mindset is shown lead me to realize he exhibits many traits of narcissism but also a deep sense of perfectionism and depression/insecurity.

Realizing that made me try to look at Kaiser in a newer light, unbiased, and this is the results of me diving deep into Kaiser’s narcissistic qualities and his character in general

So, let’s go through symptoms listed for narcissism and discuss how they do or do not relate to Kaiser to understand him better as a whole!

(Taking each point from Harvard Health)

1. A grandiose sense of self-importance

He does, I won’t deny it because it’s obvious. Kaiser acts as though he is superior to others — yet, when placed in a situation where someone obviously more talented / superior than him (Noel Noa) talks down to him, he steps back. As seen here ⟶

To me, I think Kaiser subconsciously understands where he is beneath Noa for instance while still regarding himself (at least while this panel was going on) at the top of the food chain. It’s a bit of hypocrisy on Kaiser’s end which shows itself in multiple points of Kaiser’s philosophy on living, but that may be intentional to show how flawed his way of viewing is. He sees himself at the top, while still bending at the knee to those who are more superior than he is without Kaiser even really realizing it. Superior over the inferior, but what if the superior was still only halfway there?

This hypocrisy is even acknowledged and pointed out by Chris Prince before KAISER comes to this conclusion. He literally said it all. “You act superior toward those below you… and like a deferential coward to those above you.”

His supposed superiority as the Emperor is a sham — A way to compensate with his lack of self. The throne of corpses he climbed to become ‘human’ in his mind.

I think this falls into a superiority complex of his, again, not denying that having a sense of self-importance is apart of Kaiser. He’s shown time and time again to hold himself in a higher regard than the others around him — it does come from a state of insecurity. His ego is fragile (as seen in his glass collar in his cover art), and Kaiser understands he can’t beat Noa. That’s WHY he wanted to find another club to become their ace instead because Noa was just an impossibility of surpassing despite his saying of “I achieve the impossible.”

Kaiser reached the top, but didn’t? He achieves the impossible, but overtaking Noa is impossible? Hypocrisy… One he only sees later (in his own way…) Superiority is like his safety blanket, it keeps him safe in his mind. Being the emperor keeps him safe from harm and being taken advantage of.

2. A preoccupation with fantasies of success, power, beauty, or perfect love

They word it weird but from what I understand it means: “having a daydream / fantasy about having something greater, often at the expense of others.”

In some ways, Kaiser falls into this symptom too, but in other ways, he doesn’t. I don’t think his ambition is really ambition for to have something better, not entirely. It’s the drive to be at the top of the food chain (which is becoming my favorite analogy for describing Kaiser’s mindset!) so no one can step on him anymore. Kaiser fights for the identity and structure he’s worked for in my mind, the life and position he attained through soccer. Not necessarily the riches or comfort of his life. Even then, he never seemed like to me as someone who cared about wealth or success — caring mainly for the sense of humanity that came alongside it.

Yes, he wants to be better — but comes from a place of survival and staying at the top of the food chain than wanting things like success or power or beauty or love.

3. A belief that they are "special" and can only be understood by other special people

We’ve seen no proof at all that Kaiser sees himself as special (which IS different from holding yourself in a high regard/being superior) — actually, he views himself negatively on the inside truly. Calling himself a ‘piece of shit’ and regards everyone around him as ‘humans’ while seeing himself as less than due to the conditions and how he was treated at home. Honestly, that probably never went away even with his cocky persona. He’s still mentally weak despite how much he tries to bury it…

Neither does he show only feeling understood by others either, even the people higher class than him — it’s either frustration/anger or begrudging respect. (seen in his defeat by Isagi, where he openly admitted playing with Isagi was fun — instead of soccer just being a battleground to climb to the top)

I don’t think he’s even shown as wanting to be understood. I didn’t read the entire arc (I was already fighting procrastination to write this), but being understood? I’m pretty sure that was never even an aspiration of his, not even in his mind.

Kaiser isolated himself in BM, not accepting any of the good will given to him by his teammates. Not because he didn’t think he wouldn’t be understood, it’s that he was more comfortable being the enemy. Being alone was all he knew up to that point. Especially shown in the flashback in the BM Clubhouse when Kaiser was 15-16, he would rather be hated and feared than be loved and respected — Kaiser doesn’t know any alternative!

4. A need for excessive admiration

Again, it’s one of the symptoms that applies kinda but at the same time not.

Kaiser wants love, but not the type of admiration provided by Ness and the audience and such. While, yes, being acknowledged for his accomplishments probably feeds his ego — it’s just oil to a dying flame in my eyes. It isn’t what makes Kaiser feel seen. Why have admiration when you can be seen as a scar in malice?

“I will prove my existence through my malice.”

I don’t think admiration is the greatest need in his mind. Everyone likes to have their skill acknowledged, but for Kaiser — making others remember him by inflicting pain on them is what gives him the most satisfaction. Not happiness per se. Just… validated, I believe. Like the type of euphoria you get when you smoke a cigarette (not that I smoke but I've heard) It feels good for a little bit though even if it isn’t permanent. That’s what I believe Kaiser feels inflicting his anger and malice onto others.

A point where this is shown most of all is Kaiser’s general lack of reaction to Ness’s praise which usually ends in reprimand. He never demanded admiration or praise from Ness, Kaiser even seemed annoyed by it. He just wanted a loyal dog, not a groupie, if that makes sense. Making Ness small and dependent on him made him feel superior, and more secure — which is a trait narcissists have. But talking about Kaiser and Ness is its own can of worms!

In short, admiration doesn’t validate his existence. Malice does!

5. A sense of entitlement, which may include an unreasonable expectation to be treated favorably or for others to comply with their demands and expectations

Yeah. He does, in a way. You can see it in how the starting lineup was structured in the BM vs Barcha match. It all revolved around him. It doesn’t come from a sense of feeling he deserves it though. It’s because Kaiser needs that power over others: Kaiser wants to be the star actor in this play because that’s where he holds the most control, and that’s where he feels more secure. As I said before.

6. Behavior that is exploitative and takes advantage of others to achieve their own ends

He does! There are many examples of him taking advantage of others, but to not beat over the same points; I'll just go with the most obvious and clear example of Alexis Ness! Like, there's no denying that Kaiser manipulated Ness. Kaiser uses others to only further his own control and make himself feel less vulnerable. Superior over the inferior again. The ones at the top and in control won’t be hurt. That’s his mindset. So taking advantage of others is just another outlet for that control.

Kaiser uses others to further his own standing, to keep that security blanket of control over himself and the field.

7. A lack of empathy or an unwillingness to identify with the needs of others

Kaiser has shown before to understand the needs and emotions of others as well as being emotionally intelligent about where HE goes wrong (to a point). Showing his empathy, because empathy isn’t just about feeling bad for others — it’s understanding those emotions. The best moments where he reflects: THE LEAD UP TO HIS MAGNUS SHOT and AFTER ISAGI DEFEATS HIM POST-PXG MATCH.

In the lead-up to his Magnus Shot, he basically reflects on what we've talked about so far! Kaiser reflects on his own hypocritical ideas and acknowledges he isn’t at the top of the food chain yet as Isagi and Noa have already surpassed him and how he has to go back to his own self-loathing to continue climbing ahead.

Now, going BACK to another point I previously mentioned is Kaiser’s epiphany at the end of the PXG Match! (There’s not many examples off the top of my head)

Through that entire scene, Kaiser acknowledges that it wasn’t the fault of those around him like Isagi or Ness or any of his other teammates — but himself. It was his own will that led to the outcome of the match. Kaiser acknowledges his faults, without directly saying “It’s my fault.” He KNOWS his emotions, he ACKNOWLEDGES the emotions of the people around him as well.

Kaiser, I believe, understands what he’s doing is WRONG but doesn’t act on it. Which is why I think he’s emotionally intelligent without doing anything to change what he does. At least not in any healthy way. Kaiser justifies what he does in his head, even if he understands what he’s doing realistically. Falling into his own hypocrisy again. That’s how I took it as anyway.

He reads psychology and philosophy books. I HOPE Kaiser knows what’s wrong with him

8. A tendency to be envious of others or a belief that others are envious of them

His envy isn’t really envy. It’s like his ambition. I can’t recall a point where Kaiser seemed jealous over something or envious of their position or things they had (feel free to correct me if I’m wrong of course). His rivalry with Isagi isn’t one of jealousy for example — it was originally just to step on the more inferior players that later turned into ‘Oh shit, he may surpass me. He’ll make ME inferior… weak’ fear.

9. Arrogance, haughty behaviors, and attitudes

Talked about his arrogance in the superiority section so I won’t repeat myself!

This is PART 1 of 2 because this was already getting WAY TOO LONG.

After finishing writing this, I definitely repeated the same point multiple times and missed probably good points of evidence LMAO but I’m powering through this insanity with a dream and an unhealthy fixation with Kaiser. I hope I made sense… I really just rambled on my ideas and tried to piece them together as best as I could lol

Anyways… THANKS FOR READING!

[miyamiwu]

On Kaiser’s Trauma

I’ve thought it over, and I think there’s really no way for Kaiser to awaken this match. Be it scoring a goal or getting one over Isagi, he is not winning. I don’t see it at all.

I’ve reviewed the previous character development arcs, and one thing Kaneshiro has been staunch about is that internal development comes first before external development:

Chigiri - Chigiri had to get over his fear of losing his old self by putting his leg at risk again before the narrative rewarded him with a goal.

Bachira - Bachira had to overcome his fear of being alone before being rewarded with, not a goal, but with a friend who met him where he was.

Barou - Barou had to experience his arrogance being crushed and overcome the subsequent resignation he felt before he could reclaim his role as “main character.”

Hiori - Hiori had to first come at peace with giving up soccer entirely—something he had been hesitant to do, even when it hurt him, because he didn’t know what else to do—before discovering what soccer really means to him.

Yukimiya - Yukimiya found salvation when Isagi saw him as he was desperately fighting for a chance while he could still see.

It’s a bit different for Isagi’s main rivals, though:

Nagi - Nagi got motivated to put in an effort because of Isagi -> Got stronger during Second Selection -> Went back to old habits just to beat Isagi once -> Regressing in the rest of the NEL arc

Rin - Rin had to stop seeking answers outside of himself -> Unleashed his true ego during the U20 match -> Subconsciously sought affirmation from Sae at the end of the match -> Felt rejected by Sae -> ??? (The current match against PxG is ongoing, so I don’t know how he is right now)

Nagi’s and Rin’s development arcs are not linear, and currently both are in the lower curves of their arcs. This is because they haven’t fully solved their internal problems. Until Nagi finds a reason to push himself outside of beating Isagi and until Rin gets over his brother issues, they can never fully grow.

Likewise, Kaiser, who is undoubtedly also a main rival, has to first fucking get therapy process his childhood trauma before he can truly awaken.

But trauma is not easy to overcome. In fact, you don’t even really “heal.” Kaiser “getting over it” in just one match is impossible. As such, I don’t see him winning. At least not now.

Isagi throwing Kaiser’s words back at him by calling him a “clown” has gotten some people to think that Kaiser’s awakening is imminent. After all, a similar thing had happened to Barou before when Isagi called him “donkey.”

But Kaiser is not Barou. Both may be arrogant, but one of them didn’t grow up under violence. And as I’ve said before, internal development comes first. Barou’s internal problems, compared to Kaiser’s, are much easier to resolve.

And unlike Barou’s, Kaiser’s problems are not confined within soccer. They seep into his every being and in all aspects of his life, as we can see in how he treats himself and others off the field.

To begin, let’s talk about what Kaiser thinks of himself:

Alternatively, Hoshi’s translation of Kaiser’s monologue goes like this:

These guys are “humans.” Different from me, they were born wanted “humans.”

Having been abandoned by his mother and growing up abused by his father, Kaiser’s sense of worth is so low that he thinks he was born without it—which is wrong. Everybody is born deserving to live.

But Kaiser thinks otherwise. He sees himself as not even human because nobody wanted him alive. Still, he has this strong desire to live—a desire that had first made itself known to him at this moment:

Right before this, he had looked so dead inside:

He didn’t flinch when the cops came to arrest him. He didn’t try to fight for the escape money he had stashed away. He was so passive and tired and helpless that he might as well be truly dead.

But at that moment his father was about to destroy his soccer ball? A fire lit up inside him. A fire so bright and strong that he got to beat seven cops while handcuffed.

That fire was the love he had for soccer. All his life he’d been in a passive position, but when he fought for what he love, the reins of his life got transferred into his hands.

And in that moment, Michael Kaiser, for once, was truly alive.

Now, he’s living his life in constant search of that fire—or “proof of his existence,” as he puts it.

However, Kaiser has misunderstood what that fire is. After all, how can he recognize love when he’s never been loved?

Only pain and violence are familiar. Thus, it is honestly no surprise when he misattributes “proof of existence” to “inflicting malice on others, living on inside them as a scar.”

For Kaiser to grow, he has to redefine “proof of existence.” How can his own existence depend on the number of people he defeats? That’s unhealthy. And as with Rin’s problem, it’s just seeking answers outside of himself.

But for Kaiser to even begin redefining it, he must first learn to recognize love for what it is.

Love was the fire that was lit inside him. He must go back to it. (Like how Bachira awakened by going back to how he used to play as a child.)

Love is also the main thing that sets Isagi apart from him—the former having been raised by loving parents and having companions sincere to him—so it’s crucial that he learns this if he wants to defeat Isagi.

How can he do this? With the way he was raised, I don’t think Kaiser can learn love on his own. He has to learn it from others. But before that, he must see himself as “human.” While he still views himself as “non-human,” Kaiser won’t be able to connect deeply with “humans” and welcome any love from them.

And this is the crux of his problem...

Kaiser has made attempts to be more “human,” but...

... he’s going about it so horribly wrong 😭😭😭

@galaxynajma also sent this question:

What do you think is the new reason for why kaiser does this every morning: His morning routine consists of: standing before the mirror naked, gazing at himself while having a conversation (to himself), getting into the mindset that nothing is impossible, and then smiling while thinking ‘this is me’. (Trivia from Blue Lock wiki)

“This is me” is Kaiser reaffirming to himself that he is becoming more “human” when he sets out to achieve the “impossible.”

How to be Human 101

Okay, fuck, to be completely honest, I have no idea! I didn’t expect to get this psychological while I was writing 🫠

I had… written myself into a corner. But anyways, I’m gonna try seeing this through...

So, I’m no psychologist, but… I relate on a deeply personal level with Kaiser’s “human vs non-human.” But in my case, I had used the words “normal vs not normal.”

(This is gonna get a little bit personal, but bear with me!)

This distinction was something I strongly felt during my peak depression years. I felt like nobody truly understood me because they hadn’t been through what I had been through. Whatever the doctors said just went from one ear to another because I couldn’t trust them. In my head, I had categorized them as one of the “normal” people—their lives were so put-together and they were so in control and on top of things! Not like me, who was drowning.

I also slowly distanced myself from friends because they, too, were the “normal” ones.

One friend, however, stuck around. She didn’t mind me going missing for months without a word. And whenever I showed up again from who knows where, she would always excitedly welcome me back as if I never even left. And this was the friend who I thought to be always better than me in every way because she was prettier, smarter, and had a better financial status. So I never really expected her to get me.

But oh, she did. I found out that she wasn’t “normal,” too. She too had her own problems, and we got to share our sorrow with each other...

So, I guess what I’m trying to say here is that...

It’s not really a matter of erasing the distinction between “human” and “non-human.” It’s enough, for now, that Kaiser finds another “non-human” like him, and with whom he will slowly start to feel “human”—worthy of living and being loved.

I know Kaneshiro isn’t fond of therapy talk, but for Kaiser, I think it’s a must that he gets to open up to someone. He doesn’t have to share the full story. He just has to be sincere about it.

And who is the closest “non-human” that we have around Kaiser who’s also unwanted by his family?

Ness.

This doesn’t even have to be about shipping. And I know their relationship is looking pretty grim right now because of how Kaiser has been treating Ness since the beginning, but...

...I still believe that this, at least, was real.

Together, they can learn what it is to be “human.”

In summary, for Kaiser to awaken, he must first resolve his internal problems. To do this, he must...

Find a fellow “non-human.”

See himself as “human.”

Recognize love for what it is.

Redefine his “proof of existence”

Thank you for coming to my TED talk, *bows

---

Okay, so I don’t normally do this at the end of my posts, but I just recently launched my Alpha Reading Service. If you liked my analysis above and would like me to review your story the same way, do check it out!

Or, if you don’t need any alpha reading, consider tipping me on Ko-fi instead. Thank you!

[shidoglazer]

michael kaiser hair headcanons very short ＠shidoglazer

michael kaiser who got bed head because nobody has ever taught him how to take care of his thick hair.

michael kaiser who gets bed head because he shifts in his sleep so much from nightmares

michael kaiser who had to cut his own hair off after it got tangled so much

michael kaiser who thinned his hair out completely because he didn’t want to face the same struggles he did when he was getting abused.

[li-an-nie]

The origin of Isagi’s talent and a message for us (ft. Naruhaya & Kaiser)

Hi! This is something I've been thinking about for quite a while... and today I finally want to share with you my theory, or rather explanation, for Isagi Yoichi – his character, where his talent for adaptability comes from, as well as our own takeaways we can draw from Kaneshiro's characters.

This is a lot, but I think it shows how powerful the story of Blue Lock really can be!

Transformation

People often like to joke about Slursagi - how this ordinary guy with the seemingly most ordinariest of parents has so far spit out some of the wildest insults on the field haha. Well, sadly I don’t have an explanation for all of that, but I do have one for his incredibly fast and exponential progress in Blue Lock. I mean, we all know by now, as Naruhaya has said before and as was kinda picked up in the most recent chapters – it's his innate aptitude for adaptability, learning and change. Destroying yourself and then rebuilding your best version. Abandoning everything else and thinking of yourself as just a means to an end. While everyone else in Blue Lock had good enough soccer skills to manage just fine on their own so far, this is the method Isagi had to use in order to keep up with all the other players.

(see Ch. 53)

The question is just, where did this amazing talent come from? Is this a learned skill or a mutation, as Ego talked about? Is it nurture or nature?

If we look at it, the other guys in Blue Lock have all these sad backstories, traumas and toxic family relationships and whatnot. Yet Isagi has come so far, despite his ordinary background. Or rather... because of it. Or rather... only someone with a background like him could actually pull this off..! Why? Because Isagi has something that many of us don’t – unconditional love and support.

Again, this is just my own interpretation, but think about the term ‘destroying yourself’ first – what the hell does that even mean (if we ignore the edginess in that statement)?

(This is going to get super abstract, and even I don’t 100% know what I’m talking about, but hear me out first.)

It can mean so much – destroying your personality, your preconceptions of the world or a field, your prejudices, your obsessions, your pride, your fears, your regrets, basically anything that is capable of holding you back. Most people can’t simply do that. Naruhaya couldn’t. We all have inhibitions about certain things, no matter how hard we try, it often feels impossible to let go of certain thoughts and emotions. We're tethered to the past, afraid of losing our ‘self’ we’ve built in the process. There’s always a fear – if we fail, if we slip up, we might genuinely end up with nothing but our own ruin and failures, and that’s why we can never really go 100% of the way.

But Isagi can.

(see Ch. 55)

Origin

Isagi grew up in an ordinary household. But I'd say his family, his parents are actually far from ordinary.

We see it in the spin-off novel first, where Isagi’s incredible spatial awareness was apparent from a young age, making him very timid and much like a scaredy-cat in the beginning. But instead of scolding or condemning him, his parents always tried to understand and support him. And the same applied when Isagi first expressed his desire for a soccer ball.

(see BL Spin-Off - Isagi Yoichi Ch.2)

It doesn't matter if he's a crybaby, as long as he grows up healthy. For the first time, their timid, only son showed them what he wanted to do with his own will. That alone was enough to satisfy them completely.

With that out the way, this scene you probably remember from the manga is more than enough to illustrate everything (Ch. 152).

"You’re still our son, whether you’re special or average. What makes me happy is that you’re doing what you want, and giving your best at it."

"Whether you win or lose, no matter what… we’ll always be there for you, Yocchan."

"So live your life as you want."

Jesus Christ. If that’s not the most loving and supportive parents in the world, then what is?

Isagi’s parents have simply no expectations of him. They love and support him so unconditionally. They encourage and adore him, and they will always think of him their precious son, no matter if he wins or loses, if he chooses to live an average person’s life or risk everything to become the best striker in the world. Isagi knows this, and he grew up like this, he grew up with a certainty that no matter what you will still be loved. That’s why he can sacrifice everything of himself – because ultimately, under that everything is something that will never leave, and this certainty is what enables him to push so far in the first place. He developed a mindset that could push itself to its limits, and it directly impacted not only his life decisions but his evolution on the soccer field as well.

(see Ch. 55)

Naruhaya, on the other hand, had the same talent for adaptability, but he wasn't able to go as far as Isagi. Because unlike Isagi, there were things he had to protect, the stakes were too high – his sisters, and their precarious financial situation. Even though a dire situation like this should enable him to push himself even further, that stake is also exactly what held him back in the end. In his case, it matters so much whether he wins or loses. When it starts to matter, you ultimately become afraid of what will happen if you do lose, and for him that meant so much more than just the end of his dreams. Isn’t it natural to feel more under stress when the stakes are higher?

Opposites

So because of this foundation that Isagi has, he is different than the rest. This would kind of speak against the assumption I had at the beginning of Blue Lock, that his ordinariness is meant to represent all of us. With basically the message that anyone can evolve and transform themselves for the better, just like Isagi. But to be honest that was already thrown out of the window through the spin-off, where you see that Isagi was already gifted as a child. And I’m not even sure if this was supposed to be Kaneshiro’s intended takeaway to begin with, but there’s another way this message can fit together. The missing piece lies in Kaiser.

Because yeah, we all saw what Isagi realized in Ch. 282 was basically following the same thing Kaiser did 20 chapters before (discard everything but your original ego).

If we take into account what we know Isagi, it becomes all the more heartbreaking and ironic when we actually see Kaiser do the same type of evolution in Ch. 262 for the first time – I quote, “past achievements, pride, everything he ever won”, literally the joy he felt about becoming human, he was willing to destroy and throw it all away, he became zero, despite knowing that if he fails that’s all there would be left – zero.

(see Ch. 262)

He’s always had zero, and the soccer ball is the first thing he ever truly ‘gains’. After his career takes off, he slowly acquired more and more, fame, money, achievements, you name it. This would be the first time he possesses so much, but he doesn’t know the pain of losing something yet, because he never had anything before to begin with. Kaiser built himself a high mountain out of things he never had, but then was willing to risk the pain of losing everything and roll back down into that pit of nothing again, all for the sake of his goal. If that's not strength, then what is?

And it’s also a direct contrast to Isagi.

Isagi and Kaiser are opposites, they are extremes that came from completely different worlds and family backgrounds. And yet they are also exactly the same, because they had the same strengths and resolves and were able to undergo the same kind of evolution. One has all the love and one lived their entire life deprived of it, one never questioned being human and one never believed themself to be one, yet they both were able to discard everything of themselves and then rebuild a better version – all for the sake of their goals.

Takeaway

So coming back to the message, how does that apply to us, the average person? Isagi and Kaiser represent a spectrum, and if you ever feel stuck somewhere in life, then remember – you are somewhere in between those two worlds. Doesn't that mean that you're capable of the same change too? I also don’t think it matters whether you’re a genius or talented learner, in real life there’s no clear line between those things anyway. Every one of us excels at something and every one of us has to learn and adapt in other areas. But what Blue Lock ultimately shows is that no matter what background, age or ambition, in the end, the things that can push us forward the most are our own dreams and ego. We are all capable of change.

Thank you for coming to my TED Talk!

[cloverandstuff]

I was about to say that every popular ship in Blue Lock is reciprocated....except KaiNess.

But I reached chapter 262, and after the rollacoaster it was, I can attest KaiNess is not unrequited.

Very unhealthy, very one-sided, but not unrequited.

Kaiser's mindset is stuck on survival mode, and fixed on familiarity.

He replicates the behaviour of his father, because he doesn't want to risk anything else. He's selfish because he finally gets to be, and he wants to take full advantage of that.

But out of everything he's scared to lose, Ness is the only person there. He, despite his lonesome mindset, is scared of losing Ness.

I don't know wha happens next, but this asshole is so fucking interesting. Probably my favourite to analyse out of everyone here. An abuser born out of abuse.

[someprettyname]

So I was thinking about how Kaiser said his ideal type is someone "Beautiful, smart and filled with a lot of love" and....it's quite typical the way he frames it isn't it?

I mean, if a person does NOT have an ideal type or have had enough (romantic) encounters to know what they want this is probably the format they'd give their answer in.

[outer appearance/physical trait], [inner appearance/personality traits], [how they want to be treated]

Most of the other players just give a very pointed answer as to what makes them happy/how they want to be treated ("someone calm and understanding", "someone with a bright smile", "someone who is strong enough to endure loneliness" <- for eg, all of these are complimentary to their needs because they are atleast self aware enough], but Kaiser's is as vague as it gets.

What physical features do personally you find attactive, Kaiser? What kind of smartness/intelligence do you value? Street smart? Book smart? Emotionally intelligent? High AQ? What makes you feel loved? What way do you want to be loved? What exactly is "full of love" to you? Getting spoiled with gifts? Physical intimacy? Words of affirmation? Quality time? How do you want to be loved? Because a great friend of mine once said a person can have all the food in the world, it wouldn't satiate another thirsty person. It's water that they need.

If he doesn't know how he wants to be loved, he wouldn't know what to seek and if he doesn't know what to seek he would never find the best love that he deserves.

And here's the sad part, it's probably because he doesn't know it himself. Now I can go ahead and elaborate on it but @/impossiblyblueroses said it better.

Oh my dear Kaiser.

This is so SO sad. I don't even want to be his lover at this point, or give him a hug. No. I don't think he even needs it as much as he needs someone trustable to sit him down and make him realise that he is out of danger now. He earned a name for himself and enough money too (probably - i heard people discussing if he even had the bank account on his name or other contractual nuances he might be stuck in), he does NOT have to go back to his father and that shitty household. He'd never have to steal. If someone ever tries to hurt him he doesn't need to be the only one fighting it, that he can ask for help and there are PLENTY people (hell even Isagi lmfao, he is humane enough. A lot of people are.) who'd gladly jump in to help him.

I don't want to be the girl he loves, i want to be the wingwoman who's there for him to prevent him from jumping into attracting the wrong kind because of his traumas. I want to be someone who he can trust enough to give him advice and help him out when his past hurt and traumas start becoming strong walls and stand strong in the way of love.

It's so ironic though, I'll give that to Kaneshiro. The whole kainess thing? It was never supposed to work out even though they are both basically each other's ideal type.

Ness wants someone strong who isn't fazed by loneliness, Kaiser operates alone. He'd admit yoichi is better than him before asking for help lmao.

And then there's Ness, beauty is in the eyes of beholder so no comments on that but Ness is smart. He's an amazing soccer player. And he's full of love. He said one can find magic in ANYTHING, and love is quite magical isn't it?

But could Kaiser see that?

Was this what you were trying to tell us for such a long time Kaneshiro? Was this the metaphor hidden under the lines of kainess breakup?

Damn.

[burning-in-rarepair-hell]

Kaiser lost because he failed to abandon his humanity.

[mvrdermeharder]

I’m not the biggest fan of the conclusion to the pxg game and its implications, BUT the realism of the kainess angst which is based on the psychology of abusive relationships is SOOO FUCKING GOOD.

Do not get me wrong, i hate to see Ness in pain, but both of their actions and behaviors make total sense. Including Kaiser being pissed off at Ness in ch 293.

[edeneow]

An analysis of Michael Kaiser-why he is the way he is and his idea of humanity

When we are first introduced to Kaiser, he is presented as confident and cocky, a person who thrives on dominating others and overthrowing them. We see thus with Isagi,when he blocks his shot in the scene they’re introduced, plus, the various scenes we see of him either utilising or disgarding Ness at his will. Kaiser does this because to him, football-or any talent he has-is the only way he can feel recognised, and to Kaiser to be recognised is to be loved, and to posses and manipulate is to be human (making the contrary inhuman).

This is crucial to him because of what he desires most: recognition of humanity. This is evident as it's never stated that he's passionate for football like Isagi or Rin, but that he plays it to take "great pleasure in eroding others' hearts and living inside them as a scar,” he lives simply to be what he classifies as human: to overpower others.

His philosophy of what is/isnt human was developed at a young age when still in an abusive household with his father.

Inhumanity:

During his entire duration under his father's roof, kaiser was deemed inhuman by both himself and his father. He was constantly used and abused both emotionally and physically, as well as repeatedly told he's not worth a thing and is below an animal in value. Despite unbearable treatment he stayed, stole, and provided. When Kaiser first got his ball he was proud to be the owner of something that was his possesion, that could do what he wanted, would always come back to him, and that was permanent.

However, Kaiser didn't look down on his new possesion; to him they were one in the same, he vowed to one day escape from possesion with the ball and to be loved, and hence human. The fact he saw his possesion as pathetic as it's inhuman, however, still cared for it and found comfort in it says a lot about how he views himself. Kaiser still had his own wants and desires (human traits) whilst he classified himself as an object; however what Kaiser takes from this is that he's even more inhuman due to still being used and an object while having the potential/capability to posses human traits.

A huge part of what he deemed inhuman was that he still provided for his Dad and was somewhat selfless.

I think this warped his ideas of what it is to be human even more and as his view of his past self as a whole is inhuman one, he associates traits that he used to have as inhumane too. This likely effected now he views other traits such as empathy, sympathy and care too, which could explain why he presents contrasting traits like savagery and cruelty-the qualities which make him more human in his eyes.

To summarise Kaiser's perception of his younger self, from both his past and present (chapter 294), he saw himself as pathetic and helpless to the extent of associating his worth to that of a football - "we'll be free", "let's be human" - he refers to it as his kin. To overcome this he eventually comes to the conclusion that to be human is to posses power over others, like his dad did with him, and that to be an object is to co-operate and not think for yourself-which is how he gains humanity at Bastard München according to his philosophy: He doesn't interact with others if they aren't what he considers his possesion.

He thinks "I don’t know now to accept goodwill, it's way easier to live as a target of malice."; it's easier for Kaiser to experience actions he deems as human, which are malicious actions. This could be due to nim not understanding why someone would be generous without an alterior motive to conquer the other. He doesn't understand why people would willingly take the place of an object so it's easier for him to project malice unto people and make himself a target to the other person. It's easier because he's only ever experienced battles of malice, and knows now to win as a target of one. These ideas formed from a young age are carried into adulthood and largely shape Kaiser’s character.

[glamourscat]

Hi)

Saw your analysis on Kaiser, why can't you write about him and what he can be like in a relationship. You mentioned trauma, and I have a question for Shidou...

Yes, many in the fandom agree that Shidou most likely had a shitty (and even abusive) past, but in your opinion, what makes you think that Shidou (unlike Kaiser) wouldn't go down the path of manipulation/abuse in a relationship with someone, i.e. not projecting his possible traumas?

Thank you for your question, I hope I answered what u were wondering. Feel free to discuss it in the replies :)

Both Kaiser, and potentially Shidou, carry the weight of difficult pasts. However, their approaches to human connection couldn't be more different. Which is why a relationship with Kaiser would be destructive while with Shidou would be chaotic but not necessarily toxic.

In Shidou’s case we have a limited amount of infos. What we know is that he sees the world in this very artistic, peculiar way. And despite his strong presence on the field, off it, he doesn’t seem to hold the same characteristics (or at least not to the same degree.)

He is loud, anti conformist but most of all he has the most “sane” ego between the players. He plays for himself. He knows his strengths and weaknesses. Not only that, but it’s shown more than once that he compliments people who show real talent.

Unlike Kaiser, who feels threatened immediately when someone is better than him or sees it as a tool for dominance. Like I have said, Shidou recognizes and compliments others' unique strengths. He's not looking to break people down, he's actively acknowledging what makes them special while pushing himself to leave “a mark in this world”. This appreciation for individuality (which is the core of shidou’s character) suggests someone who'd be more likely to build up a partner rather than tear them down.

We also know he seeks physical touch and connection. From attaching to Sae immediately when, for the first time, he found someone who understood his way of playing. In a way it’s like a desperate reach of someone who’s trying to heal something deep within by physical touch, which in his case, could be the struggle in being different and misunderstood. His need for physical touch speaks to someone who's trying to reclaim what was taken from him rather than perpetuate a cycle of harm.

Kaiser weaponizes his past trauma, turning it into a shield and sword. He sees vulnerability as a weakness to use against you. Let’s look what happened with Ness for example. He knew from moment one that he was going to use him. Outside and inside the field. He made Ness codependent, using his vulnerability and naivety against him. A guy who wanted nothing but love and a sense of belonging, is turned into a puppet, because Kaiser knows despite his harsh words or actions, Ness will never leave.

Shidou wears his heart on his sleeve in the most beautifully chaotic way. He is honest, maybe to a brutal extent. But he doesn’t do that in a manipulative way, he does that because he is a honest person. When asked what made him cry recently, he gave that raw, honest answer about becoming nothing. That's not manipulation, that's pure, unfiltered emotional authenticity.

The projection of past trauma? Sure, it might happen. But, who doesn't carry some scars into relationships? But there's a huge difference between unconsciously working through your issues with a partner and deliberately manipulating them.

Would Shidou be a perfect partner? No. But he wouldn’t be a toxic, manipulative individual like Kaiser either. Shidou just... exists, in all his chaotic, genuine glory. His explosive side is confined to the field, showing the ability to compartmentalise rather than let his (possible) traumas bleed into every aspect of his life.

In the end, it comes down to this: while Kaiser isolates himself and pushes people away, Shidou actively tries to connect with others. His ways of connecting might not be conventional (they might be rough around the edges, maybe even a bit chaotic) but he's still trying to reach out and form genuine bonds with people. That's what makes him fundamentally different from Kaiser, who only seeks relationships to his benefit. That’s what would keep Shidou away from going down the same manipulative path as Kaiser.

[miss-yap-a-lot]

thoughts/analysis on alexis ness

so chapter 288 part 2 just dropped and... hoo boy. the reactions this chapter is getting are INSANE, mainly because when Kaiser tells ness to give up on soccer and we see this panel:

kaneshiro certified ness hater???

So everyone's kind of blowing up now, and for good reason: we FINALLY see Ness after such a long time... and Kaiser completely destroys the poor guy.

I feel like part of the reason why Ness is falling behind due to the the reaction Kaiser and isagi are creating is because of his ego, even though he's 100% got the skill (ranked #2 in bastard munchen, if i remember correctly). His ego, however, is severely lacking.

In his backstory, we see that Ness was constantly belittled and ignored by his family due to his belief in magic. When he sees someone playing soccer for the first time, it's like a switch turns on in his head and he realizes that he can make magic through playing soccer, hence why he becomes so fixated on the sport.

So at tryouts, he's getting his ass kicked and suddenly sees kaiser, who asks him "do you believe in the impossible?"

until then, Ness hadn't met anyone who believed in the impossible like him before, so Kaiser easily becomes Ness' whole world. And Kaiser is doing this knowingly- he found the (mentally) weakest player and brought hope to him, making him incredibly loyal.

here, Ness doesn't really have an ego: he just wants to make magic appear in his world. he doesn't care if it's on his own or not. He sees how powerless his magic is against the other players who are better than him in teamwork and realizes he needs someone else to help him achieve his dream. Ness doesn't really have an ego; he just wants to create magic through soccer. And right now, he can only do so with Kaiser.

I don't think Kaiser was the ONLY person who made Ness into the total doormat he is now, but rather the combined forces of his family AND Kaiser's abuse and manipulation were the reason why he's like this now. If Ness was mentally stronger, I highly doubt Kaiser would have approached him in the first place to "team up."

There's lots of discussion online whether Kaiser and ness' relationship is genuine and codependent or one of pure exploitation. whichever one people think it is, the point still stands that they depend on each other- Kaiser to "connect" with his teammates (I use that term loosely in the sense that he needs at least one ally on the field), and Ness to create the magic he so desperately wants.

Enter Isagi: Kaiser realizes that he doesn't need Ness anymore- there's someone out there who understands him better as a talented learner, someone who will push him to his limits in a way Ness never has. So he tells ness to stop following him around because he has no more use for him, realizing that he's not benefiting from this relationship anymore.

HOWEVER, because Ness' ego is still in the ditches, he hangs on to Kaiser anyway because he still believes Kaiser will help him create his magic.

This is apparent in the newest chapter. ness is so preoccupied with finding kaiser and passing to him that karasu immediately steals the ball from him.

The reaction isagi and kaiser are making now is leaving ness completely behind.

I feel like it's incredibly likely that in future chapters, Ness will come to realize that he doesn't need Kaiser any more than kaiser needs him and that he can make his own impossible happen, with or without kaiser. This will (hopefully!) lead to the awakening of his own ego which has been out of reach for so long due to kaiser "blocking" it and making him so dependent on him.

something really interesting to note is that ness is one of the few characters who's featured who is a midfielder, not a striker, so i'm very excited to see how kaneshiro handles this!

But really, if Ness awakens this will be due to Isagi showing up, which means... will Ness join Isagi's harem??? 😱😱

[bisqueri]

What if Kaiser is very weary of any physical contact not initiated by himself... Thinking about his past hair always looked chopped messily as if he himself did it. Thinking about how he asked Ness to do his hair instead of going to a hairdresser. Thinking about how when Kaiser handed Ness those sharp scissors he also handed him his trust.

[boinin]

Blue Lock volume cover analysis

An examination of unusual features and chains among the 31 volumes released to date. Subject to revision.

Like this? Want to reference these points in your own analysis on Reddit, YouTube, wherever? Go ahead! A shout out to this post is appreciated. Straight up plagiarism isn’t.

Volume 8: Mikage Reo

Reo's chains are noticeably shaded green. Guess whose eyes glow green when they're fired up...

In addition, @thyandrawrites has a theory that Reo ties/reties his hair up as a way to maintain emotional composure. The volume covers tend to represent the character's personality or struggles in some sense. If so, this is an early nod to the emotional trials Reo endures during the series.

Volume 10: Tokmitsu Aoshi

No chain weirdness here, but Tokimitsu is surrounded by black gunk in his cover. This may be a visualisation of his anxiety and the way he copes with it: running at speed and bulldozing through his opponents.

Volume 11: Ego Jinpachi

Ego's cover depicts him totally immobilised by the four chains bound to his neck. To date, no other character has been more restrained by the chains. This likely represents that Ego's fate is utterly dependent on the outcome of Blue Lock. His cover also suggests that Blue Lock (and football) consume Ego's life.

Volume 12: Shidou Ryuusei

Shidou's chains have a blue glow, much like Sendou's in volume 27. This glow is far closer to Shidou's collar however. It could imply that Blue Lock is the beginning of Shidou's pursuit of football.

He's also depicted with demon wings. The collar or chains don't impede his movement significantly, unlike other characters. In addition to portraying his incredible physicality, this could also visually represent how Blue Lock has failed to subdue Shidou.

Volume 16: Oliver Aiku

Aiku's chains are wrapped tightly around his arm and he's pulling them taut. The chains themselves appear rusted and cracked, most notably on his collar. This could represent Aiku's relationship with football. He grew jaded with being a striker in high school. Becoming a defender, then the match against Blue Lock, revitalised his enthusiasm. Hence, the chain is holding fast: he's just as ensnared by football (and Blue Lock) as the others.

Volume 17: Itoshi Sae

Sae and his chains are bathed in radiant gold light, which is associated with both divinity and wealth. His chains crumble in one place, and remain barely intact. I offer two interpretations for this. Firstly: unlike the others, Blue Lock does not have a strong impact on Sae—his success as a footballer is completely independent of it.

Secondly: if we take the chain to represent Sae's footballing career, the crumbling chain could allude to a time when football negatively impacted him. Perhaps whatever happened in Madrid? But he came back stronger, as the rest of his chains appear even more golden.

Volume 18: Teieri Anri

Anri is the only character depicted without chains or a collar. While working with Ego is a prison sentence in its own right, the artwork suggests that her ambition and future isn't connected to the outcome of Blue Lock. It can also be interpreted as a nod to the hierarchy within Blue Lock. Anri is Ego's boss and thus, she is free while he is constrained. However...

Zoom in on the reflection on her phone screen. It appears to reflect a wide grin—which can only be one person's. Taking into account her passivity in chapter 247, this detail positions Anri as Ego's accomplice: willing to do his bidding, no matter how amoral.

Volume 19: Michael Kaiser

Kaiser's collar and chains are made of glass, through which his blue rose tattoo is visible. As chapter 243 told us, a blue rose represents the impossible to Kaiser. Glass chains suggests that his ego or ties to football are fragile, and could be broken easily. Symbolically, glass can also represent transparency. As a character, Kaiser is upfront about his talent and desires. Nobody is in doubt about his footballing mantra or his intent to undermine Isagi.

Volume 20: Alexis Ness

Ness's chains are entwined with blue rose brambles, all but for a short length to the top right of the image. While Ness came to love football independently, seeing it as magical, the rose brambles show that his connection to football is now inseparable from his devotion to Kaiser. It also reflects that Ness would not be a professional footballer without Kaiser, as per chapter 242/243.

Volume 24: Hiori Yo

Hiori is the only character shown holding the end of his chain, which is secured by a football-shaped weight. This suggests that Hiori himself is the one in control of his career, rather than external forces. Football is a burden to him, albeit something he can carry. Therefore, Hiori is not ensnared by the chains (or Blue Lock) to the same extent as other characters. Appropriate for a character guaranteed to succeed as a footballer, but who ultimately may not choose to pursue it.

Volume 25: Niko Ikki

Niko's volume cover is hilarious. I'll leave the explaining to Tomo-tan, who lays out the humour and genius of Niko's cover in this great Reddit post.

Volume 26: Don Lorenzo

Members of the New Generation World XI have no chill when it comes to their covers, and Don Lorenzo is no exception. His collar shows bite marks, as though chewed through. Gold teeth are good for more than caramel popcorn, apparently.

Lorenzo's chains are accompanied by what looks like electricity. This suggests that football reanimated Lorenzo from near death, as per chapter 216. It's a visual nod to his playstyle, which resembles the incessant pursuit of a zombie. Guess we can call him Snuffy's Monster.

Volume 27: Sendou Shuuto

A blue glow appears on Sendou’s chains, halted from travelling further by his fist. This may represent the threat Blue Lock poses to Sendou's footballing career. He's already been kicked as the striker of the national team; now in the Neo Egoist League, he must battle for a place on the new U20 line-up. No easy feat, as his sweaty face implies.

Another detail worth mentioning is that the trajectory of one of Sendou's chains appear to align with the chain Aiku's pulling in his cover. This similarity, and the fact that they're both holding their chains, may be interpreted as a nod to their status as former U20 teammates—likely the only ones that will make the new team, going off the latest NEL auction table.

Volume 29: Nanase Nijiro

Debated adding him, but eh—I wrote up Reo's cover. Nanase's illustration (incl. the chains) is shaded green… similar to Rin's eyes and aura colour. His chain jerks right and left in a nod to his ambidexterity.

Volume 30: Tsurugi Zantetsu

Another gag cover on par with Niko's, albeit less clever (intentionally?). Zantetsu's chain is made of shapes you'd associate with a toddler's learning shapes toy.

Volume 31: Charles Chevalier

Charles's cover is a double whammy. He gets two colours like Aiku, reflecting his capricious nature. Gold and metallic are representative of his high worth. The background spirals are a definite nod to the Cheshire Cat, a character Charles states he likes in an end of volume character profile.

The chains are shaped like the devil emojis that appear in Charles's dialogue. The chains also feature two materials: an alternating light and dark metal with no evident pattern. This perhaps represents the way his passes are hit or miss, or the way he decides who to send passes to on a whim.

[brainjvice]

I would love to write something (more like i would love to write a fanfic) about Kaiser's issues with physical contact and how it would translate during sex... how sex is considered the socially acceptable norm in a relationship and how Kaiser strives to appear more human, so he may force himself to fit into that box.

More analysis under cut, cw for childhood trauma. Its not too graphic but yk.

...The way I feel like he would dissociate halfway through it, the second it feels too much. He goes on autopilot, his brain working its ass off into still mantaining his suave, flirty mask on while he is probably giving his partner the 300 yards stare.

Kaiser would prefer touching than being touched, but I wonder if he would still experience that as a "duty", as something he must experience as a human.

He may fixate on his partner's breathing pattern, on their heartbeat.

On how turned on and eager they are. And on how much Kaiser wants to hurt them.

Is this how his father felt like? Towering onto a worthless creature. Powerful. Miserable.

No matter what, Kaiser's brain would inevitably go there. His trauma is so familiar to him and its something he cannot escape for now, not when he is having sex.

Not when a caring hand on his skin feels like iron burning his flesh.

Not when his own fingers secretly seek the thrill of clawing at someone's throat till it snaps.

He attempt at sex once. Maybe twice. There's a part of him who craves that closeness, but for now it feels like bathing in boiling water. To be honest, Kaiser may hate himself enough to find comfort in that type of self torture, but at the same time this would mean to get perceived and seen by someone else.

For someone like him, who has spent years carefully crafting his public persona, being seen equals death. It means no more control on how he is being perceived. It means they will know.

...So yeah. Kaiser would be miserable while having sex and methinks it would be cool to see it in fanfic.

[nyx1a-rose]

when a new bllk chapter comes out i drop everything to read it.

anyways. bllk 301. yeah.

the sillies :3

my thoughts + slight spoilers under the cut

HOW DARE THEY LEAVE US ON A CLIFFHANGER. i honestly really wanna see kaiser's reaction to ness's newly discovered defiance. he's clearly not used to being seen as an actual person (kinda real tbh.) ness's words "i want to cast a spell on your broken self" are just so inexplicably profound like. "i can fix him" core but also insane determination go get him. and the fact that his eyes only lit up with fire at this moment as far as i recall...

i think it's also worth mentioning how reo has been completely silent throughout the chapter. you'd expect him to apply the mikage heir charisma and wave with a big smile on his face, but we don't see him at the parade at all, and he didn't say anything on the bus either. he's not as upset-looking as i thought he'd be but maybe he's contemplating nagi's elimination. or maybe just sushi idk. but basically, reo's silence is a bit out of character and i'm interested to know what he's thinking throughout the chapter.

tldr - i lowk kinda like ness now since he stood up to kaiser (albeit to help him), his newfound determination is interesting. reo's silence also intrigues me and i wonder what bro is contemplating.

[someprettyname]

OMG WAIT. We all keep saying "Someone please give Kaiser a hug 🥺" but can you imagine? Can you imagine how he'd react if someone ACTUALLY gave him a hug?

Remember how he froze when Isagi grabbed him by his collar and called him a clown? Yeah? It would somehow be worse than that. Because he's accustomed to violence and hatred, but not love. And hugging is a gesture of love and affection. And like, can we agree that he probably has never been hugged in canon either?

Boy oh boy :(

If someone hugs him he'd probably just....freeze. His initial reaction would be visceral. A HUGE urge to pull away and just kick the person, it'd come more out of practiced instinct I think, but when he realises that he's safe he'd just.... malfunction. No really. He has never felt loved in his life. Not once. So he'd just shut down because he would have no idea how to decipher this gesture?! What is this? Why are they hugging me? Wait. Is this what love feels like? Is this even love? Oh. Why does it make me feel warm in my chest? Wait. Why does it.... Actually.... Feel good? Oh my god i don't know what to think about it but I needed this.

Want more add on to this analysis? Read @/melodiclune 's comment.