Sae Itoshi

His personality underwent a devastating transformation from how it was before he was a child, he lost weight, clear personality change, etc, during his four years in Spain with Re Al's youth system. Confronted by the overwhelming, world-class standards of international soccer and crushed by the raw reality of the global stage, Sae’s original ego as a striker was utterly shattered. He adapted by adopting a chillingly pragmatic, detached worldview, abandoning his dream of scoring goals to become the world's best midfielder instead. When he returned to Japan, the warmth he once showed Rin was replaced by absolute frost. He brutally dismissed their childhood promise, choosing to ruthlessly sever their emotional bond and and separated from him.

In the present day, Sae is defined by a supreme, condescending arrogance and a borderline sociopathic apathy toward traditional institutions. He openly scorns Japanese soccer, viewing the domestic league as completely beneath him and declaring he would rather die than play for the standard national team. On the pitch, his ego manifests as beautiful, clinical manipulation; he treats the ball with computer-like precision and acts as a cold puppet master who only respects players capable of keeping up with his genius.

Sae is a tall, lean young man with reddish-brown/maroon hair and slim teal eyes that are framed by an array of long underlashes just like his brother, Rin. He often wears causal button ups, jeans, sweatpants, short sleeved shirts, and sweaters.

Rin Itoshi is his younger brother. They used to be quite close with each other in their childhood. Sae was admired by Rin and he was the reason Rin started to play football. Sae and Rin used to play together and won many games together, they even made a promise to become the two best strikers in the world. However, they got separated when Sae was scouted to play in the inferiors of the Real Madrid. Four years later, Sae and Rin met again while the last one was training late. Sae then tells him that he will become the best midfielder instead of the best striker of the world, the thing that greatly affected Rin since his reason to play football had been his older brother. Sae then challenges Rin to play a one-on-one and tells him that if he defeats him he will retake that dream with Rin. Sae utterly defeats Rin and says he feels disgusted with him and the football of Japan, also telling Rin to never use him as a reason to play football ever again, leaving his younger brother behind while he stays in the field shocked and later at his home swears to destroy Sae.

Later on, their relationship fell apart and estranged, never seeing each other until the match between Japan U-20 and Blue Lock Eleven. Sae is absolutely indifferent to Rin and doesn't speak to him until they have another one-on-one, in which Sae tells him that he will never be able to defeat him as long as he keeps considering himself as "Sae Itoshi's younger brother". And while Rin tries his best to prove that he is better that his brother, Sae doesn't pay him attention. Ultimately, despite Rin successfully besting him in their fight, he still looked down on his brother and instead acknowledged his teammate Isagi, for his talent in achieving goals.

During the Japanese Representative Match, Sae was surprised to find out that Isagi is the "Heart of Blue Lock". He was impressed by how he was able to plan different ways to score goals, to motivate his fellow teammates, and to inspire them to achieve victory throughout the match. Sae was also amazed on how Isagi managed to manipulate Rin into entering Flow, as well as take advantage of Rin's awakening to secure his defining chance for a victory shot. He even bluntly stated to Rin that Isagi will be the one to change Japanese football for the better, making him the first Japanese striker that he ever truly respected. In the aftermath of Japan's victory over Nigeria in the U-20 World Cup, Sae expressed disappointment that Isagi and the rest of the U-20 team didn't score 8 goals instead of 4 against their mediocre Nigerian opponents.

Like with all members of the original U20 Japanese team, Sae had a very low opinion of Oliver, considering him to be very mediocre in his plays. Yet, he has shown to respect his clever tactical scheme in manipulating both himself and the heads of the Japan Football Union, which led to his endgame of entering Ryusei Shido into the game against Blue Lock Eleven, to prove to the world once and for all that Japanese football's "team-play" philosophy is defective and "egoism" is the key to victory.

Shidou and Saes first introduction to each other is when Sae tells Shidou that Blue Lock is too small of a cage for him. He tells Shidou to hand over his ego and go wild for Sae’s sake. Shidou first reacts angrily but is much more intrigued by the end of the scene. During the second half of the match, Shidou is finally subbed in. He and Sae pair up instantly, overwhelming not only the other team but their own teammates as well. A fellow U-20 player, Oliver Aiku even comments on how Shidou and Sae are a match made in heaven.

After an incident with another player, Shidou is rewarded with a free-kick opportunity to score. During this, he and Sae work together to plan the very best route Shidou can take to score his goal. Sae encourages him to think outside of the box and imagine his very best goal rather than the “realistically possible” goal. Shidou quickly comes up with his ideal goal and tells Sae that he says very exciting things. Sae tells him that this is the time to dream and to fall under his spell. Shidou responds by asking if he’s Cinderella now, then says he’s falling in love. Together, Shidou and Sae score the goal. After their goal, Shidou compliments Sae on his assistance. He tells Sae he likes him and asks for his number. Sae says he’ll give it over if Shidou scores a hat trick (a hat trick is when a player scores three goals in a game).

Shidou now looks even more excited than he was before. After a pass from Sae to Shidou, Shidou compares playing football with Sae to the feeling of electricity pulsing through his brain. Sae asks him to elaborate, and he answers by saying that he doesn’t really know, but this is the first time he’s ever felt that his freedom has been understood by someone. Shidou blushes and comments on his excitement again. Sae reminds him that he still needs to score his goal before he gets too excited. After Shidou scores his second goal, his teammates run toward him to congratulate him, but he ignores them and runs straight for Sae to jump on his back. He declares that he wants to play football with him forever and that with Sae he feels a ‘special sensation’ he's never felt with anyone else before. Sae reminds Shidou that he needs to score a hat trick before he’s rewarded, and even goes as far as calling Shidou a horny demon. Shidou responds to this by asking Sae if he can move in with him if he scores ten goals.

At the end of the U-20 match, Shidou scored his required hat trick and reminds Sae of his promise to give Shidou his number. Sae responds teasingly by asking if he can at least shower before he gives it over.

It's been noted that (aside from Charles Chevalier) Sae is the only player who can tame Shidou.

Not much is known about bunny’s and Sae’s relationship, but it is shown that Sae has bitter and distasteful feelings towards the forward when he was watching him on TV. This can imply that they had a negative past with each other when Sae played in Spain. Bunny is also the main reason why Sae wants to join the U-20 World Cup, insinuating a deep and intense rivalry between the two.

In addition, they are both part of the New Generation World XI.

Girolan Dabadie is Sae's manager as he has to plan all events that Sae gets into as well as respresent him on negotiations. While Sae doesn't seem to care much about him, Girolan shows to be careful with Sae, asking him not to say things that could hurt the press.

EXTRA:

Re Al (royale Madrid) is a professional football team from Spain that plays in the Liga VVBA in the Blue Lock manga. It is known as one of the best teams in the world and home to many world class players like Leonardo Luna and Sae Itoshi. According to Isagi, Re Al is the strongest club in the world.

Aiku Oliver is the captain and center-back of the Japan U-20 team. He played as a center-back for Italy's Ubers during the Neo Egoist League.

Ryusei Shidou is a contender of the Blue Lock Project, who played as a center forward for France's Paris X Gen during the Neo Egoist League. For the Japan U-20, he plays as a right winger or centre forward.

Out of the original 300 forwards chosen to be a part of the Blue Lock Project, Shido is an ideal candidate for the type of striker Ego strives to create. After the Blue Lock Eleven played against the Japan U-20, Shido ranked as one of the top players in Blue Lock. Following the end of the 5th round of the Neo Egoist League, and being ranked 3rd in the final rankings, Shido qualified to become one of the 23 players for the new Japan U-20

Bunny Iglesias is a prodigious football player known as the best U-20 striker in Spain. Bunny is also a member of the New Generation World XI, as well as FC Barcha's first team and a forward on the Spain U-20 team during the PIFA U-20 World Cup.

A key figure in both scoring and assists for FC Barcha's first team since the second half of the season, he is regarded as one of the most promising talents in the football world. He is a long-time adversary of Japan's top player, Sae Itoshi, and the reason for his participation in the Japan U-20 team in the PIFA U-20 World Cup.