The 2nd Story Arc of the Blue Lock manga series, which centers on Isagi being placed in Team Z along with 11 other strikers, which they must play a game of Tag before officially starting the Blue Lock program. The "it" has to hit someone with a soccer ball in order to make them the new "it," which the final "it" when time runs out results in that player being eliminated from Blue Lock.
It makes up chapter 2 of the series.
Chapter 2: Moving In
Japan's 300 high-school strikers arrive at the Blue Lock training facility by bus, which they're provided uniforms. Isagi's uniform having 299-Z on it, which tells him that he's been assigned to Team Z. Isagi arrives at Team Z's locker room to change into his uniform where he finds the other 11 members of Team Z already there. One of which turns out to be Kira, who's happy to see that he and Isagi ended up on the same team. Isagi also meets Gurimu Igarashi, a religious high-schooler who desires to become a pro football player so that he doesn't remain stuck at a temple. Igarashi's uniform having 300-Z marked on it.Coach Ego then appears on the television in Team Z's room, which he informs them that the numbers on their uniforms is their current Blue Lock rank. Thus, showing that Isagi is ranked 2nd last while Igarashi is last. Ego explains how one increases rank based on their efforts at Blue Lock, and that while the top Blue Lock players will get to join Japan's professional U-20 team to potentially win the World Cup, the losers of Blue Lock will be banned from being able to play for Team Japan. A soccer ball then drops into Team Z's room, which Ego announces Blue Lock's first task to be a game of Tag that lasts for 136 seconds. That the one who ends the game as the "It" after 136 seconds will be declared the loser, and will be kicked out of Blue Lock immediately. The lowest ranked player starts off as the "It," which Igarashi has to start off with the ball to kick at the others to make them the new "It."
Determined not to go back to the temple, Igarashi goes forward with trying to kick the soccer ball at the others of Team Z. Igarashi struggles to hit anyone, even getting kicked in the head by one of Team Z's players who was sleeping the whole time, which kicking people isn't against the rules. A member of Team Z, Rensuke Kunigami, confronts the sleeping striker not liking that the latter kicked a teammate, which Igarashi ends up striking Kunigami in the head with the ball since he was distracted. Thus, making Kunigami the new "It". Not liking the dirty play, Kunigami kicks the ball back at Igarashi with a really powerful kick since Kunigami appears to have a well-built body. However, the kick ends up striking Isagi instead, which makes Isagi the new "It." Isagi ends up struggling to hit anyone as time winds down, which the sleeping Team Z player is seen toying with Kunigami. The result is Kunigami throwing the sleeping player into Igarashi, which Igarashi ends up injuring his ankle, and allows for Isagi to get a free shot at him.
However, Isagi refuses to eliminate Igarashi as he feels that only going after the strongest players will allows him to become a better player. The sleeping player, who turns out to be named Meguru Bachira, agrees with Isagi's logic, and steals the ball away to become the new "It." In the final seconds of the Tag game, Bachira aims to eliminate Team Z's best player, Kira, which his efforts throw off Kira to the point of not noticing that Bachira has passed it to Isagi to land the finishing blow. Isagi's egoism kicks in as he goes for the kick, which he strikes the ball into Kira's face. After the final second passes, the Tag game ends with Kira as the final "It." Ego reappears on the television, and announces Kira's elimination from Blue Lock, which causes Kira to blow up in anger. Kira questioning why his soccer career has been ruined over a game of Tag.
As a result, Ego explains how Tag plays a crucial role in football, and that the room being like a soccer field's penalty area, and the seconds they were given being how much time a striker usually has the ball, all contribute to being a football striker. In addition, Ego calls out Kira for having a defeatist attitude since the latter didn't realize that after Isagi made him the new "It," Kira still had one second left to kick the ball at the injured Igarashi to save himself. Thus, Ego explains that you're not a true striker if you're not playing down to the last second. That Isagi and Bachira going after the strongest is the true egoism he's looking for. Unable to say anything other than giving one last angry glare at Isagi, Kira's forced to leave the room, and depart from Blue Lock. Afterwards, Ego congratulates the remaining members of Team Z for passing the Tag game. Along with Isagi, Bachira, Kunigami, and Igarashi, the other members of Team Z include Hyoma Chigiri, Gin Gagamaru, Jingo Raichi, Wataru Kuon, Okuhito Iemon, Asahi Naruhaya, and Yudai Imamura. These 11 making up Team Z.
