I have so many thoughts and feelings about both of these ships and how similar they are, it's driving me crazy. So I'm gonna spit it all out here into the void, because I don't see enough people talking about these ships together.
So, let's start with the easy stuff. Isagi Yoichi and Michael Kaiser. What lovely little foils these two are. When they first meet, Kaiser thinks of Isagi as nothing more than another ant to crush. An overeager, dime a dozen, promising striker that will fail to live up to his potential after being beaten into the ground. At the same time, Isagi is looking for his next target. Now, he's not as loud about it as Kaiser is, of course, but even if Kaiser hadn't come in and immediately zeroed in on Isagi, they would have been tied together regardless. Through the whole manga, you've seen Isagi trying to level up to become the world's best striker. How does he do that? By picking the strongest person in the room and "devouring" them. Kira, Barou, Nagi, Rin, all of them were at one point the strongest player Isagi had ever met, before he beat them. Not to mention that high that Isagi started getting way back when in the First Selection.
Now, with that being said, there is of course a huge difference between how they both go about crushing their victims. Kaiser's approach is more about complete desolation, while Isagi's actually tends to be more inspirational. Again, you see this in the manga over and over as the opponents that Isagi beats, tend to stick around, and just get pushed to try harder next time. Niko, Barou, Nagi, all of them were inspired to do more after their loss. Even Rin begrudgingly acknowledged that Isagi had pushed him to try harder.
But that's another topic for another void rant. Let's move onto the two I never see anyone talking about together. My boys, my loves, my geniuses, my CAMs:
Bachira Meguru and Alexis Ness.
"But, wait!" You say. "Bachira is a striker!" Yes, yes, he can still be a striker for Barcha, but if Isagi is on the team, he's going to be the CAM. And even before Blue Lock, he was giving out exceptional passes and trying to make plays. The players on his team just couldn't keep up with them or the plays he was trying to create, leaving him to having to do everything alone.
So. Ness and Bachira. Let's talk about them. They have strangely similar childhoods; both lonely, both creating imaginary worlds to escape from that loneliness, finding solace when they discover soccer. And then. Then, they both get their one chance to chase their dreams, and they find there a kindred spirit. Someone with whom they can share the joys of playing soccer with.
And they latch onto these people. Because, for the first time in their lives, they don't feel alone anymore.
Now, here's where I think it gets really interesting. Because Ness was groomed by Kaiser, intrinsically tying their egos together. And I think that Bachira and Isagi would have become very, very similar to them if the 2nd Selection didn't happen.
By the time 2nd Selection rolls around in Blue Lock, Bachira has fully decided to commit to playing with Isagi, even going so far as to immediately assume that they will form a new team. Of course Isagi goes along with it, because they're boyfriends, and when they go up against the Top 3 and Rin, Bachira is the one who is taken with no guarantee that Isagi will be able to make it through to steal him back. This time apart, coupled with the game in which they have to play against each other, forces Bachira to have to choose what he wants his ego to be. And in this, he chooses to rely on himself.
Which I think mirrors Ness' own growth during the PXG game....
Ness specifically chooses to change, to grow. And while yes he is still hoping it is Kaiser who receives the pass, this is him finally coming into his own as a player. He chose to showcase his own abilities rather than dilute them for Kaiser's sake, therefore awakening his true ego.
I think moving forward we are going to see Kaiser and Ness as more equals, more in the same vein that Bachira and Isagi are currently. I'm really looking forward to their return together in the manga.
I have so many more things I could talk about with these four characters, but I fear this post is already long enough. Please feel free to let me know what you think! Am I crazy? Am I on to something? Only time will tell I guess!