Axel Blaze is a central figure in the Raimon Eleven, widely recognized as the team's ace striker and a player of immense talent and quiet determination. Before arriving at Raimon Junior High, he was the star player at Kirkwood Junior High, but his path took a dramatic turn following a family tragedy. His younger sister, Julia, was involved in a car accident orchestrated by the antagonist Ray Dark specifically to prevent Axel from playing in a crucial match. This event left Julia in a coma and led Axel to make a solemn promise to abandon football, a decision that defined his initial demeanor upon transferring to Raimon.

Personality-wise, Axel is characterized by a serious, mature, and often reserved nature. He tends to keep his emotions and past hidden, projecting a tough exterior that suggests he is unaffected by the world around him. However, this aloofness masks a deeply passionate and caring individual, particularly towards his sister, with whom he shows great natural affection. On the field, he serves as the voice of reason for the team, speaking only when he has something meaningful to contribute and acting as a steady, intelligent force that keeps his teammates grounded. His motivation is a complex evolution from a promise born of guilt to a powerful ambition; after being persuaded by the team captain Mark Evans and Nelly Raimon that his sister would want him to play, his promise changes from never playing again to vowing not to lose a single match until she wakes up. This unwavering drive to win for Julia's sake becomes a core pillar of his character.

Axel's role in the story is pivotal, acting as both a catalyst for the team's growth and its primary goal-scoring force. His initial refusal to join the Raimon Eleven is overcome during a match against the powerful Royal Academy, where, seeing Mark Evans refuse to give up despite a massive deficit, Axel enters the game and scores an incredible goal with his signature technique, Fire Tornado, single-handedly turning the tide. This moment not only saves the Raimon football club from disbandment but also solidifies his position as the team's star player. Throughout the Football Frontier tournament and beyond, his presence and abilities push his teammates to improve, leading to the development of numerous combination techniques. His key relationships are fundamental to his development, most notably with Mark Evans, whose relentless optimism and never-give-up attitude inspire Axel to return to the sport he loves. He also forms strong bonds with other core team members like Jude Sharp, Shawn Froste, and Austin Hobbes, often serving as a calming and focused counterpart to their energies.

Axel undergoes significant development as the series progresses. After the Football Frontier victory and his sister awakening from her coma, he faces new challenges, including being temporarily forced out of the team during the Alieus Academy arc to protect his sister from further threats. He later returns with even greater power to help his friends. His conviction is tested again during the international tournament when his father pressures him to quit football and become a doctor, a conflict resolved when his father witnesses his son's absolute dedication to the sport. In the Inazuma Eleven GO series, his character takes a dramatic turn; he appears as the Holy Emperor of Fifth Sector under the alias Alex Zabel, an antagonist who enforces a rigid, controlled style of football. This is later revealed to be a deep-cover mission to reform the sport from within, showcasing his willingness to sacrifice his own reputation for the greater good.

Notable abilities are Axel's defining feature, almost all of which are fire-based and visually spectacular. His signature solo hissatsu technique is Fire Tornado, where he spins mid-air and kicks the ball, surrounding it in a fierce tornado of flames. He later develops even more powerful solo shots, including Fireball Storm and Fireball Screw. He is also a master of combination techniques, such as Dragon Tornado with Kevin Dragonfly, Inazuma Drop with Jack Wallside, Inazuma Break with Mark and Jude, Crossfire with Shawn, and Tiger Storm with Austin. In later arcs and films, he learns ultimate combination shots like Grand Fire with Xavier and Austin, and Jet Stream with Mark and Austin. Each new technique represents not just an increase in power, but his growing bond with his teammates and his unwavering commitment to winning for those he cares about.