Free!

[julez]

Genre: Sports
Studio: Kyoto Animation x Animation DO
Director: Hiroko Utsumi (Chuunibyou demo Koi ga Shitai!: Kirameki no... Slapstick Noel)
Series Composition: Masahiro Yokotani (Hataraku Maou-sama!, Beelzebub)

Original Concept: Kōji Ōji
Music: Tatsuya Katou (Kämpfer, Mirai Nikki)

Number of episodes: unknown

Opening Theme:
"Rage on" by OLDCODEX

Ending Theme:
"SPLASH FREE" by Haruka Nanase (Nobunaga Shimazaki), Makoto Tachibana (Tatsuhisa Suzuki), Rin Matsuoka (Mamoru Miyano), Nagisa Nazuki (Tsubasa Yonaga), Rei Ryugasaki (Daisuke Hirakawa)


Synopsis:
The story revolves around Haruka Nanase, a boy who has always loved to be immersed in water, and to swim in it. Before graduating from elementary school, he participated in a swimming tournament along with his fellow swimming club members, Makoto Tachibana, Nagisa Hazuki, and Rin Matsuoka. After achieving victory, each of the boys went their separate ways.

Time passed, and in the middle of their uneventful high school lives Rin appears and challenges Haruka to a match, showing Haruka his overwhelming power. Not wanting it to end like this, Haruka, gathers together Makoto and Nagisa once again and brings a new member named Rei Ryugazaki to create the Iwatobi High School Swimming Club in order to defeat Rin.

(Source: ANN)

Cast:
Daisuke Hirakawa as Rei Ryugazaki
Mamoru Miyano as Rin Matsuoka
Nobunaga Shimazaki as Haruka Nanase
Tatsuhisa Suzuki as Makoto Tachibana
Tsubasa Yonaga as Nagisa Hazuki

Akeno Watanabe as Gō Matsuoka
Satsuki Yukino as Miho Amakata

Thoughts: I'm interested in seeing how KyoAni and it's subsidiary Animation DO handle a sports anime which is totally different from their usual "slice of life." The animation looks beautiful from the promos, and I honestly can't wait to see what it turns out to be. I hope it's more than just fujoshi bait, and that there's some real competitive spirit as well as heart, which is what draws me to most sports anime.

 

[Marine-RX179]

QUOTE (julezia @ Jun 26 2013, 01:58 PM) Thoughts: I'm interested in seeing how KyoAni and it's subsidiary Animation DO handle a sports anime which is totally different from their usual "slice of life." The animation looks beautiful from the promos, and I honestly can't wait to see what it turns out to be. I hope it's more than just fujoshi bait, and that there's some real competitive spirit as well as heart, which is what draws me to most sports anime.
Well...best of luck I just gonna say. I seriously doubt the main focus is gonna be the sport competition...I think it is most likely gonna be a "K-ON" but with guys and a bit of swimming on the side...

 

[julez]

QUOTE (Marine-RX179 @ Jun 27 2013, 12:42 PM) Well...best of luck I just gonna say. I seriously doubt the main focus is gonna be the sport competition...I think it is most likely gonna be a "K-ON" but with guys and a bit of swimming on the side...
Lol that works for me too... as long as it isn't too shallow.
I can imagine most KyoAni fanboys are like: Y U MAKE BEEFCAKE ANIME!? I want mah MOE girls!

 

[Enjeh]

QUOTE (julezia @ Jun 27 2013, 08:01 PM)I can imagine most KyoAni fanboys are like: Y U MAKE BEEFCAKE ANIME!? I want mah MOE girls!
Myeah actually I would rather had a show about some moe girls instead! to much muscles here. :3
They could have atleast given us one moe guy not just beefy guys. I guess the blonde guy, Nagisa? is supposed to fill that role but he ain't cute enough!

Well what ever if I find the show boring atleast im going to get to read some moefied doujins. :I

 

[Marine-RX179]

QUOTE (julezia @ Jun 27 2013, 12:01 PM) I can imagine most KyoAni fanboys are like: Y U MAKE BEEFCAKE ANIME!? I want mah MOE girls!
Actually it already long passed that phrase. it was actually more like "WHAT THE HELL IS WITH THIS SAUSAGES FEAT!? WHERE IS THE FMP SEQUEL!!!???"

 

[julez]

QUOTE (Marine-RX179 @ Jun 27 2013, 04:36 PM) Actually it already long passed that phrase. it was actually more like "WHAT THE HELL IS WITH THIS SAUSAGES FEAT!? WHERE IS THE FMP SEQUEL!!!???"

Yeaaaaaaah, I can go with that one. I would rather see an FMP! sequel myself. I wonder if that will ever happen at this rate

 

[Ausdoerrt]

QUOTE (Marine-RX179 @ Jun 27 2013, 04:36 PM) Actually it already long passed that phrase. it was actually more like "WHAT THE HELL IS WITH THIS SAUSAGES FEAT!? WHERE IS THE FMP SEQUEL!!!???"

Not sure I wanna see a FMP sequel after TSR...

 

[julez]

Oh my! Yes K-ON with boys is a pretty accurate description, Marine. There is some rivalry and pure love for swimming as a sport, so I don't think it will turn guys off totally.
However, I can see the fujoshi's salivating all over this one, and tons of BL fanart coming out of it, in the same vein as Kuroko no Basket. Needless to say this will be my guilty pleasure pick of the season!
Also it is not a total sausage fest, there is a girl character and we have yet to see what role she will play in all of this. She seems to have an interest in Haruka, but maybe to find out more about her brother?
I also thought it was interesting that all the guys have typically "girl" names

I didn't notice it with Makoto, but "Haruka" brought a lot of female characters to mind from other shows.

I just found this randomly on tumblr and thought it was funny: QUOTE We all know that Haru trains hard in swimming but, how many hours a day do you think he trains in taking off his pants? I mean really, how fast can this guy take it off? LOL

 

[julez]

Hmm no other posts on this anime? Am I the sole one watching this?

You know there is the element of competition like in other sports anime in this, it's not only aimed at girls, but I will admit the fujoshi bait is definitely there.

I feel that Haruka is kind of a flat character, all he seems to care about is swimming in a pool. He doesn't have too many facial expressions, except when seen in the flashback, he felt bad that Rin was so upset about losing to him.
Rin is a more complex character, we still don't know why he quit swimming (as Gou found out, he wasn't on his school's swimming team).

Also, you guys should know that Gou or "Kou" looks like she will play a more prominent role now as the Iwatobi High School Swimming Club's manager. So it really isn't a total sausage fest

 

[Barbobot]

I'm watching it, cause despite all the fanservice for women, it's still a fun show. Aside from the genki character, whatever is name is (Nagisa perhaps? the shorter one). I just find his character extremely irritating, but the rest of the show is still interesting. Loved Kou's reaction to seeing all the bare chested men and only being able to think of traps and delts.

Doesn't hurt that it's animated so very very well.

BTW, KyoAni needs to do more shows with character designs that look more like proper high school students like this show. Kou's design is definitely better than the other KyoAni female designs in recent memory.

 

[julez]

QUOTE (Barbobot @ Jul 12 2013, 10:18 PM) BTW, KyoAni needs to do more shows with character designs that look more like proper high school students like this show. Kou's design is definitely better than the other KyoAni female designs in recent memory.
Yeah I totally agree with you there, I'd like to see KyoAni animate high school girls looking like her, instead of 12 yr olds.

BTW you're not the only one who finds Nagisa really annoying

I'm guessing they wanted to have a girly guy to contrast all the manly men.

 

[Marine-RX179]

I am not watching this show, but saw this MAD on niconico ranking, so I thought I'd share it for the lulz

This falls under the usual "When hentai people are provided with technology, this is the result!" tag

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1B3YBIw7sw

The BGM is trolling so hard

 

[julez]

QUOTE (Marine-RX179 @ Jul 17 2013, 06:18 PM) I am not watching this show, but saw this MAD on niconico ranking, so I thought I'd share it for the lulz

This falls under the usual "When hentai people are provided with technology, this is the result!" tag

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1B3YBIw7sw

The BGM is trolling so hard

OMG I have to admit that was hilarious! I know what you mean about the BGM too

The latest episode was fun, I enjoyed the belly flop moment with Rei-chan, along with the speedo he was forced to wear. I kinda figured that maybe he was so resistant to joining because he couldn't swim. But is pride up until that belly flop moment made it all the more funny!

I LOL-ed at Kou fawning over the nice biceps and muscles all the guys have. She's found her calling as a swim team manager

 

[julez]

I sudden dramatic change of pace at the end of episode 5... when Rei went in the water to practice during the night I just knew things were going to go badly. I just kept thinking WHYYY did you do that?! I know he has a lot of pride and thats why he wanted to practice by himself in secret, but now he's created a really bad situation for himself and Makoto.

I suppose this had to happen though, because now Makoto is forced to face whatever trauma he has gone through with the ocean.

I'm suspecting that he's lost a loved one, maybe somebody drowned...? I am anxious to see the next ep!!!

 

[labk1ta]

awwww! i can't wait for the result of the relay. nice move g/kou-chan, entering them on relay. rin-chan was sooooo jealous. he was upset with rei-chan's [pathetic] butterfly. LOL.

on the side note, i wonder why they made rin-chan's teeth like shark's teeth.

 

[Klyern]

its up to ep 12, and im starting to get the small feeling that theres a few male couplings in this anime....

 

[narmis]

Okay, I am so confused....the wikia for Free! says that there are only 12 epsiodes and two short movies, so why does Fansub's calender say that there is an episode 13 and it is going to be released tomorrow?