Saturday, September 28, 2013
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| sorry the gif was too priceless to not use... |
And so the three-month run of KyoAni's controversial swimming anime has ended and I can say I'm left pretty satisfied. But I'm still contemplating the characters' sexuality...
Free took on a pretty predictable plot halfway through but it's the slice-of-life feel, plus the staggering animation and the timely humour that enhanced my experience. Yes, there are sexuality issues, I mean like in what world does a guy slam another guy into a fence and push his face really close and then the fujoshi waiting for that kiss that will never happen.
Pushing aside the gay undertones, I'd say it's cute.
As for plot, it's pretty much meh once you get an idea of what's going on, and the mackerel jokes just ( i actually managed to predict one of them xD ). I'll try not to ramble and organise my thoughts. Let's get started with the characters.
First, our seemingly stoic main character - Nanase Haruka ~Dolphin
Dubbed Haru-chan, Haru-chan-san, Haruka-senpai and Haru, Haruka, for about three-quarter of the series, didn't smile. He literally stonefaced throughout a good part of the show until the last few episodes when he actually started smiling and surprisingly, expressed his feelings instead of being the "cold" type. But of course, he maintained his sexual attraction to water throughout, plus that insistence that he only swam "freestyle".
Makoto and Rin are secretly his lovers seem to be the ones "closest" to him though in two varying senses. Makoto is the sweet, dependable guy who understands precisely what Haru is thinking and Rin is the guy who basically can't live without agonising over something. Haru's adorable factor is his stoic expression and the way his eyes sparkle and a blush sprouts at the corner of his eye whenever Makoto or anyone mentions a water body and swimming. The ridiculous factor is his hair flip, a representation of his "freestyle".
And Haru basically throughout the show. It matter not whether it is spring, summer, autumn or winter. Haru's love for water transcends time and space (e.g. bathtubs, out-of-bound pools, the sea).
I'm glad that Haru actually opened up towards the end. He and Rin have pretty much been caught up in misunderstandings. Apart from that, Haru isn't anyone outstanding in character but those adorable mini-blushes and surprise confessions never fail to make my otome heart go doki-doki.
Harbringer of angst, Matsuoka Rin ~Shark
Let me just say. Rin was one helluva adorable kid.
Out of the younger versions, he's, in my opinion, the most adorable. He had the most squealworthy personality but after he returned from Australia, he had become a shell of his former self, an angsty character with nothing to do but pine over Haruka and abandon the team that he was actually in - the Samezuka Swim Club. Basically a complete turn in personality and he won't ever be going back to what he was like when he was younger. Rin's problem was never the result of losing to Haru after coming back to Japan temporarily. It was, instead, his failures in individual events in Australia. As an athlete with the dream of becoming an Olympic swimmer, he was shattered by the fact that he was not good enough. This could possibly have destroyed him from the inside - and led him to blame Haru and the others for him having focused too much on the the feel of a relay.
Well, after his argument with Rei and reflecting on his actions and himself, I think Rin managed to grasp a hold of himself. And being taken off the relay by Mikoshiba, who probably realised that Rin wasn't putting his all into the Samezuka swim ream, Rin illegally swam for Iwatobi with Haru and the others in a relay - which involved cheesy visuals crying - . After that, he had complete control over himself, and while never losing that cynical streak, mended his frayed relationships with the others and immersed himself completely in swimming for Samezuka. Rin's adorable factor is undeniably, his kiddy version and his ridiculous factor is his shark teeth -.-" I don't even.
The Motherly Figure, Tachibana Makoto ~Whale
The Adorable-as-hell Shota, Hazuki Nagisa ~PenguinThe brainiac megane-kun, Ryugazaki Rei ~Butterfly
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I'd say these characters get their fair share of screen time though sometimes it can be hilarious. Makoto is always, always watching Haru and smiling to the point my best friend gets freaked out, Nagisa runs around jumping Rei and Rei runs around making weird body movements and picking the weirdest swimsuits. I am serious.
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| I don't know whether to laugh or cry |
He's a theory-freak and worships the idea of perfect form. He believed swimming to be an aesthetically ugly sport until Nagisa jumped into his life and introduced him to the thing we call a Haruka Nanase. After which he joins the swim club and discovers he can't swim. Until the last possible moment in which he has a heart-to-heart talk with Haru and tries out the butterfly stroke.
Now you know why Rei's a butterfly but how the heck does a butterfly swim.
He also instigated the sort-of fight with Rin. I don't think Rei's whiny or needy simply because of his actions. While Haru, Makoto and Nagisa had been acquainted with Rin in the past, he was the "outsider" with no clue as to what was going on between the four of them. It's inevitable he'd feel left out and kind of lonely.
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| This part was just so >/////< 「りんちゃんさんですね？」 |
Surprisingly, it's always Haru who gives the thoughtful and meaningful advice. Eventually, he feels like he's truly a part of the Iwatobi Swim Club.
Makoto is actually scared of...scary stuff. Plus he's traumatised from the memory of a fisherman he knew dying at sea and as a result, is terrified of the sea. Nagisa is pretty carefree. Cute. Adorable.
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| My favourite Nagisa moment - "I AM FREE!!" |
And the others
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| spot on. |
Gou is the adorable younger sister of Shark-kun, the manifestation of us fangirls and then there's Sasabe-coach. Ama-chan-sensei secretly used to be a swimsuit model, which is why she's so shady about her past job. lel.
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| i forgot to mention that one does not simply call Gou Gou. you call her KOU. |
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| i ship them. is it weird? |
And that is pretty much about it. Ah, but we can't forget Nitori and Captain Mikoshiba. They are two side characters I simply adore.
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| Nitori lol |
So the main male characters in a few pictures :
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| "I'm straight. It's great" skdfjekfn couldn't have been better |
The animation was obviously flawless (let's ignore the weird people with BDSM stuff going on in the ED) and well, the OSTs could, perhaps have been better but they were nice. The enjoyment was very high. Why? Because bishies + six packs + sports = ultimate package.
My overall score for free is a 7 out of 10. It fulfilled its role as a fanservice provider, as well as a great, slice-of-life with bright scenery. While the final ending image leaves doubts as to whether there will be another season ( which, honestly, I don't think is necessary but well ), I'm glad I watched Free.
If there's a harem anime for boys with girls whose chest sizes range from XXS to XXL, obviously, at some point, touch each other in the weirdest places (and nobody ever questions their sexuality), why can't we girls get some fanservice and muscles?
