Free! Iwatobi Swim Club

Started by TwilightBlade July 11th, 2013 3:38 PM
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  • 14 replies

TwilightBlade

All dreams are but another reality.

Age 31
Female
Florida
Seen 7 Hours Ago
Posted 8 Hours Ago
7,098 posts
16 Years
Episodes: 12
Status: Currently Airing
Genres: Sports, Slice of Life
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: myanimelist

antemortem

rest after tomorrow

Age 24
he/they
Los Angeles
Seen June 15th, 2022
Posted June 14th, 2022
7,467 posts
11.3 Years
Instead of making good shows like Nichijou or Hyouka they switch the genders of a generic cute girl show and make them take their clothes off multiple times per episode.

Wonderful.
What exactly is wrong with that and what makes Nichijou any better than this already? There's been two episodes so far and making such an early judgement still has the potential to be a mistake. It's a sub-generic shounen (though, as I said to Netto Azure, I don't think it's THAT standard! D:<) with a good plot, and I don't see much more cookie-cutter in this than anything else of recent.
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Sheep

She/Her
Australia
Online now
Posted 37 Minutes Ago
39,246 posts
16.6 Years
This might come off as a show that does nothing but provide fanservice but if you actually give it a try you'll see that there's an actual story behind the series and, assuming you're not totally against the fanservice, it's something you can enjoy. It's not really as cookie-cutter of a series as one would expect, either. Seems like a handful of people write this off because it's fanservice heavy, which is pretty silly. Makes me sad to hear how much dislike the series gets on Tumblr.

I love this anime though. :D; So far the episodes have been pretty great, especially this week's.
Age 31
Female
The Wired
Seen April 27th, 2016
Posted February 1st, 2016
7,540 posts
12.9 Years
What exactly is wrong with that
Nothing really.

what makes Nichijou any better than this already?
Everything about Nichijou was better. I wasn't making a direct comparison though, was simply stating a couple of recent shows by the same studio that had more value to me than a cheap laugh.

good plot
I guess it depends on what you call good. Seems to me like it will some sort of cross between a generic sports show and an otome game.

You're totally right though, there has only been 2 episodes. The endless character depth, well thought out and written plot twists, intense action and deep emotional impact might well be just around the corner.

TwilightBlade

All dreams are but another reality.

Age 31
Female
Florida
Seen 7 Hours Ago
Posted 8 Hours Ago
7,098 posts
16 Years
Episode 2
Spoiler:

Okay, I get it, he really likes water. 8D



Episode 3
Spoiler:
Kou fangirling whyyy

Haru's determination to find the 4th club member peaked when he learned that he could swim in an indoor pool XD;

I liked Rei's introduction and development all in one episode - he used theory and calculation, but that could only get him so far in sports. He seemed serious, but he's provided some funny scenes so far. Total fail at his first attempt at swimming.



antemortem

rest after tomorrow

Age 24
he/they
Los Angeles
Seen June 15th, 2022
Posted June 14th, 2022
7,467 posts
11.3 Years
Spoiler:
Kou fangirling whyyy

Haru's determination to find the 4th club member peaked when he learned that he could swim in an indoor pool XD;

I liked Rei's introduction and development all in one episode - he used theory and calculation, but that could only get him so far in sports. He seemed serious, but he's provided some funny scenes so far. Total fail at his first attempt at swimming.



Spoiler:
God, Kou is so awkward.

I officially love Rei. I thought he was going to be a stick in the mud when he was first introduced, but his eventual lofty humor made me just fall in love. Probably my new favorite character besides Makoto, heh.
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Satoshi Ookami

Memento Mori

Age 30
Male
Abyss of Time, Great Seal
Seen August 5th, 2018
Posted July 3rd, 2018
14,253 posts
14.8 Years
I feel kinda weird for liking this... but it shows that KyoAni can do anything they decide to do xD
I must say I love the water animation... it's very beautiful.
And the story seems to be interesting so far.
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antemortem

rest after tomorrow

Age 24
he/they
Los Angeles
Seen June 15th, 2022
Posted June 14th, 2022
7,467 posts
11.3 Years
I must say I love the water animation... it's very beautiful.
And the story seems to be interesting so far.
Isn't it? The whole anime is very beautiful. For some reason I felt like it wouldn't have all that big a budget and would be of slightly poor quality, but it's actually really nice. :3 As for the story, I'm liking it; it's not as completely irrational an anime as I thought it might be at first sight. A lot of original sports anime tend to be like that, but this one breaks that mold, I think.
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Sheep

She/Her
Australia
Online now
Posted 37 Minutes Ago
39,246 posts
16.6 Years
Episode 4... my god.

Spoiler:
Too many hilarious scenes. Rei tries so, so hard to learn to swim but always flops in the end. 8D; Though nothing beats their swimsuit shopping. Haru's picks are always exactly the same as his swimsuits back home yet Rei's the one with a totally eccentric sense of style and color. Though that scene where Rin pinned Haru against the fence was totally made for fanservice. They should've just kissed right there.

I have to share this picture as well, it was arguably the best part of the episode:

Spoiler:


rei-chan y u so fab

Toutebelle

Banned

Male
New York, USA
Seen August 22nd, 2014
Posted July 12th, 2014
122 posts
10.3 Years
The artwork is amazing...but it is a bit overexposed. I hear about it so much I think I'd like to parody it.

I'm actually not bothered by the fanservice. You hardly ever get to see straight male characters in skin-tight swimsuits. After observing the travesty of baggy board shorts that went past the knee, tight swimsuits are refreshing. I mean, a guy doesn't have to be gay, elderly, Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, or Tom Daley to wear a tight swimsuit. After all, I have no shame in depicting the male Pokemon characters in tight swimwear. I've actually drawn several of them wearing speedos! Fanservicey costumes should be for both genders, not just girls.

Most of the characters seem decent. Considering the sheer arrogance of Ryan Lochte in especial, it's nice to see male swimmers who aren't narcissists. The guys are cute and have muscles that are believable for their age. In American cartoons, athletic teenage boys often get builds like the guys on He-Man. I don't recall any jock in my high school having overly large muscles. I was bigger than many of the school's wrestlers and football players, and I suck at sports! Though most of my size is due to large bones and fatty tissue, not muscles.

Satoshi Ookami

Memento Mori

Age 30
Male
Abyss of Time, Great Seal
Seen August 5th, 2018
Posted July 3rd, 2018
14,253 posts
14.8 Years
I mean, a guy doesn't have to be gay, elderly, Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte, or Tom Daley
What about Ian Thorpe? :D

Anyways the 5th episode started to build nice drama... I'm looking forward to next one.
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antemortem

rest after tomorrow

Age 24
he/they
Los Angeles
Seen June 15th, 2022
Posted June 14th, 2022
7,467 posts
11.3 Years
What about Ian Thorpe? :D

Anyways the 5th episode started to build nice drama... I'm looking forward to next one.
I agree, I agree.

What does everyone think about Despaire's review on Free!? I find it pretty accurate and I'm glad someone's finally said something about the fact that the commotion over an anime 'catering to the female audience' for once is a little too brusque.
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Satoshi Ookami

Memento Mori

Age 30
Male
Abyss of Time, Great Seal
Seen August 5th, 2018
Posted July 3rd, 2018
14,253 posts
14.8 Years
I don't really find Free controversial... KyoAni simply knows what sells =D And fujoshi haven't had anything to spend their money on =D
And they are probably the only ones that can do anime for fujoshi =D

Anyways, episode 6 almost gave out the fanservice fujoshi are waiting for (yeah, I'm talking about almost CPR scene =D)
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