Free! Take Your Marks

Taking place between the events of Free!: Eternal Summer and Free!: Dive to the Future, Free!: Take Your Marks plays out the graduated seniors' last summer through four different stories before they set sail for the future.

Unmei no Choice! (Destined Choice!) follows Haruka Nanase and Makoto Tachibana searching for a new apartment for Haruka as he settles into Tokyo.

Hitou no Cooling Down! (Cooling Down at the Secret Hot Spring!) sees Aiichiro Nitori choose a graduation gift for Rin Matsuoka and Sousuke Yamazaki, while Momotaro Mikoshiba wins tickets to the Anago Hot Springs. Hoping for a trip together, Aiichiro and Momotaro invite Rin and Sousuke.

Kessoku no Batafurai! (United Butterfly!) shows Rei Ryugazaki, Nagisa Hazuki, and Gou Matsuoka creating a recruitment video to attract new club members for the next school year.

Tabidachi no Etanaru Buru! (Departing Eternal Blue!) looks into the Iwatobi and Samezuka swim teams' plans for Rin's surprise going-away party, as he will be departing for Australia soon.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Matsuoka, Rin Main

Miyano, Mamoru Japanese

Tachibana, Makoto Main

Suzuki, Tatsuhisa Japanese

Nanase, Haruka Main

Shimazaki, Nobunaga Japanese

Hazuki, Nagisa Main

Yonaga, Tsubasa Japanese

Ryuugazaki, Rei Main

Hirakawa, Daisuke Japanese

Yamazaki, Sousuke Main

Hosoya, Yoshimasa Japanese

Mikoshiba, Momotarou Main

Suzumura, Kenichi Japanese

Nitori, Aiichirou Main

Miyata, Kouki Japanese

Kirishima, Ikuya Supporting

Uchiyama, Kouki Japanese

Matsuoka, Gou Supporting

Watanabe, Akeno Japanese

Cook, Justin Producer

Herek, Samantha Assistant Producer

Kawanami, Eisaku Director

Tsuruoka, Youta Sound Director

Reviews

Mar 22, 2024

Valentine07

Recommended

(Spanish review below)

'Take your marks' is a kind of interlude between the second season and the third. It tells us small stories that happen between the two seasons and establishes some new relationships: like the mysterious coach whose old apartment Haru will rent or a certain character that Sosuke met, among other things. I consider this movie 100% slice of life. I don't think it's necessary to watch it to understand the third season. If you are a fan of the anime, you will surely like to see it, but if you don't, nothing will happen. Personally, I really liked it and I screamed a ... lot when certain characters met each other and when some friendships were established for the future.

But the film doesn't have a specific plot. That's why I say it's 100% slice of life.

As always, the animation is beautiful.

...

'Take your marks' es una especie de interludio entre la segunda temporada y la tercera. Nos cuenta pequeñas historias que suceden entre ambas y planta algunas nuevas relaciones: como el misterioso entrenador cuyo viejo apartamento rentará Haru o cierto personaje que Sosuke conoce, entre otras cosas. Esta película sí la considero como slice of life al 100%. No creo que sea necesaria verla para entender la tercera temporada. Si eres fan del anime, seguro sí te gustará verla, pero sino, no pasa nada. En lo personal, me gustó mucho y me la pasé chillando cuando determinados personajes se encontraban y cuando se iban estableciendo algunas amistades para el futuro.

Pero en sí la película no desarrolla una trama en concreto. Por eso digo que es slice of life al 100%.

Como siempre, la animación es preciosa.

Reviewer’s Rating: 7

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Jul 21, 2023

smithpoul885

Recommended

The four stories occurring between Free!: Timeless Summer and Free!: Jump to the Future show the progress for every one of the characters as they mature, and their lives will change decisively when the midyear closes.
Foreordained Decision! shows Makoto assisting Haruka with hunting preceding school in Tokyo. The one he picks winds up feeling like predetermination, as a person from Free Beginning Days appears.
* Chilling Off at the Mysterious Underground aquifer! Fortunate Momo wins passes to an underground aquifer, and they give them to Rin and Sousuke as a graduation gift. Every one of the four end up there, and clever antics follow... https://flyrank.co.uk/

Reviewer’s Rating: 9

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Jun 8, 2021

Stormy_77

Recommended

Story 9/10
The are 4 stories taking place between Free!: Eternal Summer and Free!: Dive to the Future show the transition for all the characters as they mature and their lives will change dramatically when the summer ends.
* Destined Choice! shows Makoto helping Haruka apartment hunt prior to college in Tokyo. The one he chooses does end up feeling like destiny, as a character from Free Starting Days shows up.
* Cooling Down at the Secret Hot Spring! Lucky Momo wins tickets to a hot spring and they give them to Rin ans Sousuke as a graduation gift. All 4 end up there and hilarious shenanigans ... ensue.
* United Butterfly is about the Iwatobi team's new recruitment video. This one actually made me tear up. I want friends like this. Everyone should have friends like this. Also the reality is it is very hard to keep a specialized club going, without support, but friendship CAN last the test of time and distance. At least that's the message here, full of hope.
* Departing Eternal Blue! Starts with Rin's emotional reaction to a movie. OH NO we can't be together if you love cats!!! Then the Iwatobi and Samezuka swim teams' plans for Rin's surprise going-away party are misinterpreted by Rin as Momo wants to date Gou. And the mis-understanding just gets bigger, and bigger, and bigger. This was great, I was laughing so hard.

Art 9/10

The characters got a chance to dress really well in many outfits and the quality was good as usual.

Sound 8/10

This could have been better. Not sure why they did chibi Elvis outfits for the ED, I kind of miss the boy band music video versions from season 1 and 2 to be honest.

Character 10/10

I've grown really attached to all of them. Except Haru, who, while talented, frankly has loads of room for improvement. I consider him a work in progress but all the rest are great and I'd be friends with all of them in a heartbeat.

Enjoyment 9/10

I loved this installment of the Free Franchise. Time does go on. People grow up and situations change - there are so many transitions in life and this slice of life sports anime shows them to great effect. Changes don't mean endings, but new beginnings. At the end of the day, it is up to both parties to keep in touch and keep the friendship going. If fate wills it, they'll meet again.

Reviewer’s Rating: 9

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	Poll: Free!: Take Your Marks Episode 1 Discussion JokerVentura - Apr 27, 2018	21 replies	by CCC47 »» Jan 29, 7:16 PM
	Is this canon? TheoPKTNS - Jul 23, 2019	5 replies	by removed-user »» Dec 18, 2019 1:44 PM
	When will Free! Take Your Marks be available to watch on DVD/ internet? Kitty-Kate - Apr 5, 2018	2 replies	by Kitty-Kate »» Apr 20, 2018 4:14 PM
	Anticipation Thread Daisuki - Mar 21, 2017	49 replies	by DeletedUser666 »» Nov 20, 2017 3:09 PM