Free! Dive to the Future - Soushun no Build-up!

As they adjust to life in Tokyo, Haruka Nanase and Makoto Tachibana prepare for their university's opening ceremony. However, while running some errands, they find themselves representing Iwatobi in a regional mascot wrestling tournament. Unbeknownst to them, the rest of the Iwatobi and Samezuka swim club members are watching the event's live broadcast at a local festival.

While also adapting to the quick change of pace, Ikuya Kirishima and Hiyori Toono discuss what moving from the countryside to the city was like.

Crossing paths with old friends on the bustling streets of Tokyo, the curtain rises on a new chapter in the boys' lives.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Tachibana, Makoto Main

Suzuki, Tatsuhisa Japanese

Nanase, Haruka Main

Shimazaki, Nobunaga Japanese

Matsuoka, Rin Supporting

Miyano, Mamoru Japanese

Hazuki, Nagisa Supporting

Yonaga, Tsubasa Japanese

Ryuugazaki, Rei Supporting

Hirakawa, Daisuke Japanese

Yamazaki, Sousuke Supporting

Hosoya, Yoshimasa Japanese

Kirishima, Ikuya Supporting

Uchiyama, Kouki Japanese

Matsuoka, Gou Supporting

Watanabe, Akeno Japanese

Shigino, Kisumi Supporting

Suzuki, Chihiro Japanese

Mikoshiba, Momotarou Supporting

Suzumura, Kenichi Japanese

Kitanohara, Noriyuki Episode Director, Storyboard

Katou, Tatsuya Music

Ooji, Kouji Original Creator

Reviews

Feb 3, 2019

Ant161718

Recommended

It was an more hilarious episode than usually, and you can feel the emotions of everyone about the new start that they all are living , it brings you the sensation that something big its coming. In this special like in the previous movie "Take your marks" the element of funny confussions and coincidence again as ingredient,was perfect!
It really deserves your chance, the ED was the best of all! Hope to see more sexy's dance of the boys like this!

MUSIC: Like I said, the ending was the best of the OST that they used it here to me. As well, the sounds ... and melodies applyed for the moments of fight and tension fit very well.
ART: Like always in the previous presentations of Free! Its a really pretty art and animation too. Just on the point.
STORY: Here, its not about anything so important or tracendent about de main story of the destiny of our characteres but its a sweet and fun episode like we know, the essence of Free!
CHARACTERES: All of them have something beautiful to show and enjoy. I was just concerned and confused because of the similarities between Haruka and Ikuya, even I was thinking that their seiyuu's were the same, but thats not the case. However, they are so similar,I hope that this change in a certain future.
ENJOYMENT: So funny, nothing hard to see if you like rythm-storyline of Free.

OVERALL: An 9 because of I enjoyed a lot and laugh.

Reviewer’s Rating: 9

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Oct 18, 2018

BabyGirl06301

Recommended

So, this episode was... weird. I still liked it a lot, but it felt different from the normal Free! It was closer to something from a comedy than from a drama. It isn't anything like the last special of Free! that we got for Eternal Summer.

This episode takes place between Take Your Marks and the main Dive to the Future storyline. So, it's before everything in Dive to the Future happened. Ikuya isn't yet a part of the friend group again, Asahi hasn't reunited with everyone, and Rin has just gotten to Australia. You're not really gonna get any Rin in this episode, which ... is a shame, but since it's a prequel to season three, it's difficult to fit Rin in. You'll get a couple chunks here and there of Ikuya with Hiyori and Asahi with Kisumi, as well as an appearance by Mikoshiba. For the most part, though, this episode shows Haru, Makoto, Sousuke, and the guys from Iwatobi and Samezuka.

It's a fun little episode with Makoto dressing up as Iwatobi-chan and participating in a sumo match while everyone back home watches. It's out of character for Makoto to be in an embarrassing situation like this, so I love that about this episode. Also, you get to see a little more of Haru being the nerdy about mascots, which is always welcome.

It doesn't have any story substance, obviously, because it's an extra episode. However, it does end with a nice nod to the story to come. Personally, I would've preferred to see a special that took place after the events of Dive to the Future, but considering how season three ended, I understand why they chose to go for something that happened beforehand.

I don't know, you'll enjoy this if you enjoy Free! It's not quite as fun and unique as the previous special, but I still got A LOT of laughs out of it. Check it out!

Reviewer’s Rating: 10

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Jun 8, 2021

Stormy_77

Recommended

This takes place after Free: Take your marks and is the prequel episode to Season 3 of Free: Dive to the Future.

Story, sound, enjoyment - 8/10

Summer is over and everyone is now transitioning to the new season of their lives. 2 characters from Free Starting Days (when Haru was in the middle school swimming club) show up. This is great for the story, but not for the character because there is no pay off, a reason why I rated character 7/10. To be honest, the best part of this might have been Haru and Mako in suits (yummy fan service for ladies), looking all handsome ... and grown up, closely followed by the Iwatobi-chan Mascot Sumo sequence which made me laugh out loud at.

The sound is good again! No more Chibi ED. We got the most boy band ED of all and I am so happy I did finger guns when I saw hit. Hot damn, YES!

Character 7/10

I'm excited to see what happens when one of the old but new characters meets Haru, because, frankly, Haru did that guy a dirty and caused the middle school swim club to disband. This is after everyone BEGGED that guy to join the swim club. And they swam a great relay. And then Haru quits! We all know why Haru quit, but that emo dweeb has the considerate nature of a dung beetle and the communication skills of a log, so he never explained or told anyone why he did what he did.

People - do NOT be like Haru. Just 'fess up. Less misunderstandings and resentment later. Most folks might not agree, but once they know, at least they'll understand. Expect some major fireworks and angst when they eventually cross paths in S3 Dive To The Future. They set this up really well. Giving this a 7/10 because there's only allusions and no actual resolution to this.

Overall 8/10

A solid introduction to the third season of Free, which I will immediately Dive into in the future. Hah! Couldn't resist the pun.

Reviewer’s Rating: 8

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