KyoAni's Swimming Anime 'Free!' Due in July

by dtshyk
Apr 26, 2013 8:12 AM | 573 Comments

According to Mainichi, Kyoto Animation has announced on Niconico Live that a TV anime "Free!" will be aired from July. It will be about a high school swimming club. The story is based on Kouji Ouji's "High Speed!", an honorable mention recipient in the 2nd Kyoto Animation Awards in 2011.

Key Visual of "Free!"
Short trailer of "Free!" aired as a TV ad of KyoAni this March

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

Story:
Haruka, Rin, Makoto, and Nagisa used to be the members of the same swimming club in elementary school. They won a tournament just before their graduation and then they went separate ways. Time passed and now Haruka has been spending his high school days idly. One day, Rin comes to Haruka and challenges him to a swim. Haruka easily gets overwhelmed by Rin's swimming skills. In order to beat Rin, Haruka establishes the "Iwatobi High School Swimming Club" by gathering Makoto and Nagisa again and drafting in Rei.

Source: Mainichi

Story by omgiloverice

Free! on MAL

20 of 573 Comments Recent Comments

Tommk said:
Its shit

10/10 review.

Aug 29, 2013 6:23 PM by Laciie

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EmeraldSlate said:
If by Week 1 this show has a <6.00 ranking on

Psst. The score is 7.91 on MAL right now.

Aug 16, 2013 12:15 PM by phoenixalia

Free! isn't bad, but I do hope they pick the pace up. Are they trying to put the competition in the final three episodes and dedicating the rest to helping Rei to swim?

Aug 13, 2013 11:17 PM by yhunata

Tommk said:
Its shit

2deepforidiotslikeyou

Aug 13, 2013 5:54 PM by Hiryu12

Tommk said:
Its shit

Painfully insightful.

Aug 12, 2013 10:44 PM by Edefrem

Tommk said:
Its shit

In what way I wonder...

Aug 12, 2013 10:40 PM by symbv

Its shit

Aug 12, 2013 10:38 PM by FALLOUT4

xeusaron said:
Rejection of Little Busters, Tamako market, and now this? R.I.P. Kyoani.

Pfffffftttt.

Aug 12, 2013 7:11 PM by marx-chan

xeusaron said:
Rejection of Little Busters, Tamako market, and now this? R.I.P. Kyoani.

I can't stop laughing at this comment XD

Aug 12, 2013 7:03 PM by mistress_kisara

Rejection of Little Busters, Tamako market, and now this? R.I.P. Kyoani.

Aug 12, 2013 4:10 PM by omnislack

This looks so incredible! Pefect for the summer ^^ Can't wait to see it !

Mod Edit: No reaction images please.

Jun 18, 2013 9:36 AM by Kasuummi

Animation/art looks amazing.

/hope this doesn't turn into a yaoi

Jun 16, 2013 9:35 PM by sometim3s

Fan-gurling all over this :3 -drool- I wonder if this gonna get a dub

Jun 16, 2013 1:18 PM by Kawaiimikichan2

EmeraldSlate said:
If by Week 1 this show has a <6.00 ranking on MAL, I'm going to post a picture of me IRL.

I loled at that. Now, all of us gotta do the same and KyoAni will definetely stop makin' Free halfway.

Anyway, gonna watch it. Being KyoAni fanboy is sufferin'....

Jun 14, 2013 8:15 AM by LIquId4T0r

EmeraldSlate said:
If by Week 1 this show has a <6.00 ranking on MAL, I'm going to post a picture of me IRL.

The way you're treating this like some sort of high stakes gamble leads me to believe you're ugly.

Jun 11, 2013 2:48 PM by Red_Keys

OMG, can't wait for the series to start airing <3.<3
I think Rin is the bad-ass guy in this series, so my vote goes for him, although, Haruka is in a reeeeaaaallyyyyy close second :)

Jun 11, 2013 2:42 PM by sacriface777

If by Week 1 this show has a <6.00 ranking on MAL, I'm going to post a picture of me IRL.

Jun 10, 2013 1:36 PM by Slatrix

symbv said:

Julliant said:
Just out of curiosity, has there been any announcement or reveal of female characters? I know the target audience are the ladies but it would make sense if there was a female character (protagonist?) to follow.

Good timing, KyoAni have just announced the female cast:

http://iwatobi-sc.com/character/gou.html
http://iwatobi-sc.com/character/amakata.html

The first is Rin's younger sister, the second is the classics teacher for Rin and Makoto

Such a low-key announcement compared to the fanfare of the male casts. There are no females in the first PV that made me wonder if they even exist LOL. Of course, everyone knows "bromance" is the most important here :D. Kyoani goes full throttle with female audience this time.

Regardless of how the anime turns out, I think we should brace ourselves to the explosive MAl thread comparable to SAO's this summer (well, maybe not. Episode 1 would have the similar post count to Shingeki no Kyojin, but the rest would be likely at Gagrantia's level)

Jun 10, 2013 10:35 AM by ThangLong

Num1dad_Asura said:

SetsukoHara said:
US swimming team: