Story - 7/10
When I found out that the series was only 12 episodes long, I got a bit skeptical. I noticed how sports anime usually lasts at least 25 episodes per series so I had a hunch that the quality of the story (or how they convey it) would be quite compromised.
The story was, okay. It went at a fair pace, although there were times when I thought "Well, that escalated quickly." but they were rare times and could easily be overlooked. There were moments where the story becomes a little bit predictable, but maybe that's just because I'm someone who unconsciously likes to predict possible outcomes of this and that.
Although everything was about swimming, unlike other sports anime, Free! didn't revolve much around the dynamics and technicalities of the sport. Rather, the series was leaning more to how swimming affected the main character (Haru) and the people around him.
Art and Animation - 10/10
HECK YES. The art is probably one of the major reasons why I wanted to watch the series. Free! was visually stunning, and no, not just because of the well carved torsos or the impeccably perfect triceps, but because of the well carved torsos and the impeccably perfect triceps. Haha! But seriously, it wasn't because they were hot as summer whenever they appear sans their shirts, it's because of how well they were portrayed sans their shirts. The detail is no joke, people. And the way they animated them moving through difficult-to-animate water was just STUNNING.
And yes, they do wear clothes other than their swimsuits and uniforms. Another factor that I really like about the art is how each character is does not have one full closet of the same casual clothing. Provided that the times that they do wear casual clothing is less than when they're shirtless or in their school uniform, all the more that I appreciate the effort exerted in making their clothes vary and fashionable.
I can't even properly put to words how amazing the art (and animation) is for Free! but if you want to check it out without really spoiling yourself, you can go and search videos of the Opening and Ending clips of the series.
Sound - 9/10
And speaking of the OP and ED of the series, both were enjoyable and can really get you hooked. The opening song is sang by Oldcodex, and having watched Kuroko no Basuke, I didn't have to worry about whether I was going to like the opening song or not. It was upbeat and listening to it coupled with the animation would really get you hyped up. Whenever I watch and/or listen to it I would unknowingly feel my breath hitch for a second or two. You know how songs could reach out to you in a certain way whenever you hear it? Being a music lover, songs that make me hold my breath while building excitement are the best!
But while I liked the opening song, the ending song is what got me sold! The concept was very unique. It was different and entertaining to watch. The music was perfect in every way that it can be. I adore the song so much that I have it on repeat right this moment (LSS right here guys, save me) and I probably won't be able to get it out of my head for the rest of the week.
The soundtrack in the anime were okay. It doesn't stand out greatly, but that doesn't matter much since mostly don't even notice that a soundtrack is playing. However I do take notice of the background music of scenes, whether they're appropriate or not, and for Free!, well, it was again, okay.
Character - 8/10
As I've mentioned above, Free! doesn't dwell on the technicalities and dynamics of swimming but more on how the sport influences the main character and the people around him. This means that unlike in other sports anime, character development in Free! isn't only limited to one's growth his/her skills and attitude towards the sport and the competition. Truth be told, there is little to no development with their swimming skills other than their increasing stamina and other basic aspects.
The characters are the focal point of the series. Their attitude towards each other was highlighted throughout the twelve episodes and it was pretty interesting to watch for a change. Although it is implied in the first few episodes how there's some deep history between Haru and Rin, later on you'll discover how it wasn't that deep really, but also not too shallow. The characters still had substance and albeit somewhat lacking in a way (probably because of how short the series was), were still fairly interesting.
Enjoyment - 8/10
What girl wouldn't enjoy seeing half-naked boys splashing about with more half-naked boys, right? Lol, that sounded so wrong, but hey, the series was still pretty entertaining to watch. I was a little bit let down when I discovered how the series wasn't geared much to the sport itself, but I still ended up wanting to watch it till the end.
There are a lot of cringe-worthy moments and yes I'm pertaining to the fanservice moments of the series. It was disturbing but not to the extent that I had to pause the episode to take a breather and compose myself. I'm an expert in ignoring fanservice as the series progresses so it wasn't much of a problem for me.
I was skeptical at first, but in the end it was enjoying; not one of the greats, but still entertaining.
Overall - 8/10
If you're looking for a sports anime that's toned down in terms of tournaments and competitive rivalry, then I'd suggest you check out Free! Although the story was a little lacking, it doesn't really matter much once you actually watch it. Not bad, so I say.
