No. This series gives me an ick. I came into this franchise thinking that this anime would scratch the itch that ive had to see my own sport in an anime. Of course, i couldnt expect it to be like haikyuu or slam dunk tier, but i wanted to see a story that centered around the highs and lows of swimming. All that my sport had been reduced to here is a backdrop for pretty fruity boys.
First off "I only swim free" You have to agree to be put in any event regardless of style when you join a team so that was already stupid. Plus seeing comments on Michael Phelps race videos like " Guys he only swims free" ( i actually saw that on his olympic 200 fly final video) its just weird. Dont give people the wrong idea about us. This series is so wildly unrealistic that watching it makes me want to reach through the screen and fix everything. Nobody wears their goggles around their neck. Nobody wears just one cap for international races. AND PULL THE DAMN THING OVER YOUR EARS OH MY GOD. Also, full leg length tech suits were banned in mens competition almost 20 years ago. The dramatization is far too much and theres not enough real emotion to connect the watcher to anything swimming related. Its just fanservice. My sport was reduced to fanservice. I get swimming is kind of boring to non swimmers. but no need to dramatize it like that. I hope in the future someone whos actually swam and competed within the club circuit decides to write a story.
I wanted my sport to be depicted as beautifully as Volleyball or Basketball have been within this industry. But this felt like a mockery of everything we've ever stood for.
okay now that my hate rant is over, time to pick apart the more conventional aspects
Story 5/10
I dont even fully understand it because its so simple and cliche. Theres no complex emotions at all.
art: 7/10
I really liked the animation and art of this show and movie, kyoani is kyoani and they delivered as per usual.
sound 5/10
the soundtrack for this movie made me visibly cringe. The voice acting is mediocre at best because of all the squeaky moe characters theyve had the actors carry out. The cast is incredible, but this isnt their best work. Also, the english announcing. i wanted to crawl into a hole. At least they didnt make it like a poor attempt of the VAs speaking english but its still jarring.
characters; 3
i fucking hate all the characters in this show. Theyre all very immature and their ways of swimming one separate stroke each is like neanderthal swim thinking. I hate breastroke, yet my coach still makes me swim it, why not try to bring in more technical aspects such as how you need to do all events in order to be ranked nationally and internationally. What a joke.
Enjoyment: 4
i just felt like the whole time the show was made by someone who just picked swimming for the anime because it requires the dudes to be half naked. As well as my hate rant above which kind of explains this score.
Overall 6
This movie is a solid 6 and the series is a solid 5.
I hope you guys enjoyed this wildly inaccurate portrayal, while i understand the shows plotpoint is not to showcase swimming itself, i wish it had at least done a better part of the smaller portrayal. , while im happy for at least a swim anime, this is childish and primitive story wise, i hope a real portrayal can be even more enjoyable and be taken seriously.
