TGIF! Here we are again with another Fangirl Friday! I have been sucked into sports anime hell once again… I don’t know what to tell you guys, this anime was just supposed to be background noise while I worked on some blogging stuff. But, before I knew it, I’d breezed through 10 episodes and hadn’t made any headway on my posts…So, what pray tell was the name of this captivating anime?
*mumbles indistinctly* F…e… Oh you didn’t catch that? *clears throat* It’s that swimming anime… the one with the *ahem* gratuitous fanservice, you know the one…
It’s Free: Iwatobi Swim Club… What can I say, I’m weak to scantily clad boys! Oh, did I mention they spend most of the show soaking wet? I didn’t? Well, let me correct that right now. The guys of Free spend the better part of each episodes in tight fitting swimwear with water droplets glistening on their perfectly animated torsos… *fans self* It suddenly got a little hot in here, and is anyone else thirsty?
I should clarify that I saw Octopimp’s Free abridged series, 50% OFF! long before I watched Free, so I wasn’t exactly going into this anime blind. In fact, the abridged series is oddly enough pretty spot on and if you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend watching it now, hands down one of the best abridged series out there!
Free: Iwatobi Swim Club is a 2013, sports anime based on Koji Oji’s light novel High Speed!. The series has spawned two anime seasons, one OVA, and one animated film which takes place when the characters were in junior high. The series caused a lot of buzz in the west after a short untitled PV featuring the characters from the anime was released online… I was in my last year of undergrad back then and I still remember my friend showing me the clip… I almost passed out from all the “extra stimulation”…
Let’s not mince words here, I didn’t start watching this show because I was interested in swimming, I put this show on because I knew I could watch it without having to actually pay attention to it! Unlike Haikyuu!!, Kuroko no Basketball, and Diamond no Ace, the sports aspect of the show takes a backseat to the character interaction. In fact swimming was just kind of a thing that they did between all the high school hi-jinks and swimsuit montages… So, if your looking for blood pumping swimming sequences, this is not the anime for you. But, if you want fanservice and ship fodder, Free has all of that and then some!
I didn’t even have to work hard shipping the characters on this show, the writers pretty much do all the work for you. The subtext is there and it’s not all that subtle, especially between Makoto and Haru. I’ve seen the way Makoto looks at Haru, like he’s the center of his universe. Then there’s all the angsty sexual tension between Haru and his childhood friend turned rival, Rin! Ladies and gents, I don’t know what to tell you, but every time those two shared a scene together I couldn’t help but wish they’d just jump each other’s bones and be done with it… The below clip pretty much sums up their relationship…
I should probably say something about the other characters or the plot, but I don’t really care what’s going on in the show, I just want to see more shirtless dudes swimming… #sorrynotsorry This anime was a fun way to kill time, and while it’s not the most compelling anime series out there, I just couldn’t tear my eyes away from it…
Have you seen Free: Iwotabi Swim Club? Are you a fan of sports anime? Have an anime you’d like to suggest? Let me know what you think in the comments section. If you like what you see, like this post or follow Nice Job Breaking It, Hero! As always THANK YOU FOR READING!!
LMAOO okay this might officially be my favorite fan girl moment!! Haha too hilarious!
I bet it is, since it’s your fault I started watching Free in the first place LMAO
#sorrynotsorry lmao!
Free! got me inspired to join our own swim team, so I have lots of memories with this one! Nice review!
Woah really?! That’s so cool! Do you still do it?
I just finished my last season with our small team 🙁 it was incredible while it lasted, so I’ll have to look into assistant coaching or joining an older-peeps team if I’m still feeling up to the challenge. Man, I really need to write a post about this experience since it comes up so often. This way I could just refer myself to that post if I ever forget details, haha!
So you are still involved with the team, that’s awesome!
OMG yes! I’d love to read a post about that!! Definitely let me know if you do decide to write it so I can read it!
Hahaha! Oh man, Free. My wife really wanted to watch this show. We settled on Yuri!! on Ice. 😛
LOL Yuri on Ice was fantastic right?! But Free is definitely growing on me that’s for sure, I’m probably just going to watch the one season but who knows, I might get hooked like I did with Haikyuu! Sports anime are my new weakness 😛
I love Free! <3
Makoto and Haru are my fav charas :3
ME TOO!! Makoto is just so cute and the way he looks at Haru just makes my heart melt!
The men were super hot on this anime.
OMG YES!!! I must admit that I’m a Makoto fangirl lol… Who is your favorite guy?
Haru was super cute but annoying sometimes. But Rin was hot.
Makes for a nice change too see some scantily clad guys instead of girls who wear a bikini to the battle field!
Oh yes it does!! *fans self* I am always down for scantily clad 2d boys!
Oh my gosh yes! If I see one more busty no clothes wearing warrior princess it’d be too soon!
Oh yes, they should stop talking and get to the fucking tbh 😹😹😹😹
Indeed, it’s not the most compelling but come on. Those hot guys, abs, biceps, butts, (the list goes on). Whoooo. You’re right, you can’t just take your eyes off from this anime.
LOL I was drawn in by their glistening muscular bodies, but I stayed for the MakoHaru romance <3
Same! Although I like RinxHaru more.
I just finished the first season of Free after looking for it since the summer, and I’ve got to say, I was actually impressed with the anime. Usually, I do not watch sports anime, but I liked this one because of the character development and story. Also, to be honest, I can’t see any hidden romance scenes in this series, just a ton of bromance (probably because I’ve seen Yuri!!! on Ice before this anime…and that series has a lot of romantic interactions between the characters; if you want, you can check out my Yuri on Ice review here –>https://geekygirlwritesblog.wordpress.com/2016/12/29/yuri-on-ice-review/ ).
Also, who is your favorite character from Free? Mine has to be Makoto! >.< He's such a sweet and gentle guy! ❤
Yeah, it was a lot better than I originally gave it credit for, when I first saw the PV years ago, I thought it would be nothing but fanservice… well, it kind of is, but there was a lot more too! I was the same way before and then Haikyuu happened and the rest is history XD
The way Makoto looks at Haru, it’s like he’s just seen his true love, but I agree this show has bromance to the max! Yuri is so much romance and it’s great!! I’ll def give the review a read (sorry for the late reply)
Ah my favorite character, it’s a tie between Makoto and Rei. Makoto for all the reasons you said and Rei, because he’s a megane 😀
I’ll def give the review a read (sorry for the late reply)
Ah my favorite character, it’s a tie between Makoto and Rei. Makoto for all the reasons you said and Rei, because he’s a megane 😀 !
LOL yes!! Another Megane Ally!! 🙂