Anime Anime Global

The first part of “Free! The Final Stroke” was finally released on September 17, 2021. This work, which will be the “final chapter of the series”, shows Haruka and others challenging the world.

So this time, Anime! Anime!, has conducted a reader-correspondence project “Let’s talk about memories with Free!” to celebrate the release of the latest movie “Free! The Final Stroke”. We solicited your memories of “Free!” and received responses from 81 people in the 7 days from September 6 to 12.

The male-female ratio was about 2.5% for males and about 96.4% for females. However, the amount of enthusiastic men who responded for “Free!” this is time considerable. Some of those passionate messages are introduced below.

■ My life changed when I met “Free!”

When I read the messages sent in the questionnaire, there were many comments like “My life became better after I started to watch ‘Free!'”, and “I became XX by after watching it”. Click here for comments from people whose lives have changed after their encounter with “Free!”.

● “I wasn’t interested in anime, but this one made me addicted to anime in an instant. After that, I learned about the existence of an anime called “Free!”, and now I can eat mackerel, which I was not good at!” (18 years old, female, student)

● “I think I’ve lived with ‘Free!’ since 2013. Since I ‘Free!’ has entered my life, I’ve endured the pain and sadness. The best memory of that is March 2015. It was a really fun and dreamy time. The live performance of STYLE FIVE was also great.” (34 years old, female)

● “It’s a life-changing anime. I happened to be addicted to watching the first broadcast of season 2 on TV. Until then, I wasn’t so interested in anime or voice actors, but I get interested in Free!, and it becomes an indispensable part of my life!” (35 years old, female, office worker)

● “After meeting Free!, various new things and opportunities came to my life, such as I met people who also like Free!, for the first time to have an off-party, went tp pilgrimage to Iwamicho, connected with many wonderful people, and learned about the joy of drawing pictures by watching ‘Free !'” (18 years old, female, vocational school student)

● “Since I met ‘Free!’ in 2013, I went to Iwamicho and Sydney with many friends I met thanks to ‘Free’. Thanks to thins, I met my best friend and went to her wedding ceremony of that friend!” (29 years old, female, office worker)

● “I myself ran into a dream for the future, and when I saw the anime episode where Haruka and Rin went to Australia, I dreamed about going abroad, and two years ago, I also went to Australia. There, I found a dream I wanted to do, and now I am doing my favorite job. If I hadn’t met ‘Free!’, I wouldn’t be there now.” (26 years old, female, office worker)

■ Thanks to “Free!”, some people overcome their hard times

The main theme of this anime is swimming, but it also depicts friendship, youth, and conflicts. The appearance of high school boys growing up while hitting the wall, centered on the main character, caught the hearts of many viewers. Influenced by them, there were many comments like “I got over it thanks to ‘Free!'”

●”I came across this work during Novel Coronavirus’s self-restraint period. At that time, I was in the third year of high school, and I was a manager of the swimming club, and I felt very destined. Due to the influence of the novel coronavirus, I couldn’t even make the final retirement match, and I didn’t even have the opportunity to achieve results for three years. But with ‘Free!’, instead of worrying about the result, I was wondering how to accept the result. I was frustrated that I couldn’t even retire, so I did my best to study what I wasn’t good at until now for the university entrance exam, and I was able to pass my first-choice university!! I’m still studying hard to become a nurse, using recommendations of Makoto from ‘Free! ”Free!’ I’m happy to meet you! thank you!!” (19 years old, female, nursing student)

● “When I was having a hard time taking the national examins in my sixth year of college, I went to see the movie ‘High Speed!’ with the desire to give up and escape from reality. The following year, during the Ronin time ( Ronin is a student who has graduated from middle school or high school but has failed to enter a school at the next level, and consequently is studying outside of the school system for entrance in a future year) I put up a disk on the Shinto Shrine and with a purpose did not open it until I pass the exams successfully and praying to win the event. I went to this disk every day during that year. I passed the exams successfully, and I won the event in March, which was the moment when everything was rewarded. Was it more than 5 years ago…” (30 years old, female, medical)

● “I’ve been watching anime since I was little, but ‘Free!’ became the first work I’ve been supporting with all my might. ‘Free!’ is an indispensable part of my life. I will continue to swim for the dream I draw. It is also a work that gives me the courage to try my best. ‘Free!’ made me able to do my best in club activities when it was difficult.”(16 years old Male / Student)

● “I didn’t think it would be such a long and hot relationship from season 1 when I started watching it casually. When I didn’t want to live, when I was about to lose my job, because there was ‘Free!’… Because Haruka and Rin are doing their best… Rewatching the anime, I was deeply inspired by the feelings and find points of survival in my life. Also, it has the power to make a de-class indoor nerd who has only traveled to some places in Japan go on an overseas trip to Australia. ‘Free!’ is a life, a life-changing work.” (29 years old, female, office worker)

● “When Haru-chan, a high school student, was worried because he didn’t know what his dream and future are, I remember how I was worried exactly the same way about my dreams and future. “(19 years old, female, student)

● “When I was seriously swimming back then in elementary school, I watch ‘Free!’ after a friend’s recommendation, who was practicing with me! Whenever it was hard, or when my record didn’t improve, I watch ‘Free!’ and thought about how to deal with swimming many times.” (15 years old, female, student)

● “I came across the ‘Free!’ series when I was depressed because I couldn’t make my desperate efforts and couldn’t get the path I wanted. I remember how much I was saved when I saw it, I was led by Haruka and Rin, who stood up even after experiencing various troubles and frustration. Especially, the scene where Rin went to Sydney again and screamed ‘It’s revenge’ with falling tears. I think it’s okay to try and fall as many times as you like, not just once in your life. ‘Free!’ has been and will continue to be a wonderful work that gives you energy, courage and passion.” (20 years old, female, college student)

■ Comments “I don’t want it to end” and thoughts on Kyoto Animation

As the title “the Final” suggests, the story of Nanase Haruka of “Free!”, which has been releasing for about nine years, is now in the “final chapter”. As a result, many people said, “I don’t want it to end!”, and there were also many messages saying “thank you” to the production company, Kyoto Animation.

● “I started to watch it during the middle school exams because I didn’t like studying. Each of the pictures and characters was very beautiful and attractive, and I fell in love with it in an instant. When I hear the word ‘final’, I feel lonely and I don’t want it to end. I want it to continue.”(15 years old, female, student)

● “Originally I liked Kyoto Animation’s works and knew the beauty of the depiction of water, but I knew that it was about swimming before the start of the broadcast and I could not swim myself, so honestly the expectations were average. But the beauty of the picture, of course, the story, the feelings of the characters, and the acting of the voice actors were all fascinating. While the final makes me feel lonely, I’m really looking forward to the future they will reach!” (27 years old, female)

● “I learned about ‘Free!’ at a goods shop because it was a Kyoto animation production. It’s a work that locals are proud of!” (30 years old, female, medical worker)

● “The first time I saw it was a rebroadcast of ES. ‘What’s this water!?’ was my first impression, and I was surprised at how beautiful the visual of water was. I knew from the credit that it was Kyoto Animation, so I was convinced that it was so, and the voice of the person singing the OP and Makoto were shocked by the same thing, and even though I had been away from the anime for about 10 years, I was pulled back at once. I’m having so much fun since I knew ‘Free!’. It is a work that will support me for the rest of my life even if the final is over.” (39 years old, female, office worker)

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As mentioned above, wanted to introduce some of the comments received from you. All of the messages we received had a lot of characters and were full of love for the “Free!” series.

What kind of fierce battle will Haruka fight and what kind of ending will he have in his dream place, Sydney, which he once visited? Part of the final chapter of the series, “Free! The Final Stroke”, has been released on September 17, 2021, and the second part will be released at theaters nationwide from April 22, 2022. By all means, let’s support everyone to the end.