Free!

Free!

Company type	Anime television series
Industry	Animation, Entertainment
Predecessor	Light novel by Kōji Ōji
Founded	2013
Headquarters	Japan
Products	Anime series, films

Free! is an anime television series from Japan, created by Kyoto Animation and Animation Do, adapted from a light novel authored by Kōji Ōji. The original novel earned an honorable mention during the second Kyoto Animation Award in 2011 and was published in July 2013. The series debuted with its first season, Free! - Iwatobi Swim Club, broadcast in Japan in 2013, followed by the second season titled Free! - Eternal Summer in 2014. The third season, Free! - Dive to the Future, premiered in 2018. Direction for the initial two seasons was handled by Hiroko Utsumi, while Eisaku Kawanami took over for the third.

Prior to the third season's release, several films were produced that depicted events occurring before, during, and following the first two seasons. The initial movie, High Speed! Free! Starting Days (December 2015), adapts volume two of the prequel novel. In 2017, a film trilogy was released: two compilation movies covering seasons one and two—Free! Timeless Medley - the Bond and Free! Timeless Medley - the Promise—along with a third film, Free! Take Your Marks, which introduced original material. Additionally, a compilation film for season three titled Free! Road to the World - the Dream premiered in July 2019.

The franchise planned its subsequent installment to coincide with the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics, but both events were delayed until 2021. The concluding film series, Free! The Final Stroke, was released in Japanese cinemas as two parts: Part 1 in September 2021 and Part 2 in April 2022.

Plot

Set in Iwatobi, Japan—a location inspired by Iwami, Tottori—Free! centers on high school swimmer Haruka Nanase. After encountering his childhood rival Rin Matsuoka from Samezuka Academy, Haruka helps to revive Iwatobi High’s swimming team. Alongside his friends Makoto Tachibana, Nagisa Hazuki, and newcomer Rei Ryugazaki, they train rigorously for competitions. Despite Rin’s personal challenges and ongoing rivalry with Haruka, their relationship deepens during a medley relay at the prefectural tournament—even though they face disqualification.

In Free! Eternal Summer, Haruka confronts uncertainty about his future during his final year of high school. Rin’s childhood friend Sosuke Yamazaki transfers to Samezuka but conceals an injury. Haruka experiences pressure at regionals and learns that Makoto will be attending university in Tokyo, causing him to withdraw socially. Encouraged by his peers and after visiting Sydney’s International Aquatic Centre, he recommits to swimming competitively at the collegiate level.

The narrative of Free! Dive to the Future follows Haruka as a student at Hidaka University reconnecting with friends—except for Ikuya Kirishima, who harbors resentment over their former team’s dissolution. To mend their relationship, Haruka expands his training across multiple strokes and competes alongside Ikuya in Individual Medley events. Confronted with stiffer competition, he resolves to pursue swimming on an international scale.

In Free! The Final Stroke (first volume), Haruka, Rin, Ikuya, and others become members of Japan’s National Swim Team, participating in international meets and the Fukuoka Tournament. The second volume concludes with them securing gold medals in a medley relay and earning national champion status.

Iwatobi High School

(Child)

Haruka specializes in freestyle. He is a reserved yet powerful swimmer who initially quits competitive swimming but rediscovers his passion through teamwork. In Eternal Summer, he faces doubts about his future but aims to compete at higher levels. By Dive to the Future, he swims competitively at Hidaka University and participates in the All-Japan Invitational with aspirations for global competition. In Final Stroke, Haruka fulfills his ambition of competing on the world stage.

(Child)

Makoto excels in backstroke. Outgoing and protective by nature, he becomes a part-time swim coach during Eternal Summer and later pursues coaching professionally. In Dive to the Future, he trains professional swimmers including Haruka and Rin; by Final Stroke, he dedicates himself fully to professional coaching.

(Child)

Nagisa is a specialist in breaststroke. Cheerful and energetic, he initiates reestablishing the Iwatobi swim team. He remains an integral member after Haruka and Makoto graduate and mentors younger swimmers such as Kaede at Naribusawa University during Final Stroke.

(Child)

Rei focuses on butterfly stroke. Analytical and intelligent, he initially resists joining swimming but eventually becomes inspired by Haruka’s dedication. After Makoto graduates, Rei assumes captaincy of the Iwatobi team and enrolls at Shimogami University as featured in Final Stroke.

Romio is a first-year freestyle swimmer who joins Iwatobi High School Swim Club following Haruka’s and Makoto’s departure. Overcoming anxiety caused by a false start incident, he develops into a competitive athlete and continues participation through Final Stroke.

Shizuru is another first-year member of Iwatobi High’s swim team known for strong performances despite a serious demeanor and susceptibility to motion sickness. He remains actively involved with the club throughout Final Stroke.

Samezuka Academy

(Child)

Rin focuses on butterfly and freestyle events. After transferring to Iwatobi Elementary School, he joins the swim club alongside Haruka, Makoto, and Nagisa, helping secure victory in a medley relay. Following training in Australia, Rin enrolls as a second-year student at Samezuka Academy, where he joins their swim team after a competitive race against Haruka. In Eternal Summer, he assumes the role of Samezuka's captain. During Dive to the Future, Rin participates in the All-Japan Invitational following overseas training. In Final Stroke, he fulfills his ambition of competing at an international level as a world-class swimmer.

(Child)

Sosuke, Rin’s childhood companion, specializes in butterfly. He transfers to Samezuka Academy for his final year of high school but hides a serious shoulder injury caused by overtraining that ended his professional swimming aspirations. Although he holds a dislike for Haruka, he respects Haruka’s impact on Rin. In Dive to the Future, Sosuke undergoes successful shoulder surgery. By Final Stroke, he returns to competitive swimming after recovery.

Aiichiro competes in long-distance freestyle and breaststroke during the second season. Under Sosuke’s coaching, his abilities advance significantly, leading to relay team inclusion and eventually becoming captain of Samezuka’s swim team. In Final Stroke, Aiichiro graduates and begins studies at Shimogami University.

Seijuro, a former captain of the Samezuka swim team, is recognized for his passion and skill in swimming. He expresses interest in Gou Matsuoka. In Dive to the Future, he represents Hidaka University as a third-year swimmer and makes an appearance again in Final Stroke.

Momotaro, Seijuro’s younger sibling attending Samezuka Academy, initially hesitates to join the swim team but ultimately does so after encouragement from Rin. Known for his enthusiastic backstroke swimming and nicknamed "The Sea Otter of Japan’s Sea," he ascends to captaincy of Samezuka’s swim team in Final Stroke.

Iwatobi Junior High School/Tokyo

Asahi specializes in butterfly and is part of Iwatobi Junior High’s swim team alongside Haruka and Makoto. After completing his first year, he relocates to Kyushu and becomes captain of Kazami High School’s swim squad. In Dive to the Future, Asahi joins Hidaka University’s swim team based in Tokyo.

Ikuya excels in breaststroke and possesses an elegant crawl technique. Following his brother Natsuya’s path, he attends high school in America to refine all strokes for Individual Medley events. In Dive to the Future, Ikuya becomes part of Shimogami University’s swim team, overcoming personal challenges with support from Haruka. He competes internationally for the first time in Final Stroke.

Hiyori is a backstroke specialist at Shimogami University and a close friend who supports Ikuya. Assigned by Natsuya to monitor Ikuya, their initially strained relationship improves during the College Championships. Hiyori continues to maintain strong connections with Ikuya and others throughout Final Stroke.

(Child)

Kisumi, a basketball player and classmate of Iwatobi swimmers, collaborates with Makoto to teach swimming skills to his younger brother Hayato. In Dive to the Future, Kisumi attends Hidaka University alongside Haruka and Asahi while working part-time in real estate. He remains an important supporter throughout Final Stroke.

Natsuya is Ikuya’s elder brother and former captain of Iwatobi Junior High’s swim team. After high school, he competes independently on the international circuit, earning prize money before returning to Japan to mentor swimmers including Ikuya. He continues supporting emerging swimmers during Final Stroke.

Nao, a friend of Natsuya and former member of the Iwatobi swim team sidelined by injury, studies at a university in Tokyo. He assists Makoto with his career transition and maintains collaboration with other series swimmers throughout Final Stroke.

Others

Gou, the younger sister of Rin and a student at Iwatobi High School, takes charge of the swim club with the goal of reviving Rin's former personality. She has a keen interest in muscular physiques and remains energetic throughout the series, sharing her own aspirations in Final Stroke.

Ayumu takes over the role of swim club manager at Iwatobi High School from Gou. In contrast to Gou, she favors boys with less pronounced musculature and makes a return appearance in Final Stroke.

Miho, who teaches classical literature to Haruka and Makoto, acts as the faculty advisor for the swim club. Previously a gravure model known as Marin Nishikujo, she provides support to swimmers at both high school and university levels throughout Dive to the Future.

Sasabe, an alumnus and former coach of the Iwatobi Swimming Club, resumes coaching duties after the club's reformation. He transforms "Iwatobi SC Returns" into a community recreation and swimming facility. His coaching continues into Dive to the Future, where he mentors university-level athletes.

Ryuji, a former top swimmer and graduate of Iwatobi High, coaches Haruka Nanase. After stepping back from competitive swimming himself, he motivates Makoto to pursue a professional sports career. Ryuji remains Haruka’s trainer in Final Stroke.

Mikhail, uncle to Nitori and a former competitive swimmer from Russia, coaches Rin Matsuoka while in Australia. Known for his appreciation of muscular swimmers, he continues his coaching role with Rin in Final Stroke.

Isuzu, sibling to Seijuro and Momotaro Mikoshiba, leads the Hidaka University High School Swim Team as captain. She admires Haruka Nanase and connects with Gou through their mutual fascination with muscles. She reappears in Final Stroke.

Albert, a Swedish swimmer who holds world records in both 100m and 200m freestyle events, befriends Haruka during training camp. In Final Stroke, he excels in freestyle but unexpectedly withdraws from a crucial competition, affecting medal outcomes.

(Child)

Kaede is Naribusawa University's leading swimmer with promising potential to surpass Japan’s national freestyle record. Competing internationally in Final Stroke, he secures a bronze medal yet remains motivated to achieve higher goals.

Anime series

In April 2012, Animation Do unveiled a key visual for an upcoming project, followed by a television commercial released in March 2013 that rapidly gained viral popularity. Kyoto Animation officially announced the anime series during a Niconico live broadcast on April 26, 2013. This 12-episode series was produced alongside Animation Do, directed by Hiroko Utsumi, scripted by Masahiro Yokotani, with character designs by Futoshi Nishiya and music composed by Tatsuya Katō. It aired on Tokyo MX from July 4 through September 26, 2013, while also streaming on Niconico and simulcast by Crunchyroll, which holds distribution rights for home video. The series was distributed across six Blu-ray and DVD volumes between September 2013 and February 2014; several volumes included bonus shorts.

The second season titled Free! Eternal Summer, consisting of 13 episodes, aired from July to September 2014. Funimation acquired North American streaming and home video rights while negotiating with Crunchyroll regarding first-season home video distribution. Discotek Media released the initial season on DVD featuring English subtitles; an English dub was later made available via Crunchyroll. Both companies issued Blu-ray and DVD editions of the first season with English dubbing on May 9, 2017. Madman Entertainment imported Funimation’s release for distribution in Australia and New Zealand.

The third season, Free! Dive to the Future, comprised 12 episodes airing between July and September 2018. Directed by Eisaku Kawanami with returning cast and crew members, this season continued the franchise’s narrative.

Films

An animated movie adaptation of the second volume from the original light novel series, titled High Speed! Free! Starting Days, premiered in Japan on December 5, 2015. This film was directed by Yasuhiro Takemoto, with Maiko Nishioka handling the screenplay, story composition by Masahiro Yokotani, and character designs crafted by Futoshi Nishiya.

Kyoto Animation revealed plans for a trilogy of animated films. The initial two installments, Free! Timeless Medley: The Bond and Free! Timeless Medley: The Promise, serve as compilations of the second season, Free! Eternal Summer, supplemented with new scenes. The Bond emphasizes the activities of the Iwatobi Swim Club, whereas The Promise highlights Rin and Sousuke from Samezuka Swim Club. These films debuted on April 22 and July 1, 2017, respectively. The concluding film of the trilogy, Free! Take Your Marks, introduces an original storyline centered around Haruka's graduation from high school and his future ambitions, released on October 28, 2017. All three films were directed by Eisaku Kawanami, featuring returning staff like series composer Masahiro Yokotani and character designer Futoshi Nishiya. Funimation acquired licensing rights for both the trilogy and High Speed for home video distribution and also screened Take Your Marks in US cinemas in March 2018.

After concluding the third season, a new project was unveiled targeting a 2020 release: two additional films. The first, a compilation titled Free! Road to the World - the Dream, launched on July 5, 2019, with the original production team and cast reprising their roles. However, a subsequent new film slated for the third quarter of 2020 was postponed following the Kyoto Animation arson attack. Additionally, an information event planned for July 19, 2019, was cancelled due to this incident. Subsequently, Kyoto Animation announced that the premiere of this new film would be rescheduled to 2021.

This project, named Free! The Final Stroke, was divided into two parts: the first premiered on September 17, 2021, and the second on April 22, 2022, with Eisaku Kawanami returning as director. The initial installment grossed around 543 million yen (approximately US$4.75 million), while the second part exceeded 910 million yen (about US$6.69 million), selling nearly 625,000 tickets within eleven weeks of theatrical release.

Music

The opening theme for the first season, "Rage On" by Oldcodex, achieved sales exceeding 24,281 copies following its release on July 17, 2013. The ending theme "Splash Free," performed by Style Five (Nobunaga Shimazaki, Tatsuhisa Suzuki, Mamoru Miyano, Tsubasa Yonaga, and Daisuke Hirakawa), was released on August 7, 2013, and sold over 47,646 copies. Episode twelve’s closing song was "Ever Blue," also performed by Style Five.

For season two, the opening track "Dried Up Youthful Fame" by Oldcodex and the ending song "Future Fish" by Style Five contributed to market engagement efforts. Episode thirteen featured "Clear Blue Departure," sung by both main and supporting voice actors. The third season included themes such as "Heading to Over" (Oldcodex) as the opening and "Gold Evolution" (Style Five) as the ending.

Five character song singles were launched by principal voice actors. Singles for Haruka Nanase (Shimazaki) and Makoto Tachibana (Suzuki) were released on August 7, 2013; Makoto’s single sold over 23,487 copies while Haruka’s reached approximately 20,371 copies. Singles for Rin Matsuoka (Miyano), Nagisa Hazuki (Yonaga), and Rei Ryūgazaki (Hirakawa) followed on September 4, 2013; Rin’s single surpassed sales of 18,698 copies, Rei’s exceeded 15,021 copies, and Nagisa’s sold more than 14,283 copies.

Additionally, four duet character song singles were issued: Haruka-Makoto (December 18, 2013) sold over 16,361 copies; Nagisa-Rei (January 15, 2014) sold above 11,980 copies; Rei-Rin (February 12, 2014) achieved sales over 13,389 copies; and Haruka-Rin (March 19, 2014) surpassed sales of 15,866 copies. These musical releases played a significant role in expanding franchise revenue and enhancing fan engagement initiatives.

Other

The initial light novel, authored by Kōji Ōji and illustrated by Futoshi Nishiya, received an honorable mention in the novel division of the 2011 Kyoto Animation Award. Kyoto Animation published the first volume on July 8, 2013, followed by a second installment on July 2, 2014, which portrays Haruka and Makoto during their middle school years.

An Internet radio program created to promote the anime, titled , started weekly broadcasts on June 17, 2013. This show, produced by Lantis Web Radio and Onsen, features hosts Nobunaga Shimazaki and Tatsuhisa Suzuki, who are the voice actors for Haruka Nanase and Makoto Tachibana. Between August and September 2013, two CD collections were made available.

Moreover, two drama CD volumes named were launched within the same timeframe.