A thorough evaluation of the appeal and depth of "Free! -Eternal Summer-"!

The appeal and depth of "Free! -Eternal Summer-": A story of swimming and youth

"Free! -Eternal Summer-" is a TV anime series that aired in 2014, and is based on the light novel "High☆Speed!" by Oji Kouji. This work is a story that depicts youth through swimming, and has deeply touched and sympathized with viewers. Below, we will introduce the appeal and detailed information of this work, and delve deeper into its appeal.

Overview

"Free! -Eternal Summer-" is a story about the growth and friendship of the members of the Iwatobi High School swimming club. It was broadcast from July 3rd to September 24th, 2014, and is made up of 13 episodes. It was broadcast on Tokyo MX, TV Aichi, Asahi Broadcasting, BS11, AT-X, NHK General TV and Tottori, and was also streamed online on Niconico Live Broadcast, Niconico Channel, and Bandai Channel.

The director is Hiroko Utsumi, the series composition is Masahiro Yokotani, the character design is by Taishi Nishiya, and the animation is by Kyoto Animation and Animation Do. It is produced by Iwatobi High School Swimming Club ES.

story

After the previous tournament, Nanase Haruka, Tachibana Makoto, Hazuki Nagisa, and Ryugasaki Rei have further strengthened their bonds and are showing their own growth in their everyday lives as usual. Meanwhile, Matsuoka Rin aims to overcome her past self and create the best team with her new friends. Iwatobi and Samezuka, their friends and swimming, and their future. They face themselves and welcome a new summer with their own thoughts in their hearts.

cast

The voice actors for the main characters are as follows:

• Haruka Nanase: Nobunaga Shimazaki
• Makoto Tachibana: Tatsuhisa Suzuki
• Hazuki Nagisa: Taonaga Tsubasa
• Rei Ryugasaki: Daisuke Hirakawa
• Rin Matsuoka: Mamoru Miyano
• Sosuke Yamazaki: Yoshimasa Hosoya
• Aiichiro Nitori: Yuki Miyata
• Hyakutaro Mikoshiba: Kenichi Suzumura
• Matsuokae: Akino Watanabe
• Seijuro Mikoshiba: Kenjiro Tsuda
• Amagasaki Miho: Yukino May
• Goro Sasabe: Hiroshi Ienaka

Main Staff

The main staff are as follows:

• Original story: Koji Oji "High☆Speed!" (KA Esuma Bunko, Kyoto Animation)
• Director: Hiroko Utsumi
• Series Composition: Masahiro Yokotani
• Character design: Nishiya Taishi
• Art Director: Joji Unokuchi
• Color design: Yuka Yoneda
• Prop design: Seiichi Akitake
• Director of photography: Kazuya Takao
• Sound Director: Yota Tsuruoka
• Music: Tatsuya Kato
• Music Production: Lantis
• Animation production: Kyoto Animation, Animation Do
• Production: Iwatobi High School Swimming Club ES

Main Characters

The details of the main characters are as follows:

Iwatobi High School Swimming Club

• Haruka Nanase
  He has a special connection to swimming and water. He may be unsociable, but he cares for his friends. His graceful swimming style captivates many people.
• Makoto Tachibana
  He is the captain of the Iwatobi High School swimming team. He is Haruka's childhood friend and best friend. He is caring and keeps a warm eye on Haruka and the other team members.
• Nagisa Hazuki
  She has a cheerful personality. Although she speaks freely, she is very considerate of those around her. She often messes around with Rei with her unexpected behavior.
• Rei Ryugazaki
  He is a theoretical swimmer who started swimming in high school. He learned to swim the butterfly stroke and discovered the joy of swimming. He has his own unique sense of beauty.

Samezuka Academy Swimming Club

• Rin Matsuoka
  She is a member of Samezuka Academy's swimming club. She found joy in swimming again during a relay with Haruka and the others. She is currently working hard towards her goal with her new friends in Samezuka Academy's swimming club.
• Sosuke Yamazaki
  She is Rin's best friend from elementary school and is a good friend of Rin's. She has the strength to remain calm no matter what, and when it comes to swimming, she takes a dry and strict attitude towards herself and those around her.
• Aiichiro Nitori
  A second-year student at Samezuka Academy. She excels at long-distance freestyle swimming, but is also practicing swing swimming in order to specialize in two events. She is a hard worker and has a serious personality, but she is also not good at cleaning up. She admires Rin and hopes to swim on the same team someday.
• Momotaro Mikoshiba
  A first-year high school student at Samezuka Academy. He has a cheerful personality and is a playful guy. He is the younger brother of Seijuro Mikoshiba, and just like his older brother, he easily falls in love. He is good at backstroke, and his speedy basalo is a distinctive feature.

subtitle

The subtitles for each episode are as follows:

• 1Fr: Stormy Dive Dash!
• 2Fr: A stroke of encounter!
• 3Fr: Farewell Butterfly!
• 4Fr: The promised somersault turn!
• 5Fr: Determined head up!
• 6Fr: Invincible Prime!
• 7Fr: A crouching start to get revenge!
• 8Fr: Locomotive of Change!
• 9Fr: Stall forming!
• 10Fr: Six Beats of Tears!
• 11Fr: Fate Never Turns!
• 12Fr: Swim-off in a foreign land!
• 13Fr: The Beginning of Eternal Summer!

Theme songs and music

The theme songs and insert songs are as follows:

Opening Theme

• "Dried Up Youthful Fame"
  Episodes 1-13 Lyrics: YORKE.
  Composer: Ta_2
  Arrangement: eba
  Sung by: OLDCODEX

Ending Theme

• "FUTURE FISH"
  Episodes 1-12 Lyrics: Saori Kodama Composition: Koshiro Honda Arrangement: Koshiro Honda, TAKAROT
  Sung by: STYLE FIVE (Shimazaki Nobunaga, Suzuki Tatsuhisa, Miyano Mamoru, Taonaga Tsubasa, Hirakawa Daisuke)
• "Clear Blue Departure"
  Episode 13 Lyrics: Saori Kodama Composition: Tatsuya Kato Arrangement: Tatsuya Kato Sung by: Nobunaga Shimazaki, Tatsuhisa Suzuki, Tsubasa Yonaga, Daisuke Hirakawa, Mamoru Miyano, Yoshimasa Hosoya, Yuki Miyata, Kenichi Suzumura

Appeal and evaluation of the work

"Free! -Eternal Summer-" is a work that depicts the brilliance of youth through the sport of swimming. In particular, the characters' growth, friendship, competitive spirit, and efforts to achieve their dreams have captured the hearts of viewers. Below, we will take a closer look at the appeal and reviews of the work.

Character growth and development

This series particularly depicts the growth of the main characters. Nanase Haruka reaffirms her passion for swimming and is moving in the way she grows alongside her teammates. Tachibana Makoto demonstrates leadership as the club president, bringing the team members together, and Hazuki Nagisa shows consideration for her teammates despite her innocent nature. Ryugasaki Rei is a theorist who pursues the joy of swimming, and Matsuoka Rin strives towards new goals while facing her past self. The growth and deepening of these characters deeply moved viewers.

Beautiful visuals and music

Kyoto Animation's beautiful visuals realistically depict the swimming scenes and the characters' expressions. In particular, the flowing movements of the swimming scenes, the reflections on the water's surface, and the blue color of the pool are visually enjoyable. The music is also an important element in livening up the atmosphere of the work, and the opening theme "Dried Up Youthful Fame" and the ending themes "FUTURE FISH" and "Clear Blue Departure" touched the hearts of viewers.

The brilliance of youth and friendship

This work also depicts the brilliance of youth and friendship. The story progresses as the rivalry and friendship between the Iwatobi High School Swim Club and the Samezuka Academy Swim Club intertwines with the dreams and worries of each character. In particular, the friendship and competitive spirit between Haruka and Rin is a central theme of the work, and left a strong impression on viewers. Furthermore, the way they grow together with their friends and work hard towards their dreams touched and inspired many viewers.

Recommended points

"Free! -Eternal Summer-" is a very attractive work with the themes of swimming and youth. Below, we will introduce some points that we would particularly like to recommend it.

The realism of the swimming scenes

The swimming scenes in this series are very realistic and visually enjoyable. The way the characters swim, the expression of the water surface, and the blue color of the pool are all drawn with great attention to detail, making it especially appealing to viewers who love swimming. Swimming techniques and strategies are also depicted, making it enjoyable as a sports anime.

Character Appeal

Each character in this series is unique and leaves a deep impression on the viewer. The charm of each character, such as Nanase Haruka's bluntness and compassion for her friends, Tachibana Makoto's leadership and kindness, Hazuki Nagisa's innocence and compassion for her friends, Ryugasaki Rei's aesthetic sense as a theorist, and Matsuoka Rin's competitive spirit and friendship, add excitement to the story. The characters at Samezuka Academy are also unique, providing viewers with a new perspective.

The brilliance of youth and friendship

This work is also appealing as it depicts the brilliance of youth and friendship. The story progresses as the rivalry and friendship between the Iwatobi High School Swim Club and the Samezuka Academy Swim Club intertwines with the dreams and worries of each character. In particular, the friendship and competitive spirit between Haruka and Rin is a central theme of the work, and left a strong impression on viewers. Furthermore, the way they grow together with their friends and work hard towards their dreams touched and inspired many viewers.

summary

"Free! -Eternal Summer-" is a very appealing work with the themes of swimming and youth. The character growth and development, beautiful visuals and music, and the brilliance and friendship of youth captured the hearts of viewers, eliciting deep emotion and empathy. In particular, the realism of the swimming scenes, the charm of the characters, and the brilliance and friendship of youth are cited as recommended points. This work is recommended not only for viewers who love swimming, but also for viewers who want to enjoy a work depicting youth.