Free!

Free! is a Japanese anime television series produced by Kyoto Animation and Animation Do. The series is loosely based on the light novel, , written by Kōji Ōji, which received an honorable mention in the second Kyoto Animation Award contest in 2011 and was published in July 2013. The first season titled, Free! - Iwatobi Swim Club for international distribution, aired in Japan in 2013; and the second season titled, Free! - Eternal Summer, aired in 2014. A third season of the anime series titled, Free! - Dive to the Future, aired in 2018. Hiroko Utsumi directed the first two seasons, while season three was directed by Eisaku Kawanami. Prior to season three, several films depict events preceding, including and following the events of seasons one and two. The first feature film, High Speed! Free! Starting Days, was released in December 2015 and depicts events from volume two of the series' prequel light novel, High Speed! A film trilogy was released in 2017 with the first two films being compilations of seasons one and two of the anime series titled, Free! Timeless Medley - the Bond and Free! Timeless Medley - the Promise. The third film in the trilogy titled, Free! Take Your Marks, features four new vignettes. A compilation film encompassing the third season titled, Free! Road to the World - the Dream, debuted in July 2019. The next installment of the franchise was slated for release alongside the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics, but both were postponed until 2021. A final film duology titled, Free! The Final Stroke, debuted in Japanese theaters in two parts: Part 1 in September 2021 and Part 2 in April 2022. Plot Free is set in the town of Iwatobi, Japan, which is based on Iwami, Tottori. The story is centered on high school student Haruka Nanase, a gifted swimmer. After encountering his childhood rival, Rin Matsuoka from Samezuka Academy, he and his friends revitalize Iwatobi High School's swim team. In addition to his childhood friends, Makoto Tachibana and Nagisa Hazuki, Rei Ryugazaki is recruited onto the team. While the team trains for tournaments, Haruka and Rin's rivalry continues to sour from Rin facing setbacks in improvement, though his desire to swim competitively escalates. However, during the prefectural tournament, Iwatobi's swim team reminds Rin of their friendship through a medley relay. Despite being disqualified, the boys' relationships with one another improve.