Free! (2013)
A beloved Japanese sports anime following high school swimmers who rebuild their bonds, chase competitive glory, and discover what it truly means to swim free.
Free! - Series Information
- Original Title: Free!
- First Air Year: 2013
- Last Air Year: 2018
- Type: TV Series
- Genres: Animation, Comedy, Drama
- Content Rating (US): TV-PG
- Episode Runtime: Average runtime per episode: 24 minutes
- Number of Seasons: 3
- Number of Episodes: 37
- Status: Ended
- Original Language: Japanese
- Spoken Languages: English, Japanese
- First Air Date: July 4, 2013 (United States - TV-PG), July 4, 2013 (Canada - 14+), July 4, 2013 (Germany - 12), July 4, 2013 (France - 12), July 4, 2013 (Australia - PG), July 4, 2013 (Brazil - 12), July 4, 2013 (Mexico - A), July 4, 2013 (Spain - 13), July 4, 2013 (South Korea - 15)
- Networks: Tokyo MX
- Production Companies: Kyoto Animation, Animation DO, Pony Canyon, Lantis, Asahi Broadcasting Corporation, ABC Animation, Bandai Namco Arts
- Production Countries: Japan, United States of America
- Alternative Titles: フリー!-Dive to the Future- (JP), Free! - Iwatobi Swim Club (US), Free! 男子游泳部 (TW), Free! (MX), 热血自由式 (HK), 프리! (KR), 男子游泳部 (CN)
Free! - Plot
The story revolves around Haruka Nanase, a boy who has always loved to be immersed in water, and to swim in it. Before graduating from elementary school, he participated in a swimming tournament along with his fellow swimming club members, Makoto Tachibana, Nagisa Hazuki, and Rin Matsuoka. After achieving victory, each of the boys went their separate ways. Time passed, and in the middle of their uneventful high school lives Rin appears and challenges Haruka to a match, showing Haruka his overwhelming power. Not wanting it to end like this, Haruka, gathers together Makoto and Nagisa once again and brings a new member named Rei Ryugazaki to create the Iwatobi High School Swimming Club in order to defeat Rin.
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Free! - Cast & Crew
Main Cast
- Nobunaga Shimazaki
- Daisuke Hirakawa
- Akeno Watanabe
- Kenjiro Tsuda
- Mamoru Miyano
- Hiroshi Yanaka
- Tatsuhisa Suzuki
- Satsuki Yukino
- Kouki Miyata
- Yoshimasa Hosoya
Writers
- Masahiro Yokotani
- Reiko Yoshida
- Haruna Matsuda
- Maiko Nishioka
- Chika Ishikawa
Executive Producers
- Masayuki Nishide
- Shunji Inoue
- Yoko Hatta
- Yoko Kogawa
- Susumu Okinaka
Free! - FAQs
Where can you stream Free! online?
Free! is available to stream on Crunchyroll, including via the Crunchyroll Amazon Channel. Episodes can also be purchased through the Apple TV Store. Crunchyroll remains the primary platform for watching all seasons of the series with English subtitles and dubbing options.
Is Free! based on a true story or source material?
Free! is not based on a true story. It was inspired by a short promotional novel titled High Speed! written by Kouji Ohji, which Kyoto Animation published as part of a light novel contest. The anime adaptation expanded significantly on those original characters and their competitive swimming journeys.
Who are the main voice actors in Free!?
The principal cast includes Nobunaga Shimazaki as Haruka Nanase, Tatsuhisa Suzuki as Makoto Tachibana, Mamoru Miyano as Rin Matsuoka, Daisuke Hirakawa as Rei Ryugazaki, and Yoshimasa Hosoya as Sosuke Yamazaki, among other notable voice performers.
How many seasons and episodes does Free! have?
Free! ran for three main seasons totalling 37 episodes, plus a Season 0 collection of 9 specials. Season 1, Free! Iwatobi Swim Club, has 12 episodes; Season 2, Free! Eternal Summer, has 13 episodes; and Season 3, Free! Dive to the Future, has 12 episodes.
Is Free! worth watching for non-sports anime fans?
Free! appeals well beyond sports anime enthusiasts. Its emotional core centres on friendship, personal growth, and rivalry rather than technical competition alone. The series is praised for its expressive animation by Kyoto Animation, strong character dynamics, and heartfelt storytelling that resonates with a broad anime audience.
What is the content rating for Free!?
Free! carries a TV-PG content rating in the United States, making it suitable for general audiences with parental guidance suggested for younger viewers. Other regions apply comparable ratings, including PG in Australia, 12 in Germany and France, and 14+ in Canada.
What genre is Free! and what themes does it explore?
Free! is classified as Animation, Comedy, and Drama. Thematically it explores friendship, rivalry, personal ambition, and the bittersweet passage from adolescence into adulthood, all set against competitive high school and collegiate swimming. Slice-of-life warmth and bishounen character design are defining hallmarks of the series.
Did Free! receive positive critical reception?
Free! was well received by anime audiences and critics, earning praise for Kyoto Animation's fluid, visually dynamic production quality and its emotionally engaging character relationships. It developed a devoted international fanbase and is frequently cited as a standout title in the sports anime genre.
More About Free!
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