Free! Don't let teh Ghey fool you, it's awesome!

    I've been putting off watching Free! for quite some time. It looked really gay, and It's about swimming, so how could it be good ? On the other hand, it's Kyoto Animation, and I love them. So I finally caved and started watching it at the gym. Hopefully they all think I'm gay, and stop hitting one me.

Yes, they're all that pretty.

      Free is obviously about two things, swimming and fanservice. There may be some plot in there, I don't remember. Okay actually there was a pretty good story about friendship, and wanting to be with your friends. It could easily be read as homolust, which would be perfect for the series intended audience.  Free follows the story of a group of friends (who all have girls names) on a swim team in Elementary school. They compete together in a relay race, on the last day before Rin leaves for Australia. They win, and the story continues in High School.

From right to left; Makoto, Haru, Rin, Nagisa, and Rei.

Haruka "Haru" Nanase- An almost autistic teenager who loves to swim, and enjoys drawing odd things. He claims to only swim freestyle, but can be convinced to swim in relays under the right circumstances.Haru is protected by the rest of the group, since he's seen as sensitive.
Makoto "Mako" Tachibana- The captain of the swim team, he cares for Haru greatly. He's level headed, and holds the group together, and does what needs to be completed.
Nagisa Hazuki- The youngest are most energetic of the Swim team.
Rei Ryūgazaki- Originally a track member, he is convinced to join after seeing Haru's beautiful swimming. He's intelligent, and the worst swimmer on the team.
Rin Matsuoka- An old friend who went to Australia to follow his fathers dream of becoming an Olympic Swimmer. He returns and beats Haru in a swim race, but feels empty.He attends Samezuka, while everyone else attends Iwatobi.
Gō Matsuoka- Rin's sister, she joins the Iwatobi swim club to help out her brothers old friends. While every guy has a girly name, she has a masculine one.

    The story starts with Haru sitting his his bathtub, holding his breath. Mako comes and drags him to school, where they meet Nagisa, who just started at the same school. Nagisa somehow convinces the rest of them to check out their old school, as it's being torn down. They meet Rin there, who recently returned from Australia. Rin and Haru Race, with Rin being the winner.  Rin doesn't accept this, as Haru is out of shape. Rin joins Samezuka's academy, while Haru, Nagisa, and Mako struggle to form a swim club at Iwatobi. They recruit Go, and later Rei. Together they train together, and eventually make it to the local competition. In the Free style competition, Haru loses to Rin. Rin is dissappointed, not because he lost, but because he wanted to swim with Haru. Rei sits out the relay race, and Rin takes his place, and the boys all swim together. They are disqualified, but happy.

Wet enough for you ?

   What makes this series great is the bond they all have together. Haru and Mako seem to have kept close over the years, and when Nagisa starts school, they realize only Rin is missing. Rin has his head up his ass, due to being left out of the group, and failing to make it as an Olympic swimmer trainee in Australia. Rin directs his rage at the rest of them, and the rest of them can't figure out why. There's Drama, such as Mako being afraid of the Ocean due to a friend drowning, and this later leads to Mako almost drowning due to freak out, while trying to save Rei from drowning. The characters are varied enough so there's someone who appeals to everyone.

   I'm really glad I caved and watched this series. It inspired me to work even harder in the gym, even though I know I don't have a slim build (everyone is pretty defined) and I enjoyed it. Just don't let anyone see you watching it, unless you are willing to put up with the crap they will give you. It's almost as gay as Boku no Pico, though much better quality wise.

Free!- 8/10.

Get ready for the gay!