Free! – 05
Swimming fashion is serious business
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After Overcooled, Kara, and Fosh review the past episodes of Free!, now is my turn to do so. Other will get their turns again of course, but listen to me fangirling about this gay swimming anime first, nee? |
If some people have seen the comments I left in the first episode post, it is obvious that I am a huge fan of Makoto. And now I got the episode that is heavily involved with Makoto! Imagine a short tanned Southeast Asian “girl” jumpin up and down while rolling on the bed at the same time, that’s me when I watched this week’s episode. It seems that the Wheel of Fate has been good to us Free! lovers in Metanorn for giving us what we wants *drool in Makoto screenshots*
What this episode is all about… And some swimming
Anyhow, the “camping” and “beach” episode really surprised me. Being an anime fan who have seen countless of anime episodes, I expect Free! to throw some ranom and meaningless camping that is filled with naked but sexy abs. And Gou in a bikini! But nope, the anime caught me off guard when they actually has a special camping routine for their swimming club. They’re actually taking swimming very seriously here. I keep forgetting that because… I’m always distracted with the abs and the true plot yaoi. Anyhow, it’s nice to see fanservice and actual plot together side by side. It makes the episode feels useful and worth it. Of course, the “side story” aka. Makoto’s past is just as interesting as the training the boys undergo. I wonder what makes Makoto sort-of traumatized with ocean. Did he see a cremating ceremony where they throw the ashes to the ocean? Did he see someone drowning when he was small? Haru mentioned something about goldfish, so… Um, Makoto’s goldfish drowned in the ocean or something? It seems that the plot is getting thicker and thicker, but I’m totally fine with it. Gay swimming, bishies, and good plot will never be a bad combination.
The plot isn’t the only thing that shines since the characters did a fabulous job being themselves. In this episode, the audience sees many unexpected sides of the characters. Well, more like Makoto and Rei. Makoto is the fatherly character of this anime, so it’s no wonder that Rei is charmed by his words and smile. Especially when Rei is working really hard to be on par with the others. As an audience though, it’s amusing to see Makoto twitching every now and then every time he sees the ocean. Not that I hate his “smiling face,” but sometimes it’s annoying to see him smiling all the time. But I guess that’s what happens when one is the father figure and takes the others’ problems. As for Rei, it’s kind-of encouraging and sweet how Kara’s man Rei tries so hard for one of the lousiest club he rejected before in episode two. We’ve only been given the silly part of Rei, so seeing Rei working so hard makes him less like a lump of sexy abs and more like a true human being now. Though really, seeing Rei trying to hard even at night made me raised my eyebrow. Smart move, Rei. Anyhow, the two characters that stick out the most happened to be stuck on the ocean at night together. I hope by them being together, their lump of negative emotions can be left behind and the ocean, and both of them can rely on others more.
Complicated love triangle among Makoto, Haru, and Shark-kun
But let’s forget about the characters and talk more about the yaoi! This episode was dripping with yaoi in every second of it. Even when Gou found a “secret summer camp training,” I knew right away that scene is a hint from the anime god. I mean, if seen with fujoshi goggles, this episode is all about Makoto finally showing his vulnerable side to Haru, after years of monotonous and bland relationship. I guess some spice is always needed to make the love hotter, heh. Everything, as in everything everything, is all about Makoto and Haru. From the secret glances to little things such as “I want to sleep with Haru!”, every second of this episode is dedicated for us Makoto x Haru fans. Even when the two of them share a popsicle! That sexual innuendo! Everything is Makoto x Haru, which is totally fiiiiinnnneeeee for me…. Sharing a “popsicle” is a sexual innuendo, right? … Anyhow, those who ship Makoto with Rei should also rejoice, because both of them have reached a “whole new kind of understanding” together thanks to Makoto’s pretty boys jutsu fatherly personality and Rei’s hard-working attitude. Sharing a tent together? I bet they’re going to have “fun” “sleeping” under the same tent. They’ll have the kind of “outdoor slumber party” that have never been seen and tried before *giggle*. Well, they have tried that in Brokeback Mountain, but never in anime! Rei and Makoto will revolutionize the anime world and follow the footsteps of the manly cowboys in Brokeback Mountain! “Sharing a tent” will never be the same again. I hope the coach cooks red rice in next week’s episode.
Pretty Boys “Camping” Together:
Well, that was fun. I know I was going to enjoy the yaoi fanservice here, but KyoAni really knows how to treat his fangirls. Not only that the fanservice is everywhere, they also tie the fanservice with the plot of this week’s episode. We fangirls love fanserive, but we love smart fanservice even more. It’s nice seeing how Free! is sticking with his swimming concept despite while having the endless amount of fanservice at the same time. Let’s just say that everything is balanced out perfectly right now. Everything. If KyoAni keeps this up, Free! will be the anime that will have the nods of not only fujoshi but other fans also. At least, for me. I wonder how non-fujoshi fans see this anime through their unfortunately non-yaoi goggles. Are you guys enjoying it? I hope you do, because I’m enjoying everything about this anime right now.
Preview: Shark-kun tells Makoto who he actually is. Will Makoto able to face the truth?
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Yes. The Beach Dorama episode! I halfway expected a colour bleached Nyalrko-san to show up!
Got to hand it to the script writers, they really know how to spoon out the tension. And the WTF. Goldfish, cremation, the sea. What’s up in your mind, dude?
And as always, Shark-kun reminds us of what is important in life. Naked abs, pecs, delts, and…alphas, and stuff.
Oh, and I love how the ladies get to relax at the Inn. They know how to prioritize.
And cheers to the swim club. That looks like one hella robust training course. I would die after like fifty meters with a kickboard. I would be like, “Wait, I need to stop for a smoke, anyone got a waterproof lighter?”
And my two favorite characters, Nagisa and Kou still look OH SO HUGGABLE. I’m still shipping them for potential skylion threesomes…
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
Combination of ocean and cremation is something that is not often seen. Maybe Makoto’s family cremated his goldfish and threw the ash into the ocean… If horses can get their own funerals in Gin no Saji, then goldfishes can be cremated right?
My favorite is when Rei works hard the most. He makes me feel ashamed for always stopping halfway when I swim *join skylion* I hope you’re stocked on the waterproof cigarette
Shark-kun is the manliest out of all the males in Metanorn. skylion should ask Shark-kun for his advice about Nagisa and Kou.
Though… how is that threesome going to be? Kou x Nagisa x skylion or Kou x skylion x Nagisa? I prefer the second one *mind running wild*
I love how the ladies know what they’re doing. Of course, their sleeping in the same lodge means that I can ship Kou with Ama-chan!
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Oh, the second option…
(Waterproof smokes?)
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
My biggest problem with this episode was the completely unrealistic training regimen. Swimming is much much harder than running, and swimming in the ocean is much much harder than swimming in a pool. And if you get tired in the ocean, it’s really bad news. So it was the equivalent of 20 laps, then a run, then 20 laps, then a run, then 20 laps, then ANOTHER 20 laps.
Rei makes a huge beginner mistake, too. He was gonna feel like crap in the morning anyway, after working out too hard the first day. But then he goes and gets hisself drowned…
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I’m willing to give the regimen the nudge and the wink. They are, after all, Super Bishounen. It’s why we are watching the show…
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
Anything is ok as long as you’re a bishie. That is the bishie power.
Besides, Rei made up for the silly training by drowning himself at night
POWUH: 700-799 and Parkouring Fanboy with 776 comments
Yup, I thought the same. These guys are fit, all strong swimmers except Rei, but that kind of training regimen in the sea is just irresponsible and very dangerous. Cramps happen to the best of us. Really, Kou should have been out there in a boat with some life vests. That way some of those photos she took would have actually been possible.
Compounding the difficulty was that they were doing this multiple days in a row. Again, these guys might be strapping young gentlemen, but doing training from hell without ample rest in between is only gonna hurt progress, and yes, be very dangerous. Even worse was Rei, who should know better, going out at night to train in between such sessions. That’s gonna leave him useless the next day.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
The yaoi stuff was a lot more than I could handle this time around (It’s really not my cup of tea and my goggles are fitted for the other section). What saved the episode were Gou’s cheerful enthusiasm to motivate the swim team to increase their performance and her innocent ambition to get Rin and everyone else acting like friends again. Other than these things, it was alright. It gets rocky watching this show sometimes but I’m holding up so far.
That training regimen was aptly named for being from hell. That’s a startling swimming course to cover if you ask me and though I watch very little things concerning swimming, I’ve never heard of the athletes hopping from island to island. I wonder if they considered any safeguards in case any one of them suddenly got cramps during their training. To me, Rei was the closest to ending up like that and for one who lives his life by logic and reason, going out in the water at night is a bone headed move. I take it he doesn’t know how the moon affects the tides.
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
Noooo BB hang on! Free is a training that will definitely educate you in the life of yaoi! Your relationship with skylion will be rocky no more if you learn the right yaoi way
TBH everything about the training is silly. I even find the locations of the islands to be suspicious. Buuutttt since this is anime where bishies and sexy abs with yaoi as their toppings, I’ll excuse the silliness of this anime.
Except Rei drowning at night. It’s so silly I don’t even sympathize with him anymore
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Hehehe, nice try but I don’t see that happening. I gladly sold my soul to yuri a very long time ago and next season has a sports anime that will meet my needs because I’ve been suffering intense withdrawl lately. I need to hang in there!! 😀
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
Sport anime as in Kuroko no Basket? Where everybody’s gay for each other? I see that you’ll be having a veeryy good list for next season BB 😀
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Hehehe, nope. A sports anime next season the features… wait for it… FEMALE PRO WRESTLERS!!! The name’s Sekai de Ichiban Tsuyoku Naritai! and the anxiety is killing me already!! Why can’t Fall just get here already?!!
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Oh, I don’t think it will ever stop being rocky….whatever may be. 🙂
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
…. So you guys have been very “rocky” lately?
*mind running wilder*
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
It’s the same old rivalry….I imagine it will go back into full swing next week for the premiere of Mayoi Jiagshi/Bakemonogatari S2.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
If it’s a fight to claim vampire lolis, it’s a rivalry alright and you better be ready to step up to the plate because I’m playing for keeps. Mina Tepes, Shinobu Oshino and Leticia Drakurea are all mine!
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
I’m looking forward with you guys being “intimate” with your “rivalry” 😀 😀 😀 😀
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I play so much for keeps I make it my business to remember Evengaline AKA McDowell, which you cannot seem to do. If you cannot be bothered to do that, then you have no real purchase on the other three…
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Man, I just still don’t see any yaoi here, just normal club activities. Maybe I don’t see what I’m not looking for, but for me just like Love Lab isn’t yuri, Free! isn’t yaoi.
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
I guess it just depends on the person because sometimes that happen to me. Things like UtaPri 2, K, and Brothers’ Conflict are not yaoi to me at all though many people think they’re all “yaoi.” It just depends on how the person sees the anime and the chemistry among the characters
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
Off topic, can mackerel (or any kind of fish) be a valid pizza topping, or is it a crime against pizza?
ALso, not sure how mackerel goes with the milder,sweeter Japanese style curry, but it definitely goes well in Indian/Sri Lankan/Malaysian curries, with chillies, curry leaves, coconut milk,… you get the idea. ( ^ _ ^ )
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
“valid pizza toppings” and “Japan” don’t exactly go together. Here’s Pizza-La’s menu. I don’t even want to think about Mayonnaise Sauce, or Tuna Salad, or much of what they have there…
POWUH: Meta Resident and Werewolf Chaser with 1270 comments
The Bechamel pizza that uses mayonnaise taste fine to me >_>
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 318 comments
Crime against pizza?
If you put it that way, then every country has different pizza laws 😉
Zztop-san, I see you like to cook?
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
More of a foodie actually, but I can cook too. 🙂
True, every country has different pizza laws. I know that some Southeast Asian Pizza Huts have among their toppings, seafood salad, tuna mayo, and beef curry.
Never tried them before though, although I know my 1st gen Italian-migrant neighbours WOULD consider it a crime against both pizza and Italy!
Perhaps you could share what strange, exotic toppings your country’s pizzas have?
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
Interesting about the Pizza Hut. So I guess it’s normal for my country’s Pizza Hut to serve fried rice?
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 318 comments
That’s nice. I like to cook too, thought I’m not that good.
I live in kind of the east part of Europe, so it’s nothing special. Thought it’s quite strange what people like to do to food here. I once saw a pizza with salmon and avocado (for real, not kidding). I thought it was a sushi-inspired pizza. But it looked really strange. It had these huge pieces of them. Can’t remember anything else that shocking… Other than that, Pizza here is really bad, ultimately bad, so we usually make it at home.
(XD, it’s kind of strange how we got into this conversation)
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Pizza has in the decades, jumped into every culture, an the story of food is that a culture will put their stuff onto it. Which is awesome. I’m not the sort to tell anyone what they are doing to a pizza is wrong. So, yeah, beef curry. Pesto and seafood salad sounds actually quite nice.
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
I… I’ve never had mackerels before….
I’m… Allergic to canned food…
POWUH: Meta Resident and Metanorn's Hime-chan~ with 1758 comments
It’s a crime, the most terrible crime agains delicious food!
Canned fish… yuckk~ o,o
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
One thing I like about Free! is how it does the ‘showing without telling’ regarding the characters quite well.
For example, how it show us, the audience, Haruka’s a talented artist, or how Gou is skilled at calligraphy, without having to use blatant exposition to explain their talents.
I also like how it shows Rin still does care for his sister and his friends through those few words, beneath all that hostile posturing.
PS. This also proves, Rin is just a big tsunderella.(･ω･)
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
I know what you mean about Rin! He was so kawaii in this episode, and I was shipping him with Gou so mad. Rin and Gou are cute siblings, they’re definitely meant for each other
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Do I detect possible incest support in that comment? 😉 Hmm, I must be half asleep while reading.
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
Tsk I got caught.
I mean, what are you talking about? I’m just talking about the “deep bond” that can always bloom between siblings */////*
I visited Fakku too muchPOWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
You’ve been treading Fakku as well, eh? Well that explains a lot.
I usally find myself there for the Vanilla, Osananajimi, Yuri, Monster Girl and Femdom tags.POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
Nooooo it-it’s just vacation and all that! I-it’s not like I explore every tag in Fakku during my free time!
Mine are Yuri, Yaoi, Incest, and FutaPOWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
What is this?!! Yuri and Futa?! You?! Who are you?! 😀
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
As a dictator who is planning to conquer the world with yaoi, I have to open my mind with every genre possibility. Yuri and futa are only few “special” genres I have stumbled into, if you know what I mean 😉
POWUH: Meta Resident and Metanorn's Hime-chan~ with 1758 comments
Totally! I was a little irritated about Rin, but now…. he was so cute in the last ep. I guess I’m developing a fetish for tsunderes as well.
But he was so cute <3
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 318 comments
How could they stop like that! So much tension. But really, you have to be really stupid to go swimming by yourself and with all that at night!
Other than that. I think Free is keeping up pretty good.
I think Haruka reached his goal, now I really want to try Mackerel. Too bad they don’t really sell it where I live.
Did anyone try it? Is it really THAT good?! And I was thinking what Haruka brought in that portable fridge. How didn’t I guess that? Haha.
Also it’s kind of strange that Makoto is scared of the ocean, but isn’t scared of water. I wonder what happened.
And Anaaga-san, goldfishes can’t live in oceans.
XDDD Complicated love triangle among Makoto, Haru and Shark-kun! Makoto’s face fits so perfectly!! Guys, who ever did this, you are a genius!
Those comments to the pictures. I can’t stop laughing XDDD
Shark-kun tells Makoto who he actually is? So Shark-kun knows everything? What a wise shark…
Aaand, cute boys sleeping ^^ I feel like a creep saying this, but I don’t even need more. This is so much fanservise for me already. I nearly had a nose bleed.
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
Well, if you want to look at Rei’s idiotic move in a bright way, he’s being extremely enthusiastic about swimming… But screw that, Rei’s plain dumb for swimming at night.
I know I know goldfish can’t live in the ocean, but anything is possible in anime! Look at Rei swimming at night!
Hehe, Fosh did the meme pictures, and I did the screencaps ^^ Shark-kun is secretly the main character in this anime. He’s lurking in the shadow, waiting for the right chance to take the spotlight. Shark-kun is perfection.
Welcome to the club. We shall stare at them abs forever, seeing those beauties dancing with elegance in the water. What is more beautiful than sexy cute boys swimming in water?
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 318 comments
Yeah, I guess he’s a bit too enthusiastic, and Rei was supposed to be the character that counts everything. And then this stupid thing happens, so I was a bit like “O_o Rei, you really going there at night?”
Haha, yeah, I guess it can be that. But still, I doubt that the fish has anything to do with Makoto being afraid of the ocean.
Shark-kun is lurking in the shadow? Really? Oh, I’ll try to watch the next episode more closely (looking for him in the shadows) 😉
But I really became to love Shark-kun, it would be sad without him.
“seeing those beauties dancing with elegance in the water” – I couldn’t have said it better! XD
I don’t really know, but my preference is “2d sexy cute boys swimming in water”. Haha
POWUH: Meta Resident and Metanorn's Hime-chan~ with 1758 comments
Those are cliffies for you! To stop and make you sh*t bricks all week.
Let’s all thank KyoAni for such a wonderful fancervice fest! And it’s not too obvious, either. Well, most of the time.
Those abs! Those biceps! Those!…POWUH: Meta Resident and Metanorn's Hime-chan~ with 1758 comments
Well? I’m certainly loving this show more than I expected I would. Not because of the art and fancervice, but because the characters are really cute, and I enjoy their interaction.
But boy, that cliffy! Why Rei?? TT^TT Fac. character curse! Not that he’s gonna die, but still.
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
Lol yeah, Rei did a dumb move. Stupid, but sweet in a way? He’s so fired up and does not want to trouble others that he lost his sense and decided to swim at night. It’s kind of cute how Rei, the most logical person in the club, loses his cool because of his passion
POWUH: Meta Resident and Metanorn's Hime-chan~ with 1758 comments
Yeah, it’s adorable. But it was so stupid and crazy…
TT^TT poor thing.
POWUH: Meta Resident and Metanorn's Hime-chan~ with 1758 comments
Btw, am I the only one all over Mikoshiba, the captain of Sametsuka’s team???? He’s so cute <3 And Tsuda Kenjirou <3 I haven't seen him in a lot of shows, but his voice is gorgeous <3
POWUH: and Yaoi Fangirl~ with 2320 comments
You’re not the only one NNGGGHHH!!!!!!!!!
I secretly ship the Captain with Gou <3 <3
POWUH: Meta Resident and Metanorn's Hime-chan~ with 1758 comments
Me too. He obviously has a crush one her. SO obviously. And he’s so freaking cute <3
POWUH: and Athenaeum Châtelaine with 2212 comments
I don’t know how this show does it, but it seems to one up itself ever episode! If I had known Free! was going to be this good, I would have hyped it with the rest.
While this episode didn’t have much fanservice (yes, MUSCLES are nice, but after awhile they seem a little matter-of-fact) but it made up for that in plot as we go into the most unexplored of our MCs: Makoto. We find out that like many quiet, motherly, optimistic guys in anime, Makoto has a past, and it looks like it has to do with something that happened in the ocean. We don’t get much into what truly happened other than a single short flashback and foreboding hints from Haru and Rin. All this time we can see something’s going on, but Makoto has emotional shields of steel and thus continues to say and show that nothing’s wrong. However, you can bet that those shields are going to crack eventually, especially in light of this episodes amazing ending. But, more on that later.
First, let’s go back to Rin. It seems that of course, Rin’s school happens to be practicing on the exact same island as Haru and friends. However, because of the difference in funds and the level of school, the quartet’s swim team is camping out on the beach and train in the ocean, while Rin’s school use the professional pool. However, we learn that the Shark is not stern and emo all the time. While meeting with his sister, he’s expresses worry for his ex-teammates, especially Makoto, who it seems Rin knows about as well. We also see that Rin is actually pretty caring of his younger sister, which is also really nice to know about his character. It seems that Rin the Shark is really a big softy sometimes. Awww… ^_^
Now from the preview, I thought this was going to be your average generic beach episode, however, I was so wrong. We get a lot of development for our characters as they do their training for their first competition. This is especially for Rei and Makoto. As Rei being the newest swimmer, he is definitely not as good as the others. Unfortunately he has a lot of that male pride and is determined not to slow down his teammates. And this is what leads to the ending climax/cliffhanger.
Despite his teammates encouragement, Rei feels ashamed of his small progress and wants to practice more. So after everyone is sleep, he goes to practice swimming alone in the ocean….
0_0
Okay, First, no one should really swim alone unless they truly know what they are doing, and even then, definitely not alone in open water where anything can happen.
Second, if one can help it, one should NEVER swim in the ocean at night and DEFINITELY not alone. Not only is the fact that the ocean looks like black ink at night and you can hardly see anything, there are extremely dangerous currents that you might not notice till to late, and if alone, there will be nobody help you if an accident should occur. Also, there is the fact that many sea animals are nocturnal hunters, that will add even more added danger. Olympic swimmers don’t swim alone in the ocean at night, let alone a first time beginner.
And lastly, was it really that hard to actually check the weather report? Maybe it was a sudden thunderstorm, but it might have helped to look at the weather channel.
Well, long story short, Rei messed up though with the best of intentions, and gets trapped in the ocean during a storm, with very few swimming skills. Makoto wakes up and finds his new friend in danger and without a second thought, goes to his rescue. How will this end for the two we can only guess as Makoto will have to face his past fears in order to save Rei from drowning. I can only hope that Haruka, Nagisa, and Rin will come in to save them as well.
I give this episode a 9/10, truly an excellent episode. I can’t wait to see the next one.