(L+CR) Free!

[Blonto]

I'm surprised Kou could keep eye contact with those guys.
I like her a lot so far. She's not a spineless, incompetent, infinitely confused dumbass like most girls in shows like this. I like how she took the compliment from that orange guy. She was just chill like: "Oh, thanks" while other anime girls in her position would beat the guy up or get a freakin' heart attack and go into a flurry of "ano" and "etto".
Fingers crossed she's not a brocon.

I have to admit I'm a lot more interested in the show now that two identical pairs of chromosomes joined the party.

[~BC~]

I loved Kou being able to talk to the guys while also clearly being attracted to their "triceps". Reminded me of Akane from Psycho Pass. Very refreshing.

Have to say I really liked the second episode a lot more than I thought I would. Probably because it felt like more of the world was being explored; I enjoyed most of the interactions; especially with supporting cast. Plus the guys felt a little less like simple arch-types. Haruka feels more like a quiet oddball than the generic stoic I thought he'd be based off the first episode.

[Lord of Fire]

That classic joke never gets old. Nice to see it in places I wouldn't expect.

Originally Posted by askara

abit late but comment before was all Fujoshi talk and Kyoani pandering and what not but i want to ask is this like Kimi to Boku(love it) or K-on with dude? i mean is there any stupid dude blushing and sparkle or just comedy?

I don't really see the K-On! connection, other than the fact it's done by KyoAni. it definitely reminds me more of Kimi to Boku, especially when the jokes are roughly of the same kind and that the only boy and girl who could be romantically interested in each other (in this case, Kou and Haru) will probably never actually get anywhere, because it's more about the boys showing off their pecs and Haru's rivalry with Rin.

[cyth]

Haruka certainly pulled through this episode, it really is a race between him and Rin for me. Still, I think it's a little too much that he quit competitive swimming just because he hated the idea of his friend losing. That's probably why Rin was so upset, thinking how silly of Haruka to sacrifice himself for his temporarily damaged ego. I wonder though, did Haruka intentionally lose the race back at the pool?

[Vallen Chaos Valiant]

Originally Posted by cyth

Haruka certainly pulled through this episode, it really is a race between him and Rin for me. Still, I think it's a little too much that he quit competitive swimming just because he hated the idea of his friend losing. That's probably why Rin was so upset, thinking how silly of Haruka to sacrifice himself for his temporarily damaged ego. I wonder though, did Haruka intentionally lose the race back at the pool?

That's the thing. Because Haruka doesn't have a competitive bone in his body, you can't know for sure if he ever truly tried to win, ever. He simply didn't care about winning, so to beat him in a race is never as satisfying as it could be. Especially if he had such a bored expression after losing.

[Anime Online]

Originally Posted by cyth

Haruka certainly pulled through this episode, it really is a race between him and Rin for me. Still, I think it's a little too much that he quit competitive swimming just because he hated the idea of his friend losing. That's probably why Rin was so upset, thinking how silly of Haruka to sacrifice himself for his temporarily damaged ego. I wonder though, did Haruka intentionally lose the race back at the pool?

I believe it is inferred Haruka intentionally lost to Rin. Rin threw his phone in his dorm room when Gou/Kou messaged him. Rin was not fooled, he knew he did not beat Haruka.

[ookamigirl]

Kou was totally LOL when seeing Haru in swimsuit ^^
I was kinda expecting the swim club to happen and I was right.
It was the pretty much obvious next step.
Looks like Rin is nostalgic about the childhood days with his friends.
I like this anime 'cause it had nice pace and strong motivation.

[brocko]

So that's why the girl is in the show. For the target audience to self-insert themselves lol

Also calling it now, but the teacher has to be a past bikini/swimsuit model lol

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by brocko

So that's why the girl is in the show. For the target audience to self-insert themselves lol

That's my take as well. So I wouldn't be shocked if she ends up with one of the guys.


This was a pretty good 2nd episode. It made the characters feel a bit more real and believable to me, and I like where they're going with the Haruka/Rin friendship and rivalry.

I agree with Irenesharda that Haruka wasn't really trying to win that swimming contest. He just wanted to enjoy the swim. So Rin just barely beat a guy that wasn't even trying to win - In some ways, that's actually worst than losing narrowly to a guy giving it his all. So I can see why Rin is pissed.


I also like the female teacher. She kind of makes me think of an adult Yui Hirasawa, lol.

[Gravitas Free Zone]

Originally Posted by Triple_R

I also like the female teacher. She kind of makes me think of an adult Yui Hirasawa, lol.

Yay, I'm not crazy. just first

[Blonto]

Originally Posted by brocko

So that's why the girl is in the show. For the target audience to self-insert themselves lol

Did it take you this long to figure that out?
At least she's not as empty and passive as other characters of that type. But that might be because the whole cast is hardly a paragon of complexity.

Originally Posted by Triple_R

That's my take as well. So I wouldn't be shocked if she ends up with one of the guys.

This is a Kyoani show. There is no ending up with anyone, there's just relationships being hinted at and left in the air.

Originally Posted by Endless Knackwurst

Yay, I'm not crazy. just first

You're definitively not: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hak2JiGzZj0

[Triple_R]

Originally Posted by Blonto

This is a Kyoani show. There is no ending up with anyone, there's just relationships being hinted at and left in the air.

Well, Chuunibyou had an established romance in it (by the end). But I'll admit that you're right about KyoAni in general. It's something I tend to dislike about their works.

[GDiddy]

As much as I personally wouldn't mind seeing Kou hook up with Haru, I don't think this is THAT type of show


And Ama-sensei must've been a swimsuit model at some point....

[Kirarakim]

Gou/Kou might be the self insert character but she is a well written character, so far she is my favorite of the cast, something I would rarely say about the character I am just supposed to identify with.

In fact I don't identify with Gou at all, I just think she is a cute (yet not saccharine) girl with a funny and endearing personality. I like that she is trying to help her brother and I am happy she has become friends with the other boys. I like her a lot.

In fact maybe because I am older I identify with the teacher more

[GDiddy]

Yeah, I have to say that Gou/Kou is probably the real breakout here for me as well. Sure the boys are cute(can't wait to see Megane next ep) but even if she's supposed to be what I call the Speshul Snowflake role, she's 10x better than say, Haruka of UtaPri or even the StepSis in Brothers Conflict.

She's just more realistic and down to earth. As far as anime chicks go...

And being older, I too relate to the Sensei more

[Anime Online]

Nah, I'm guessing Ama-chan was an avid swimmer, but had to quit due to some reason (sports injury?) and take up a teaching career.

If Free were an otome game, Rin would be the bad boy character, Haruna the strong, silent character, Makoto the social outgoing character, Nagisa the cute shota, and the megane the brainy character

[GDiddy]

Originally Posted by Anime Online

Nah, I'm guessing Ama-chan was an avid swimmer, but had to quit due to some reason (sports injury?) and take up a teaching career.

That could be...but with the way she was trying to avoid Makoto's questions, I thought it was something scandalous...

[MeoTwister5]

I can't get the goddamned ED out of my head.

[Triple_R]

The ED makes me think of a 90s Boy Band music video.

I can definitely see why female viewers would love it, and it is admittedly kinda catchy.

[novalysis]

Originally Posted by GDiddy

Yeah, I have to say that Gou/Kou is probably the real breakout here for me as well. Sure the boys are cute(can't wait to see Megane next ep) but even if she's supposed to be what I call the Speshul Snowflake role, she's 10x better than say, Haruka of UtaPri or even the StepSis in Brothers Conflict.

She's just more realistic and down to earth. As far as anime chicks go...

And being older, I too relate to the Sensei more

I wouldn't complain if EVERY Otome game had a Kou Clone as a female protagonist. In-fact, if Kou had been an Otome game protagonist, I suspect she would have been to the genre what Sugisaki is to the Harem genre. Actually, if Free! proves sufficiently popular, I wonder whether there'd be a joke VN featuring her as the main protagonist, in a reverse harem game. This is proof that Self Inserts can be written very well, even in anime, under the hands of a good writer. I wonder who in Kyo-ani was in charge of writing her characterization.

She is a fresh breath of air, compared to the walking misogynist fantasy that is the Female MC of horrors like Brother's Conflict or Amnesia. I wouldn't be surprised though, if she was written by an actual female.

This, I hope is a gold standard for female protagonist in a heavily male dominated show.

Edit: Thinking of it more, I think there's quite a bit of Nibutani behind her characterization.