Free!
By Jeremy Looney,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
High school sports anime has language, erotic references.
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Free!
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What's the Story?
FREE! Centers around Haruka Nanase (voiced in English by Todd Haberkorn) a high school student with a passion for swimming. Haruka reunites with some of his elementary school swimming buddies in high school, and ogether they decide to form the Iwatobi High School Swim Club. The boys begin training to prepare for upcoming tournaments. While training their bonds strengthen as they deal with their own personal struggles and motivations. They will also have to face off against one of their friends from the past who only cares about winning.
Is It Any Good?
This sports-themed anime features awesome animation and a less traditional sports story. Free! is a sports anime that focuses more on the relationships of its characters than it does swimming. The main characters are a group of friends who had drifted apart but in high school decide they want to reignite their friendships and their individual passions for swimming. The show has a lot of slice-of-life moments that focus on the friends rebuilding their friendships; in this context are some tense, action-filled moments that revolve around swimming competitions. The art and animation are beautifully created by Kyoto Animation, especially the vibrant water animations. The end product looks spectacular and high quality. Overall Free! might not be for the traditional sports anime viewer looking for intense head-to-head action, but its focus on relationships and dramatic character moments will appeal to fans of the slice-of-life genre.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the importance of teamwork and sporting conduct. Who, if anyone, displays good sporting conduct?
Families can also talk about the benefits of playing sports. What do you think is the most important thing in sports?
TV Details
- Premiere date: December 22, 2015
- Cast: Todd Haberkorn , Vic Mignogna , Johnny Yong Bosch
- Network: Crunchyroll
- Genre: Anime
- Topics: Sports and Martial Arts , Great Boy Role Models , High School
- TV rating: TV-PG
- Last updated: August 2, 2023
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