My Final Thoughts On Free! Before The Finale

I started watching Free! very ironically. To me, it looked really stupid and seemed all about fanservice. It was really late at night [let's say...2am] when I decided to watch the first two episodes that were out. I was really bored and wanted to see what all the fuss over this show was about.
The carefree, fanservice swimming anime I thought it would be turned into one of the biggest emotional rollercoaster ride of my life. In fact, I've never been so emotionally invested in a show in my life.

To think about that the next episode airs tomorrow really pains me. My heart really burns with despair, but also it feels as it may burst with excitement.

At first look, the title, Free!, could simply be interpreted as the swimming reference of freestyle. The style that Haruka Nanase has and only will swim. I interpreted it simply that was just as I underestimated that depths of this swimming anime and shattered my heart due to the lack of preparation. The title holds so much more meaning than that.

Haruka Nanase and Rin Matsuoka are both held down by their own despair and guilt, and as a result, seek independence and isolation. Ironically though, that independence is what constrains them, and keeps them from being anything but free.

Haru is undoubtedly the main main character of this show. He's the reason why most of them swim. But the story is just as much as Rin's. People would say Rin is the antagonist of the story, but I really don't see it that way. Rin's character is much more complex than that to just point him out to be the bad guy when he's not. Haru and Rin are more like different sides of the same coin.

The main theme of Free! is friendship. Swimming is used as the element and means to draw out the power of teamwork. From the very beginning, the goal was to reach out and reconnect with their old friend, Rin.

Free! shows the importance of friendship and teamwork. It takes us to tell the story of Haru, Rin, and the other boys, Makoto Tachibana, Nagisa Hazuki, and Rei Ryugazaki. It shows that through friendship, we aren't chained by commitment or responsibility, but are set free as we share our burdens and joys. You become free.

In the last few episodes, Haru and Rin do become 'free.' Or at least Haru did. Rin just thought he was finally 'free,' but he really wasn't.Though, Rin acted like a douche to Haru when he though he became 'free'. The people who loved Rin dropped drastically after that episode. I even didn't like him for a bit because he made Haru sad. [no one messes with my favorite character, yo] But I gotta say, the higher your hopes, Rin, the harder you'll fall. And boy did he fall. He fell hard. He though he had achieved his goal to move on, it only made him more sad.
Then when Haru became 'free,' he changed a lot. He was no longer the quiet character and sad looking character. He let go of his disappointment, his guilt, and burdens. He can finally be where he is truly happy with his friends. He realizes that his friends are the reason he swims. And to see Rin let go of his burdens would make me really happy. To see him embrace how he was a child, happy and optimistic, would be quite the ending.

All of the characters are so loveable in their own way. I don't like it when people tear any of them down. It shows that don't have any appreciation for the series or for the story. They can't see beyond their little ships. I mean, you don't have to like a character, but this show has so few characters, that it's impossible to completely reject the impact and importance of one character to favor another.
I love all of the characters. Their flaws. Their insecurities. Their imperfections. Even if they're not beautiful to you, Rei.

I am really excited and sad that the final episode is coming out tomorrow. We were given an amazing story with captivating characters that was way more than what anyone expected. I doubt any amount of preparation will save me from the embrace of emotions that is to come in the final episode.

The final episode of their [hopefully not] final race together. The medley relay race with Haru, Makoto, Nagisa, and Rei. Rin won't be able to race with his team because he didn't seen motivated enough to his coach, so his coach didn't allow him to join. Hopefully Rin will be there to watch them all swim and finally be 'free.'
I want them all to be how they were in middle school. [plus Rei] They could bake a cake made out of rainbows and smiles and they could just- all be happy.

And if this show taught me one thing, it'd be,

Never to judge an anime by it's fanservice.