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Forum - View topicThis Week in Anime - Can Free! Season 3 Recapture that Iwatobi Swimming Club Magic?
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Lemonchest
Posts: 1771 |
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Is this a chance for the one who ran away in one episode; the one who keeps learning to swim; & the one who acts as a third wheel to Haru & [insert this season's rival's name here] to finally have a reason to remember their names? Probably not. I think it's safe to say the franchise is now at the stage where it's about the fans who haven't moved on, rather than the characters (& creative staff) who have.
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pirateaddict
 SubscriberPosts: 193 |
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Speaking for myself I'm enjoying it, I've always liked it for the relationships and connections they have to each other rather than just to watch cute guys strip off all the time. (of course that's not to say I don't enjoy that as well)
We spent so much time with Haru and Rin's issues and now Haru is older and more aware of how he hurt others when he stopped swimming in middle school. There's lots of scope with this story and we'll see the highs and lows as well as further emotional development between friends and that's what Free has always been about. Add that to the competitions at the higher level and I think it's going in the right direction. |
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BlueOla
Posts: 161 |
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I honestly think you're the only one with this issue because the fans have no problems remembering everyone lol. (Though @Jacob, his name is NagiSA, not just Nagi. It's one kanji.) I would have said that they were just milking the series now if not for the fact that intorducitng the characters from Starting Days into the college arc completely changes the the game. Suddenly there's much more that can be done here with new characters everyone can bounce off of. So far s3 has been kind of unfocused but then again Free! has ALWAYS struggled the most in the first episodes which couldn't seem to find a direction. The change of director is tangible but maybe that's just because I'm overly self-conscious about it, and maybe not much has actually changed. Anyway, the series is different from what it used to be but I think the change was necessary to accommodate the setting. We'll see how it turns out. |
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Cardcaptor Takato
 Posts: 4858 |
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The Free franchise has always had an element of melodrama to it. The first season had that whole subplot of Makoto's Thalassophobia that was way too blown out of proportion than it needed to be and Eternal Summer had Nagisa running away from home because he didn't like studying. And while I've enjoyed the fanservice aspect of Free, I agree that it's mainly the characters and their relationships that draw me into the series and I like the series is showing it doesn't solely need the fanservice element to sell itself and it can rely on the strength of it's characters more. I also feel like we're getting adequate amount of ship teasing going on between Haru and Ikuya.
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Angel M Cazares
 Posts: 5429 Location: Iscandar |
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After 3 episodes I am enjoying season 3 more than I anticipated. To me this franchise has gotten better writing and focus wise with every season. So yes, this franchise is still definitely worth watching.
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JacobC
ANN Contributor
 Posts: 3728 Location: SoCal |
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Yeah, I was just abbreviating. Did the same with Mako(to). These really are "recorded live" as it were, so I try to retain the chatroom idiosyncrasies where I can even in editing. |
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zrnzle500
 Posts: 3767 |
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I would tend to agree with this. I might go so far as to say that it may be my favorite season of Free, though perhaps the series has just grown on me since I first saw it...a year or two ago. Though I would agree with the reviewers that not seeing High Speed does limit how much emotional investment I might have for the new characters. On that note, it seems High Speed will be screened at Otakon, according to the schedule. Doesn't really help people who aren't already going or even those with schedule conflicts for those who are. |
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Gina Szanboti
Posts: 11393 |
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I just want a spin-off series that focuses on Sousuke.
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rahzel rose
 Subscriber Posts: 826 |
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I am also here for this. |
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sailorstarsun
 Posts: 170 Location: Japan |
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HaruKA is also one kanji. |
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Maleko Ai
 Posts: 60 |
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YES to this. I just watch this season for him and Rin. I don't care so much for the new characters even for Haru and Makoto. |
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Ethe
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When it comes to swimming, these boys just can't let things go, can they 
I've fully embraced the melodrama and cheesiness of Free!, so I had a blast watching the first three episodes of DTF. Not to mention I already knew the new characters, so it's great to see them all together in one season. I'm surprised that this third season is making me like Ikuya. He was an insufferable brat in the movie, but I can't help feeling bad for the guy here. He's definitely Rin 3.0, but unlike Rin, he was "betrayed" by his friends so, at least for now, the conflict going on doesn't feel repetitive to me. I also loved that stargazing scene with Haru and Ikuya; the direction and music were on point.
I don't know about you, but I nearly fainted when I saw this. This new ending is a blessing. And to think I was never really that into guys in suits.
I like Rin and all but did he ever apologize to Sousuke for ignoring him all those years? That always kinda bothered me 
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