Free!


Free! - Iwatobi Swim Club

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Alternative Titles

Synonyms: フリー!
Japanese: Free!
English: Free! - Iwatobi Swim Club
Spanish: Free! Iwatobi Swim Club
More titles

Information

Type: TV
Episodes: 12
Status: Finished Airing
Aired: Jul 4, 2013 to Sep 26, 2013
Premiered: Summer 2013
Broadcast: Thursdays at 00:30 (JST)
Source: Original
Genre: SportsSports
Theme: SchoolSchool
Duration: 23 min. per ep.
Rating: PG-13 - Teens 13 or older

Statistics

Score: 7.321 (scored by 448614448,614 users)
1 indicates a weighted score.
Ranked: #26862
2 based on the top anime page. Please note that 'Not yet aired' and 'R18+' titles are excluded.
Popularity: #246
Members: 817,113
Favorites: 9,596

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Recommendations

Surely these two series have a lot in common to begin with the main focus being the sport genre, one focused on basket and the other on swimming. Both Free! and KnB have a gorgeous art style and colors, which doesn't let "indifferent". Plotwise, as a few other person mentioned already, the main charas Kuroko and Haruka are both the quite type; also both titles share a curious thing that somewhat "uniforms" them, in KnB they have color-related names for the GenMir, while in Free all the important charas have a girly name. Being team sports genre focused, obviously both series see the team of main characters that  read more 
report Recommended by EtnaEraclea
I love these two anime because I practiced both sports Both series shows passion for sports, Swimming and Volleyball. They value friendship and teamwork its important to win. Both have a lots of humor, beautiful men and bromance.  
report Recommended by xana14
Free! and Tsurune have the same sort of atmosphere. Both tell of 5 guys working together to learn and improve at a sport (swimming in Free! and archery in Tsurune). The animation is well done and very similar style from KyoAni. They both have a high emphasis on friendship. If you enjoyed getting a glimpse of what goes into a sport, and how people can bond together from one of these shows, you will have a very similar feeling watching the other. 
report Recommended by Pokey26
This both have bishounen, sexy animation, and great music. The guys look great too. So give this a watch. This even get something for the yaoi fan girls and boys. 
report Recommended by UnknownDepth
Both series are focussed on the athletic development of males with a passion for their chosen sports. They take you on a journey with many obstacles to overcome with help from friends and rivals. Also, let your fangirl mind fill in the blanks left by shounen ai vibes throughout the episodes.  
report Recommended by Lilviscious
Good-looking characters that compete in a sport. Their friendship is very heartwarming and makes the story more captivating. The characters all have a lot of chemistry with each other! 
report Recommended by DianaMTC
Water-themed slice of life shows bursting with colour where attractive boys bond over water-related activities, such as fishing or swimming. Tsuritama is the wholesome one, the one you wouldn't mind introducing to your grandma. Free!, however, positively delights in showing you just -how- attractive these boys are. Blushy blush. 
report Recommended by Keirik
These two are pretty much the same (the first few episodes are extremly similar) with K-On! being about a group of girls trying to form a band and Free! being a group of guys trying to form a swimming club. Both are very light hearted and simple shows and the characters are extremly cliched and moe in both. They also share the same producers. 
report Recommended by PokeL
Both have a protagonist who is extremely passionate about one particular sport and are about a group of childhood friends who meet again in high school. 
report Recommended by EdenBaggins
Both of these shows involve a group of high school students organizing their own club. They are equally hilarious comedies. 
report Recommended by kyorika
Both Love Live and Free! explore the assembling of a club that does not exist in the school. One for the sake of the school to not disband, and the other just for the sake of competition. Both strive towards a common goal (winning Love Live/swimming tournament) and explore the friendships between the characters in their journey to achieve their club goal.  
report Recommended by alysael
The focus of both series is on slice-of-life and the daily lives of high school boys. They have similar humor and characters and the same "feel." 
report Recommended by renchan
There's no denying that number24 was inspired from Free - much like an increasing number of modern sports anime. Both shows are tagged as sports anime, but more focus is given on the growth and development of the characters - both individually, as well as in relation to others. The creators of both the shows were smart enough to drop hints of ships, but to not make anything gay, so that they could keep both sides of their audiences - the boys as well as the girls. 
report Recommended by -Sonal-
Protagonist for both shows are quiet and are also very talented in what they do. Both are about sports but more importantly a friendship of two great athletes.  
report Recommended by El_Roaddd
A bunch of cute guys who do sports together in a high school club. Cheer Danshi animation isn't Kyoani's but it's still great. 
report Recommended by Riritsu
Two sports anime focused on a group of guys trying to meet certain goals. Run With The Wind is certainly a bit more serious, but both have a great feeling of success when their characters succeed. They are enjoyable to watch for similar reasons, mainly good character chemistry and growth, as well the sports themselves being well animated and fun to watch.  
report Recommended by Xaeveax
Cute guys and tones of manservice + fujobait. 
report Recommended by Riritsu
Both series is about sports (Free is swimming, knb is basketball) and both has this group of guys, and some rivilary going on between them. KnB is definetly more into the shounen-genre where Free! is more of a fanservice anime, but if you liked Free! you'll probably like Kuroko no basket as well! 
report Recommended by MyuuMyuu
If you liked Free, i'm absolutely sure that you'll love this anime. The characters aren't similar, but the vibe and feel of the show is. A bunch of pretty boys, training to do what they love. (Reminds me of yet ANOTHER show). Oh and this is one of the only animes where all of the characters look both female and male at the same time.  
report Recommended by maomat
Both anime focus on a group of boys and their development together as a team. While Starmyu is about music and Free! is about swimming, both focus on the teamwork and friendship between the main characters. They can both be cheesy and overdramatic at times but if you enjoyed the friendship in one of them, you will probably like the other.  
report Recommended by tearbender
You wanna see a bunch of boys being gay, but not in a sexual way? You wanna see a bunch of intense boy-on-boy scenes that gets EXTREMELY homosexual but nothing good comes out of it? Do you want to watch something that's actually good after watching this god-awful adaptation of a BL visual novel? Then watch Free!, because it's a hell of a lot better than this garbage that was SUPPOSED to be a bunch of dudes being gay but didn't deliver. Also, the animation/plot/music/characters, well, everything is so much better in Free!. 
report Recommended by LolliGo
Both are related to sports- Free is dominate by swimming where as Diamond no Ace features baseball. The sports genre of Anime is truly amazing! It all comes down to those few seconds of you leaning into the screen with sweat on the edge of your seat wondering who will win and who will lose. The action makes you want to scream in anticipation on both sides. However a contrast between these two Anime is that Free! is a very fast pace sport because of swimming coming down to the winners being distinguished by a mere millisecond. With baseball however the games can get drawn out  read more 
report Recommended by HoruDEyorokobi
Both involve a quirky and (literally) colorful cast of pretty boys overcoming the edgy rival team with teamwork and the power of friendship and all that cheesy but feel-good stuff. These two animes have a very similar feel, albeit i7 is a little more mature with less overt fanservice. 
report Recommended by trash-bird
Both are swimming-related anime and they both have very summery vibes to them. They also both have a very expressive cast with varying personalities  
report Recommended by Short_Circut
Both anime have a intense rush of excitement and suspense revolving around sports. 
report Recommended by Raine98765
Both talks about a group of friends, that have the same passion, a sport, wanna be the best. Have that popular character good-looking that everyone wanna be, not very friendly, just wanna be better and better. And have that character with hair with a unusual color, and teeth with pointed, that everytime is challenging the other, one wanna be better then the other, looks that they are rivals, but they like each other. 
report Recommended by TheLe0
Aimed mainly toward the female audiences. Both include a Male strong cast; with most of the characters obsessed with water and their respective water sport. Both include a lot of fan-service for the ladies as well as a lot of BL as to be expected.  
report Recommended by symbiotic
Two sports anime focused on characters competing in events that use small teams (4 person relays and 2 person dance pairs). They focus heavily on that group dynamic, and how all members of these small teams need to be in their best condition for the team to do well. Good character drama and well animated sporting action. 
report Recommended by Xaeveax
This recommendation might feel a bit... shallow... (sorry), but I still feel it is valid. Water, water, water. If you like well animated water that makes you want to dive in yourself, both of these are among the best. Lots of swimming involved, though in Nagi no Asukara it sometimes feels more like flying due to the setting. In all seriousness, both shows have great characters, drama, and stories, and if you fancy yourself a bit of a water connoisseur, check these out. 
report Recommended by Xaeveax
Both about team sports and close friendship, where the plot revolves mostly around characters than plot. Cute feelings and both anime are quite happy and enjoyable, with little touching moments. 
report Recommended by MssZenzy
If you like this one anime about a high school swim team, you might like this other one! ...Hey, it's not like there's a lot of swimming anime. 
report Recommended by lithiumflower
Two slice of life shows about handsome male school students. A lot of very similar characters. Also, both have Nagisa. 
report Recommended by Stray-Fukurou
For a music anime, hibike also has a lot of elements of sports anime such as Free: competitions, friendships, hardships, teamwork, the relationship between club life and life in the outside world, and a drive to improve, not just for yourself, but for the rest of your clubmates. Some of the main cast also display similar traits and tropes, albeit on different genders, and although Hibike takes it easier on the fanservice, there is still the same quality art/animation style and attention to detail Kyoto animation is known for. 
report Recommended by Snorxal
If you love slightly gay bishounen swimming then you're gonna love slightly gay bishounen samurais saving the history. 
report Recommended by sugar_slut
It was Sanrio's beach episode that made me make a connection between that show and Free. On the surface, it might seem that both shows are very different (and honestly, they are), but what makes them similar to each other is the same basic premise - how a group of boys become closer to each other emotionally, based on a mutual passion that they (and only they) share. Initially, the boys aren't taken seriously and are even ridiculed for their passion, but they persevere and while doing so, they become even closer to each other. So if you enjoy seeing 17 year old boys bond  read more 
report Recommended by -Sonal-
Two anime about a group of teenagers who are part of a club about a sport that have to do with water. (Diving for Amanchu, swimming for Free) Their characters have unusual personalities and they're both about finding your way to become happy or even "free". 
report Recommended by MONOII
Both shows are about young boys, all of them are targeting big goals. Haruka is talented like Tsubasa, also there is Rin who is same like Misaki, he changed schools and went to train to Australia. Similarities: - sports anime - rivalry - friendship - training and experiencing first losses 
report Recommended by junmisugi
Both sports animes with similar characters except Iwa Kakeru is about rock climbing and has a majorly female character cast, both are very good! 
report Recommended by libsoph
Both anime has friendship , misunderstandings and reunion. 
report Recommended by NAWMN
Both of them are about sports, and I believe there is a great similarity between the characters Minato and Haruka, as well as a clear message towards team work and friendship. 
report Recommended by Dazai_Bakugo
These are similar in the BJ aspect, and the way it plays out. However given is far better in most aspects. 
report Recommended by mrhappy_
Both have sports theme and the protagonist is good at the sport they play later they find there team and unlock more potential. 
report Recommended by neha_singh_11
- bromance - athletic practice and desire to win a championship - two characters who pair off initially and have drama - comedic moments - DRAMA 
report Recommended by cocolita22
- bromance - good-looking guys - beautiful art - comedic moments 
report Recommended by cocolita22
- charackters are very similiar - rin/ haruka and ayano/nagisa have identity issues or have personal reasons to abondon their biggest passion - the relationship between the charackters and the sports itself are similiar balanced then to other sports anime - both have a focus on friendship which they handle very authentic and enjoyable - watching hanebado give me the same feeling like watching free! 
report Recommended by afg1930
both of these anime has backstory about the characters and how there are times they wanted to give up, but persevered and fight on. they are also both sports anime and both anime guys are hot!  
report Recommended by aienn
These two sports shows follow the players and their lives more than the games. I would call these sport "dramas" more than sports animes. They focus on the individual players and the relationships they create with their teammates. Free! is about a swimming team and Stars Align is about a middle school tennis team. 
report Recommended by sgoldman449
if you liked the first season, the second one only gets better as the characters are forced to break out of the highschool anime bubble universe and confronted with the reality of graduation. just don't expect it to be a "sports anime" the same way haikyuu or knb are. free is just a coming of age drama about guys who happen to do sports and it only gets more melodramatic from here on out :) 
report Recommended by myonnie
-both anime are about water sports -the main characters are both somehow obsessed by the underwater world -both have a few female cast  
report Recommended by Hiru_Napyeer
Both are involved with sport genre and also group of guys doing something together to improve their ability on their own sport. Free! - swimming Kuroko no Basket - Basketball And both also involve with rivalry and with the same aim! That is to become number one on their sport!! Both worth to watch if you enjoy sport genre. ^^ 
report Recommended by NajSuarez94
Both are very wonderful heart-warming animes with a little melancholia and deep personalities but also with many funny and lovely moments. Both protagonists are male and good-looking, also both series have light hints of Boys'Love atmosphere. 
report Recommended by Salvina
Bishounen hanging around together and having adventures. Free is slice of life while Hakkenden is fantasy. Both are wonderful, heart-warming animes which are made beautifully and with a lot of wonderful efforts by the producers. Both animes have a shounen-ai touch.  
report Recommended by Salvina
Both stories revolve around water. 
report Recommended by Hstar
Both shows have a character named Rin (Kakashi's childhood friend) and Rin (rival of Haruka). Haruka's calm and nonchalant personality is similar to that of Sasuke Uchiha's. Finally, both main characters are very inspirational. 
report Recommended by UnjustNine
An abandoned Club, Lost Friends, Flashbacks, Hopes and Dreams! Not to mention they're catagorised as sports! I feel that Saki and Free really provides similar Atmosphere, Everyone has their own special Characteristics, and forms a perfect Team! Provided that their artworks are very similar! 
report Recommended by whomarg
Highschool boys spending their daily lives doing what they love.  
report Recommended by AnimeFan500
The relation between Hinohara/Kadowaki are very similar to Haru/Rin. Both rivals in a sporting competition. In Free: Haru understood Rin's situation. In Arata: Hinohara's action caused Kadowaki's predicament. His action had a negative affect and now their friendship is on the line.  
report Recommended by AnimeFan500
Well, it's kinda easy. -They both have a cast mostly comprised by males. -They both have bishōnens and bishōjos -They both have ships who aren't technically canon but still... -They both are very popular amongst shippers -They both are very colourful You get the point. Free! has a bit more drama and it's mainly about sports while Hetalia it's more of a 'history' anime and it's 90% (weird) comedy. They both are lovely, really. 
report Recommended by shokikita
Both have some handsome bishouen boys and awesome openings and ending theme songs  
report Recommended by OtomeXOtaku
Both are sports anime where the main characters seek to be free through their respective sports. They are both anime that are considered to have an overabundance of fan service. Both of them revolve around a certain group of friends trying to reach the top of their fields. They are both initially considered a gag anime at the beginning, but that idea begins to quickly dissolve as the story line changes its tone to one of seriousness.  
report Recommended by Allice84
These two anime both focus on a group of boys making a club. In Free! however, the school has male and female attendants. But I think the art is kind of similar. Kind of. 
report Recommended by miki2003
Two school clubs featuring an all-girl/all-boy cast. Good character dynamics, great mood, and fantastic animation. The characters in Free! take things much more seriously, dealing with internal conflicts of careers, their future with the sport, etc. K-On!! focuses more on the journey and an uncertain and uncaring attitude. Both groups mesh well together and watching their growth as characters is enjoyable. 
report Recommended by Xaeveax
Yeah I know that Free is sport anime but please hear me out. Free does some decent character development and builds nicely around a lost friendship and making new friends also tackling how to deal with fears 
report Recommended by Anime_Lover_JR
Mostly male cast competing in a competitive sport. 
report Recommended by dmuse
A "light" anime with a group of guys trying to "accomplish" something. For Uta no prince-sama, it's music. But for Free, it's swimming. There are very few girls involved in the main plot other than the main character in Uta no Prince-sama. Also a good female fanbase.  
report Recommended by InvisibleMelody
Both are about students creating a club for something they love. One of the main characters in both anime has something holding them back from fully embracing their love and joining the club initially. The depth as well as the club aspect are similar in the two anime. 
report Recommended by Raine98765
Come here for your cute guys with sad backstories. Of course Weiß is much edgier, in terms of backstory and actual story, but if you're watching one for the characters and the bl subtext (no actual text) you'll probably be happy with the other. 
report Recommended by prepare4trouble
Both have : - Great animations and chara design (so many bishounen) - Bromance feels - Challenging spirit - Sport genre 
report Recommended by Cainael
Physical character of his eyes a bit under his black lips it is not able to sleep because of the pleasure of reading a book or also wear glasses it's a problem can not sleep  
report Recommended by Yuki-Haru