Score: 7.62/10
Free!: Dive to the Future
Synopsis
With the seniors having graduated from high school, the determined swimmers eagerly take on their futures with a dream to fulfill. Now attending Hidaka University in Tokyo, Haruka Nanase unexpectedly runs into Shiina Asahi, an old teammate and friend from his middle school days. Consequently, the troubling memories regarding his middle school swim team resurface, as it was a time when Haruka's views on swimming became negative and led him to quit the team. Haruka later reconnects with his other middle school classmates; all except for Ikuya Kirishima, who still resents Haruka for quitting the team, resulting in its disbandment. Aware of the issues between them, Haruka resolves to improve his friendship with Ikuya. However, he quickly realizes that making amends with an old friend isn't his only obstacle. Facing the reality and challenges of encountering higher calibre swimmers, Haruka must work hard to establish himself if he dreams of competing on an international level. [Written by MAL Rewrite]
The second season was a great comfy experience. Eternal Summer was what it was called and it was H O T just like the name suggests. However, it was much more than that and left several different factors unanswered, for example, In s02e09, Haru said: “What dream? What future? I have nothing of that sort!” Other questions it rose were: The traumas behind our transfer student (not wanting to swim on the behalf of team, only on individual level), Haru’s lack of motivation, and the disappearance / solitude phase of the best boy. Essentially, this 3rd season is exactly as the title promises: Dive towards the future of our characters and that’s pretty much how the story goes.
The selling point of this season among its light hearted drama are the cast who are yet again showing what being a bro to your bro truly means. This is like all those cute girls doing cute things anime series except the cast focuses on boys (bros) doing cute (bro) things and they all are rather real characters (bros) instead from the moeblob side because these are real manly men. The single best part is how natural these bros act in every situation be it them spooning in bed or hanging out naked. It’s only possible and #nohomo because they are real bros and so manly. It’s rare to see male friends achieve this level of broship and that’s pretty much why I like this show because all the other manly and bro shows (I really like manly and bro stuff) center around GAR Jesuses and muscle Moseses who are often also Gary Stu and practically immortal superhumans all muscles and spreading masculinity wherever they go. Free’s cast is realistic and fragile, but it don’t matter because they are so bro and support the shit out of each others, always.
However, I don’t think this series is especially good anymore because it only has few things going on and most of what it had to offer was already seen in the first 2 seasons anyway. I.e. it got old. Worth of watching, but really I could have personally lived without this season.
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