The ever-thrilling swimming anime Free! has been preparing for the final stroke of its series for a while now. The creators intend to end the story with Free! The Final Stroke, the franchise’s latest two-part film series.
The first part of the series was released in September 2021 and instilled a new wave of excitement among fans. At the same time, it is indeed sad that this film series might mark the end of Haruka and Rin’s epic journey.
Keeping that thought aside, the second part of The Final Stroke is much anticipated by all. We may even get to see our favorites as adults living the life they always dreamed of, giving us all the closure that we needed.
Kyoto Animation has revealed a teaser trailer for Free! The Final Stroke Part 2 anime film, scheduled for a theatrical release in Japan on April 22, 2022.
The teaser takes us back to the good ol’ days when Rin and Haruka were kids. It shows Haruka and Makoto remembering when they met as kids and how far they’ve come together.
It then shows Rin and Sosuke doing the same as they get nostalgic over how they were as kids and how much they respect and appreciate their friendship. The teaser is a bit teary as the entire series’ characters and events are summarized in under a minute, making us all emotional.
The video also teases some Olympic-level action that indicates a breakthrough for Haru’s character in the film.
Moreover, the franchise has also unveiled a key visual for the upcoming film.
“Theatrical version Free! – The Final Stroke –” Part 2 Teaser visual released on the Web!
This is my “free” ──
Haruka’s expression is looking back on the stage of the second part, in his heart …
The second part will be released on April 22, 2022 (Friday)! Please stay tuned!
#Free_Final
English Translation, Twitter Translate
The subtle fan-service visual features the protagonist Haruka in his swimwear and drenched in water. He is shown facing the pool in front of him while tilting his head backward.
The poster’s tagline says, ‘This is my ‘Free’…’ which refers to how Haru prefers freestyle instead of the pressurizing and competitive side of the sport. Although, over the years, he has grown to love the competitive side if done in a healthy way that allows him to enjoy the water.
The staff says that this film will be the ‘final chapter’ in the story, foreshadowing the end of an era. It makes sense how the tagline of The Final Stroke series is ‘Let’s go, to the stage of glory,’ indicating that the characters will eventually compete internationally.
It is sad how the series might end, but I’ll be delighted to see Haruka and Rin challenging each other at the Olympics. The upcoming film might just give us what we’ve always wanted to see and end it on a satisfying note.
About Free!
Free! is animated by Kyoto Animation and is loosely based on the light novel, High Speed!, by Koji Oji.
The series revolves around members of a high school boy’s swimming team. The youngsters participate in a swimming tournament right before they graduate from middle school and go their separate ways.
Free! has a unique concept by using the sport of competitive swimming as their focal point. The animation, art, and sound used in the series complement the story well.
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