Free! : Irritated Heart Rate!

Episode 10

Last episode was the breakthrough for Haru, he finally realized that he just wants to race with his friends.

He just doesn't know that Rin will be racing against them at regional's in the relay!

***SPOILERS***

Flashback to Rin joining their school back when they were all babies!

So we get reminded that Haru was always miserable and Rin actually did seem like he was always obsessed with Haru. We get the events leading up to the tournament and find out why Haru actually really decided to swim in that relay.

And with the news ringing in our ears that Rin is going away we are back to the present day.

Goro has decided to coach them after all, YAY for pizza guy! He is getting really serious with the guys though and as far as Rei is concerned it has changed how Haru swims. He sets up cameras all around the pool so the boys can watch themselves swim from all angels.

I think Rei feels a little left out, everyone is so obsessed with Rin and he wasn't part of their "gang" as a kid so doesn't really understand the Rin situation. He asks for them to explain what happened and Haru agrees (amazingly!)

The reason Rin is obsessed with the relay is and it was basically the story of his father again. Also Haru gives the story of when they met and swam against each other in the winter break. They do seem to be making each other work hard!

Next day Rei shows up at Rin's school and calls out Rin. We already know from last episode that Rin doesn't think much of Rei....

Very good episode, loved the use of the flashbacks, they didn't have stupid music over them or was made to "feel" different from the episode itself, gave a lot of background on the big event in the boys life and Rei was able to air our feelings as outsiders to that event.

Good use of the characters there.

So Makoto....

Even in the past Makoto just has such warm and deep eyes. I can't help it the only really beautiful thing about this series (other than Rei) is Makoto's eyes. His personality brims out of them, they are the most beautiful and well imagined part of the whole thing. He has always been so deep and thoughtful and just a nice person and his eyes show that. I love his character.

Rin on the other hand I still don't really get, he started off "obsessed" in a way about Haru. He still has something like that going on but I don't know if this really told us much about Rin. I know that we know that the "event" that meant to have changed him from being "nice" Rin to "this" Rin is losing to Haru in a holiday but I'm still not sure what to make of it. The one thing I do understand is why Rin was so upset at losing to Haru when he was a kid, after all he was working on being an Olympic swimmer and was beaten by someone who wasn't taking it THAT seriously.

The rest of the characters are lovely in their own way, even the ones from Rin's team are great characters. His little follower is a little annoying but his heart is in the right place and he's their teams Nagisa basically. Their coach is pretty awesome and I love his thing about Kou that makes me giggle.

Nagisa and Haru are great characters, I've said it all along but Haru's character has grown so much it is pretty great to see how different he is this episode to episode one. I have to admit Haru's character ruined the show a lot in the beginning, even though I kind of understand why he was the way he was there was just no character there, you didn't get a hint of anything he was just a blank character acting cold but not actually getting that point across. Much better now and a much more likable character for it!

Rei, as you know, with Makoto is my favorite. He really is something! Lets face it he is the character that helps the audience becoming part of the group, we don't really know THE STORY of the four kids (Makoto, Haru, Rin, Nagisa) we kind of know the outlines but we feel the way that Rei does.

I actually feel sorry for him he seems to love the group so much that he's willing to march up and confront Rin about it!

The episode was really brilliant it kind of filled in gaps that we really needed to be filled.

The series was so close to being dumped after episode one but right now I don't want it to end and it is coming to its end. That makes me very sad. This has been one of the biggest surprises of my life!

I just really love the characters and their interactions and seeing them do something together. They've built this club up, managed to get into regional's through their own hard work and anything else that happens only happens because of their passion and strength. But through everything they've had a smile on their faces and live just to be together swimming.

It is a lovely message in this show.

The only thing I dislike is how the characters are drawn, then again I hate muscles like that so what do I know?!

Great story, can't wait to see Rei confronting Rin!