Free! Episode 4 Review

Hmm… Which swimsuit are you going to wear today Haru-chan?

The episode starts off with Haru’s collection of weekly swimwear… After all, today’s the big day. It’s finally warm enough to swim! When the swim club meets, Kou brings up her brother’s old swim regimen for training before their first swim tournament. The biggest challenge right now is teaching Rei to swim so this episode focuses on his aquatic struggles.

Rating: 4/5 curiously excited clouds

Rei’s already mastered the theory behind swimming… but what happens when he actually dives?!? … He bellyflops. Nagisa and Makoto decide to teach Rei how to swim as a starter. As Kou watches, she asks Haru why he swims and Haru tells her that he doesn’t have a reason. She reveals that her brother’s reason is his dream to swim in the Olympics.

Back at Samezuka, Rin is busy training with Nitori’s help. Rin’s forever striving and training to beat Haru.

Nagisa brings up the idea of matching uniforms for the swim club; Kou dismisses their designs for a teaching regimen to turn Rei into a swimmer within a week. Though Rei has perfect form, he’s incapable of floating whilst swimming. How I would love to get swimming tips from Makoto =3

At the club meeting to figure out why Rei can’t swim… here are the hypotheses

– Haru: The water doesn’t like him

– Kou: He’s athletically challenged

– Nagisa: His head is too heavy

Rei claims that the problem lies in the club’s teaching, so the boys enlist Coach Sasabe’s help but even he refuses. With four days left, Rei announces that he’s discovered the reason for his inability to swim. The answer is… his swimsuit!?!??

Rei’s still sticking to form and calculations, so he’s really convinced that the problem is one of technicality. So… Haru’s interested in buying a new swimsuit as well, though it looks exactly the same as his usual ones. CUE THE SWIMSUIT MONTAGE! DELICIOUS!

Kou, drained from fangirling over boys and swimsuits grabs a drink at the vending machine outside. She runs into Captain Mikoshiba from Samezuka. Apparently the Samezuka swim team is also looking for new swimsuits. When Rin and Haru bump into each other by the changing rooms, Rin pulls him outside for a talk.

Rin remarks on their last race, that Haru is usually in better shape than his present form. Rin says that unless he truly wins a fight where both of them are swimming their best, he won’t be able to let it past himself. Rin insists that Haru swim for him and Haru makes him promise that if Rin loses, he won’t quit swimming.

Rin takes up Haru on the challenge and they leave it at that till the next upcoming tournament. With two days left, Rei’s entire swimming outfit looks on par but once again, he turns into a sinking rock… Looks like Haru can’t take it. He finally agrees to teach Rei how to swim – free style. Well… after a very touching but short montage, Rei’s still unable to swim.

Discourage, Rei’s sitting by himself at the pool until Haru tells him to swim according to feeling and intuition instead of technique. The next day, Rei is swimming a beautiful butterfly style by the pool. It seems to be the only style he hasn’t tried, but is also the only style he can swim! I guess it’s true what Ama-sensei said, it takes a flash of inspiration very often when hardwork and genius falls through. Somehow, Haru’s wise words have helped him…

I’m noticing some really nice angles from the director 😉 as well as neat and tidy story-telling every episode that I’m really enjoying. Free! is turning out into a pretty great series so far. Can’t wait for the reveal of the tournament and from the previews, it also looks like the club will be going to the beach soon!