First Look: Free!

Year: 2013 | Written by: Masahiro Yokotani | Directed by Hiroko Utsumi

Studio: Kyoto Animation & Animation Do

Sparkles of shirtless able bodied bishounen's here and there. I am flabbergasted that there could be so much man-service for just one episode leaving me speechless. So hail to the fujoshi! However, it would be dismissive to say yaoi because this is created by a parent friendly studio to begin with. So don't even think about the possibility of BL for this show because it's not going to swing that way.

The first episode is more or less average -- not as great but not that bad either. The animation quality and the overall visuals - this being KyoAni is of course spectacular - but not at par with Hyouka. However, the concept (and these man candy's) pulls you straight in like a magnet. Due to the overwhelming fanservice I have to watch it three times to really get into the program without drooling and giggling. Now I'm stuck with that ED sequence and song. There is also an obvious gender bender thing going on with the characters names. And the stereotype is pretty much set. Haruka being the tsundere type, Nagisa with his big Moe eyes, Makoto as the softie, Rin as the badass a-hole, and Rei as the studious megane. 

Is it just me or am I seeing a female dominated season this Spring? Not for empowerment in my opinion but for the benefit of those male otaku's. While men are feasting over moe overload, us women only have Free! to revel on, and it's getting some unfair criticism from narrow minded people. For once, give us a break and let the women have a good time. We want our sexy males and it doesn't need to be translated as BL, okay. It wouldn't hurt if the writers could inject some women love interest to our Iwatobi studs as well. I don't know if that's possible but here's to hoping that we'll get some lovey dovey girl-boy factor in one or two episodes.