Free The Final Stroke: Part 1 Movie FULL LENGTH Reaction!
Added 2022-05-06 17:00:10 +0000 UTC**SO MANY HEADPHONE WARNINGS**
It's been SO LONG. And it feels SO GOOD to be back with our Free! boys!
LINK TO REACTION: https://share.vidyard.com/watch/AaMGotsbaMBrmBf7MQD1hT?
Where do I even START?! This first part was just what I wanted from Free: Beautiful animation, hilarious hijinks, heart-to-heart conversations, surprise character interactions, ALL THE SECRETS, ALL THE SHIPPING, and ALL THE ANGST! What else could a Free! fan ask for?!
This movie was a roller coaster of emotions, and of COURSE they leave us on a cliffhanger, as Haru apparently lets go of the Nakama to pursue getting stronger to beat our Swedish Fish, Albert...who is none too happy about his Beauty and the Beast style imprisonment by Professor X-- I mean, his coach.
AND we have Kinjou (how is he now one of my favorites?!) angst with Ryuji of all people, Hiyori, Rin and Ikuya's budding bromance, Sousuke-Makoto-Asahi Emotional Support Services, and the nostalgia brought to us by Rei and Nagisa...so........where's Part 2 with subs, y'all?
Thank you for watching with me and for the support!
Comments
I definitely think for part one, this was a glorious sendoff for our swimming boys! :3 But I love this comment – no worries, long comments are totally fine (I literally talked for two hours about this movie, right?! hahahaha!) No need for apologies! I forgot he had a LETTER HE WROTE – oh my gosh, if Part 2 comes back to that letter, I sweeeearrrrrrr…..but Makoto, I feel a big part of the last movie is going to be him confessing his feelings (even if the movie tries to sell them as platonic) to Haru. And I’m ready for it! The water is just GORGEOUS, but we all knew it would be, right? Yes, this movie is actively trying to kills us with the fan-feels! SouRin are literally #boyfriendgoals – I really love Rin and Ikuya’s bff potential, though! I wish we could have seen those pictures, too, but I’ll settle for their interactions in this! The fact that they have that common ground with Haru as the focal point? LOVE. I’m also on board with the SouMako agenda – I’m with fellow patron Esteban, this is just a polycule and these guys are all dating and it’s fine. I mean, Mako/Sousuke/Hiyori cheering their bf’s on while also having amazing chemistry? HERE FOR IT. The twist with Kinjou isn’t that he and Ryuji have history (though WHAT A SURPRISE) but rather that Kinjou actively WANTS to get hit by the Nakama Care Bear Stare! Kinjou WANTS friends…but doesn’t think it’s possible to have that AND swim to his (probably dead) brother’s standards. Seriously, this movie making me care about Kinjou’s role in all this. And Kinjou/Albert/Haru all have something in common…interesting, indeed! Oh, Hiyori and Kisumi know what’s up in this movie. Hiyori asking alllllll the important questions and Kisumi trying to hook everyone up. What a duo! I don’t like seeing Albert sad and pouty – he needs the power of the Nakama, too! RALPH ISN’T PULLING HIS WEIGHT! And yeah, Albert may not be the final boss in terms of swimming, but in terms of EMOTIONAL baggage, Haru needs to get over “needing” to beat Albert or he needs to help “save” Albert to move forward. At least get him away from that coach! Ikuya is rarely touchy-feely, as is Hiyori, so maybe that’s why they don’t do the big “hug,” but I LOVE the scene with Asahi and Ikuya – Asahi was basically an emotional support golden retriever in this movie, and it was adorable. YES, that conversation with Haru and Makoto was so “real” and genuine – it’s sad that Haru isn’t showing any “red flags” in that moment or any really with Mako – I guess the Diva Shark in Rin brings that out in Haru. ;) Oh, OT4 for SouMakoHaruRin absolutely! Natsuya and Nao are the ultimate OTP, though. We stan for these two! Uhhhggghhh, Makoto not being able to talk to Haru was HARD – we all know that it’s going to be the BIG MOMENT when Mako finally speaks his peace to Haru…we just have to wait now. But yeah, Haru mirroring Rin from Season 1 – it’s all coming full circle. The question is: Rei stood up to Rin in Season 1, but who will stand up to Haru? Will it be Makoto? Or someone else? But YES – proud of Rin not crying, but Free! Just had to stab us with that angst right before the end, eh?? I am SO excited for Part 2 – this part was amazing, but I need to know Nagisa/Rei/Gou’s after school plans and for our boys to all come together and be friends! The wait is going to hurt…but it’ll be worth it! Thanks for the comment!!
Romaniablack
2022-05-11 05:12:31 +0000 UTCRIGHT?! Everything was going so well and I was checking off all the boxes...but it's not a Free! movie without ANGST and PAIN, and they sure smacked us with that at the end! And now I'm VERY curious to see how this will be resolved. The Haru Protecc Squad is probably being assembled as we speak! :)
Romaniablack
2022-05-10 17:25:05 +0000 UTCI really, really enjoyed this movie! You're totally right, it feels like a *movie*, moreso than any of the ones that came before it. Like they want to send our boys off right :') I'll try to go in chronological order, but I have thoughts! Sorry if it's a bit much. Makoto having a whole-ass letter he hand-wrote for the Haru video, before a jump-cut to him in a different position, being a blushing, stammering mess... you're not slick, Makoto! (I love him so much 😭) Also, Sasabe's earnestness made me tear up a bit, 2 minutes in! And then we get the beautiful WATER. And then Makoto comes in to take Haru out of the pool, but he's shirtless, because, you know, why not!? They're trying to kill me. SouRin on their little festival date, boyfriend goals for real. Rin and Ikuya interacting was something I didn't know I needed, but they probably have a better understanding of each other than most, with how impactful Haru was to both of their lives. Wish we could've seen those embarrassing pictures of them... And then young Kinjou, so pure! Wanting to be Hiyori's friend! Ahhhh. Alllso, I love Hiyori calling out Haru, "Wow, special treatment for Makoto, wonder why???" Hahaha, we love an instigator. He knows damn well why, his own gay-ass head over heels for Ikuya in the same way. The Kinjou/Ryuji connection is something that I did /not/ see coming, but adds a perfect layer of spice and complexity to the relationship between them and Haru. And the SouMako in this movie was copious! I like how Sousuke even mentions how he and Makoto have similar builds~ I think you're both well aware of each others' builds ;P (It's a fun ship but SouRin and MakoHaru are too good. Maybe we stan a four-way poly ship???) I absolutely love the dynamic of the three boyfriends back in Japan forming their own little group to root on their pro swimming partners. Absolutely adorable. I also had suspicion that things wouldn't go very well for the majority of our guys on the global stage, at least not yet, but it still sucked to see. I really enjoyed yet more Rin and Ikuya, licking their wounds together. Seeing sad, controlled Albert swimming as his job was also a tad gut-wrenching, our sweet, Swedish fish being anything but. It's kinda funny how they paint Albert as this Big Bad Endboss guy, when Haru finished behind at least 3 people without Albert even being there. Kinda sad we didn't get some big ol' hugs when the guys are reunited (see: Hiyori and Ikuya just.... standing at an arms length), but I s'pose that's Japan for ya. I've always enjoyed Ikuya and Asahi as a ship, though I see Ikuya and Kisumi more, but in this movie, damn. That pool scene at night between the two of them was very intimate and reminiscent of Starting Days. I love that scene where Makoto and Haru are sitting on the bed, Haru talking about how they'd be seeing each other less... such a real, grown-up conversation about sacrificing something to obtain something else. And, of course, Makoto is ever-supportive, knowing it is for the best for Haru, in the long run. (Until a certain typically-mild-mannered dolphin-boy decides to go full angsty diva mode...) Also, I loved how at the restaurant for Haru's celebration dinner, the second Rin gets up, the other boyfriends spring into action, Makoto going to console Rin, and Sousuke going to encourage Haruka. (OT4????) Natsuya and Nao are so canon it's not even funny. Just, there's no other possible ship, it's just them two. Love that we got to see Haru back and Makoto's house, Ren and Ran enthusiastically hanging off of their Olympian brother-in-law. Speaking of Ren and Ran, just tell them kids to wait! Get your words of encouragement and affirmation out to Haru, damnit! Don't you know what Ghost Albert is about to do!? Hiyori and Kinjou again, good scene. Kinjou is very perceptive, for how much he seems to dismiss the ideas of 'others', of course just a protective facade he keeps up. The Rin and Haru scene was tough, but I'm proud of Rin for not crying! God knows he wanted to. Jerk Haru, acting just like Rin did when he came back from Japan after hitting his first wall in Australia. Seeing poor Rin in the fetal position on his bed, a total wreck as he listened to Makoto's voicemail... Kyoani just makes it hurt so good. And, lastly, having the boyfriends at the end speaking about how important Haru and Rin both are made me weaaaaaaaaaaak. Damn, what a movie. I'm so excited to finish this up with part 2. I just know they'll do it justice, after this awesome first part. Excited to hear about Rei, Nagisa, and Gou's after-college plans! Thanks for the reaction, it was so much fun.
Aaron Carrico
2022-05-09 16:45:22 +0000 UTCI felt like this movie gave us everything we wanted and then pulled the rug right out from under our feet at the end. I know it's not Free without some angst but ughhhh I felt so sad when it ended.
Bambi
2022-05-06 20:16:18 +0000 UTC
