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Free! - Iwatobi Swim Club's 3rd BD/DVD Short Previewed in Video
posted on by Sarah Nelkin
Kyoto Animation began streaming a promotional video on Tuesday for the second set of bonus anime titled "FrFr! ~Free! short movie~" that will be bundled with the fifth Blu-ray Disc and DVD release of the Free! - Iwatobi Swim Club television anime series.
The preview video features the segments "Rei & Logic & Boomerang!" and "Distant FrFr!." In "Rei & Logic & Boomerang!," Rei realizes that since he was focusing on logic so much, he had forgotten the most important thing: A swimsuit. Nagisa brings his swimsuits, which he considers "cute." Haruka tells Rei that a tight-fitting swimsuit is the best. In "Distant FrFr!," Rin comments on how Haruka never smiles, then gets an idea. According to the official website, one more short titled "Members of the Iwatobi Family" will also be included on the volume.
The fifth Blu-ray Disc and DVD release of Free! will be released on January 8, and will come bundled with the fifth, sixth, and seventh FrFr! anime shorts, a special "splash" sleeve package, a reversible jacket featuring one side with Rei, and another side with Haruka and Makoto. The release will also include a "'SPECIAL BOOK Free! Vol.5 featuring Rei Ryūgasaki" booklet with character interviews and images from the anime, two postcards. The disc will also include Japanese subtitles.
The anime premiered earlier this year, and the story revolves around Haruka when he is in high school. After years of separation, his childhood friend Rin challenges him to a swimming match, showing Haruka his overwhelming power. Not wanting it to end like this, Haruka gathers together Makoto and Nagisa once again, and also brings a new member named Rei Ryugazaki to create the Iwatobi High School Swimming Club. Haruka, Makoto, Nagisa, Rei, and Rin come together for a story of swimming, youth, and friendship.
Hiroko Utsumi of Animation DO is directing the anime, and Masahiro Yokotani is supervising the scripts. Futoshi Nishiya is designing the characters, and Tatsuya Katou is composing the music. Much of the same production staff created the "Suiei-hen" (Swimming) anime commercial that was unveiled in March. Animation DO had teased "a project in the works" with an image of Haruka swimming last year.
Kōji Ōji's High Speed! novel served as the basis for the anime, and Kyoto Animation published the novel in Japan earlier this year. The novel received an honorable mention in the 2nd Kyoto Animation Award in 2011, and Free! character designer Futoshi Nishiya illustrated the novel. A sequel novel is also in production.
Crunchyroll streamed the anime as it aired in Japan.
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