The all-new anime film in the Free! franchise is titled Free! The Final Stroke, according to Kyoto Animation’s livestreamed video event for the franchise’s eighth anniversary on Monday.
The film will be split into two parts. The first part will premiere in Japan on September 17, 2021, followed by the second part on April 22, 2022. The films are described as the “last chapter” of the series.
“Let’s go, to the stage of glory,” says the project’s tagline.
The livestreamed video also revealed that Eisaku Kawanami would direct the film at Kyoto Animation, as he did in previous instalments of the franchise. Haruka Nanase, played by Nobunaga Shimazaki, is also returning.
【劇場版 Free!–the Final Stroke–】公開決定！
— 「Free!」シリーズ公式 (@iwatobi_sc) April 26, 2021
前編：2021年9月17日(金)
後編：2022年4月22日(金)
祝8周年！
たくさんの応援を頂き、「Free!」シリーズは8周年を迎えました。
いよいよ、遙は世界の舞台へ！
引き続き「Free!」シリーズをどうぞ宜しくお願いいたします！🏊https://t.co/lzaCsw3iVI pic.twitter.com/Tuf80dLE2E
Last August, Kyoto Animation revealed that a brand-new anime film will be released this year. The film’s team revealed in November 2019 that the scheduled summer 2020 release date had been postponed. The statement reassured viewers that the director and the rest of the crew are working tirelessly to create a film that will meet the expectations of the public.
Free takes place in the Japanese town of Iwatobi, which is centred on Iwami, Tottori. Haruka Nanase, a talented swimmer in high school, is the protagonist of the story. He and his friends revive Iwatobi High School’s swim team after running into his childhood foe, Rin Matsuoka of Samezuka Academy. The franchise include –
| Title | Format | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Free! – Iwatobi Swim Club | TV anime – 12 episodes | 2013 |
| Free! – Eternal Summer | TV anime – 13 + OVA episodes | 2014 |
| Free! – Dive to the Future | TV anime – 12 episodes | 2018 |
| High Speed! Free! Starting Days | Film | 2015 |
| Free! Timeless Medley | Film | 2017 |
| Free! Take Your Marks | Film | 2017 |
| Free! The Final Stroke | Film | 2021 |
On June 17, 2013, Iwatobi Channel, an internet radio show promoting the anime, started broadcasting. The show was created by the Japanese internet radio station’s Lantis Web Radio and Onsen. Nobunaga Shimazaki and Tatsuhisa Suzuki, who play Haruka Nanase and Makoto Tachibana from the anime, respectively, hosted the show. Between August 21 and September 25, 2013, two CD compilation volumes were released.
Kyoto Animation’s livestream and Twitter account
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