The official website of the Free! anime has announced that the series is getting a third TV anime season set to broadcast in Summer 2018. The announcement was also made in celebration for the debut of the anime’s latest film, Free! -Take Your Marks-.
Free! -Take Your Marks- released in theatres across Japan on October 28th. The new film is a sequel to the second TV anime season (and in essence the compilation films) and contain 4 episodes. During the credits of the film, a teaser that a third anime season was shown via a teaser visual.
Here is the synopsis of the movie:
Haruka visits Tokyo to look for a place to live for when he starts his college life there next month. Coach Sasabe recommended a real estate agent to Haruka, but when he arrives at the agent’s office, he meets an unexpected character. Aiichirō and Momotarō are considering what to give Rin and Sōsuke as a graduation present. As they try to think of something that might surprise Rin and Sōsuke, Momotarō wins a premium lottery. The Iwatobi High School Swim Club members plan a surprise party to say goodbye to Rin before he goes to Australia. But Rin happens to see Gou and Momotarō as they run errands together all around town for the party.
Two compilation films of the anime’s two seasons were produced earlier in the year. The films recapped the events of season 1 and 2 and also included new scenes and remastered audio. Free! -Timeless Medley- Kizuna and Free! -Timeless Medley- Yakusoku, which released in Japan on April 22nd and July 1st respectively. The first film revolved around Haruka Nanase and his friends from the two TV anime seasons. The second featured Rin Matsuoka and his friends from the two TV anime seasons. The films released in over 60 theatres across Japan on July 1st.
There will also be a screening session for episode 0 of the third season. The event will also see pre-order application forms for the Blu-ray and DVD releases of the compilation films.
The main cast of the Free! ~Take Your Marks~ anime film include:
- Nobunaga Shimazaki (Shidou Itsuka from Date A Live) voices Haruka Nanase
- Tatsuhisa Suzuki (Hiroomi Nase from Kyoukai no Kanata) voiced Makoto Tachibana
- Tsubasa Yonaga (Aichi Sendou in Cardfight!! Vanguard) voicing as Nagisa Hazuki
- Daisuke Hirakawa (Makoto Itou from School Days) as Rei Ryugazaki
- Mamoru Miyano (Rintarou Okabe in Steins;Gate) voices the role of Rin Matsuoka
- Yoshimasa Hosoya (Junpei Hyuuga in Kuroko’s Basketball) as Sosuke Yamazaki
- Kouki Miyata (Kouta Tsuchiya in Baka to Test to Shoukanjuu) voicing Aiichirou Nitori
- Kenichi Suzumura (Mikiya Kokutou from Kara no Kyoukai) will voice Momotarou Mikoshiba
- Toshiyuki Toyonaga (Mikado Ryuugamine from Durarara!!) voices Asahi Shiina
- Kouki Uchiyama (Seiya Kanie from Amagi Brilliant Park) voicing the role of Ikuya Kirishima
The production staff for the film include:
- Director: Eisaku Kawanami (Free! and Hyouka Episode Director)
- Series Composer: Masahiro Yokotani (Free!, Re:Zero kara Hajimeru Isekai Seikatsu)
- Anime Character Designer: Futoshi Nishiya (Free!, Nichijou)
- Art Director: Joji Unoguchi (Free!, Nichijou)
- Music Composer: Tatsuya Katou (Fate/kaleid liner Prisma Illya, Mirai Nikki)
- Sound Director: Yota Tsuruoka (Free!, Chuunibyou Demo koi ga Shitai!)
- Animation Studio: Kyoto Animation (Hyouka, Clannad) and Animation Do (Free!)
Free! (Free! – Iwatobi Swim Club) is a TV anime series based of Kouji Ohji light novel High☆Speed!, which is illustrated by Futoshi Nishiya. The light novel received an honourable mention in the 2011 Kyoto Animation Award contest, and to date a total of 2 volumes have been published by Kyoto Animation. The anime adaptation aired from July 2013 for 12 episodes, animated by Kyoto Animation (Hyouka, Clannad) and Animation Do – with the latter’s animation debut. The second season of the anime, Free! – Eternal Summer, aired in Summer 2014. A prequel film titled High☆Speed! -Free! Starting Days- was released in late 2015, with two compilation films releasing in Summer 2017 and a new original film in October 2017. There were also radio shows and drama CD volumes released to promote the two anime seasons.
Here is a synopsis of the series from MAL:
The story revolves around Haruka Nanase, a boy who has always loved to be immersed in water, and to swim in it. Before graduating from elementary school, he participated in a swimming tournament along with his fellow swimming club members, Makoto Tachibana, Nagisa Hazuki, and Rin Matsuoka. After achieving victory, each of the boys went their separate ways.
Time passed, and in the middle of their uneventful high school lives Rin appears and challenges Haruka to a match, showing Haruka his overwhelming power. Not wanting it to end like this, Haruka, gathers together Makoto and Nagisa once again and brings a new member named Rei Ryugazaki to create the Iwatobi High School Swimming Club in order to defeat Rin.
The third season of the Free! TV anime has been announced and is in production for Summer 2018, which generally begins in July. Further information about the new season will be revealed at a later date.
For more information you can visit the anime’s website: http://tm.iwatobi-sc.com/
And follow the official Twitter: @iwatobi_sc
Source Article - Anime News Network
“Free! -Take Your Marks-“, “Free!”, “Free! Eternal Summer”, images, video and all associated tiles © 2017 Kouji Ohji, Futoshi Nishiya, Kyoto Animation and Animation Do