Free!

The water is alive.

That thought always went through my mind in the past.

The water really is alive.

No matter how much your body grows and changes,

it envelops you just the same,

as if it were a living thing.

But...

For how long?

There was one other thing I used to think about a lot...

If I'm a prodigy at ten

and a genius at fifteen,

after I hit twenty, I'll be...

Makoto...

Morning, Haru-chan.

Hey—

Not nice, Haru!

You're here to swim, aren't you?

Yeah, but still...

I swear, sometimes it seems like you can't survive out of water, Haru-chan.

I keep telling you not to call me "Haru-chan."

Come to think of it, you always used to say

you couldn't wait to be an ordinary person.

Do you still feel that way?

I...

Oh, yikes!

See ya, Haru! Good luck!

Thanks.

An ordinary person...

I'm never going to be an ordinary person.

What are you talking about?

It's a saying.

Don't even worry about that, Ikuya. You're not gonna turn ordinary.

You're Ikuya, you know.

Is that a compliment?

Of course!

What? Did I make you mad?

No.

Episode 1: Sprouting Dive Start!

Rin, aren't you leaving?

I'm gonna swim a little longer.

Okay, have fun.

Thanks. See you tomorrow.

Rin-senpai Pyunsuke!!!

Just woke up from hibernation!

Those guys never change.

Hidaka University

H-Hey, aren't you...

Nanase Haruka?!

D-Do you remember me? We used to...

Asahi?

Shiina Asahi?

That's right! I'm Asahi!

It really is you, Haru!

I haven't seen you since our first year in middle school!

Talk about a coincidence!

Hey, c'mon. You could look a little happier...

But I guess that reaction is typical Haru.

You haven't changed a bit!

Neither have you.

I've definitely changed!

I'm a mature man now, I'd say.

Oh, by the way, do you remember Shigino Kisumi?

He's at this university, too!

I did know that.

Man, for real?

Wait, did you go to high school with him?

No, different high schools.

His younger brother came to the Iwatobi SC,

so I saw him again there.

SC?

Are you still swimming?

Huh?

Yeah, of course I am.

I'm on my way to my first practice here.

What about you?

You quit the swim club after I moved away, right?

And you never replied to my letters...

Sorry.

But I started swimming again in high school.

I'm heading to practice now, too.

Wow, really?

That means we'll be on the same team again!

Yeah.

I'm Coach Tsukamoto.

The new first-years will be practicing with us as of today.

And let me warn you right now

that you're not going to have time to celebrate that you're college boys now.

You won't have a spare moment to waste on part-time jobs or parties.

Stay focused at all times.

We will now have the first-years introduce themselves

and swim their best stroke, one by one.

Are you ready?

Yes, sir!

Rin, you're still here.

Good timing, actually.

What is it, Coach?

I want to introduce you to someone.

Rin, this is my friend, Mihail.

Hi, Rin-kun. Wil has told me about you.

Rin-kun?

He used to live in Japan.

Those are some nice muscles...

Glad to know ya, Matsuoka Rin-kun.

Nice to meet you, too.

Next!

Nanase Haruka.

I specialize in free.

Hey, Haru, are you still saying that "I only swim free" thing?

No, I do other strokes during practice.

But...

When I'm swimming for real, it's always free.

Man, Haru's amazing!

I see.

Cho-very good, Rin-kun!

Cho-very...?

It's Japanese slang for "amazing."

He went into the turn while accelerating!

Nice kick!

That was incredible, Nanase!

I saw you swim the freestyle at the nationals last year.

What? You went to the nationals, Haru?

Our team just missed out on qualifying.

Really?

I'm Kiryuu Isana.

I swam at the nationals in the 200m freestyle.

I'm Unita Hikaru. I'm from Hokkaido.

Everyone calls him the King Salmon of the Okhotsk.

"Salmon," even though Unita has "urchin" in it!

That's pretty impressive.

Hey, you're supposed to laugh at that!

Yo, guys. High school and college are two different worlds.

Don't get careless.

R-Right!

First up is next week's newcomer tournament.

First-years from all the strongest college teams in Kanto will be there,

so don't let your guard down!

Hey, Mikoshiba!

Yes, sir! I'm coming!

Mikoshiba-senpai's swim style is all about power.

I've seen him in tournament races.

Haru, you already know Mikoshiba-senpai, right?

Yeah. We went to different high schools, but he helped me out.

Hey, by the way, what's Makoto been up to?

Is he doing okay?

He's in Tokyo, too.

Aw, man... What if I can't follow the lesson?

I could lend you my notes.

Really?

Sure.

Whoops...

Nagisa? Is that your girlfriend?

No, he's a guy.

A lot of kids joined the Iwatobi Swim Club as provisional members, but out of those...

We were in the same club.

Three stayed in the club!

Wow, Mako-chan replies fast!

Was it okay to message him? He wasn't in class or anything?

Makoto-senpai isn't the type to reply to messages during class.

Cool.

Hope it goes well.

Wait, that's it?!

Well, I guess he wouldn't know what to say when all you tell him is that

we have three new members.

All right, then, let's give him more information!

Guys, come over here! We're taking your pictures!

Okay!

Hayafune Romio Best Stroke: Freestyle

We'll start with Romi-chan.

Smile big!

Isurugi Shizuru Can swim any stroke!!

You're next, Shizu-chan!

Come on! Don't stiffen up!

Kunikida Ayumu Manager

Next, Ayumu-chan!

Ayumu-chan, relax, would you?

R-Right...

So, Ayumu-chan, what's your favorite muscle?

Uh, I'm not really into muscles...

You don't like muscles?!

Given the choice,

I'd prefer someone with a little fat on them.

You're actually into fat?!

Is it me, or do these look a bit like mugshots?

They do...

Let's all take one together, then!

We might as well get into our swimsuits!

It's certainly gutsy of you to ask me to take a picture of you in swimsuits.

But very well. Since you asked, I'll take the best photo you ever saw.

There's a famous saying that goes:

"It takes a man, not a god, to capture a miracle shot."

"Miracles don't happen, they—"

Okay, Sensei, we get it! Hurry up!

Right, right!

Pay attention, everyone!

According to photography theory... eh?

Your eyes are half-closed, Rei-kun!

That is not beautiful. Can we take another—

And sent!

It's totally you, Rei-kun.

What's that supposed to mean?!