Free! I want my Eternal Summer!

Firstly, it's been a long time since I've last touched my blog. So now I'm back and this place needs a re-vamp! So I've merged my Chinese blog with this so I might sometimes type in Chinese here and gave my blog a new address where people who knows me personally can access easily. (Compared to the old japanese name it has) ;)

So my new address is

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So now on to the main post, this one will be a....

For those who don't know already, Free! is an anime about a group of teens who join swimming competitions, and Eternal Summer is the ongoing 2nd season of the series (at time of post)!

When the first season was announced I was like "Oh finally! An anime about swimming!! Of all these years I've been waiting!!" Here's my story: I was you could say, forced, to do competitive swimming when I was younger but neither my friends nor school gave me ANY proximity to it, the only people I can relate to are those at my club. Back then Facebook and Whatsapp aren't the thing so I didn't have close contact with people from my team, and so goes any interest in the sport. It took me years and long enough to develop an interest in it, but then I was too busy with studies and other stuff. I stopped.

But I still had lingering feelings for the sport. Because of all the gym and stamina training, I was considered some sort of athlete in school. Cheerleading gym sessions weren't that tiring for me, I could run better in cross countries and sports carnivals. It was a big part of my pride. So when the first season of the anime came out I was kinda excited, cause many sports animes were on basketballs :P

My review for the first season: It's kinda cute to see funny playful teens in their high school club activities life. However there are some unrealistic parts that kinda pisses me off where beginners can get such a fast time in such a short period, not showing any gym trainings but there are muscles, not showing much intense training but they have such a high record, and almost all who participate in competitions are guys! (Sorry, feminism here :P) Plus, each character only focuses on one swimming stroke, I'm not sure if other swimming clubs do this but, come on, we train for all four strokes, even though we just have one best in particular (and which will be freestyle for majority). These aside, the part of the story that focuses on friendship and their struggle with the sport is really something I (or perhaps some fans) can relate to their lives. The feeling of aiming better but the despair when you don't get any better, the urge to beat team mates, the fun in taking part in relays, and many more. The athletic side of the story is worth watching (if you ask me).

Makoto speaking to Haruka, another main character of the story.

Episode 6 of Eternal Summer is the reason I'm writing this post. The episode is where the team represents their high school in the preliminaries of a swimming competition. This episode got me jelly real quick, I never get to represent my high school because no one ever swims in my high school (and a minimum of 4 participants is required)! What I've got to say about this episode is that Kyo Ani really did a good job of turning a real event into a 2D anime, there are a lot of scenes that was really well drawn and brought back memories.

The production team did a good job surveying the design of a real event. However one thing that is missing is the presence of an extra pool where contestants use for warm up. (Kyo Ani if you're reading this pls take note! xD)

This sure bring back memories, my team was also considered one with lesser participants, but not this little of course.

The dive of freestyle, breaststroke or butterfly. I used to have a hard time mastering as a beginner, you have to dive the correct position to prevent your body aching due to direct impact with the water.

We don't dive for backstroke. Instead we wait in the water and do this spectacular dive which I never get to master this beautiful. :P

Here's Makoto doing a spin (or underwater somersault) for backstroke. One of the reasons I don't swim 100m for backstroke is because I never know when to spin, or probably hit my head before I knew I've reached the end.

A view from an angle I've never seen before.

So there was this scene in the episode where Makoto challenges Haruka to a 200m freestyle race, even though his strong point is backstroke. Here's a picture with the conversation I edited:

Another reason why fans can get jealous of their favorite fictional characters. xD Back then I wasn't that of an extrovert going around challenging people. During trainings I had my mind set that I can't beat her or him because they're already so fast, however I can beat her or him because I'm already faster than them. Only after I quit I started having the hunger to challenge my friends whether its gym or running. Just so sadly no one was athletic and so I didn't get to satisfy my cravings. This side of the episode was really something, how Makoto wanted to take their last chance of competing in a high school competition with Haru, racing him for real, no holding back. This is something that if you've experienced it or crave for it, you will understand how deep this goes. Thumbs up for the author for scenes like this. <3

That statement is true, and normally the reason I like swimming 50m compared to 100m. *loving how real the anime can go*

It was always a tiring end of a race.

Makoto lost to Haru anyway. Admitting defeat to a friend is not always anger but sometimes an acceptance.

Love this scene for no reason. :P

That's it for episode 6. Next episode will have a relay. I am so going to get jelly but having an enjoyable time watching the anime. Due to age group restrictions and number of female members in my team, I never get to take part in a relay in a real competition. There was once where we all luckily ended up in the same age group, but the relay event got cancelled in the end due to stormy weather (but the boys get to do their relay in the rain WTH). T.T My only chance gone....

However, still loving Free! Eternal Summer.

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Due to random reasons I've started to do some light workouts now. Aiming for the abs now. Maybe if I get to go to a swimming complex I would be better. (Seriously, swimming beats running if you're aiming for cardio!)

But for now, maybe running and crunches will do.

That day surely will come, where I meet the pool again.

Wait for me, my Eternal Summer!!