the blatant rinharu in Free! Take Your Marks!
I would like to start this by saying that it is Surreal to me that I have yet to see anyone mention this yet (if you know or have seen someone who has already please tell me!) especially considering the emphasis that was placed on the bench scene between Rin and Haru in TYM!. Firstly, TYM! doesn’t get enough hype, it’s totally awesome and the Best segue to season 3 and just… great all round but No One talks about the medley race with Rinharu vs. the Makoshiba Brothers.
Because there is not only so Much Rinharu going on there but the foreshadowing and implications too!
The entire ep is very rin-centric giving the surprise party nature of the episode and therefore the final medley is really from Rin’s perspective so I’ll be considering it in that regard. Firstly, it’s absolutely exhilarating to get to see Rin and Haru swim together again Holy Shit and in such a way was totally wonderful. But more than that there is so much emotion going on (from Rin’s pov( in this moment Like seen above, Rin’s focus through the race is Haru.
Even from such a distance, Rin’s not really racing against Momo anymore as much as he is swimming towards Haru.
Rin’s once again got that determination is his eyes that we see so often when he verses other people but this is the first time, we didn’t even see it in the final Samezuka relay, where Rin is looking beyond the current race. This is the first time Rin, so well regarded for his determination and drive in every race he competes in, is seen looking further beyond it - everyone knows he has big dreams but it’s never been shown like this before - and further into the future for Rin is Haru.
This shot that zooms in on Haru’s face as he gets closer and the absolute look of surpise present on Rin’s face is absolutely thrilling to me. Because Rin knows he’s got big dreams, Rin knows that he wants to swim for and with Haru now and in the future but it’s like at that moment he realises just how precious and prominent that desire is within him. From the start, and even now, racing with/for Haru just… keeps him going - if you want to relate it to the bench scene, you could pretend to take that seriously for a moment and reflect on the underlining message that with Haru and without his drive, Rin has no desire to swim - and in a show like this that is everything.
So clearly can you see the euphoric realisation that spreads across Rin’s face as he goes ‘ah yes. this. this is why I swim.” More than anything he could have ever wanted he chooses his final farewell gift to be to swim With Haru because in the end that is all could ever dream of ; to swim with Haru, for Haru, against Haru, over and over again from the days of Iwatobi SC to the international scale. It is also what makes this scene the perfect segue to season 3 and beyond because it really highlights that at the end of the day this story is about Haru and Rin and as long as they are swimming for each other the story will go on. And even though that can just be seen as a narrative plot I think it says a lot about your own character if the majority of your characterisation and desire in life is based on your desire for someone else 0 just saying, if you want to view this a bit more romantically.
This scene is so important Because it’s from Rin’s perspective. Although quiet and not openly emotional, we do see most of their relationship through Haru’s point of view - even though Rin drives Haru to do things - and this is one of the first big times we get to see just how much, first hand not in words, swimming with Haru means to Rin. I think this is so so important for them as friends, partners, rivals and whatever more you desire them to be as it shows just the absolute connection and mutuality of their relationship. It’s just so two-sided its unbelievable. And back to the foreshadowing, it really portrays how more than anything they are each other’s future. This is Tark Your Marks! as in, “get ready to move forward” and Rin’s quite literally and metapohrically moving towards Haru. It foreshadows that the story is always going to be about them as they somehow move closer and closer to one another.
Enough essay though! Moral of this story is go watch Tark Your Marks! again and again and again because this scene is just the absolute Best and it’s so gorgeous - maybe my favourite Free! moment yet.
Credit of all images goes to the official Free! creators: Do Animation and Kyoto Animation. All shots were taken from Take Your Marks! Episode 4 and from Gogoanime !
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