The Worst Episodes of Free!
Every episode of Free! ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of Free!!
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.
Lowest Rated Episodes Summary
The worst episode of "Free!" is "Stroke of an Unexpected Meeting!", rated 6.9/10 from 38 user votes. It was directed by Haruka Fujita and written by Masahiro Yokotani. "Stroke of an Unexpected Meeting!" aired on 7/10/2014 and is rated 0.1 point(s) lower than the second lowest rated, "Irritated Heart Rate".
6.9/10 38 votes#1 - Stroke of an Unexpected Meeting!
Season 2 Episode 2 - Aired 7/10/2014
The crew ponders how to attract new members to the Swim Club. Haruka is called in by Amakata-sensei to discuss his intended career path, but as always, Haruka moves to the beat of his own drum. Meanwhile, Coach Sasabe brings an interesting opportunity to the boys…
Director: Haruka Fujita
Writer: Masahiro Yokotani
7.0/10 50 votes#2 - Irritated Heart Rate
Season 1 Episode 10 - Aired 9/12/2013
Coach Sasabe begins training the Iwatobi Swim Club for the upcoming tournament. Meanwhile, Rei is unhappy about the fact that he's the only one who doesn't know about what happened with Rin in the past. After Rin expresses his frustration, Haruka decides to tell him about what happened when they were in grade school.
Director: Noriyuki Kitanohara
Writer: Masahiro Yokotani
7.0/10 50 votes#3 - Furious All-out
Season 1 Episode 11 - Aired 9/19/2013
After hearing about what happened in the past, Rei goes to Samezuka Academy to ask Rin what he wants. The night before Iwatobi and Samezuka leave for regionals, Rin calls Rei to explain how he feels about the relay. And then, Samezuka announces its lineup for the relay.
Director: Rika Ota
Writer: Masahiro Yokotani
7.0/10 36 votes#4 - The Butterfly of Farewell!
Season 2 Episode 3 - Aired 7/17/2014
The Iwatobi Festival has begun! Haruka and friends are fired up for the Club-versus-Club Relay Race, hoping to attract new members by putting in an impressive performance. Meanwhile, Rei begins training but is worried by the fact that he can still only swim the butterfly stroke…
Director: Ai Yukimura
Writer: Masahiro Yokotani
7.0/10 38 votes#5 - A Resolution's Heads-Up!
Season 2 Episode 5 - Aired 7/31/2014
The members of the Iwatobi Swim Club ponder over the cause of Nagisa’s odd behavior at the end of practice that day. Though they time their chance well to ask Nagisa what’s happened, Nagisa stubbornly refuses to explain why he’s upset...
Director: Taichi Ogawa
Writer: Maiko Nishioka
7.2/10 82 votes#6 - Reunion at the Starting Block!
Season 1 Episode 1 - Aired 7/4/2013
After spending their first year of high school in peace and quiet, Haruka and Makoto run into Nagisa, a new student who was a member at a swimming club with them when they were kids. That swimming club is being torn down, so the three of them sneak in to dig up a time capsule that they buried in the back, which is when they are reunited with Rin, the fourth member of their group who left to study abroad.
Director: Hiroko Utsumi
Writer: Masahiro Yokotani
7.2/10 36 votes#7 - The Promise's Somersault Turn!
Season 2 Episode 4 - Aired 7/24/2014
In anticipation of the upcoming prefectural tournament, the members of the Samezuka Swim Club enthusiastically show off their individual abilities. At the Iwatobi Swim Club, an equally enthusiastic Gou proposes a lunchbox inspection to ensure the boys are getting the right nutrition to support their training. However...
Director: Eisaku Kawanami
Writer: Masahiro Yokotani
7.2/10 37 votes#8 - The Crouching Start of Vindication!
Season 2 Episode 7 - Aired 8/14/2014
Haruka and the boys have trained hard to prepare for this showdown against Samezuka. After Day 1 of the tournament, Gou and Amakata-sensei treat the boys to a fabulous, carb-rich feast and allow them to take a breather. Meanwhile, Rin is faced with a tough decision as captain of the Samezuka Swim Club. Who will he choose to swim the relay with him?
Director: Noriyuki Kitanohara
Writer: Masahiro Yokotani
7.3/10 53 votes#9 - Trial in Open Water
Season 1 Episode 5 - Aired 8/8/2013
Haruka and the other club members decide to hold a training camp to prepare for prefectural. Each member follows his own regimen. However, Rei is unhappy about falling behind and heads back into the ocean at night to practice.
Director: Eisaku Kawanami
Writer: Masahiro Yokotani
7.3/10 50 votes#10 - Hesitant Loosen Up
Season 1 Episode 9 - Aired 9/5/2013
Prefecturals are over and the Iwatobi Swim Club members are pleased by the progress they have made. A local summer festival gives them an opportunity to relax. When Nagisa finds out that Rin is also at the festival, he orders Rei to follow Rin and make sure that Haruka and Rin do not meet.
Director: Taichi Ogawa
Writer: Reiko Yoshida
7.3/10 37 votes#11 - The Locomotive of a Twist!
Season 2 Episode 8 - Aired 8/21/2014
While Haruka and the boys redouble their training in the wake of prefecturals, Makoto notices Gou looking troubled and asks her what’s wrong. She tells him that Coach Sasabe has been so busy with his Swim Club lately, he hasn’t been by to approve their new training regimen. Makoto offers to go see him for her, but what he finds at the Swim Club is...
Director: Ai Yukimura
Writer: Chika Ishikawa
7.3/10 21 votes#12 - A Promise on a Shooting Star!
Season 3 Episode 2 - Aired 7/19/2018
Haruka and his relay teammates decide to hold a training camp in the summer of their second year of middle school. During the night, Haruka heads out to the pool and finds Ikuya looking up at the stars.
Director: Shinpei Sawa
Writer: Masahiro Yokotani
7.4/10 51 votes#13 - One Style Final!
Season 1 Episode 7 - Aired 8/21/2013
As prefecturals draw near, Haruka and the other swim club members continue to improve. Meanwhile, Rin reveals his motivations for swimming. The swimmers must now show what they have accomplished at the tournament.
Director: Naoko Yamada
Writer: Masahiro Yokotani
7.4/10 48 votes#14 - Stormy Dash-Dive!
Season 2 Episode 1 - Aired 7/3/2014
Haruka and his friends have grown after last summer’s tournament. Amidst the hustle and bustle of training for their individual events, their daily lives continue as usual. However, a new season now approaches!
Director: Hiroko Utsumi
Writer: Masahiro Yokotani
7.4/10 37 votes#15 - Invincible Prime!
Season 2 Episode 6 - Aired 8/7/2014
On the eve of prefecturals, Makoto resolves himself to broach a certain subject with Haruka. As the tournament begins, the Iwatobi Swim Club is extremely enthusiastic about its prospects. But will every member be able to pass the prelims of his individual events?
Director: Takuya Yamamura
Writer: Masahiro Yokotani
7.4/10 35 votes#16 - Forming of a Slump!
Season 2 Episode 9 - Aired 8/28/2014
At Samezuka Academy, the hot-blooded practices continue ahead of regionals. Meanwhile, the Iwatobi Swim Club trains diligently each day until sundown. Though Amakata-sensei is concerned, Haruka and the boys insist they want to practice as much as possible before the tournament.
Director: Eisaku Kawanami
Writer: Masahiro Yokotani
7.5/10 63 votes#17 - Memories in the Distance!
Season 1 Episode 2 - Aired 7/11/2013
Makoto and Nagisa watch with their breaths held as Haruka and Rin engage in an intense race. However, they notice that Rin appears to be have changed. At the same time, Nagisa prepares to start up a swim club with help from Rin's sister Gou.
Director: Eisaku Kawanami
Writer: Masahiro Yokotani
7.5/10 59 votes#18 - Theoretical Dolphin Kick!
Season 1 Episode 3 - Aired 7/18/2013
The Iwatobi Swim Club needs one more member before it can participate in relays. Nagisa has set his sights on his classmate Rei, who is a member of the track team. Despite Rei's refusal to join, but Nagisa appears intent on recruiting Rei into the swim club.
Director: Taichi Ogawa
Writer: Masahiro Yokotani
7.5/10 59 votes#19 - Captive Butterfly
Season 1 Episode 4 - Aired 7/25/2013
The Iwatobi Swim Club has a full roster now.As they begin to practice, they run into a little trouble.After a certain member claims that his swimsuit is to blame, the club makes a trip to buy new swimsuits.
Director: Yoshiji Kigami
Writer: Masahiro Yokotani
7.5/10 54 votes#20 - Shocking No Breathing
Season 1 Episode 6 - Aired 8/15/2013
There's trouble at the beach. The four swim club members are forced to revisit their motivation to swim. After Rei asks Makoto about his odd behavior during the training camp, Makoto tells them about his past.
Director: Rika Ota
Writer: Reiko Yoshida
7.5/10 38 votes#21 - The Open Turn of Destiny!
Season 2 Episode 11 - Aired 9/11/2014
The Iwatobi Swim Club continues their training. However, signs of confusion seem to keep surfacing in the silent Haruka’s swimming. Makoto and the others are worried about him, but try to continue acting cheerfully as though nothing was wrong. But one day, Sousuke appears, asking to speak to Haruka…
Director: Takuya Yamamura
Writer: Masahiro Yokotani
7.5/10 18 votes#22 - An Ominous Workout!
Season 3 Episode 5 - Aired 8/9/2018
The Iwatobi High School Swim Club is participating in a joint training camp with the Samezuka Academy and Soufuukan High School teams. Sousuke is also participating as an alumnus. In the midst of the excitement, Rei and Nagisa notice that something is odd about Romio's swimming. Then Shizuru tells them the story of what happened to Romio in middle school...
Director: Taichi Ogawa, Taichi Ishidate
Writer: Haruna Matsuda
7.5/10 18 votes#23 - The Mermaid of the Abyss!
Season 3 Episode 6 - Aired 8/16/2018
Hiyori still remembers the first time he saw Ikuya smile. Both boys grew stronger through rigorous training while they studied abroad in America... but seeing Haruka threw Ikuya off his stride. Now Hiyori wishes Ikuya would just forget about Haruka for good.
Director: Naoko Yamada
Writer: Reiko Yoshida
7.5/10 18 votes#24 - Interval in the Evening Calm!
Season 3 Episode 9 - Aired 9/6/2018
Haruka's next race is the All-Japan Invitational, which determines who will represent Japan at the global level. To prepare for this important tournament, Haruka is invited to a special training camp.
Director: Shinpei Sawa
Writer: Haruna Matsuda
7.6/10 23 votes#25 - Sprouting Dive Start!
Season 3 Episode 1 - Aired 7/12/2018
Haruka has entered Hidaka University, where he's now training with the swim club to prepare for a newcomer tournament. One day, he runs into Asahi, a swim teammate from middle school. Haruka is later joined by Makoto, who also moved to Tokyo, at a coffee shop to catch up with Asahi... and the topic quickly turns to Ikuya, another teammate they swam with in middle school. On the day of the newcomer tournament, Haruka and Asahi are in the same race for the first time in years... and the spectacle is watched by Hiyori, who calls Haruka an "inferior copy of Ikuya." After the race, as Haruka is walking through the halls with Asahi, he catches sight of Ikuya passing by..
Director: Eisaku Kawanami
Writer: Masahiro Yokotani