The Japanese movie titled Free! -Take Your Marks!- and directed by Eisaku Kawanami was released in 2017 and is categorized as drama, slice of life, sports (aquatics, swimming), comedy-drama.
Key cast members of Free! -Take Your Marks!- include Nobunaga Shimazaki, Tatsuhisa Suzuki, Tsubasa Yonaga, Daisuke Hirakawa, Mamoru Miyano, Yoshimasa Hosoya.
The plot of Free! -Take Your Marks!- is: Free! Iwatobi Swim Club is set in the town of Iwatobi, Japan, which is based on the real town of Iwami, Tottori. Iwami has since used Free! to promote tourism to the town.[1][2] Free! tells the story of four members of a local swim club—Haruka, Makoto, Nagisa and Rin—before they graduate from elementary school. They participate in a swimming tournament relay and win, thereafter parting ways. Haruka and Makoto reunite with Nagisa when he enrolls at their high school. Not long after, Rin, who was thought to be in Australia, turns up and challenges Haruka to a race. He loses, but regains his desire to swim competitively, as does Haruka. At that point, Nagisa suggests creating a swim club using the school's run-down outdoor pool. Haruka, Makoto, Nagisa, and later on, Rei, create the Iwatobi High School Swimming Club, working together to make it a success. Rin joins Samezuka Academy's swim team and finally wins an official race against Haruka, but finds it means nothing to him when he learns Haruka isn't in top, competitive shape. He claims he cannot move forward in his personal quest for Olympic glory until Haruka competes against him as an equal. Rei eventually confronts Rin on his bad attitude and learns that the swimmer is bitter about his poor performance record in Australia as well as not being able to swim with his former friends. Rei gives up his spot on the team for a single relay competition in order for Rin to reunite with his former teammates, a move that restores Rin's confidence and their friendships. They win the relay, but are disqualified. Nonetheless, all is well.
Free! Eternal Summer continues the journey of both the Iwatobi and Samezuka swim teams with the Iwatobi team gaining in strength, endurance and speed. The Samezuka team welcomes new members, particularly Rin's childhood best friend, Sosuke Yamazaki. Throughout the second season, personal stories surrounding both major and minor characters' growth are showcased, as well as further tournaments with both teams advancing to National status and Iwatobi taking sixth place overall in the relay. Haruka and Makoto are accepted into Tokyo universities with dreams oriented around swimming in different capacities, Haru as a competitor and Makoto as a coach, though not without prior drama and a shift towards independence on both their parts. Nagisa and Rei continue to lead the next generation of Iwatobi swimmers with Gou and Miss Amakata. On the Samezuka side, Rin leaves to train for the Olympics in Australia under his old swimming coach while Sosuke's future remains uncertain, though Rin leaves the door open for his return to the swim world. Aiichiro Nitori becomes the new captain and Samezuka's team continues forward, as well. The season ends with a future vision of international competition that includes Rin and Haruka on the world stage and the words, "For the Future."
A film trilogy was released in 2017. The first film titled Free! Timeless Medley - Kizuna (Bonds) debuted in April 2017 and featured the bond between Makoto and Haruka through a compilation of scenes taken from existing footage with some newly added animation. The second film titled Free! Timeless Medley - Yakusoku (Promise) debuted in July 2017 and featured the friendship between Rin and Sosuke in a similar style as Kizuna. The third film in the trilogy titled Free! Take Your Marks! debuted in October 2017 and featured four fresh vignettes: the first focusing on Haruka's search for a Tokyo apartment with the help of Makoto and Kisumi; the second showcasing Rin, Sosuke, Momotaro and Aiichiro visiting an onsen; the third revealing Rei, Nagisa and Gou's efforts to keep the Iwatobi Swim Club alive; and the fourth a comedic sketch ending with a surprise farewell party for Rin who is heading back to Australia with serious Olympic dreams. The trilogy ends with the message, "See You Next Stage.".
