Free! - Iwatobi Swim Club - 2

"Memories in the Distance!"

FYI I have been censored by The Man and told I couldn’t talk about meat jerking on the front page.

But: this week’s episode of Free! Starts out with the swimming equivalent to a sausage boiling contest* set to that infamous dubstep track. And I’m not just saying that because I had to watch it even though I was tired from job hunting all day, and had to put away the gay fanfiction to write this (both non-incidents which relate to this here band: exo exo exo).

I wish my lit teacher had been an ex-gravure model. Man, would I have finished my senior portfolio on time or what. However, I find it highly disquieting that a show specifically catering to the sexual identity of girls and their “newfound” privilege to openly ogle and objectify the bodies of men finds it okay to write in a scene/situation where a woman who previously made a living (as what viewers are led to assume is) gravure modeling, is kind of pressed in part to help out on the boy’s swim club idea in order to keep hush on the subject. I mean I may be over reacting over a pretty simple point in the status quo; working as a gravure model or porn star, or anything even remotely in the same vein is often seen as unbefitting of public propriety, especially in a “professional” setting in most cultures. Now does that necessarily make a lot of sense in the grand scheme of things? Dunno. But who am I to talk the cultural villainization of sexuality, right?

On a totally different, but just as serious note, we have finally hit some semblance of a plot.

Plotwise we finally have some emotional substance to go on; the conflict seems like it’s going to be internal: the bromantic exploration of our two main characters and their emotional hangups in regards to making life decisions whilst trying to maintain complex relationships. From what we’ve seen this episode for example, Nanase has found himself at the helm of the SS. Guiltship for something that isn’t really his fault. His fear of hurting what is assumed to be his closest friend by simply doing something he loves has reached a point of impediment in his happiness.

Maybe Haruka Nanase needs to take a peek at Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.

Maybe Haruka and Rin shouldn’t be friends.

Maybe Rin should dig around and work on his self esteem.

Or maybe the boys will find a way to work things out, and learn that friendship is a hard two way street; sometimes you gotta leave some house doors open.

I think this alone makes Free! a show worth keeping up with; all the books and films, and anime, and manga we’ve gone through growing up makes a point to villainize the friend who walks out. But sometimes that’s exactly what you have to do. You cannot fix anyone. You can try to help someone get through an inferiority complex or a negative mindset. But in the end nobody can “fix” them but themselves. If someone pushes you away so far it’s made clear your help is unwanted, you have to hope the other party knows how to fly solo. You, and you alone, are privy to your most inner machinations and you and only you hold the ability to ultimately make a decision that can add or subtract to your happiness.

Wow huh? Can somebody get Morgan Freeman to narrate this shit or what?

It’s going to be a lot easier learning this life lesson from anime than it is in real life. Take notes, kiddies. Take notes.

* I was forced to use the euphemism "sausage boiling contest" in order to make things “PG”. But I was talking about jerking off.

**Open Letter to the screenwriter: The last thing they do before they go to sleep or shower is think about each other. So: If this is gonna be another Sasuke/Naruto type rivalry stocked to the highs in sexual tension and pent up (sexual) aggression with a romantic side of soft sighs as they look up at the stars at night or whatever, can they at least consummate the relationship at the end or something? Like before episode 500.

Pool sex, bitches.

Yeah. Thanks!

***Further more, an open letter to the editor: I can talk about wanking if I want to!

N.B.: Eternal gratitude to Ivan for being majestic and tactical in his capabilities to sit through and cap images of Hot Guys Doing Hot Things. Xie Xie! Muchas gracias!