357. Free!

Title: ハイ☆スピード! / Hai Supīdo!
English Title: Free! - Iwatobi Swim Club
Genre: Sports
Episodes: 12

Summary: 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. This first season tells a tale about four members of a local swim club — Haruka Nanase, Makoto Tachibana, Nagisa Hazuki and Rin Matsuoka — who participate in a swimming tournament relay race while still in elementary school and win, thereafter parting ways. Haruka and Makoto reunite with Nagisa when he enrolls at their high school. Not long after, Rin, who attends Samezuka Academy, 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 Ryugazaki, re-create the Iwatobi High School Swimming Club, working together to make it a success. Rin's younger sister, Gou, serves as their manager and teacher Miho Amakata, their advisor. 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. Outside of school, the newly formed Iwatobi team trains at the refurbished Iwatobi Swim Club Returns run by their former coach, Goro Sasabe, who agrees to work with them. Events unfold until Rei confronts Rin about his bad attitude towards the Iwatobi team 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 ex-teammates, a move that restores Rin's confidence and their friendships. They win the relay, but are disqualified. Nonetheless, all is well.