High Speed! Free! Starting Days

High Speed! Free! Starting Days
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Yasuhiro Takemoto[1]
Written by Masahiro Yokotani[2]
Maiko Nishioka[2]
Based on High Speed!
by Koji Oji
Starring Nobunaga Shimazaki
Tatsuhisa Suzuki
Toshiyuki Toyonaga
Kouki Uchiyama
Mamoru Miyano
Yoshimasa Hosoya
Kenji Nojima
Satoshi Hino
Chihiro Suzuki
Music by Tatsuya Kato[2]
Cinematography Kazuya Takao[2]
Production
company
Kyoto Animation
Animation Do
Distributed by
Release date
  • December 5, 2015 (2015-12-05)
Running time
110 minutes
Country Japan
Language Japanese
Box office ¥691 million[3]

High Speed! Free! Starting Days (映画 ハイ☆スピード!-Free! Starting Days-, Eiga Hai Supīdo! Free! Starting Days) is a 2015 Japanese animated film produced by Kyoto Animation and Animation Do. The film is loosely based on the High Speed! light novel series by Koji Oji, which in turn inspired the animated series Free!

Plot

Haruka Nanase begins his first year at Iwatobi Middle School. After discovering that Haruka and his childhood friend, Makoto Tachibana, had once been part of the Iwatobi Swim Club, Asahi Shiina urges them to join the swim team despite Haruka's lack of interest, while Kisumi Shigino suggests they join the basketball team. Natsuya Kirishima, the captain of the swim team, visits their class and successfully convinces Haruka, Makoto, Asahi, and his younger brother Ikuya to join.

At the first swim practice, Haruka ties Natsuya in a race for the right to swim only freestyle. Asahi, however, loses confidence in swimming. Ikuya, frustrated over Natsuya's admiration of Haruka's skill, begins to imitate Haruka in hopes of gaining his brother's attention again. Nao Serizawa, the vice captain, asks Makoto if he enjoys swimming or is only in the club to be with Haruka, confusing Makoto and putting distance between the best friends. The team's individual struggles affect their performance, especially during the team medley. Later, Haruka's mother leaves for a week, leaving Haruka on his own.

During a joint practice with Sano Middle School, Sosuke Yamazaki challenges Haruka to a duel, having heard about him from Rin Matsuoka, Haruka's rival. However, Iwatobi loses the team medley, leaving him disappointed, and he gives him Rin's letter. As Iwatobi's swim team mulls over their defeat, Haruka confronts Makoto about his uncharacteristic behavior, to which Makoto realizes that he loves swimming and Haruka equally, restoring their bond. The next day, Ikuya threatens to quit the team and confides to Haruka, Makoto, and Asahi about feeling lonely and abandoned by Natsuya. After affirming their friendships, Ikuya makes amends with him. When the four visit Nao, who is getting surgery for a detached retina, he offers them advice on their strengths as individuals and as a team, giving them hope. On the way home, however, Haruka faints, leading Makoto, Asahi, and Ikuya to stay at his house until his mother returns.

At the prefectural tournament, Haruka, Makoto, Asahi, and Ikuya place first in the team medley. Afterwards, Sosuke tells Haruka that while Rin's letter was addressed to him, it was probably meant for Haruka instead. The letter details the setbacks Rin faced in Australia and his desire to swim like Haruka. With this in mind, Haruka becomes determined to become a better swimmer with his team.

Production

On March 22, 2015, Kyoto Animation announced that a film for High Speed! (ハイ☆スピード!, Hai Supīdo!), the original light novel by Koji Oji that had inspired the Free! animated series, had been green-lit during the Free! Eternal Summer Special Event.[4] The film is a loose adaptation of the second volume,[1] which was also penned by Oji.[5] To promote the film, a manga adaptation of High Speed! was released, with artwork provided by Shiori Teshirogi.[6]

Several cast members from the television series returned to reprise their roles, including Nobunaga Shimazaki[6], Tatsuhisa Suzuki,[2] Mamoru Miyano, and Yoshimasa Hosoya.[7] Yasuhiro Takemoto was announced as the director of the film,[1] while several staff members who had worked on the television series returned, including head writer Masahiro Yokotani, art director Joji Unogochi, soundtrack composer Tatsuya Kato, among others.[2] In September 2015, the film's official website had announced new additions to the cast, including Toshiyuki Toyonaga as Asahi, Kouki Uchiyama as Ikuya, Kenji Nojima as Natsuya, and Satoshi Hino as Nao.[8] Nagisa Hazuki and Rei Ryugazaki, two characters from the main cast of the original Free! series, appear in the film with minor roles.[8]

High Speed! Free! Starting Days was released in theaters on December 5, 2015.[1] The film's theme song, "Aching Horns", was performed by Oldcodex.[9] The song was released as a single on December 18, 2015. It debuted at #10 on Oricon and charted for eight weeks.[10][11]

Funimation acquired the rights for High Speed! Free! Starting Days for distribution in North America, along with the Free! Timeless Medley movie trilogy, including Free! Take Your Marks.[12] All films will be released as a set in October 2018.[13]

Reception

High Speed! Free! Starting Days opened at #5 in 120 theaters nationwide, selling 60,729 tickets in the first two days and earning ¥95,546,400.[14] The film made ¥691 million at box office.[3]

The home release debuted at #1 on both Oricon's DVD and Blu-ray charts.[15][16] The limited edition of the Blu-ray release sold 14,642 copies on its first week.[17] The limited edition of the DVD release debuted at #1 with 9,677 copies sold on its first week, while the regular edition debuted at #13 with 822 DVDs sold.[18]

High Speed! Free! Starting Days ranked #5 in Best Picture in the 2015-2016 Newtype Anime Awards.[19] The film also ranked #3 in Animation of the Year by fans for the 2017 Tokyo Anime Award, with a total of 16,094 votes.[20]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Sarah Nelkin (April 24, 2015). "High Speed! -Free! Starting Days- Film's Staff Unveiled". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Rafael Antonio Pineda (July 19, 2015). "High Speed! Free Starting Days Film Unveils Story Intro, More of Cast & Staff, Visual". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  3. 1 2 "キネマ旬報 2017年3月下旬". Kinema Junpo (in Japanese). No. 1740. Japan: Kinema-Junposha.Co.Ltd. March 4, 2017. p. 42. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  4. Egan Loo (March 22, 2015). "Free! Anime's Novel Predecessor High Speed! Gets Film". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  5. Egan Loo (November 30, 2013). "Free! Anime's Predecessor High Speed! Gets 2nd Novel". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  6. 1 2 Egan Loo (March 22, 2015). "Free! Anime's Predecessor High Speed! Gets Manga, Nobunaga Shimazaki in Cast". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  7. Rafael Antonio Pineda (November 1, 2015). "High Speed! Free! Starting Days Film's Trailer Previews Theme Song". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  8. 1 2 Crystalyn Hodgkins (September 21, 2015). "Kouki Uchiyama, Toshiyuki Toyonaga, More Join High Speed! Free! Starting Days Film's Cast". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  9. "映画『ハイ☆スピード』史上最多!?の前売りペアチケット発売" (in Japanese). Oricon. September 21, 2015. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  10. "『映画 ハイ☆スピード!-Free! Starting Days-』主題歌「Aching Horns」【アニメ盤】" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  11. "オリコン週間 シングルランキング 2015年12月14日~2015年12月20日" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  12. Karen Ressler (January 16, 2016). "Funimation Licenses All 4 Free! Anime Films, Screens Take Your Marks in Theaters". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  13. Jennifer Sherman (July 6, 2018). "Funimation Reveals Home Video Release Details for Free! Anime Films, ReLIFE OVA". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 4, 2018.
  14. "【国内映画ランキング】「007 スペクター」がV、「杉原千畝」2位、「I LOVE スヌーピー」は3位発進". Eiga (in Japanese). December 7, 2015. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  15. "【オリコン】『映画ハイ☆スピード!』BD総合1位 アニメ『Free!』の原点". Oricon (in Japanese). July 27, 2016. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  16. Rafael Antonio Pineda (July 27, 2016). "High Speed! Is 4th Free! Blu-ray to Top Weekly Chart". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  17. Egan Loo (July 26, 2016). "Japan's Animation Blu-ray Disc Ranking, July 18-24". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  18. Egan Loo (July 26, 2016). "Japan's Animation DVD Ranking, July 18-24". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  19. Egan Loo (October 9, 2016). "Shinkai's 'your name.,' Kabaneri Win Top Newtype Anime Awards". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  20. Rafael Antonio Pineda (February 22, 2017). "Yuri!!! on Ice Voted as Tokyo Anime Awards' Animation of the Year". Anime News Network. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
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