Main Round 1: Team Matsuoka Rin/Nanase Haruka

[platina]

TITLE: Take Your Marks
SERIES: Free!
SHIP: Matsuoka Rin/Nanase Haruka
RATING: T
CHARACTERS: Matsuoka Rin, Nanase Haruka
SIDE PAIRINGS: None
MAJOR TAGS: Spoilers for pretty much all of S1&S2 if you haven’t seen them yet.
ADDITIONAL TAGS: (Implied) Depression
SUMMARY: Despite contrary personalities, dreams, and paths, Rin and Haruka have landed at the same destination - swimming in the Olympics - together. On the eve of achieving his lifelong goal, Rin reflects on the unlikely events, and unlikely relationship, that brought him here.
WORK COUNT: Video, 3:53 Min
SCRIPT: Here.
NOTES: Duality is a theme that is pretty intrinsic to our ship, so we decided to roll with what we canonically already have - and what could be. Enjoy!

Music used is Your Wish, Other Self and Words that changed my life from the Free! and Free! ES OSTs.



Watch on YouTube. 
Watch on Google Drive.

"SASO MR01 - Team RinHaru" (Watch on YouTube)

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

THIS IS SO BEAUTIFUL THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS!! the script and the artwork were just perfect i'm crying...this really rekindled those dormant rinharu feels...the kiss scene at the end made me scream. what an incredible video. I LOVE THIS SHIP!!!

[INCOHERENT SCREAMING]

[starstarfairy]

YALL BLINDSIDED ME WITH EMOTIONS IM

SUREFIRE WAY TO GET ME TO FUCKIN DIE WITH EMOTION=THE EXACT THREE SONGS YOU GUYS PICKED + RINHARU, WHAT THE FUCK

this is so good im just. *punchesmy computer* how dare you give me these emotions these FEELINGS ABOUT RINHARU!!!! HARURINPICS!!! *CLIMBS TO THE TOP OF THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN AND SCREAMS AT THE TOP OF MY LUNGS*

[winterstuck]

wow this was so pretty and the use of music from the actual series really helps to set the mood, making this seem almost like an official recap

i love the ending w/ rin putting on the olympic team jacket and joining haru! with the scenes you guys chose along with rin's thoughts, their what-if future felt like such a natural progression of events to come, seriously well done w/ the pacing and transitions *__*

also, what video editing program did you guys use, if you don't mind me asking......

[tempestuously]

The music accompanies each scene beautifully. But what I really love is how perfect the ending is with their dorky call and then finally their reunion kiss just before they put on their jackets. Them putting on their jackets is definitely my favorite scene. They look so good in them! But it really feels like it all comes full circle and show how they both help each other.

[underscored]

SCREAMS INTO THE DISTANCE THIS WAS SO CUTE

[(Anonymous)]

This video is so beautiful. I have no words to describe how perfect it is. The background music sets the perfect mood for every scene. The characters stayed true to their personalities. Rin's perspective/thoughts were perfectly executed. I couldn't ask for more from this wonderful video. Thank you for rekindling my love for this ship.

A reminder of everything I love about RH

[shizuumi151]

The fact that this entry is mostly couched in a retelling of canon just shows how potent the bonds between our favourite boys are. And the effort in the art and editing for this video is absolutely nothing to sneeze at. What a great entry!

[dynamite]

I'M A MESS OF EMOTIONS, I love how you started their story and just... took it to the future, I love this beautiful bright Olympics future so much!! and their smiles (RIN'S BIG BEAUTIFUL SHARK TEETH SMILE!!! <3), the use of the music is matched so well with the story, so by the time we get to S2 Rin and him helping Haru go forward, I'm just all heart-in-my-throat. The way this is paced is really engaging, and the effects and animation are really well-done, I especially love the sakura.

This is... basically everything I love about rinharu, what a lovely entry, congrats on a beautiful job, team rinharu!!

[(Anonymous)]

I'm dead this is too beautiful well done!!!!! This is amazing !!!!! I'm speechless

[mypolyshippingass]

this is so cute! and so well done too! i love the music you chose and the fact that you drew scenes from the actual anime.

[(Anonymous)]

Wow, it's... amazing. Really thank you.

[flippinflakes]

Guess whos gonna cry?? probably me omg this is so goooood!!!!!

[clefairy]

im dead and full of gay feels and my inner harurin has been reignited and holy shit you guys drew...so much...and wrote...so much...

sobs grossly on the floor

[jtchibifan]

NOT GONNA LIE I STARTED CRYING ahaaaa this is so good holy sh i t e

[karahashi]

WOAHHHHH this is so well made and it is a glorious tribute both to canon and all the possibilities of this ship.

I really loved the narrative and the way this bookends beautifully - it's an incredible journey and this is an amazingly aesthetic entry. The subtle movement and animation came through at the best of times - the signboard, the sakura petals, Rin's quivering expression at ~1:30, that very last scene with the national swim team jacket (which, by the way, was coloured beautifully <3)

The music was so emotional and it supported the graphics in a really great way - I love how the strings swell in a bit of a solo before the main riff comes in at 0:18, how you timed the scene with the sakura petals to fade in during the next repeat of that line (sorry for the poor description). And the silence/shift/rasping rattle at 'and hit a wall' was so powerful after that ;_; The music is so atmospheric and when it fades out and into the quicker pace at 'What did I swim for?' it was amazing. The resolution after and the reverb going into the ensemble strings akhdjalkhfsj; SO TRIUMPHANT AND GOOD AND EMOTIONAL

I adore how your team used blur and vignettes to highlight certain areas, too! It definitely added to the atmosphere and the transition from one subject to the other like when Rin is recalling the relay and the focus shifts from the happy team to him in the background, still stuck, or later on when it shifts from his phone to him...The blurred silhouettes and the shaking camera motion at ~1:20 was super effective as well!! (and that whole section, honestly - brilliant camera motion)

THERE WERE SO MANY MOMENTS I LOVED The subtle panning throughout gave the whole thing a wonderful sense of motion and the white background memories were always so beautifully laid out - at ~0:38 with the two of them in swimming motion across the screen, back to back at 1:26, looking at one another at 2:35, their hands stretching out not too long after, their happy faces at 3:23 (ESPECIALLY RIN'S DSFHJL"AJF:L HIS SMILE IS ANGELIC)

The retelling of the train scene was particularly poignant too - the colours and their expressions ;___; The darker night scenes had a really beautiful colour scheme - though the regular daytime shots did too!

I really enjoyed this entry - it's a really lovely, sensitive portrayal of the relationship with a great grasp of canon and character, and your team did an amazing job. All the best for the voting! :)

[blueoneechan]

This is amazing!!!! So beautiful that I'm going to cry seriously ❤

RinHaru!

[(Anonymous)]

Omg this is so beautiful. I really love Rinharu ♡

[ricegodess]

okay i wasnt ready for the free ost in the bg cause riGHT WHEN I HEARD IT I GOT HIT IN THE FEELS BUT THIS IS GORGEOUS NAICUU JOBBUU

I love it! RINHARU FOREVAH!

[(Anonymous)]

I love it! The best ship Ever!!! I love the message in this video! It shows the real love between Rin and Haru

I Love Them!

[(Anonymous)]

This is beautiful! I never see something like this before, it's all the story of why Rin loves Haru! The strory make me cry :,)

[nobetterpicture]

I just wanted to comment and say that this actually made me cry. HaruRin is so so dear to me, as someone who used to be a competitive swimmer, and the way that you showed the ups and downs of their relationship and how they really helped each other when the other needed it.....This was so so beautiful ;; You all should be super proud of what you made <3

[miyukitty]

This is really amazing to watch - it must have taken so much work to put together, but you've created something so lovely <3 I really love this ship and you've hit on everything that made me care about them to begin with ;__; weghhh best of luck!!

The best couple

[(Anonymous)]

This is so cute,I really love Rinharu,thank you for this video :')

[arranjar]

I actually clutched my chest near the end because there was no way I couldn't feel something after experiencing such a beautifully told story. In some ways this feels like this could be canon Free! material-- Rin's voice is conveyed so well, and there's the same care payed to conveying emotionally poignant scenes with the right music and the right visual setting. I'm in awe of the perfect transitions, aurally and visually. And that last scene!! The jackets!! The emotional nature of the narrative as well as the masterful execution of the story combined to make a really beautiful entry. Well done!

[yusukesjeans]

Oh goodness. This is so beautiful. The pacing of the narrative, the artwork, and your musical choices are all really nice, and I almost teared up at the very end with the jackets.

[whitechoko]

I STILL BARELY BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A REAL THING THAT EXISTS, IT'S INCREDIBLE I LOVE IT

[chiharu]

THIS IS A TRUE WORK OF ART IM CRYING