The third season of this popular anime ended its course in September 2018. Soon after that, the makers announced that Free! Season 4 would be out by 2020. However, things could not go according to their plan because of the pandemic. Back in 2019, the Road to the World film came out. Since then, we haven’t heard from the makers. So when is the sequel finally hitting the screens? Keep reading to find out.
Free! is one of Japan’s most renowned sports-based anime. Both the anime adaptation and light novel are simultaneously running since July 2013. While the light novel by Kouji Oji and Futoshi Nishiya has two volumes, the anime tier has three seasons and two movies out. Overall, this is a big franchise by Kyoto Animation and Animation Do. As of now, fans are waiting for a fourth installment to come out.
Free! Season 4 Renewal Status
Fans were distraught because when the third season said goodbye in 2018, its last scene said the words ‘see you in 2020.’ While we can understand that things might have delayed due to the pandemic, it is unreasonable to stay out of the news for such a long time. For now, there has been no official confirmation from Kyoto Animation about the season renewal.
However, Free! Take Your Marks and Free! The Final Stroke movies are also under construction with proper release dates. So it looks like the studio is already busy with heavy work. Moreover, the uncertainties of emergency and lockdowns is also a pain for filmmakers. Thus, we can speculate that the fourth season is set to enter production right after both the movies are complete.
What Will Happen In The New Season?
If we consider the end of the previous season, Haruka makes up his mind to train even harder and enroll himself in international competitions. The Tokyo Olympics was around the corner at that time. Hence, it seems likely that even the plot of the show would have turned that way. However, now that all international games have been canceled, the anime might consider changing things up. Nonetheless, it is almost certain that Haruka and his team of swimmers will compete in the next level to prove their stance.
Free! Season 4: Release Date
There is a lot of chaos surrounding the release date of Free! Season 4. The third season ends with the message that foreshadows the next edition to come out in 2020. However, the release dates of the two feature films were already confirmed for September 2021 and April 2022. Now, if the 4th season comes before the films, the chronology of the franchise will be messed up. Thus, it looks like even the makers are constantly working to find appropriate release slots for all of their upcoming projects. But, a mid-2022 release window sounds the most plausible.
Let’s see what is coming up in the near future. What are your thoughts about Free! Season 4? Please share your opinions in the comment box below. For more such informational articles, The Anime Daily is your place.
