Sosuke Yamazaki is a major character in the Free! anime series, first appearing in Free! -Eternal Summer-. He is Rin Matsuoka’s childhood friend and rival, known for his calm strength, serious attitude towards swimming, and deep loyalty to Rin. Sosuke specializes in butterfly and backstroke, ranking among the top ten nationally. He struggles with a serious shoulder injury, leading him to question his future in swimming and face difficult choices about his dreams. Despite his tough exterior and stern approach, he values friendship and teamwork, longing to swim with Rin as true teammates. He is also known for his love of training, sleeping, and his cheerful yet laid-back personality outside the pool.
Appearance
Sosuke is tall and athletic, with a height of 185cm in Season 2 and 186cm in Season 3.
He weighs 76kg.
His image colors are black and emerald green.
His image animal is the whale shark.
Personality
Sosuke is cool, calm, and strong, rarely losing his composure.
He is very strict and serious about swimming, both with himself and others.
Despite this, he is laid back outside the pool and hates dealing with details.
He is terrible with directions and often gets lost.
Sosuke is observant but struggles with remembering roads.
Background
Sosuke was born on September 14 and is a Virgo.
He grew up with Rin Matsuoka and was his best friend since elementary school.
They both attended the same swimming club and often competed together.
Their homes were close and they spent a lot of childhood time together.
Sosuke’s family runs a Japanese restaurant called "Ichi Yama".
Abilities
Sosuke is a top-class competitive swimmer.
His main stroke is butterfly, but he also excels in backstroke.
He is among the top ten butterfly swimmers in the country.
His broad shoulders and flexibility allow for a unique stroke style.
He swims with his upper body rising higher above water, reducing resistance.
Relationships
Sosuke is Rin Matsuoka’s childhood best friend and former rival.
They were teammates in elementary school but had a falling out due to differences over relays.
Sosuke has faced Haruka Nanase in past competitions.
He becomes close to the swim team at Samezuka Academy.
Trivia
Sosuke’s favorite foods are cola and pork cutlet.
He dislikes strong-smelling foods like cinnamon and herbs.
His hobbies are training and sleeping.
His best subject is math, while he struggles with English and history.
His image number is 07.
Quotes
- "It's boring to lose because of someone else, or to win but not by your own strength."
- "I’m quitting swimming, but before that I want to become real friends with Rin."
- "After my shoulder injury, I decided relays weren't right for me."
Plot
Childhood and Friendship
Sosuke and Rin Matsuoka became best friends in elementary school.
They bonded by joining the same swimming club and playing together.
Early Conflict and Individual Focus
They teamed up for a relay in elementary school, but the race didn’t go well.
Sosuke believed relays weren’t right for him, and found it unsatisfying to win or lose as a team.
He focused on individual competitions, distancing himself from Rin, despite still seeing Rin as his rival.
High School and Transfer
Sosuke attended a strong swimming school in Tokyo, called Kujou High School, for the first two years.
In his third year, he transferred to Samezuka Academy, where Rin was, and joined the swim team.
He became Rin's roommate in the dorm.
Shoulder Injury and Struggles
Since first year of high school, Sosuke secretly struggled with a severe right shoulder injury due to overtraining.
The injury often kept him from competing and led him to feel left behind.
He started to believe his dream of swimming on a world stage was over, and decided to quit swimming after school.
Rekindling Dreams and Teamwork
He saw Rin struggling at a local tournament.
Rin’s joy when swimming with his teammates in a relay inspired Sosuke.
He wanted to swim just once more with Rin as real teammates.
Despite his injury, he joined Rin’s relay team, pushing through the pain.
Graduation and Future
Sosuke didn’t have clear plans after graduation, saying he would help at his family’s restaurant.
After a farewell match, Rin encouraged him not to give up on his dreams.
Sosuke promised to think about his future.
Season 3 and Beyond
In Season 3, Sosuke is recovering his shoulder and acts as an OB for the Samezuka Academy swim team during training camps.
He watches over the club and interacts with Rin and others.
Eventually, he receives a successful shoulder surgery in Tokyo and reports it to Rin.
After rehabilitation, he returns to competitive swimming and even takes on backstroke to reduce stress on his shoulder.
Throughout the series, he becomes closer with the team and starts calling friends by their first names, showing his growth.
Others
Sosuke’s story shows the importance of not giving up—even when facing setbacks.
His dream to swim with his best friend comes true, and he learns to trust his teammates.
He is known for his strength in the butterfly and backstroke, his serious attitude, but also his caring nature when it matters most.
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