Rin Matsuoka

"#ac5488"

- I want a real race! Or else, I won't be able to move on.

Rin Matsuoka (松岡 凛 Matsuoka Rin) is one of the main characters of the anime series Free! and the light novel High☆Speed!. He swims for Samezuka Academy and is a rival of Haruka's.

Appearance
Rin is a tall young man with semi-long, brownish red hair. He has red eyes and shark-like teeth.

Personality
When he was young, he showed a lot of passion and competitiveness for swimming. After years passed, his ideals about swimming drastically changed. He doesn't care that much about the trophy they won during their elementary days. With his rude personality, he now only hopes to challenge Nanase and show him how much more skilled he is.

History
Rin's father died when he was a young. He was a swimmer who dreamt of going to the Olympics but had to give-up his dreams and become a fisherman. When Rin was young, his father drowned 3km off the coast of along with the rest of his crew. Rin stated that he has very few memories of his father and can't even recall what his father looked like as his father would be gone for days while out fishing. Rin decided to try and become an Olympic swimmer because he believes that by following this path, he'll be able to see his father's face. Rin joined the Iwatobi swim club prior to leaving for Australia because that was his father's old club, where his father and his teammates had won the relay. Rin wanted to make a team and win the relay to emulate his father as he started down the path to becoming an Olympic swimmer.

In elementary school, Rin was in the same swimming team along with Haruka, Makoto and Nagisa. After they won a tournament, Rin then went abroad to Australia to study swimming.

Starting Block of Reunions!
While Haruka, Makoto and Nagisa were walking down the corridors of the old Iwatobi Swim Club building, they run into a young man. When they find out that it is actually Rin in front of them, completely changed, he immediately challenges Haruka to a race, until they discover that the old pool is empty. Haruka, Makoto and Nagisa learn from Rin's sister, Gou Matsuoka, that Rin had returned from Australia and that he's now attending Samezuka Academy. Afterwards, Makoto and Nagisa convince a reluctant Haruka to visit Samezuka by tempting him to a swim duel in the school's pool. Upon arriving, they wait until the school's swimming team is done with practice and break into the academy's swimming pool. They are then discovered by Rin who aggressively orders them out. Haruka then steps out of the pool and challenges Rin to a freestyle match.

Memories in the Distance!
Sasabe reveals that Haruka and Rin had a race when the latter made a rare return to Japan, of which Haruka easily won. Rin was exceptionally disappointed that his hard work was for nothing, creating a rift between them, subsequently causing Haruka to quit competitive swimming because he had hurt Rin's pride. Upon learning this, Makoto calls Rin to inform them of their plans while Rin decides to join the Samezuka swim team for his own grudge against Haruka.

Captive Butterfly!
At the store where Iwatobi Swim Club was bying new swimwear, Haruka and Rin run into each other and have a short discussion about their differing forms with Rin wanting a race with them both in peak condition, or else he may not be able to move forward from his loss and both decide to settle the score at the upcoming tournament.

Trial in Open Water!
Upon Iwatobi Swim Club arriving on the island, they coincidentally discover the Samezuka Swim Club, along with Rin, is training at a special swimming facility on the island. As Iwatobi Swim Club prepare for dinner, Gou heads to a nearby convenience store and briefly runs into Rin who shows some concern for Makoto after Gou explains their training, before returning to his usual stoic self. He then offers Gou to walk her to the hotel she's staying in.

Gou Matsuoka
Gou is often worried about her brother.

Trivia

 * Like all swimmers associated with the Iwatobi High School Swimming Club, Rin has a female name.
 * Rin is the type of person who cannot sleep without his pillow.
 * Haruka stated that Rin accidentally called his coach mom during elementary school.

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Rin Matsuoka