Asahi Shiina

Asahi Shiina (椎名 旭 Shiina Asahi) is a main character in the anime Free! beginning with the movie High☆Speed！the movie －Free! Starting Days－. He is also a minor character in the light novel High☆Speed！ He is currently a university student at Hidaka University where he is a member of the Hidaka University Swim Club alongside Haruka Nanase and Seijuro Mikoshiba.

Appearance
Asahi is a slightly taller than average young man with a toned figure, messy red hair and rose-colored eyes.

Personality
Asahi possesses a bright personality and a vibrant spirit. He is articulate and energetic in both words and actions, always ready to push his luck, a fact that often makes him quite comical. In High☆Speed！the movie －Free! Starting Days－ he is determined to recruit Makoto Tachibana and Haruka Nanase into the junior high school swimming club after learning that they used to be part of their community's swimming club while in elementary school. He is also the one who goads Ikuya Kirishima into joining despite his negativity.

He enjoys competition and works hard to achieve success. While seeking books about self-improvement in the Iwatobi library, he inadvertently meets Rei Ryugazaki who offers advice. When facing challenges in sport, Asahi repeats saying "I am a genius" out loud to himself as motivation. This continues into university where Ikuya teases him about it.

History
Asahi always wanted to become the captain of the swimming club and in Free!-Timeless Medley- the Promise, he is shown to be the Captain of Kazami High School's Swim Club.

Etymology

 * The name Asahi means "rising sun, morning sun" (旭).
 * Asahi's surname Shiina means "oak, mallet" (椎) (shii) and "name, noted, distinguished, reputation" (名) (na).

Trivia

 * Asahi's motif animal is a ribbon seal.
 * At a staff talk event for Free!–the Final Stroke–, one of the character designers discussed the main characters' body types in terms of musculature. Asahi was listed as being "type 3:" definitely above average muscles, with more noticeable definition.
 * Those born under Aries are determined, enthusiastic and honest, but can also be impatient, impulsive and moody. They like individual sports and being leaders, and dislike inactivity and delays. Those born on April 18 pursue their goals relentlessly but must learn to see other possibilities. Traits are affected by the position of the moon and other planets at the time of birth.

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Asahi Shiina