Since some of my followers are still confused, I looked up FINA& #39;s regulations for lane ropes/dividers ( https://resources.fina.org/fina/document/2021/01/19/da8798f0-e89f-4e8c-9e21-5452c16a55dd/fina_swimming_pool_certificate_guide_february_2020_1.pdf).">https://resources.fina.org/fina/docu... The highlighted part of FR 2.6.1 is what drives me the craziest, but... none of the tournaments in Free! seem to follow FR 2.6.2 & FR 2.6.3 either? https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😂" title="Gesicht mit Freudentränen" aria-label="Emoji: Gesicht mit Freudentränen"> https://twitter.com/rintervention/status/1385795029692817408">https://twitter.com/rinterven...

The thing is, the different colours are supposed to make it easier for spectators to tell the swimmers apart during races. The swimmers seeded in lane 4 & 5 are the fastest of the pack (=> based on previous performances), so that& #39;s generally where the best action takes place!

Since Free! takes care to make the characters more recognisable by having some of their hair stick out of their swim caps, I think it& #39;s a little odd that they don& #39;t use different colours for the lane dividers... https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤔" title="Denkendes Gesicht" aria-label="Emoji: Denkendes Gesicht"> Is it harder to animate that way, maybe?

Kyoani-san did actually get the colours right in S2E12, though! Since the lane dividers in that episode seem to match Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre& #39;s regular "day off" set? https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😂" title="Gesicht mit Freudentränen" aria-label="Emoji: Gesicht mit Freudentränen"> (They only seem to bring out the FINA-approved set for competitions, like in the 2nd image!)

LASTLY, the lane dividers don& #39;t just exist to... divide the lanes. https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤣" title="Lachend auf dem Boden rollen" aria-label="Emoji: Lachend auf dem Boden rollen"> I think the ones used for competitions are more expensive (since they& #39;re also designed to reduce cross-lane wake interference, etc!), so that& #39;s probably why swimming pools don& #39;t use them during regular days.

P.S. It& #39;s going to bother me forever that Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre had their FINA regulated lane dividers out while we were there in October 2019, right? HAHAHAHA. https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤣" title="Lachend auf dem Boden rollen" aria-label="Emoji: Lachend auf dem Boden rollen">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤣" title="Lachend auf dem Boden rollen" aria-label="Emoji: Lachend auf dem Boden rollen">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤣" title="Lachend auf dem Boden rollen" aria-label="Emoji: Lachend auf dem Boden rollen"> I DON& #39;T CARE. IT& #39;S FINE. I& #39;M FINE.

...I NEED TO GO BACK!!!

P.P.S. My local Olympic-sized pool actually has an odd mix for regular days? They& #39;re ALL yellow like in Free! tournaments, but they do have the 15 and 25 metre markers from FR 2.6.2 and FR 2.6.3 (although I guess those would be the hardest to animate?)... https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="😂" title="Gesicht mit Freudentränen" aria-label="Emoji: Gesicht mit Freudentränen">

BEFORE I SHUT UP, I just want to finish this thread with my dorky face. https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤣" title="Lachend auf dem Boden rollen" aria-label="Emoji: Lachend auf dem Boden rollen">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤣" title="Lachend auf dem Boden rollen" aria-label="Emoji: Lachend auf dem Boden rollen">https://abs.twimg.com/emoji/v2/... draggable="false" alt="🤣" title="Lachend auf dem Boden rollen" aria-label="Emoji: Lachend auf dem Boden rollen"> Thank you for coming to my TED talk.