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A great deal has been recorded about the practice of running, a healing activity with potential for therapeutic unburdening. Within the context of elite athletics, yet, the stress of competition can lead athletes to forget of this ultimate goal. Reimagined from the same-named comic, Kenji Iwaisawa’s enthralling anime goes past trophies and medals to explore the inner motivation that drives an sports star’s dream.

Narrative Summary

100 Meters chronicles Togashi and Komiya, childhood friends whose life paths separate when they go pro. Once the speediest young pupil in Japan, Togashi assists the less confident Komiya with the basics. As the duo move through their youth and early maturity, Komiya progressively advances up the standings of premier sportspeople, while Togashi is mired in a rut; both struggle with fears and doubts. Encompassing more than 15 years, the tale documents their internal hurdles, laying bare the challenges of an athlete’s life, trapped in a pattern of public scrutiny, result pressures and sponsorship demands.

Visual Highlights

Maybe it’s due to the source material, but the film’s response to these complicated problems is rather superficial; time and time again, a lead’s mental struggles quickly dissolve after a extended discussion with a fellow athlete or mentor. But what the film falls short in plot refinement and rhythm, it makes up for in breathtaking graphics. Using live-action tracing, in which cartooning is traced over real-life video, the feature creates remarkably precise running sequences. The physical exertion of a race is visibly evident, and the pain and the joy of competition are etched on the protagonists’ forms.

Impactful Sequences

One particularly momentous race concludes in the rain, with sheets of monochrome brushwork that overwhelm the screen. Apart from conversation, these displays of creative mastery encapsulate the near-transcendent euphoria the animation aims to evoke.

The Sprint Film is released in Britain from the 16th of November.