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Much has been documented about the act of running, a healing activity with potential for emotional liberation. In the realm of elite athletics, yet, the stress of competition can lead athletes to forget of this fundamental aim. Reimagined from the eponymous manga, Kenji Iwaisawa’s spellbinding anime goes past prizes and accolades to examine the core impetus that spurs an competitor’s aspiration.

Narrative Summary

100 Meters chronicles Togashi and Komiya, childhood friends whose personal journeys separate when they enter elite competition. Previously the speediest young pupil in Japan, Togashi guides the less self-assured Komiya with the basics. As the pair progress into their adolescence and adulthood, Komiya steadily accelerates up the standings of elite competitors, while Togashi is mired in a rut; both battle worries and uncertainties. Covering more than 15 years, the story follows their psychological barriers, laying bare the challenges of an competitor’s existence, trapped in a pattern of media attention, result pressures and commercial obligations.

Artistic Strengths

Maybe it’s down to the base story, but the movie’s approach to these complicated problems is a bit simplistic; frequently, a lead’s mental struggles simply disappear after a lengthy conversation with a colleague or elder. But what the anime lacks in plot refinement and tempo, it makes up for in breathtaking graphics. Utilizing live-action tracing, in which animation is drawn atop real-life video, the feature generates stunningly detailed running sequences. The bodily strain of a dash is on full display, and the struggle and triumph of competition are etched on the athletes’ physiques.

Unforgettable Scenes

One particularly momentous race concludes in the storm, with torrents of grey strokes that immerse the frame. Apart from conversation, these bursts of stylistic brilliance embody the near-transcendent euphoria the film aims to inspire.

The Sprint Film is showing in the United Kingdom from November 16.