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Plenty has been recorded about the act of running, a healing activity with ability for cathartic release. In the realm of competitive games, however, the stress of rivalry can lead athletes to forget of this fundamental aim. Adapted from the eponymous manga, Kenji Iwaisawa’s spellbinding anime looks beyond prizes and accolades to examine the core impetus that drives an sports star’s dream.

Narrative Summary

The Sprint Story traces Togashi and Komiya, early-life buddies whose career trajectories split when they turn professional. Formerly the quickest elementary student in Japan, Togashi assists the more uncertain Komiya with the fundamentals. As the duo enter their youth and early maturity, Komiya steadily accelerates up the ranking of premier sportspeople, while Togashi is stuck in a slump; both confront worries and uncertainties. Covering more than 15 years, the narrative tracks their mental obstacles, laying bare the struggles of an sports professional’s journey, locked in a cycle of media attention, achievement demands and commercial obligations.

Artistic Strengths

Perhaps it’s down to the original work, but the film’s response to these intricate issues is rather superficial; time and time again, a protagonist’s uncertainties quickly dissolve after a prolonged talk with a peer or a senior. But what 100 Meters lacks in plot refinement and rhythm, it makes up for in stunning imagery. Utilizing rotoscoping, in which drawn art is drawn atop live-action footage, the movie produces exquisitely intricate sprinting scenes. The athletic effort of a sprint is on full display, and the suffering and elation of rivalry are engraved on the characters’ bodies.

Unforgettable Scenes

One particularly momentous race finishes in the downpour, with sheets of monochrome brushwork that engulf the scene. Beyond spoken words, these displays of creative mastery encapsulate the near-transcendent euphoria the movie aims to provoke.

The 100-Meter Anime is released in Britain from the 16th of November.