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A great deal has been written about the act of running, a restorative movement with ability for therapeutic unburdening. In the sphere of professional sports, though, the pressure of rivalry can make people lose sight of this primary objective. Adapted from the eponymous manga, Kenji Iwaisawa’s spellbinding anime goes past prizes and accolades to examine the inner motivation that drives an sports star’s dream.

Narrative Summary

100 Meters follows Togashi and Komiya, childhood friends whose life paths diverge when they go pro. Previously the quickest elementary student in Japan, Togashi helps the less confident Komiya with the essentials. As the duo move through their teens and their 20s, Komiya steadily accelerates up the standings of elite competitors, while Togashi is trapped in a decline; both struggle with anxieties and insecurities. Encompassing more than 15 years, the narrative follows their internal hurdles, laying bare the struggles of an athlete’s life, locked in a loop of societal observation, result pressures and sponsorship demands.

Artistic Strengths

Perhaps it’s because of the base story, but the movie’s approach to these intricate issues is a bit simplistic; frequently, a protagonist’s uncertainties simply disappear after a prolonged talk with a fellow athlete or mentor. But what the film lacks in story nuance and tempo, it compensates for in dazzling visuals. Using live-action tracing, in which drawn art is traced over live-action footage, the film generates remarkably precise sprinting scenes. The athletic effort of a sprint is on full display, and the struggle and triumph of contests are imprinted on the athletes’ physiques.

Unforgettable Scenes

One particularly momentous race concludes in the storm, with sheets of charcoal lines that overwhelm the scene. Beyond spoken words, these bursts of stylistic brilliance embody the quasi-enlightened elation the film aims to evoke.

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