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Plenty has been documented about the practice of running, a restorative movement with potential for cathartic release. Within the context of elite athletics, yet, the pressure of contests can make people lose sight of this fundamental aim. Transposed from the eponymous manga, Kenji Iwaisawa’s mesmerising anime transcends awards and honors to explore the existential drive that fuels an sports star’s dream.

Plot Overview

The Sprint Story traces Togashi and Komiya, early-life buddies whose career trajectories split when they go pro. Previously the quickest elementary student in Japan, Togashi guides the less confident Komiya with the essentials. As the duo progress into their youth and early maturity, Komiya consistently improves up the leaderboard of premier sportspeople, while Togashi is trapped in a decline; both battle fears and doubts. Spanning more than 15 years, the narrative tracks their mental obstacles, laying bare the struggles of an sports professional’s journey, trapped in a loop of public scrutiny, achievement demands and commercial obligations.

Visual Highlights

Possibly it’s because of the base story, but the film’s response to these complex dilemmas is somewhat facile; frequently, a character’s inner doubts just vanish after a lengthy conversation with a colleague or elder. But what 100 Meters lacks in narrative subtlety and rhythm, it redeems itself with in breathtaking graphics. Employing live-action tracing, in which cartooning is drawn atop filmed sequences, the feature generates stunningly detailed dash moments. The bodily strain of a dash is visibly evident, and the struggle and triumph of contests are imprinted on the athletes’ physiques.

Unforgettable Scenes

One especially significant race concludes in the rain, with cascades of grey strokes that immerse the screen. Beyond spoken words, these flourishes of creative mastery encapsulate the almost spiritual high the animation aims to inspire.

100 Meters is released in Britain from the 16th of November.