🔗 Share this article

Much has been written about the practice of running, a therapeutic exercise with ability for cathartic release. Within the context of competitive games, though, the pressure of competition can lead athletes to forget of this fundamental aim. Adapted from the original graphic novel, Kenji Iwaisawa’s enthralling anime transcends prizes and accolades to investigate the core impetus that fuels an sports star’s dream.

Plot Overview

100 Meters traces Togashi and Komiya, early-life buddies whose career trajectories separate when they go pro. Previously the quickest elementary student in Japan, Togashi guides the less confident Komiya with the fundamentals. As the twosome enter their youth and early maturity, Komiya progressively advances up the leaderboard of elite competitors, while Togashi is mired in a rut; both battle anxieties and insecurities. Covering more than 15 years, the narrative tracks their psychological barriers, revealing the difficulties of an sports professional’s journey, trapped in a pattern of media attention, performance expectations and commercial obligations.

Visual Highlights

Maybe it’s due to the source material, but the animation’s answer to these intricate issues is somewhat facile; frequently, a character’s inner doubts quickly dissolve after a lengthy conversation with a fellow athlete or mentor. But what 100 Meters lacks in story nuance and rhythm, it makes up for in breathtaking graphics. Utilizing live-action tracing, in which drawn art is traced over live-action footage, the movie produces remarkably precise running sequences. The athletic effort of a sprint is clearly shown, and the pain and the joy of competition are engraved on the characters’ bodies.

Impactful Sequences

One particularly momentous race finishes in the downpour, with sheets of grey strokes that immerse the screen. More than any dialogue, these displays of creative mastery capture the almost spiritual high the film aims to evoke.

The Sprint Film is in UK cinemas from November 16.