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Much has been documented about the act of running, a restorative movement with capacity for therapeutic unburdening. Within the context of elite athletics, though, the pressure of competition can lead athletes to forget of this ultimate goal. Adapted from the same-named comic, Kenji Iwaisawa’s enthralling anime looks beyond awards and honors to explore the core impetus that drives an competitor’s aspiration.

Story Synopsis

The Sprint Story follows Togashi and Komiya, childhood friends whose life paths split when they turn professional. Formerly the speediest young pupil in Japan, Togashi guides the more uncertain Komiya with the basics. As the twosome move through their teens and their 20s, Komiya steadily accelerates up the leaderboard of premier sportspeople, while Togashi is mired in a rut; both confront worries and uncertainties. Spanning more than 15 years, the tale follows their psychological barriers, laying bare the struggles of an sports professional’s journey, locked in a pattern of societal observation, result pressures and endorsement requirements.

Visual Highlights

Perhaps it’s due to the source material, but the animation’s answer to these complicated problems is rather superficial; repeatedly, a lead’s mental struggles simply disappear after a extended discussion with a peer or a senior. But what 100 Meters falls short in story nuance and rhythm, it makes up for in dazzling visuals. Employing rotoscoping, in which animation is drawn atop live-action footage, the film produces remarkably precise sprinting scenes. The physical exertion of a race is clearly shown, and the suffering and elation of competition are etched on the athletes’ physiques.

Impactful Sequences

One especially significant race finishes in the storm, with sheets of grey strokes that engulf the scene. More than any dialogue, these bursts of creative mastery encapsulate the quasi-enlightened elation the animation aims to inspire.

100 Meters is in UK cinemas from November 16.