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A great deal has been documented about the art of running, a restorative movement with potential for emotional liberation. In the sphere of professional sports, however, the strain of competition can cause individuals to overlook of this primary objective. Transposed from the original graphic novel, Kenji Iwaisawa’s mesmerising anime goes past trophies and medals to examine the existential drive that drives an sports star’s dream.

Story Synopsis

100 Meters chronicles Togashi and Komiya, youth companions whose personal journeys split when they turn professional. Once the quickest elementary student in Japan, Togashi helps the more uncertain Komiya with the essentials. As the duo move through their youth and early maturity, Komiya consistently improves up the leaderboard of top athletes, while Togashi is trapped in a decline; both struggle with anxieties and insecurities. Covering more than 15 years, the story follows their mental obstacles, exposing the challenges of an sports professional’s journey, locked in a cycle of societal observation, achievement demands and sponsorship demands.

Artistic Strengths

Perhaps it’s because of the source material, but the film’s response to these complex dilemmas is a bit simplistic; repeatedly, a character’s inner doubts quickly dissolve after a lengthy conversation with a peer or a senior. But what the anime lacks in story nuance and pacing, it makes up for in breathtaking graphics. Using live-action tracing, in which drawn art is traced over real-life video, the movie generates remarkably precise dash moments. The physical exertion of a race is clearly shown, and the struggle and triumph of contests are imprinted on the protagonists’ forms.

Unforgettable Scenes

One notably pivotal race concludes in the storm, with sheets of grey strokes that immerse the scene. Apart from conversation, these flourishes of artistic excellence embody the almost spiritual high the film aims to evoke.

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