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Plenty has been written about the act of running, a therapeutic exercise with ability for emotional liberation. In the realm of competitive games, yet, the strain of contests can make people lose sight of this primary objective. Adapted from the same-named comic, Kenji Iwaisawa’s spellbinding anime transcends trophies and medals to investigate the inner motivation that drives an sports star’s dream.

Narrative Summary

100 Meters traces Togashi and Komiya, youth companions whose life paths split when they turn professional. Formerly the quickest elementary student in Japan, Togashi assists the more uncertain Komiya with the basics. As the twosome enter their adolescence and adulthood, Komiya progressively advances up the ranking of elite competitors, while Togashi is mired in a rut; both struggle with anxieties and insecurities. Spanning more than 15 years, the narrative documents their internal hurdles, laying bare the struggles of an sports professional’s journey, caught in a pattern of societal observation, result pressures and sponsorship demands.

Visual Highlights

Possibly it’s because of the source material, but the movie’s approach to these complex dilemmas is a bit simplistic; repeatedly, a character’s inner doubts just vanish after a prolonged talk with a peer or a senior. But what 100 Meters is deficient in plot refinement and rhythm, it makes up for in breathtaking graphics. Employing trace-over animation, in which drawn art is superimposed on real-life video, the film creates stunningly detailed dash moments. The athletic effort of a dash is clearly shown, and the pain and the joy of contests are etched on the characters’ bodies.

Impactful Sequences

One particularly momentous race concludes in the storm, with cascades of charcoal lines that engulf the screen. Beyond spoken words, these displays of artistic excellence embody the quasi-enlightened elation the movie aims to inspire.

The Sprint Film is in UK cinemas from November 16.