🔗 Share this article

Plenty has been recorded about the art of running, a therapeutic exercise with capacity for cathartic release. Within the context of competitive games, though, the stress of contests can lead athletes to forget of this ultimate goal. Reimagined from the eponymous manga, Kenji Iwaisawa’s enthralling anime goes past awards and honors to examine the inner motivation that spurs an competitor’s aspiration.

Story Synopsis

The 100-Meter Film chronicles Togashi and Komiya, early-life buddies whose personal journeys split when they turn professional. Formerly the fastest grade-schooler in Japan, Togashi guides the less self-assured Komiya with the basics. As the twosome move through their youth and early maturity, Komiya progressively advances up the leaderboard of top athletes, while Togashi is trapped in a decline; both confront fears and doubts. Spanning more than 15 years, the narrative follows their mental obstacles, laying bare the struggles of an sports professional’s journey, caught in a loop of societal observation, achievement demands and commercial obligations.

Artistic Strengths

Possibly it’s because of the original work, but the animation’s answer to these intricate issues is somewhat facile; repeatedly, a character’s inner doubts quickly dissolve after a prolonged talk with a fellow athlete or mentor. But what 100 Meters lacks in plot refinement and tempo, it compensates for in stunning imagery. Utilizing trace-over animation, in which drawn art is traced over filmed sequences, the film produces exquisitely intricate running sequences. The athletic effort of a dash is on full display, and the pain and the joy of contests are imprinted on the characters’ bodies.

Impactful Sequences

One particularly momentous race ends in the storm, with sheets of grey strokes that immerse the screen. More than any dialogue, these bursts of artistic excellence capture the almost spiritual high the animation aims to evoke.

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