100 Meters Review – Mesmerising Anime of Emerging Sports Stars in Quest for Mind-Body Elevation

Much has been recorded about the practice of running, a restorative movement with ability for emotional liberation. Within the context of elite athletics, though, the stress of competition can lead athletes to forget of this fundamental aim. Reimagined from the original graphic novel, Kenji Iwaisawa’s enthralling anime looks beyond trophies and medals to investigate the core impetus that spurs an competitor’s aspiration.

Narrative Summary

100 Meters traces Togashi and Komiya, early-life buddies whose career trajectories split when they go pro. Formerly the speediest young pupil in Japan, Togashi helps the more uncertain Komiya with the essentials. As the pair move through their adolescence and adulthood, Komiya steadily accelerates up the standings of elite competitors, while Togashi is mired in a rut; both battle anxieties and insecurities. Spanning more than 15 years, the narrative documents their internal hurdles, revealing the challenges of an sports professional’s journey, locked in a cycle of public scrutiny, result pressures and endorsement requirements.

Visual Highlights

Possibly it’s due to the source material, but the animation’s answer to these intricate issues is somewhat facile; repeatedly, a character’s inner doubts simply disappear after a lengthy conversation with a colleague or elder. But what the film lacks in plot refinement and pacing, it compensates for in stunning imagery. Employing live-action tracing, in which animation is superimposed on filmed sequences, the movie generates exquisitely intricate running sequences. The physical exertion of a sprint is on full display, and the struggle and triumph of rivalry are imprinted on the protagonists’ forms.

Memorable Moments

One notably pivotal race concludes in the downpour, with cascades of grey strokes that immerse the scene. Apart from conversation, these displays of creative mastery capture the almost spiritual high the animation aims to inspire.

The Sprint Film is in UK cinemas from 16 November.