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A great deal has been recorded about the art of running, a therapeutic exercise with capacity for emotional liberation. In the sphere of professional sports, yet, the stress of contests can make people lose sight of this primary objective. Adapted from the eponymous manga, Kenji Iwaisawa’s mesmerising anime looks beyond prizes and accolades to examine the existential drive that fuels an sports star’s dream.

Story Synopsis

The 100-Meter Film chronicles Togashi and Komiya, childhood friends whose life paths diverge when they go pro. Once the fastest grade-schooler in Japan, Togashi guides the less self-assured Komiya with the essentials. As the duo enter their youth and early maturity, Komiya steadily accelerates up the leaderboard of premier sportspeople, while Togashi is mired in a rut; both struggle with worries and uncertainties. Covering more than 15 years, the narrative tracks their mental obstacles, laying bare the difficulties of an athlete’s life, caught in a loop of societal observation, result pressures and sponsorship demands.

Artistic Strengths

Possibly it’s due to the source material, but the film’s response to these complex dilemmas is rather superficial; time and time again, a lead’s mental struggles just vanish after a lengthy conversation with a fellow athlete or mentor. But what 100 Meters falls short in story nuance and rhythm, it redeems itself with in breathtaking graphics. Using rotoscoping, in which drawn art is traced over real-life video, the film generates exquisitely intricate running sequences. The physical exertion of a race is visibly evident, and the pain and the joy of rivalry are etched on the characters’ bodies.

Unforgettable Scenes

One particularly momentous race concludes in the rain, with cascades of grey strokes that engulf the scene. More than any dialogue, these flourishes of stylistic brilliance embody the quasi-enlightened elation the film aims to inspire.

The Sprint Film is released in Britain from the 16th of November.