🔗 Share this article

A great deal has been documented about the art of running, a restorative movement with potential for emotional liberation. Within the context of competitive games, yet, the strain of rivalry can lead athletes to forget of this fundamental aim. Transposed from the eponymous manga, Kenji Iwaisawa’s mesmerising anime looks beyond trophies and medals to investigate the inner motivation that spurs an sports star’s dream.

Narrative Summary

The Sprint Story chronicles Togashi and Komiya, childhood friends whose career trajectories split when they go pro. Previously the quickest elementary student in Japan, Togashi assists the more uncertain Komiya with the basics. As the twosome progress into their teens and their 20s, Komiya steadily accelerates up the leaderboard of premier sportspeople, while Togashi is trapped in a decline; both battle anxieties and insecurities. Encompassing more than 15 years, the story documents their internal hurdles, exposing the challenges of an sports professional’s journey, trapped in a cycle of media attention, performance expectations and sponsorship demands.

Creative Merits

Perhaps it’s down to the original work, but the film’s response to these intricate issues is a bit simplistic; time and time again, a lead’s mental struggles simply disappear after a prolonged talk with a fellow athlete or mentor. But what the anime falls short in plot refinement and pacing, it compensates for in breathtaking graphics. Employing trace-over animation, in which cartooning is superimposed on live-action footage, the film creates exquisitely intricate sprinting scenes. The bodily strain of a dash is clearly shown, and the pain and the joy of contests are etched on the characters’ bodies.

Impactful Sequences

One notably pivotal race ends in the rain, with sheets of monochrome brushwork that immerse the frame. Beyond spoken words, these flourishes of stylistic brilliance embody the almost spiritual high the movie aims to inspire.

100 Meters is in UK cinemas from 16 November.