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Much has been documented about the art of running, a healing activity with ability for cathartic release. In the sphere of professional sports, yet, the stress of rivalry can cause individuals to overlook of this ultimate goal. Transposed from the eponymous manga, Kenji Iwaisawa’s spellbinding anime goes past prizes and accolades to explore the inner motivation that spurs an athlete’s ambition.

Story Synopsis

The 100-Meter Film chronicles Togashi and Komiya, childhood friends whose personal journeys separate when they turn professional. Once the speediest young pupil in Japan, Togashi guides the more uncertain Komiya with the fundamentals. As the twosome move through their adolescence and adulthood, Komiya steadily accelerates up the ranking of top athletes, while Togashi is stuck in a slump; both confront worries and uncertainties. Covering more than 15 years, the tale tracks their psychological barriers, laying bare the struggles of an competitor’s existence, caught in a cycle of societal observation, performance expectations and endorsement requirements.

Visual Highlights

Possibly it’s down to the source material, but the film’s response to these complex dilemmas is somewhat facile; repeatedly, a character’s inner doubts just vanish after a prolonged talk with a fellow athlete or mentor. But what 100 Meters is deficient in story nuance and rhythm, it makes up for in stunning imagery. Utilizing live-action tracing, in which drawn art is drawn atop live-action footage, the film produces stunningly detailed running sequences. The bodily strain of a race is visibly evident, and the pain and the joy of competition are engraved on the protagonists’ forms.

Memorable Moments

One particularly momentous race finishes in the downpour, with torrents of grey strokes that overwhelm the frame. More than any dialogue, these bursts of creative mastery capture the almost spiritual high the animation aims to inspire.

The 100-Meter Anime is in UK cinemas from the 16th of November.