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A great deal has been recorded about the art of running, a healing activity with potential for cathartic release. In the sphere of professional sports, yet, the strain of rivalry can lead athletes to forget of this fundamental aim. Reimagined from the eponymous manga, Kenji Iwaisawa’s mesmerising anime transcends prizes and accolades to investigate the existential drive that spurs an athlete’s ambition.

Narrative Summary

The Sprint Story follows Togashi and Komiya, childhood friends whose career trajectories split when they turn professional. Once the quickest elementary student in Japan, Togashi guides the less self-assured Komiya with the fundamentals. As the twosome move through their youth and early maturity, Komiya consistently improves up the standings of elite competitors, while Togashi is stuck in a slump; both struggle with fears and doubts. Covering more than 15 years, the story follows their psychological barriers, exposing the struggles of an competitor’s existence, locked in a cycle of public scrutiny, result pressures and commercial obligations.

Visual Highlights

Maybe it’s because of the original work, but the animation’s answer to these intricate issues is somewhat facile; time and time again, a lead’s mental struggles simply disappear after a extended discussion with a fellow athlete or mentor. But what 100 Meters lacks in narrative subtlety and tempo, it makes up for in breathtaking graphics. Utilizing trace-over animation, in which drawn art is drawn atop filmed sequences, the feature generates stunningly detailed dash moments. The physical exertion of a sprint is on full display, and the pain and the joy of rivalry are etched on the characters’ bodies.

Unforgettable Scenes

One notably pivotal race concludes in the storm, with torrents of grey strokes that immerse the screen. More than any dialogue, these bursts of stylistic brilliance encapsulate the quasi-enlightened elation the animation aims to provoke.

100 Meters is released in Britain from November 16.