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Much has been documented about the act of running, a therapeutic exercise with capacity for emotional liberation. In the realm of elite athletics, yet, the strain of competition can lead athletes to forget of this fundamental aim. Transposed from the same-named comic, Kenji Iwaisawa’s spellbinding anime goes past awards and honors to examine the existential drive that spurs an athlete’s ambition.

Plot Overview

The 100-Meter Film follows Togashi and Komiya, childhood friends whose career trajectories separate when they enter elite competition. Formerly the fastest grade-schooler in Japan, Togashi helps the less self-assured Komiya with the basics. As the duo enter their teens and their 20s, Komiya consistently improves up the ranking of top athletes, while Togashi is stuck in a slump; both struggle with anxieties and insecurities. Encompassing more than 15 years, the tale follows their internal hurdles, revealing the difficulties of an athlete’s life, caught in a pattern of public scrutiny, performance expectations and sponsorship demands.

Creative Merits

Perhaps it’s due to the base story, but the movie’s approach to these intricate issues is somewhat facile; frequently, a protagonist’s uncertainties simply disappear after a extended discussion with a peer or a senior. But what the anime falls short in story nuance and rhythm, it compensates for in stunning imagery. Using trace-over animation, in which cartooning is traced over live-action footage, the film produces stunningly detailed running sequences. The bodily strain of a race is clearly shown, and the pain and the joy of competition are etched on the characters’ bodies.

Memorable Moments

One notably pivotal race finishes in the rain, with torrents of charcoal lines that overwhelm the frame. Beyond spoken words, these bursts of stylistic brilliance embody the almost spiritual high the animation aims to provoke.

The Sprint Film is showing in the United Kingdom from November 16.