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Plenty has been written about the act of running, a therapeutic exercise with potential for therapeutic unburdening. In the sphere of professional sports, though, the strain of rivalry can make people lose sight of this ultimate goal. Reimagined from the eponymous manga, Kenji Iwaisawa’s enthralling anime transcends prizes and accolades to examine the inner motivation that spurs an athlete’s ambition.

Story Synopsis

100 Meters chronicles Togashi and Komiya, childhood friends whose personal journeys diverge when they go pro. Previously the speediest young pupil in Japan, Togashi helps the less self-assured Komiya with the essentials. As the duo enter their adolescence and adulthood, Komiya consistently improves up the standings of elite competitors, while Togashi is stuck in a slump; both confront worries and uncertainties. Covering more than 15 years, the tale tracks their psychological barriers, exposing the challenges of an competitor’s existence, trapped in a pattern of media attention, achievement demands and commercial obligations.

Artistic Strengths

Perhaps it’s because of the base story, but the film’s response to these complicated problems is a bit simplistic; repeatedly, a character’s inner doubts quickly dissolve after a prolonged talk with a peer or a senior. But what the film falls short in narrative subtlety and tempo, it redeems itself with in stunning imagery. Using trace-over animation, in which animation is superimposed on live-action footage, the movie produces exquisitely intricate dash moments. The athletic effort of a sprint is visibly evident, and the pain and the joy of contests are engraved on the protagonists’ forms.

Memorable Moments

One particularly momentous race ends in the storm, with cascades of monochrome brushwork that engulf the scene. Beyond spoken words, these flourishes of stylistic brilliance embody the near-transcendent euphoria the animation aims to evoke.

The 100-Meter Anime is released in Britain from the 16th of November.