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A great deal has been documented about the art of running, a healing activity with ability for therapeutic unburdening. Within the context of competitive games, however, the strain of contests can make people lose sight of this ultimate goal. Reimagined from the original graphic novel, Kenji Iwaisawa’s enthralling anime goes past awards and honors to investigate the existential drive that fuels an sports star’s dream.

Story Synopsis

100 Meters follows Togashi and Komiya, early-life buddies whose personal journeys diverge when they go pro. Formerly the fastest grade-schooler in Japan, Togashi guides the less self-assured Komiya with the fundamentals. As the duo enter their adolescence and adulthood, Komiya progressively advances up the standings of elite competitors, while Togashi is trapped in a decline; both struggle with anxieties and insecurities. Spanning more than 15 years, the narrative tracks their mental obstacles, laying bare the challenges of an athlete’s life, locked in a loop of media attention, performance expectations and endorsement requirements.

Creative Merits

Maybe it’s down to the original work, but the movie’s approach to these complicated problems is rather superficial; frequently, a lead’s mental struggles just vanish after a lengthy conversation with a colleague or elder. But what the anime is deficient in plot refinement and pacing, it compensates for in dazzling visuals. Employing rotoscoping, in which drawn art is traced over live-action footage, the movie generates stunningly detailed sprinting scenes. The bodily strain of a dash is clearly shown, and the suffering and elation of rivalry are engraved on the protagonists’ forms.

Memorable Moments

One particularly momentous race finishes in the storm, with cascades of grey strokes that overwhelm the frame. Beyond spoken words, these bursts of stylistic brilliance capture the almost spiritual high the animation aims to inspire.

The 100-Meter Anime is showing in the United Kingdom from November 16.