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Plenty has been recorded about the art of running, a therapeutic exercise with ability for emotional liberation. In the realm of professional sports, however, the strain of contests can lead athletes to forget of this ultimate goal. Transposed from the same-named comic, Kenji Iwaisawa’s enthralling anime transcends awards and honors to examine the core impetus that fuels an athlete’s ambition.

Story Synopsis

The Sprint Story follows Togashi and Komiya, youth companions whose life paths split when they enter elite competition. Once the fastest grade-schooler in Japan, Togashi helps the more uncertain Komiya with the essentials. As the duo enter their teens and their 20s, Komiya progressively advances up the standings of premier sportspeople, while Togashi is trapped in a decline; both battle worries and uncertainties. Covering more than 15 years, the narrative follows their internal hurdles, exposing the difficulties of an competitor’s existence, caught in a pattern of media attention, achievement demands and endorsement requirements.

Creative Merits

Maybe it’s because of the base story, but the movie’s approach to these intricate issues is rather superficial; repeatedly, a protagonist’s uncertainties simply disappear after a extended discussion with a colleague or elder. But what 100 Meters is deficient in plot refinement and pacing, it compensates for in dazzling visuals. Using trace-over animation, in which drawn art is superimposed on live-action footage, the film generates remarkably precise sprinting scenes. The physical exertion of a race is visibly evident, and the suffering and elation of competition are etched on the protagonists’ forms.

Unforgettable Scenes

One particularly momentous race finishes in the downpour, with torrents of grey strokes that engulf the screen. More than any dialogue, these bursts of artistic excellence embody the almost spiritual high the film aims to evoke.

The Sprint Film is in UK cinemas from the 16th of November.