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A great deal has been written about the act of running, a healing activity with capacity for emotional liberation. In the realm of professional sports, though, the pressure of rivalry can cause individuals to overlook of this ultimate goal. Transposed from the same-named comic, Kenji Iwaisawa’s mesmerising anime looks beyond awards and honors to examine the inner motivation that spurs an competitor’s aspiration.

Narrative Summary

The 100-Meter Film chronicles Togashi and Komiya, youth companions whose life paths separate when they turn professional. Previously the fastest grade-schooler in Japan, Togashi helps the less self-assured Komiya with the fundamentals. As the pair enter their teens and their 20s, Komiya steadily accelerates up the ranking of top athletes, while Togashi is trapped in a decline; both struggle with fears and doubts. Spanning more than 15 years, the story tracks their internal hurdles, laying bare the difficulties of an sports professional’s journey, trapped in a cycle of public scrutiny, result pressures and commercial obligations.

Artistic Strengths

Maybe it’s due to the base story, but the animation’s answer to these complicated problems is a bit simplistic; repeatedly, a lead’s mental struggles quickly dissolve after a lengthy conversation with a fellow athlete or mentor. But what 100 Meters lacks in plot refinement and rhythm, it redeems itself with in stunning imagery. Utilizing trace-over animation, in which animation is superimposed on live-action footage, the feature generates stunningly detailed running sequences. The bodily strain of a race is visibly evident, and the suffering and elation of competition are etched on the protagonists’ forms.

Unforgettable Scenes

One notably pivotal race ends in the storm, with torrents of grey strokes that engulf the scene. More than any dialogue, these bursts of stylistic brilliance embody the almost spiritual high the film aims to provoke.

100 Meters is released in Britain from the 16th of November.