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Plenty has been written about the art of running, a therapeutic exercise with capacity for cathartic release. In the sphere of competitive games, yet, the strain of competition can cause individuals to overlook of this ultimate goal. Reimagined from the original graphic novel, Kenji Iwaisawa’s spellbinding anime goes past awards and honors to examine the core impetus that fuels an sports star’s dream.

Plot Overview

The 100-Meter Film chronicles Togashi and Komiya, youth companions whose career trajectories separate when they turn professional. Previously the quickest elementary student in Japan, Togashi assists the more uncertain Komiya with the basics. As the duo move through their teens and their 20s, Komiya consistently improves up the leaderboard of top athletes, while Togashi is stuck in a slump; both confront fears and doubts. Encompassing more than 15 years, the narrative tracks their internal hurdles, revealing the difficulties of an competitor’s existence, locked in a loop of public scrutiny, result pressures and endorsement requirements.

Visual Highlights

Perhaps it’s because of the base story, but the movie’s approach to these complex dilemmas is somewhat facile; repeatedly, a protagonist’s uncertainties quickly dissolve after a lengthy conversation with a peer or a senior. But what the film falls short in narrative subtlety and rhythm, it makes up for in breathtaking graphics. Using live-action tracing, in which animation is drawn atop live-action footage, the feature produces exquisitely intricate running sequences. The athletic effort of a dash is on full display, and the suffering and elation of competition are imprinted on the characters’ bodies.

Memorable Moments

One particularly momentous race finishes in the storm, with cascades of monochrome brushwork that overwhelm the scene. More than any dialogue, these bursts of stylistic brilliance encapsulate the quasi-enlightened elation the animation aims to provoke.

The 100-Meter Anime is in UK cinemas from November 16.