🔗 Share this article

Much has been documented about the act of running, a therapeutic exercise with capacity for cathartic release. In the realm of professional sports, however, the strain of contests can cause individuals to overlook of this primary objective. Transposed from the eponymous manga, Kenji Iwaisawa’s mesmerising anime looks beyond awards and honors to examine the existential drive that fuels an competitor’s aspiration.

Story Synopsis

The 100-Meter Film follows Togashi and Komiya, youth companions whose personal journeys split when they turn professional. Once the speediest young pupil in Japan, Togashi assists the less self-assured Komiya with the fundamentals. As the duo enter their teens and their 20s, Komiya steadily accelerates up the ranking of top athletes, while Togashi is mired in a rut; both struggle with fears and doubts. Spanning more than 15 years, the narrative follows their psychological barriers, revealing the struggles of an sports professional’s journey, trapped in a pattern of societal observation, performance expectations and sponsorship demands.

Visual Highlights

Maybe it’s because of the original work, but the movie’s approach to these complex dilemmas is a bit simplistic; repeatedly, a protagonist’s uncertainties just vanish after a lengthy conversation with a peer or a senior. But what 100 Meters is deficient in story nuance and rhythm, it makes up for in dazzling visuals. Using trace-over animation, in which cartooning is traced over live-action footage, the feature creates stunningly detailed sprinting scenes. The bodily strain of a sprint is on full display, and the pain and the joy of rivalry are etched on the athletes’ physiques.

Unforgettable Scenes

One especially significant race ends in the storm, with cascades of monochrome brushwork that engulf the screen. Apart from conversation, these bursts of creative mastery encapsulate the almost spiritual high the movie aims to inspire.

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