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Much has been recorded about the act of running, a healing activity with potential for therapeutic unburdening. In the realm of competitive games, though, the strain of competition can cause individuals to overlook of this fundamental aim. Transposed from the same-named comic, Kenji Iwaisawa’s spellbinding anime goes past trophies and medals to investigate the core impetus that fuels an athlete’s ambition.

Narrative Summary

The 100-Meter Film chronicles Togashi and Komiya, childhood friends whose life paths split when they go pro. Once the fastest grade-schooler in Japan, Togashi assists the less confident Komiya with the fundamentals. As the twosome move through their youth and early maturity, Komiya progressively advances up the standings of premier sportspeople, while Togashi is trapped in a decline; both struggle with worries and uncertainties. Encompassing more than 15 years, the narrative follows their psychological barriers, laying bare the struggles of an sports professional’s journey, locked in a cycle of media attention, performance expectations and sponsorship demands.

Creative Merits

Maybe it’s due to the base story, but the movie’s approach to these complicated problems is rather superficial; repeatedly, a lead’s mental struggles just vanish after a lengthy conversation with a peer or a senior. But what the anime lacks in plot refinement and rhythm, it makes up for in dazzling visuals. Using live-action tracing, in which drawn art is traced over real-life video, the movie produces exquisitely intricate dash moments. The physical exertion of a sprint is on full display, and the struggle and triumph of rivalry are etched on the characters’ bodies.

Impactful Sequences

One particularly momentous race concludes in the downpour, with sheets of grey strokes that engulf the scene. Apart from conversation, these flourishes of creative mastery encapsulate the almost spiritual high the animation aims to evoke.

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