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Plenty has been documented about the art of running, a healing activity with ability for cathartic release. In the sphere of professional sports, however, the strain of rivalry can lead athletes to forget of this ultimate goal. Adapted from the same-named comic, Kenji Iwaisawa’s spellbinding anime goes past awards and honors to explore the inner motivation that fuels an competitor’s aspiration.

Narrative Summary

The 100-Meter Film traces Togashi and Komiya, early-life buddies whose life paths split when they go pro. Once the speediest young pupil in Japan, Togashi guides the less confident Komiya with the fundamentals. As the pair move through their teens and their 20s, Komiya steadily accelerates up the leaderboard of elite competitors, while Togashi is mired in a rut; both confront fears and doubts. Covering more than 15 years, the story documents their psychological barriers, laying bare the struggles of an athlete’s life, caught in a pattern of public scrutiny, performance expectations and endorsement requirements.

Artistic Strengths

Perhaps it’s because of the base story, but the animation’s answer to these complicated problems is a bit simplistic; time and time again, a character’s inner doubts quickly dissolve after a lengthy conversation with a peer or a senior. But what the film is deficient in plot refinement and tempo, it makes up for in breathtaking graphics. Using live-action tracing, in which drawn art is traced over filmed sequences, the movie creates exquisitely intricate dash moments. The athletic effort of a race is visibly evident, and the pain and the joy of rivalry are imprinted on the protagonists’ forms.

Unforgettable Scenes

One notably pivotal race concludes in the storm, with torrents of monochrome brushwork that engulf the scene. More than any dialogue, these displays of artistic excellence encapsulate the almost spiritual high the movie aims to provoke.

The 100-Meter Anime is released in Britain from November 16.