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A great deal has been recorded about the practice of running, a restorative movement with potential for emotional liberation. In the sphere of elite athletics, however, the stress of contests can make people lose sight of this fundamental aim. Transposed from the same-named comic, Kenji Iwaisawa’s spellbinding anime goes past prizes and accolades to examine the existential drive that drives an athlete’s ambition.

Story Synopsis

The 100-Meter Film traces Togashi and Komiya, childhood friends whose career trajectories diverge when they enter elite competition. Once the quickest elementary student in Japan, Togashi assists the less self-assured Komiya with the fundamentals. As the pair enter their youth and early maturity, Komiya consistently improves up the leaderboard of elite competitors, while Togashi is mired in a rut; both confront worries and uncertainties. Spanning more than 15 years, the story documents their internal hurdles, laying bare the challenges of an competitor’s existence, caught in a cycle of public scrutiny, performance expectations and sponsorship demands.

Visual Highlights

Possibly it’s due to the original work, but the film’s response to these intricate issues is somewhat facile; frequently, a character’s inner doubts just vanish after a lengthy conversation with a colleague or elder. But what the anime lacks in plot refinement and pacing, it redeems itself with in stunning imagery. Utilizing live-action tracing, in which drawn art is traced over live-action footage, the film produces exquisitely intricate dash moments. The bodily strain of a sprint is visibly evident, and the suffering and elation of rivalry are engraved on the protagonists’ forms.

Impactful Sequences

One especially significant race concludes in the rain, with torrents of monochrome brushwork that immerse the frame. More than any dialogue, these bursts of creative mastery encapsulate the quasi-enlightened elation the movie aims to evoke.

100 Meters is in UK cinemas from November 16.