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A great deal has been written about the art of running, a healing activity with ability for therapeutic unburdening. In the sphere of professional sports, yet, the strain of rivalry can make people lose sight of this primary objective. Reimagined from the same-named comic, Kenji Iwaisawa’s spellbinding anime goes past prizes and accolades to investigate the core impetus that spurs an sports star’s dream.

Story Synopsis

100 Meters chronicles Togashi and Komiya, early-life buddies whose career trajectories diverge when they go pro. Formerly the fastest grade-schooler in Japan, Togashi guides the less self-assured Komiya with the fundamentals. As the duo progress into their teens and their 20s, Komiya steadily accelerates up the leaderboard of elite competitors, while Togashi is mired in a rut; both confront anxieties and insecurities. Spanning more than 15 years, the tale documents their internal hurdles, exposing the difficulties of an competitor’s existence, caught in a cycle of societal observation, achievement demands and commercial obligations.

Visual Highlights

Possibly it’s because of the base story, but the film’s response to these complicated problems is rather superficial; repeatedly, a lead’s mental struggles simply disappear after a prolonged talk with a colleague or elder. But what 100 Meters lacks in story nuance and tempo, it compensates for in dazzling visuals. Using live-action tracing, in which drawn art is traced over real-life video, the feature generates remarkably precise running sequences. The bodily strain of a race is visibly evident, and the pain and the joy of rivalry are engraved on the athletes’ physiques.

Impactful Sequences

One notably pivotal race concludes in the downpour, with torrents of charcoal lines that overwhelm the frame. More than any dialogue, these displays of stylistic brilliance embody the near-transcendent euphoria the movie aims to inspire.

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