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Plenty has been documented about the act of running, a restorative movement with ability for emotional liberation. Within the context of elite athletics, though, the pressure of competition can make people lose sight of this fundamental aim. Adapted from the same-named comic, Kenji Iwaisawa’s spellbinding anime looks beyond awards and honors to investigate the core impetus that drives an sports star’s dream.

Narrative Summary

The Sprint Story follows Togashi and Komiya, youth companions whose life paths split when they enter elite competition. Formerly the quickest elementary student in Japan, Togashi guides the less self-assured Komiya with the essentials. As the duo progress into their teens and their 20s, Komiya consistently improves up the ranking of elite competitors, while Togashi is trapped in a decline; both struggle with fears and doubts. Covering more than 15 years, the narrative tracks their mental obstacles, laying bare the challenges of an athlete’s life, locked in a pattern of societal observation, achievement demands and endorsement requirements.

Creative Merits

Possibly it’s down to the base story, but the film’s response to these complicated problems is rather superficial; repeatedly, a protagonist’s uncertainties just vanish after a extended discussion with a colleague or elder. But what the film lacks in story nuance and tempo, it makes up for in breathtaking graphics. Using live-action tracing, in which drawn art is traced over filmed sequences, the film generates stunningly detailed dash moments. The bodily strain of a sprint is clearly shown, and the struggle and triumph of competition are etched on the athletes’ physiques.

Memorable Moments

One especially significant race ends in the rain, with cascades of charcoal lines that engulf the scene. More than any dialogue, these flourishes of stylistic brilliance encapsulate the quasi-enlightened elation the animation aims to provoke.

100 Meters is in UK cinemas from 16 November.