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A great deal has been documented about the practice of running, a restorative movement with ability for cathartic release. In the realm of professional sports, however, the pressure of competition can lead athletes to forget of this ultimate goal. Adapted from the eponymous manga, Kenji Iwaisawa’s mesmerising anime goes past awards and honors to investigate the core impetus that fuels an sports star’s dream.

Story Synopsis

100 Meters chronicles Togashi and Komiya, early-life buddies whose career trajectories diverge when they turn professional. Previously the fastest grade-schooler in Japan, Togashi guides the more uncertain Komiya with the essentials. As the twosome move through their teens and their 20s, Komiya consistently improves up the leaderboard of top athletes, while Togashi is mired in a rut; both struggle with fears and doubts. Spanning more than 15 years, the tale tracks their internal hurdles, revealing the challenges of an competitor’s existence, locked in a pattern of media attention, performance expectations and endorsement requirements.

Creative Merits

Perhaps it’s because of the source material, but the movie’s approach to these complex dilemmas is rather superficial; time and time again, a lead’s mental struggles simply disappear after a lengthy conversation with a fellow athlete or mentor. But what the anime is deficient in narrative subtlety and tempo, it makes up for in stunning imagery. Employing trace-over animation, in which animation is drawn atop filmed sequences, the film generates exquisitely intricate running sequences. The bodily strain of a sprint is clearly shown, and the suffering and elation of rivalry are engraved on the protagonists’ forms.

Memorable Moments

One notably pivotal race finishes in the rain, with cascades of grey strokes that overwhelm the scene. Apart from conversation, these displays of stylistic brilliance encapsulate the near-transcendent euphoria the film aims to provoke.

100 Meters is released in Britain from November 16.