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Much has been recorded about the art of running, a restorative movement with ability for therapeutic unburdening. Within the context of competitive games, however, the stress of competition can make people lose sight of this ultimate goal. Reimagined from the original graphic novel, Kenji Iwaisawa’s enthralling anime transcends trophies and medals to examine the existential drive that fuels an athlete’s ambition.

Plot Overview

The 100-Meter Film traces Togashi and Komiya, childhood friends whose career trajectories separate when they turn professional. Previously the quickest elementary student in Japan, Togashi helps the more uncertain Komiya with the fundamentals. As the pair enter their adolescence and adulthood, Komiya steadily accelerates up the standings of elite competitors, while Togashi is stuck in a slump; both battle fears and doubts. Spanning more than 15 years, the tale tracks their internal hurdles, exposing the struggles of an athlete’s life, locked in a loop of public scrutiny, achievement demands and endorsement requirements.

Artistic Strengths

Possibly it’s because of the original work, but the animation’s answer to these complicated problems is somewhat facile; time and time again, a protagonist’s uncertainties just vanish after a prolonged talk with a peer or a senior. But what 100 Meters falls short in plot refinement and pacing, it makes up for in breathtaking graphics. Employing trace-over animation, in which drawn art is drawn atop filmed sequences, the film generates exquisitely intricate running sequences. The physical exertion of a race is visibly evident, and the pain and the joy of competition are engraved on the athletes’ physiques.

Impactful Sequences

One especially significant race ends in the rain, with sheets of grey strokes that overwhelm the scene. Apart from conversation, these displays of artistic excellence embody the near-transcendent euphoria the film aims to provoke.

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