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Much has been recorded about the practice of running, a therapeutic exercise with potential for cathartic release. In the realm of competitive games, though, the strain of competition can make people lose sight of this fundamental aim. Reimagined from the original graphic novel, Kenji Iwaisawa’s mesmerising anime looks beyond awards and honors to explore the existential drive that fuels an sports star’s dream.

Story Synopsis

The Sprint Story traces Togashi and Komiya, childhood friends whose career trajectories diverge when they go pro. Formerly the fastest grade-schooler in Japan, Togashi helps the more uncertain Komiya with the essentials. As the twosome enter their adolescence and adulthood, Komiya progressively advances up the ranking of premier sportspeople, while Togashi is mired in a rut; both battle anxieties and insecurities. Spanning more than 15 years, the narrative documents their psychological barriers, exposing the struggles of an competitor’s existence, caught in a cycle of public scrutiny, performance expectations and commercial obligations.

Visual Highlights

Possibly it’s down to the original work, but the film’s response to these intricate issues is a bit simplistic; frequently, a protagonist’s uncertainties just vanish after a lengthy conversation with a peer or a senior. But what 100 Meters is deficient in plot refinement and pacing, it redeems itself with in dazzling visuals. Utilizing rotoscoping, in which cartooning is drawn atop real-life video, the feature produces stunningly detailed sprinting scenes. The physical exertion of a race is on full display, and the struggle and triumph of contests are engraved on the protagonists’ forms.

Impactful Sequences

One especially significant race finishes in the rain, with torrents of monochrome brushwork that overwhelm the scene. Beyond spoken words, these bursts of artistic excellence capture the quasi-enlightened elation the animation aims to provoke.

The Sprint Film is released in Britain from the 16th of November.