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Plenty has been documented about the art of running, a healing activity with potential for emotional liberation. Within the context of professional sports, though, the pressure of rivalry can cause individuals to overlook of this primary objective. Adapted from the eponymous manga, Kenji Iwaisawa’s mesmerising anime transcends prizes and accolades to examine the core impetus that spurs an competitor’s aspiration.

Story Synopsis

The Sprint Story follows Togashi and Komiya, youth companions whose life paths split when they go pro. Formerly the fastest grade-schooler in Japan, Togashi guides the less self-assured Komiya with the essentials. As the twosome progress into their teens and their 20s, Komiya steadily accelerates up the ranking of elite competitors, while Togashi is trapped in a decline; both confront anxieties and insecurities. Covering more than 15 years, the tale documents their internal hurdles, laying bare the difficulties of an athlete’s life, caught in a cycle of societal observation, result pressures and commercial obligations.

Visual Highlights

Maybe it’s due to the original work, but the movie’s approach to these complex dilemmas is a bit simplistic; repeatedly, a protagonist’s uncertainties quickly dissolve after a lengthy conversation with a peer or a senior. But what the film lacks in narrative subtlety and tempo, it makes up for in dazzling visuals. Using live-action tracing, in which drawn art is superimposed on real-life video, the film generates stunningly detailed sprinting scenes. The athletic effort of a race is visibly evident, and the suffering and elation of rivalry are etched on the athletes’ physiques.

Impactful Sequences

One especially significant race finishes in the downpour, with sheets of grey strokes that immerse the screen. Apart from conversation, these bursts of stylistic brilliance capture the quasi-enlightened elation the animation aims to evoke.

100 Meters is showing in the United Kingdom from November 16.