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Much has been recorded about the practice of running, a therapeutic exercise with capacity for cathartic release. In the sphere of competitive games, though, the stress of contests can make people lose sight of this primary objective. Transposed from the eponymous manga, Kenji Iwaisawa’s enthralling anime transcends prizes and accolades to explore the inner motivation that spurs an athlete’s ambition.

Plot Overview

100 Meters traces Togashi and Komiya, early-life buddies whose career trajectories separate when they go pro. Once the speediest young pupil in Japan, Togashi assists the less self-assured Komiya with the fundamentals. As the twosome progress into their adolescence and adulthood, Komiya progressively advances up the leaderboard of elite competitors, while Togashi is stuck in a slump; both confront anxieties and insecurities. Encompassing more than 15 years, the story follows their mental obstacles, laying bare the difficulties of an athlete’s life, locked in a loop of media attention, result pressures and endorsement requirements.

Visual Highlights

Perhaps it’s due to the base story, but the film’s response to these complex dilemmas is rather superficial; time and time again, a character’s inner doubts just vanish after a prolonged talk with a peer or a senior. But what the film lacks in story nuance and tempo, it makes up for in dazzling visuals. Employing rotoscoping, in which cartooning is traced over live-action footage, the movie produces stunningly detailed dash moments. The physical exertion of a sprint is on full display, and the pain and the joy of competition are etched on the characters’ bodies.

Memorable Moments

One notably pivotal race ends in the storm, with torrents of charcoal lines that immerse the frame. More than any dialogue, these displays of stylistic brilliance embody the almost spiritual high the animation aims to inspire.

The Sprint Film is released in Britain from 16 November.