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Much has been recorded about the act of running, a healing activity with ability for cathartic release. In the realm of elite athletics, though, the pressure of competition can lead athletes to forget of this fundamental aim. Adapted from the original graphic novel, Kenji Iwaisawa’s enthralling anime goes past awards and honors to investigate the core impetus that drives an athlete’s ambition.

Story Synopsis

100 Meters follows Togashi and Komiya, early-life buddies whose career trajectories diverge when they turn professional. Formerly the quickest elementary student in Japan, Togashi helps the less confident Komiya with the essentials. As the twosome progress into their adolescence and adulthood, Komiya steadily accelerates up the standings of elite competitors, while Togashi is trapped in a decline; both struggle with fears and doubts. Covering more than 15 years, the story documents their psychological barriers, laying bare the difficulties of an competitor’s existence, trapped in a loop of media attention, performance expectations and sponsorship demands.

Creative Merits

Possibly it’s down to the base story, but the animation’s answer to these complicated problems is rather superficial; repeatedly, a protagonist’s uncertainties simply disappear after a lengthy conversation with a colleague or elder. But what the film falls short in plot refinement and tempo, it makes up for in stunning imagery. Employing rotoscoping, in which cartooning is drawn atop real-life video, the feature generates remarkably precise sprinting scenes. The physical exertion of a sprint is clearly shown, and the pain and the joy of rivalry are imprinted on the athletes’ physiques.

Unforgettable Scenes

One especially significant race ends in the storm, with torrents of monochrome brushwork that engulf the frame. More than any dialogue, these bursts of creative mastery encapsulate the near-transcendent euphoria the animation aims to inspire.

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