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Much has been recorded about the practice of running, a healing activity with capacity for therapeutic unburdening. In the sphere of elite athletics, however, the strain of contests can make people lose sight of this ultimate goal. Reimagined from the eponymous manga, Kenji Iwaisawa’s spellbinding anime looks beyond prizes and accolades to examine the inner motivation that fuels an competitor’s aspiration.

Story Synopsis

The 100-Meter Film traces Togashi and Komiya, youth companions whose career trajectories separate when they enter elite competition. Once the speediest young pupil in Japan, Togashi helps the more uncertain Komiya with the fundamentals. As the duo enter their youth and early maturity, Komiya steadily accelerates up the ranking of elite competitors, while Togashi is trapped in a decline; both confront worries and uncertainties. Covering more than 15 years, the story follows their internal hurdles, laying bare the difficulties of an athlete’s life, caught in a loop of media attention, result pressures and endorsement requirements.

Creative Merits

Perhaps it’s because of the base story, but the animation’s answer to these intricate issues is somewhat facile; repeatedly, a character’s inner doubts just vanish after a extended discussion with a peer or a senior. But what the film lacks in plot refinement and tempo, it redeems itself with in stunning imagery. Using live-action tracing, in which animation is drawn atop live-action footage, the movie produces stunningly detailed running sequences. The bodily strain of a dash is visibly evident, and the suffering and elation of competition are imprinted on the characters’ bodies.

Impactful Sequences

One particularly momentous race concludes in the rain, with torrents of charcoal lines that immerse the scene. Apart from conversation, these bursts of creative mastery embody the almost spiritual high the animation aims to provoke.

The Sprint Film is in UK cinemas from the 16th of November.