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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 professional sports, though, the strain of competition can lead athletes to forget of this fundamental aim. Transposed from the original graphic novel, Kenji Iwaisawa’s spellbinding anime transcends awards and honors to investigate the inner motivation that drives an sports star’s dream.

Narrative Summary

100 Meters traces Togashi and Komiya, childhood friends whose personal journeys split when they turn professional. Formerly the fastest grade-schooler in Japan, Togashi helps the less confident Komiya with the basics. As the pair move through their teens and their 20s, Komiya progressively advances up the leaderboard of elite competitors, while Togashi is trapped in a decline; both battle anxieties and insecurities. Spanning more than 15 years, the narrative documents their mental obstacles, revealing the struggles of an competitor’s existence, caught in a cycle of societal observation, achievement demands and commercial obligations.

Artistic Strengths

Maybe it’s because of the source material, but the film’s response to these intricate issues is rather superficial; repeatedly, a character’s inner doubts simply disappear after a lengthy conversation with a fellow athlete or mentor. But what 100 Meters lacks in narrative subtlety and tempo, it redeems itself with in dazzling visuals. Using rotoscoping, in which drawn art is superimposed on real-life video, the feature creates remarkably precise dash moments. The physical exertion of a dash is clearly shown, and the struggle and triumph of rivalry are etched on the characters’ bodies.

Memorable Moments

One particularly momentous race finishes in the storm, with sheets of monochrome brushwork that overwhelm the screen. Apart from conversation, these flourishes of stylistic brilliance embody the quasi-enlightened elation the film aims to inspire.

100 Meters is released in Britain from the 16th of November.