100 Meters Review – Mesmerising Animation of Emerging Sports Stars in Search for Mind-Body Elevation

Plenty has been written about the act of running, a therapeutic exercise with potential for emotional liberation. In the sphere of professional sports, though, the stress of competition can cause individuals to overlook of this ultimate goal. Adapted from the original graphic novel, Kenji Iwaisawa’s enthralling anime transcends trophies and medals to examine the existential drive that drives an competitor’s aspiration.

Plot Overview

The Sprint Story traces Togashi and Komiya, childhood friends whose career trajectories separate when they turn professional. Formerly the fastest grade-schooler in Japan, Togashi guides the more uncertain Komiya with the essentials. As the pair move through their youth and early maturity, Komiya steadily accelerates up the leaderboard of top athletes, while Togashi is stuck in a slump; both struggle with worries and uncertainties. Spanning more than 15 years, the tale follows their psychological barriers, laying bare the struggles of an competitor’s existence, locked in a cycle of societal observation, result pressures and sponsorship demands.

Creative Merits

Perhaps it’s due to the source material, but the animation’s answer to these complicated problems is rather superficial; time and time again, a protagonist’s uncertainties just vanish after a lengthy conversation with a colleague or elder. But what 100 Meters falls short in plot refinement and pacing, it makes up for in dazzling visuals. Employing rotoscoping, in which cartooning is drawn atop live-action footage, the movie generates stunningly detailed sprinting scenes. The athletic effort of a sprint is clearly shown, and the pain and the joy of rivalry are imprinted on the characters’ bodies.

Unforgettable Scenes

One notably pivotal race ends in the storm, with cascades of monochrome brushwork that immerse the scene. Apart from conversation, these displays of stylistic brilliance capture the quasi-enlightened elation the film aims to inspire.

100 Meters is released in Britain from November 16.