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Much has been written about the act of running, a therapeutic exercise with potential for cathartic release. Within the context of elite athletics, however, the strain of contests can make people lose sight of this ultimate goal. Adapted from the same-named comic, Kenji Iwaisawa’s enthralling anime goes past trophies and medals to examine the existential drive that spurs an competitor’s aspiration.

Narrative Summary

100 Meters traces Togashi and Komiya, childhood friends whose life paths split when they go pro. Once the fastest grade-schooler in Japan, Togashi assists the less confident Komiya with the basics. As the pair progress into their adolescence and adulthood, Komiya consistently improves up the leaderboard of top athletes, while Togashi is stuck in a slump; both confront anxieties and insecurities. Spanning more than 15 years, the narrative tracks their mental obstacles, laying bare the difficulties of an sports professional’s journey, caught in a loop of societal observation, achievement demands and sponsorship demands.

Creative Merits

Perhaps it’s due to the source material, but the film’s response to these complicated problems is rather superficial; time and time again, a lead’s mental struggles quickly dissolve after a extended discussion with a fellow athlete or mentor. But what the anime lacks in story nuance and pacing, it redeems itself with in dazzling visuals. Employing rotoscoping, in which drawn art is superimposed on real-life video, the movie generates remarkably precise running sequences. The athletic effort of a dash is visibly evident, and the suffering and elation of competition are imprinted on the characters’ bodies.

Impactful Sequences

One notably pivotal race concludes in the storm, with sheets of monochrome brushwork that overwhelm the scene. Apart from conversation, these displays of creative mastery capture the quasi-enlightened elation the animation aims to evoke.

The 100-Meter Anime is released in Britain from 16 November.