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Much has been documented about the practice of running, a healing activity with capacity for emotional liberation. In the sphere of elite athletics, though, the stress of contests can make people lose sight of this fundamental aim. Adapted from the eponymous manga, Kenji Iwaisawa’s mesmerising anime transcends trophies and medals to investigate the existential drive that fuels an sports star’s dream.

Narrative Summary

100 Meters follows Togashi and Komiya, youth companions whose life paths separate when they go pro. Previously the quickest elementary student in Japan, Togashi assists the more uncertain Komiya with the essentials. As the pair enter their adolescence and adulthood, Komiya progressively advances up the leaderboard of premier sportspeople, while Togashi is mired in a rut; both battle worries and uncertainties. Spanning more than 15 years, the tale documents their psychological barriers, exposing the challenges of an athlete’s life, caught in a pattern of media attention, performance expectations and commercial obligations.

Artistic Strengths

Perhaps it’s due to the base story, but the film’s response to these intricate issues is rather superficial; repeatedly, a lead’s mental struggles simply disappear after a prolonged talk with a colleague or elder. But what 100 Meters falls short in plot refinement and pacing, it redeems itself with in stunning imagery. Utilizing live-action tracing, in which drawn art is superimposed on filmed sequences, the film generates remarkably precise dash moments. The athletic effort of a dash is on full display, and the pain and the joy of competition are engraved on the athletes’ physiques.

Memorable Moments

One notably pivotal race ends in the storm, with cascades of grey strokes that overwhelm the frame. More than any dialogue, these bursts of stylistic brilliance encapsulate the almost spiritual high the film aims to inspire.

100 Meters is in UK cinemas from the 16th of November.