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Much has been documented about the act of running, a therapeutic exercise with capacity for emotional liberation. In the realm of professional sports, though, the stress of rivalry can lead athletes to forget of this primary objective. Transposed from the same-named comic, Kenji Iwaisawa’s enthralling anime transcends prizes and accolades to investigate the core impetus that drives an competitor’s aspiration.

Narrative Summary

100 Meters follows Togashi and Komiya, youth companions whose life paths split when they enter elite competition. Once the speediest young pupil in Japan, Togashi guides the more uncertain Komiya with the fundamentals. As the duo enter their teens and their 20s, Komiya progressively advances up the standings of elite competitors, while Togashi is stuck in a slump; both confront anxieties and insecurities. Encompassing more than 15 years, the narrative tracks their internal hurdles, laying bare the struggles of an athlete’s life, locked in a pattern of media attention, result pressures and commercial obligations.

Creative Merits

Perhaps it’s down to the base story, but the film’s response to these complex dilemmas is a bit simplistic; repeatedly, a lead’s mental struggles just vanish after a extended discussion with a peer or a senior. But what the film is deficient in story nuance and tempo, it redeems itself with in stunning imagery. Employing live-action tracing, in which animation is drawn atop filmed sequences, the film generates exquisitely intricate dash moments. The athletic effort of a sprint is clearly shown, and the suffering and elation of competition are imprinted on the athletes’ physiques.

Impactful Sequences

One particularly momentous race concludes in the storm, with sheets of grey strokes that engulf the scene. More than any dialogue, these displays of stylistic brilliance encapsulate the quasi-enlightened elation the animation aims to provoke.

100 Meters is released in Britain from November 16.