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Much has been recorded about the practice of running, a healing activity with potential for emotional liberation. In the realm of professional sports, though, the stress of contests can cause individuals to overlook of this ultimate goal. Adapted from the original graphic novel, Kenji Iwaisawa’s mesmerising anime transcends prizes and accolades to investigate the existential drive that drives an athlete’s ambition.

Story Synopsis

100 Meters follows Togashi and Komiya, early-life buddies whose personal journeys separate when they turn professional. Formerly the fastest grade-schooler in Japan, Togashi assists the more uncertain Komiya with the fundamentals. As the twosome enter their teens and their 20s, Komiya progressively advances up the leaderboard of premier sportspeople, while Togashi is mired in a rut; both struggle with fears and doubts. Covering more than 15 years, the tale documents their mental obstacles, laying bare the difficulties of an sports professional’s journey, trapped in a loop of societal observation, performance expectations and commercial obligations.

Creative Merits

Perhaps it’s because of the base story, but the film’s response to these intricate issues is a bit simplistic; frequently, a protagonist’s uncertainties simply disappear after a extended discussion with a colleague or elder. But what the film is deficient in narrative subtlety and tempo, it redeems itself with in breathtaking graphics. Using rotoscoping, in which drawn art is drawn atop real-life video, the movie produces remarkably precise dash moments. The bodily strain of a dash is on full display, and the pain and the joy of contests are imprinted on the athletes’ physiques.

Memorable Moments

One notably pivotal race ends in the storm, with torrents of monochrome brushwork that engulf the frame. More than any dialogue, these bursts of artistic excellence encapsulate the near-transcendent euphoria the film aims to inspire.

100 Meters is showing in the United Kingdom from 16 November.