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Plenty has been written about the art of running, a restorative movement with ability for cathartic release. Within the context of elite athletics, though, the pressure of rivalry can cause individuals to overlook of this primary objective. Transposed from the eponymous manga, Kenji Iwaisawa’s enthralling anime transcends awards and honors to examine the existential drive that fuels an athlete’s ambition.

Plot Overview

100 Meters follows Togashi and Komiya, childhood friends whose personal journeys split when they enter elite competition. Previously the quickest elementary student in Japan, Togashi helps the more uncertain Komiya with the basics. As the pair enter their teens and their 20s, Komiya consistently improves up the ranking of top athletes, while Togashi is stuck in a slump; both battle fears and doubts. Spanning more than 15 years, the story follows their internal hurdles, laying bare the difficulties of an sports professional’s journey, trapped in a loop of societal observation, achievement demands and commercial obligations.

Creative Merits

Possibly it’s due to the base story, but the movie’s approach to these complicated problems is somewhat facile; frequently, a lead’s mental struggles simply disappear after a extended discussion with a colleague or elder. But what 100 Meters is deficient in narrative subtlety and rhythm, it makes up for in dazzling visuals. Employing live-action tracing, in which cartooning is traced over real-life video, the movie produces stunningly detailed dash moments. The athletic effort of a race is on full display, and the struggle and triumph of rivalry are etched on the protagonists’ forms.

Unforgettable Scenes

One especially significant race ends in the storm, with cascades of monochrome brushwork that engulf the frame. Apart from conversation, these displays of artistic excellence capture the quasi-enlightened elation the film aims to provoke.

100 Meters is in UK cinemas from November 16.