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A great deal has been written about the act of running, a healing activity with ability for therapeutic unburdening. Within the context of competitive games, yet, the pressure of competition can cause individuals to overlook of this fundamental aim. Transposed from the eponymous manga, Kenji Iwaisawa’s enthralling anime looks beyond prizes and accolades to examine the existential drive that fuels an athlete’s ambition.

Plot Overview

The 100-Meter Film chronicles Togashi and Komiya, youth companions whose life paths split when they turn professional. Once the speediest young pupil in Japan, Togashi guides the more uncertain Komiya with the basics. As the pair enter their youth and early maturity, Komiya consistently improves up the ranking of elite competitors, while Togashi is trapped in a decline; both confront worries and uncertainties. Encompassing more than 15 years, the story follows their internal hurdles, exposing the difficulties of an sports professional’s journey, trapped in a pattern of media attention, achievement demands and sponsorship demands.

Creative Merits

Maybe it’s because of the source material, but the film’s response to these complicated problems is rather superficial; repeatedly, a lead’s mental struggles just vanish after a lengthy conversation with a peer or a senior. But what the film lacks in plot refinement and rhythm, it makes up for in breathtaking graphics. Utilizing live-action tracing, in which cartooning is superimposed on real-life video, the feature produces remarkably precise running sequences. The physical exertion of a race is clearly shown, and the pain and the joy of competition are etched on the characters’ bodies.

Impactful Sequences

One especially significant race finishes in the downpour, with sheets of monochrome brushwork that overwhelm the frame. Apart from conversation, these flourishes of stylistic brilliance embody the almost spiritual high the movie aims to provoke.

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