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Plenty has been documented about the art of running, a healing activity with potential for cathartic release. In the sphere of professional sports, though, the pressure of competition can make people lose sight of this ultimate goal. Transposed from the eponymous manga, Kenji Iwaisawa’s spellbinding anime transcends prizes and accolades to investigate the inner motivation that drives an sports star’s dream.

Narrative Summary

The Sprint Story chronicles Togashi and Komiya, childhood friends whose personal journeys separate when they go pro. Once the speediest young pupil in Japan, Togashi guides the less self-assured Komiya with the fundamentals. As the duo move through their youth and early maturity, Komiya progressively advances up the leaderboard of premier sportspeople, while Togashi is stuck in a slump; both battle worries and uncertainties. Spanning more than 15 years, the tale documents their internal hurdles, laying bare the struggles of an sports professional’s journey, locked in a cycle of media attention, result pressures and commercial obligations.

Creative Merits

Perhaps it’s because of the base story, but the film’s response to these complicated problems is a bit simplistic; time and time again, a lead’s mental struggles just vanish after a extended discussion with a peer or a senior. But what 100 Meters falls short in story nuance and pacing, it compensates for in dazzling visuals. Employing trace-over animation, in which animation is drawn atop real-life video, the feature produces remarkably precise dash moments. The physical exertion of a dash is visibly evident, and the suffering and elation of contests are engraved on the protagonists’ forms.

Unforgettable Scenes

One particularly momentous race concludes in the rain, with sheets of monochrome brushwork that immerse the screen. Beyond spoken words, these displays of stylistic brilliance capture the near-transcendent euphoria the movie aims to evoke.

The Sprint Film is released in Britain from 16 November.