Much has been documented about the practice of running, a healing activity with ability for emotional liberation. Within the context of professional sports, however, the strain of contests can cause individuals to overlook of this fundamental aim. Adapted from the eponymous manga, Kenji Iwaisawa’s mesmerising anime looks beyond prizes and accolades to explore the inner motivation that spurs an competitor’s aspiration.
100 Meters chronicles Togashi and Komiya, youth companions whose life paths separate when they enter elite competition. Formerly the quickest elementary student in Japan, Togashi guides the less confident Komiya with the fundamentals. As the pair move through their teens and their 20s, Komiya steadily accelerates up the ranking of premier sportspeople, while Togashi is mired in a rut; both battle worries and uncertainties. Encompassing more than 15 years, the narrative follows their psychological barriers, exposing the difficulties of an athlete’s life, trapped in a loop of public scrutiny, achievement demands and sponsorship demands.
Perhaps it’s due to the original work, but the animation’s answer to these complicated problems is rather superficial; time and time again, a protagonist’s uncertainties just vanish after a extended discussion with a peer or a senior. But what the film is deficient in story nuance and rhythm, it makes up for in stunning imagery. Utilizing trace-over animation, in which drawn art is traced over 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 imprinted on the characters’ bodies.
One particularly momentous race finishes in the rain, with torrents of grey strokes that engulf the screen. More than any dialogue, these flourishes of artistic excellence encapsulate the quasi-enlightened elation the film aims to inspire.
The Sprint Film is released in Britain from the 16th of November.
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