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Much has been documented about the art of running, a restorative movement with capacity for therapeutic unburdening. In the sphere of professional sports, though, the stress of competition can make people lose sight of this primary objective. Transposed from the same-named comic, Kenji Iwaisawa’s mesmerising anime looks beyond awards and honors to investigate the core impetus that fuels an athlete’s ambition.

Narrative Summary

100 Meters traces Togashi and Komiya, youth companions whose personal journeys split when they enter elite competition. Once the fastest grade-schooler in Japan, Togashi guides the less self-assured Komiya with the fundamentals. As the duo enter their teens and their 20s, Komiya consistently improves up the standings of elite competitors, while Togashi is trapped in a decline; both battle worries and uncertainties. Covering more than 15 years, the story documents their psychological barriers, exposing the challenges of an competitor’s existence, caught in a pattern of societal observation, performance expectations and sponsorship demands.

Visual Highlights

Possibly it’s because of the base story, but the animation’s answer to these intricate issues is rather superficial; repeatedly, a protagonist’s uncertainties quickly dissolve after a lengthy conversation with a fellow athlete or mentor. But what the anime falls short in story nuance and rhythm, it makes up for in dazzling visuals. Employing live-action tracing, in which cartooning is drawn atop live-action footage, the feature produces stunningly detailed sprinting scenes. The physical exertion of a race is clearly shown, and the struggle and triumph of competition are imprinted on the athletes’ physiques.

Memorable Moments

One especially significant race ends in the rain, with sheets of grey strokes that engulf the scene. Apart from conversation, these bursts of creative mastery encapsulate the almost spiritual high the animation aims to provoke.

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