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Plenty has been written about the practice of running, a therapeutic exercise with potential for therapeutic unburdening. In the realm of competitive games, though, the pressure of contests can make people lose sight of this ultimate goal. Reimagined from the eponymous manga, Kenji Iwaisawa’s enthralling anime looks beyond trophies and medals to explore the core impetus that spurs an sports star’s dream.

Plot Overview

The Sprint Story chronicles Togashi and Komiya, childhood friends whose personal journeys diverge when they go pro. Previously the fastest grade-schooler in Japan, Togashi helps the less confident Komiya with the basics. As the twosome enter their youth and early maturity, Komiya steadily accelerates up the standings of top athletes, while Togashi is mired in a rut; both struggle with fears and doubts. Encompassing more than 15 years, the tale follows their psychological barriers, exposing the challenges of an athlete’s life, locked in a pattern of public scrutiny, performance expectations and sponsorship demands.

Visual Highlights

Perhaps it’s because of the base story, but the film’s response to these complicated problems is rather superficial; repeatedly, a character’s inner doubts quickly dissolve after a extended discussion with a peer or a senior. But what 100 Meters lacks in narrative subtlety and rhythm, it compensates for in stunning imagery. Using live-action tracing, in which cartooning is superimposed on filmed sequences, the movie generates exquisitely intricate dash moments. The bodily strain of a sprint is visibly evident, and the struggle and triumph of contests are engraved on the protagonists’ forms.

Memorable Moments

One especially significant race ends in the storm, with cascades of grey strokes that engulf the frame. Beyond spoken words, these displays of stylistic brilliance embody the near-transcendent euphoria the film aims to provoke.

The Sprint Film is showing in the United Kingdom from November 16.