🔗 Share this article

Plenty has been documented about the act of running, a restorative movement with ability for therapeutic unburdening. In the realm of elite athletics, yet, the pressure of rivalry can cause individuals to overlook of this fundamental aim. Transposed from the same-named comic, Kenji Iwaisawa’s mesmerising anime goes past trophies and medals to examine the core impetus that fuels an competitor’s aspiration.

Story Synopsis

100 Meters chronicles Togashi and Komiya, youth companions whose career trajectories separate when they enter elite competition. Once the quickest elementary student in Japan, Togashi assists the less confident Komiya with the basics. As the twosome enter their youth and early maturity, Komiya consistently improves up the standings of top athletes, while Togashi is stuck in a slump; both confront fears and doubts. Spanning more than 15 years, the tale documents their psychological barriers, laying bare the challenges of an competitor’s existence, trapped in a cycle of public scrutiny, performance expectations and endorsement requirements.

Visual Highlights

Perhaps it’s because of the source material, but the animation’s answer to these complicated problems is a bit simplistic; repeatedly, a lead’s mental struggles just vanish after a prolonged talk with a colleague or elder. But what the anime lacks in plot refinement and pacing, it redeems itself with in dazzling visuals. Employing rotoscoping, in which cartooning is superimposed on live-action footage, the movie produces remarkably precise dash moments. The physical exertion of a race is on full display, and the suffering and elation of rivalry are imprinted on the athletes’ physiques.

Unforgettable Scenes

One notably pivotal race finishes in the storm, with cascades of monochrome brushwork that overwhelm the screen. Apart from conversation, these bursts of artistic excellence capture the almost spiritual high the film aims to evoke.

The 100-Meter Anime is in UK cinemas from the 16th of November.