100 Meters Review – Mesmerising Anime of Young Athletes in Quest for Mind-Body Elevation
A great deal has been recorded about the practice of running, a therapeutic exercise with capacity for cathartic release. Within the context of professional sports, yet, the strain of contests can lead athletes to forget of this ultimate goal. Reimagined from the same-named comic, Kenji Iwaisawa’s mesmerising anime looks beyond awards and honors 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 diverge when they enter elite competition. Previously the quickest elementary student in Japan, Togashi guides the more uncertain Komiya with the essentials. As the duo move through their adolescence and adulthood, Komiya consistently improves up the standings of premier sportspeople, while Togashi is trapped in a decline; both battle fears and doubts. Spanning more than 15 years, the narrative documents their psychological barriers, revealing the difficulties of an competitor’s existence, locked in a loop of societal observation, achievement demands and endorsement requirements.
Creative Merits
Perhaps it’s down to the original work, but the film’s response to these complicated problems is rather superficial; frequently, a character’s inner doubts quickly dissolve after a prolonged talk with a colleague or elder. But what the anime falls short in plot refinement and rhythm, it redeems itself with in dazzling visuals. Using trace-over animation, in which drawn art is traced over filmed sequences, the film creates stunningly detailed running sequences. The bodily strain of a race is visibly evident, and the pain and the joy of rivalry are etched on the athletes’ physiques.
Unforgettable Scenes
One notably pivotal race ends in the storm, with sheets of monochrome brushwork that immerse the frame. Beyond spoken words, these bursts of creative mastery embody the quasi-enlightened elation the animation aims to inspire.
The Sprint Film is released in Britain from 16 November.
