🔗 Share this article

Plenty has been written about the act of running, a healing activity with ability for cathartic release. In the sphere of professional sports, however, the pressure of competition can cause individuals to overlook of this fundamental aim. Adapted from the eponymous manga, Kenji Iwaisawa’s mesmerising anime looks beyond awards and honors to investigate the existential drive that drives an competitor’s aspiration.

Plot Overview

100 Meters chronicles Togashi and Komiya, youth companions whose personal journeys split when they enter elite competition. Once the fastest grade-schooler in Japan, Togashi assists the less self-assured Komiya with the basics. As the twosome enter their teens and their 20s, Komiya consistently improves up the standings of elite competitors, while Togashi is mired in a rut; both confront anxieties and insecurities. Covering more than 15 years, the story tracks their internal hurdles, laying bare the difficulties of an athlete’s life, trapped in a pattern of media attention, result pressures and endorsement requirements.

Visual Highlights

Perhaps it’s because of the original work, but the film’s response to these complex dilemmas is rather superficial; time and time again, a protagonist’s uncertainties simply disappear after a prolonged talk with a fellow athlete or mentor. But what the film lacks in story nuance and rhythm, it redeems itself with in breathtaking graphics. Utilizing trace-over animation, in which cartooning is traced over filmed sequences, the movie produces stunningly detailed running sequences. The athletic effort of a dash is visibly evident, and the struggle and triumph of competition are imprinted on the characters’ bodies.

Impactful Sequences

One particularly momentous race finishes in the rain, with sheets of grey strokes that immerse the frame. More than any dialogue, these displays of artistic excellence capture the near-transcendent euphoria the animation aims to inspire.

100 Meters is in UK cinemas from the 16th of November.