100 Meters Review – Captivating Animation of Young Athletes in Search for Physical and Spiritual High

A great deal has been written about the act of running, a healing activity with capacity for emotional liberation. In the sphere of competitive games, though, the pressure of rivalry can cause individuals to overlook of this primary objective. Transposed from the original graphic novel, Kenji Iwaisawa’s mesmerising anime transcends prizes and accolades to explore the existential drive that fuels an competitor’s aspiration.

Story Synopsis

100 Meters chronicles Togashi and Komiya, youth companions whose life paths diverge when they turn professional. Previously the speediest young pupil 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 leaderboard of elite competitors, while Togashi is stuck in a slump; both battle fears and doubts. Encompassing more than 15 years, the narrative tracks their psychological barriers, revealing the challenges of an competitor’s existence, locked in a cycle of media attention, achievement demands and commercial obligations.

Artistic Strengths

Maybe it’s because of the base story, but the movie’s approach to these complicated problems is a bit simplistic; time and time again, a character’s inner doubts quickly dissolve after a lengthy conversation with a fellow athlete or mentor. But what 100 Meters falls short in story nuance and pacing, it makes up for in breathtaking graphics. Employing rotoscoping, in which animation is drawn atop live-action footage, the film produces exquisitely intricate sprinting scenes. The bodily strain of a race is visibly evident, and the pain and the joy of competition are etched on the characters’ bodies.

Memorable Moments

One particularly momentous race ends in the rain, with sheets of charcoal lines that immerse the screen. Apart from conversation, these bursts of artistic excellence embody the almost spiritual high the animation aims to provoke.

The 100-Meter Anime is showing in the United Kingdom from November 16.