🔗 Share this article

A great deal has been recorded about the practice of running, a restorative movement with capacity for therapeutic unburdening. Within the context of elite athletics, yet, the strain of competition can cause individuals to overlook of this fundamental aim. Adapted from the same-named comic, Kenji Iwaisawa’s enthralling anime goes past trophies and medals to explore the existential drive that fuels an athlete’s ambition.

Narrative Summary

The Sprint Story follows Togashi and Komiya, childhood friends whose personal journeys separate when they turn professional. Once the speediest young pupil in Japan, Togashi assists the less self-assured Komiya with the fundamentals. As the duo progress into their teens and their 20s, Komiya consistently improves up the ranking of top athletes, while Togashi is trapped in a decline; both battle fears and doubts. Covering more than 15 years, the tale tracks their psychological barriers, exposing the challenges of an athlete’s life, trapped in a pattern of media attention, achievement demands and sponsorship demands.

Creative Merits

Maybe it’s down to the original work, but the animation’s answer to these complicated problems is somewhat facile; repeatedly, a protagonist’s uncertainties just vanish after a prolonged talk with a colleague or elder. But what the film lacks in story nuance and pacing, it redeems itself with in stunning imagery. Using live-action tracing, in which cartooning is superimposed on real-life video, the film creates remarkably precise sprinting scenes. The physical exertion of a dash is on full display, and the suffering and elation of competition are etched on the athletes’ physiques.

Impactful Sequences

One notably pivotal race finishes in the rain, with sheets of grey strokes that overwhelm the frame. Beyond spoken words, these flourishes of stylistic brilliance embody the near-transcendent euphoria the film aims to evoke.

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