100 Meters Review – Captivating Animation of Young Athletes in Search for Physical and Spiritual High
Plenty has been recorded about the art of running, a therapeutic exercise with ability for cathartic release. In the realm of professional sports, however, the strain of contests can cause individuals to overlook of this primary objective. Transposed from the original graphic novel, Kenji Iwaisawa’s enthralling anime goes past trophies and medals to investigate the inner motivation that drives an athlete’s ambition.
Story Synopsis
The Sprint Story follows Togashi and Komiya, youth companions whose career trajectories split when they enter elite competition. Previously the quickest elementary student in Japan, Togashi assists the more uncertain Komiya with the fundamentals. As the pair move through their adolescence and adulthood, Komiya progressively advances up the standings of premier sportspeople, while Togashi is trapped in a decline; both struggle with anxieties and insecurities. Encompassing more than 15 years, the tale documents their psychological barriers, laying bare the struggles of an competitor’s existence, caught in a cycle of public scrutiny, result pressures and endorsement requirements.
Creative Merits
Perhaps it’s down to the base story, but the animation’s answer to these complex dilemmas is a bit simplistic; time and time again, a protagonist’s uncertainties simply disappear after a prolonged talk with a colleague or elder. But what the anime falls short in story nuance and tempo, it redeems itself with in dazzling visuals. Employing rotoscoping, in which drawn art is traced over filmed sequences, the movie generates exquisitely intricate running sequences. The bodily strain of a sprint is visibly evident, and the pain and the joy of competition are imprinted on the protagonists’ forms.
Memorable Moments
One especially significant race finishes in the downpour, with cascades of grey strokes that engulf the scene. Apart from conversation, these bursts of creative mastery embody the quasi-enlightened elation the film aims to inspire.
The Sprint Film is released in Britain from the 16th of November.
