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Plenty has been recorded about the practice of running, a healing activity with ability for therapeutic unburdening. In the realm of professional sports, though, the strain of rivalry can cause individuals to overlook of this ultimate goal. Adapted from the same-named comic, Kenji Iwaisawa’s spellbinding anime transcends prizes and accolades to explore the core impetus that drives an athlete’s ambition.

Story Synopsis

The Sprint Story chronicles Togashi and Komiya, childhood friends whose personal journeys separate when they go pro. Once the fastest grade-schooler in Japan, Togashi helps the less self-assured Komiya with the essentials. As the duo enter their adolescence and adulthood, Komiya progressively advances up the standings of top athletes, while Togashi is trapped in a decline; both struggle with fears and doubts. Encompassing more than 15 years, the tale documents their internal hurdles, exposing the struggles of an athlete’s life, locked in a cycle of public scrutiny, performance expectations and sponsorship demands.

Artistic Strengths

Perhaps it’s due to the original work, but the film’s response to these complicated problems is rather superficial; time and time again, a lead’s mental struggles just vanish after a lengthy conversation with a colleague or elder. But what the film is deficient in narrative subtlety and tempo, it makes up for in breathtaking graphics. Using trace-over animation, in which animation is superimposed on real-life video, the movie produces exquisitely intricate running sequences. The bodily strain of a sprint is clearly shown, and the suffering and elation of contests are engraved on the characters’ bodies.

Unforgettable Scenes

One notably pivotal race ends in the rain, with sheets of charcoal lines that immerse the frame. More than any dialogue, these bursts of artistic excellence capture the near-transcendent euphoria the film aims to inspire.

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