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A great deal has been written about the practice of running, a therapeutic exercise with potential for emotional liberation. In the realm of professional sports, though, the strain of rivalry can cause individuals to overlook of this fundamental aim. Adapted from the original graphic novel, Kenji Iwaisawa’s enthralling anime looks beyond trophies and medals to investigate the existential drive that drives an athlete’s ambition.

Narrative Summary

The Sprint Story follows Togashi and Komiya, youth companions whose career trajectories diverge when they enter elite competition. Formerly the fastest grade-schooler in Japan, Togashi assists the less self-assured Komiya with the basics. As the twosome move through their adolescence and adulthood, Komiya steadily accelerates up the standings of top athletes, while Togashi is stuck in a slump; both struggle with fears and doubts. Spanning more than 15 years, the story follows their mental obstacles, exposing the difficulties of an athlete’s life, caught in a pattern of media attention, achievement demands and commercial obligations.

Visual Highlights

Possibly it’s because of the base story, but the animation’s answer to these complicated problems is rather superficial; repeatedly, a protagonist’s uncertainties simply disappear after a prolonged talk with a colleague or elder. But what the film lacks in plot refinement and pacing, it makes up for in dazzling visuals. Using live-action tracing, in which cartooning is drawn atop filmed sequences, the feature creates stunningly detailed sprinting scenes. The athletic effort of a sprint is visibly evident, and the pain and the joy of contests are engraved on the athletes’ physiques.

Unforgettable Scenes

One notably pivotal race concludes in the storm, with sheets of grey strokes that immerse the frame. More than any dialogue, these bursts of creative mastery capture the almost spiritual high the animation aims to provoke.

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