100 Meters Review – Captivating Anime of Emerging Sports Stars in Search for Mind-Body Elevation
Plenty has been written about the art of running, a therapeutic exercise with capacity for therapeutic unburdening. Within the context of competitive games, though, the pressure of contests can cause individuals to overlook of this fundamental aim. Transposed from the eponymous manga, Kenji Iwaisawa’s mesmerising anime transcends prizes and accolades to investigate the core impetus that fuels an competitor’s aspiration.
Plot Overview
The Sprint Story traces Togashi and Komiya, early-life buddies whose career trajectories diverge when they turn professional. Formerly the quickest elementary student in Japan, Togashi helps the more uncertain Komiya with the basics. As the pair enter their youth and early maturity, Komiya steadily accelerates up the ranking of top athletes, while Togashi is trapped in a decline; both struggle with worries and uncertainties. Spanning more than 15 years, the narrative documents their mental obstacles, exposing the challenges of an athlete’s life, locked in a pattern of societal observation, result pressures and sponsorship demands.
Creative Merits
Perhaps it’s because of the original work, but the movie’s approach to these complex dilemmas is rather superficial; frequently, a lead’s mental struggles quickly dissolve after a extended discussion with a fellow athlete or mentor. But what the film falls short in story nuance and pacing, it makes up for in breathtaking graphics. Employing live-action tracing, in which animation is drawn atop live-action footage, the film creates exquisitely intricate running sequences. The athletic effort of a dash is clearly shown, and the suffering and elation of contests are imprinted on the athletes’ physiques.
Impactful Sequences
One particularly momentous race ends in the downpour, with cascades of grey strokes that immerse the frame. More than any dialogue, these displays of stylistic brilliance encapsulate the near-transcendent euphoria the animation aims to evoke.
100 Meters is in UK cinemas from the 16th of November.
