100 Meters Review – Captivating Animation of Emerging Sports Stars in Search for Physical and Spiritual High
Much has been recorded about the act of running, a restorative movement with capacity for cathartic release. In the sphere of elite athletics, yet, the stress of rivalry can lead athletes to forget of this primary objective. Transposed from the original graphic novel, Kenji Iwaisawa’s spellbinding anime looks beyond awards and honors to examine the core impetus that drives an sports star’s dream.
Narrative Summary
The 100-Meter Film follows Togashi and Komiya, childhood friends whose life paths split when they enter elite competition. Once the quickest elementary student in Japan, Togashi helps the less confident Komiya with the essentials. As the twosome enter their adolescence and adulthood, Komiya consistently improves up the standings of elite competitors, while Togashi is stuck in a slump; both struggle with fears and doubts. Encompassing more than 15 years, the story follows their internal hurdles, revealing the struggles of an competitor’s existence, locked in a cycle of media attention, performance expectations and commercial obligations.
Artistic Strengths
Perhaps it’s because of the source material, but the animation’s answer to these intricate issues is rather superficial; time and time again, a character’s inner doubts quickly dissolve after a prolonged talk with a fellow athlete or mentor. But what 100 Meters lacks in plot refinement and tempo, it compensates for in dazzling visuals. Employing trace-over animation, in which drawn art is superimposed on live-action footage, the film generates exquisitely intricate running sequences. The bodily strain of a race is on full display, and the suffering and elation of rivalry are imprinted on the athletes’ physiques.
Impactful Sequences
One particularly momentous race finishes in the downpour, with sheets of monochrome brushwork that engulf the frame. Apart from conversation, these flourishes of stylistic brilliance capture the near-transcendent euphoria the film aims to provoke.
The 100-Meter Anime is released in Britain from November 16.
