100 Meters Review – Mesmerising Anime of Young Athletes in Search for Mind-Body Elevation
A great deal has been documented about the act of running, a restorative movement with potential for cathartic release. In the realm of elite athletics, though, the stress of rivalry can cause individuals to overlook of this ultimate goal. Reimagined from the original graphic novel, Kenji Iwaisawa’s enthralling anime looks beyond trophies and medals to explore the inner motivation that drives an sports star’s dream.
Story Synopsis
100 Meters chronicles Togashi and Komiya, youth companions whose career trajectories separate when they turn professional. Previously the speediest young pupil in Japan, Togashi helps the less self-assured Komiya with the essentials. As the duo enter their adolescence and adulthood, Komiya consistently improves up the standings of elite competitors, while Togashi is stuck in a slump; both confront anxieties and insecurities. Spanning more than 15 years, the story follows their psychological barriers, laying bare the struggles of an sports professional’s journey, locked in a pattern of societal observation, achievement demands and endorsement requirements.
Visual Highlights
Maybe it’s because of the source material, but the movie’s approach to these complex dilemmas is somewhat facile; repeatedly, a lead’s mental struggles just vanish after a lengthy conversation with a fellow athlete or mentor. But what the anime falls short in story nuance and rhythm, it compensates for in dazzling visuals. Utilizing rotoscoping, in which cartooning is drawn atop live-action footage, the feature generates exquisitely intricate running sequences. The bodily strain of a race is on full display, and the suffering and elation of contests are engraved on the protagonists’ forms.
Impactful Sequences
One notably pivotal race finishes in the downpour, with torrents of monochrome brushwork that engulf the screen. Apart from conversation, these bursts of creative mastery encapsulate the almost spiritual high the film aims to provoke.
The 100-Meter Anime is released in Britain from 16 November.
