🔗 Share this article 100-Meter Dash Film Analysis – Mesmerising Anime of Young Athletes in Quest for Mind-Body Elevation A great deal has been documented about the act of running, a restorative movement with capacity for cathartic release. Within the context of elite athletics, yet, the stress of contests can cause individuals to overlook of this primary objective. Transposed from the original graphic novel, Kenji Iwaisawa’s spellbinding anime transcends prizes and accolades to investigate the existential drive that drives an sports star’s dream. Story Synopsis 100 Meters follows Togashi and Komiya, youth companions whose career trajectories split when they turn professional. Once the quickest elementary student in Japan, Togashi guides the less confident Komiya with the essentials. As the duo progress into their youth and early maturity, Komiya steadily accelerates up the leaderboard of elite competitors, while Togashi is mired in a rut; both struggle with fears and doubts. Encompassing more than 15 years, the tale tracks their psychological barriers, laying bare the difficulties of an competitor’s existence, locked in a loop of public scrutiny, result pressures and endorsement requirements. Visual Highlights Perhaps it’s because of the base story, but the film’s response to these complicated problems is somewhat facile; time and time again, a protagonist’s uncertainties simply disappear after a lengthy conversation with a colleague or elder. But what the film is deficient in story nuance and tempo, it compensates for in breathtaking graphics. Using trace-over animation, in which animation is drawn atop filmed sequences, the film generates remarkably precise dash moments. The athletic effort of a race is on full display, and the suffering and elation of competition are etched on the characters’ bodies. Impactful Sequences One especially significant race finishes in the downpour, with torrents of grey strokes that immerse the scene. More than any dialogue, these displays of artistic excellence embody the quasi-enlightened elation the movie aims to evoke. The 100-Meter Anime is showing in the United Kingdom from the 16th of November.