100 Meters review – mesmerising anime of young athletes in search of physical and spiritual high

<p>Dazzling rotoscoped running sequences make up for a lack of narrative subtlety in Kenji Iwaisawa’s film</p><p>Much has been <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2008/jul/26/sportandleisure">written about the act of running</a>, a therapeutic exercise with the potential for cathartic release. Within the context of professional sports, however, the pressure of competition can make people lose sight of this ultimate goal. Adapted from the eponymous manga, Kenji Iwaisawa’s mesmerising anime looks beyond trophies and medals to investigate the existential drive that spurs an athlete’s ambition.</p><p>100 Meters follows Togashi and Komiya, childhood friends whose life paths diverge when they go pro. Formerly the fastest grade-schooler in Japan, Togashi helps the less self-assured Komiya with the basics. As the pair enter their teens and their 20s, Komiya steadily accelerates up the ranking of top athletes, while Togashi is stuck in a slump; both battle anxieties and insecurities. Spanning more than 15 years, the story tracks their internal hurdles, laying bare the struggles of an athlete’s life, locked in a cycle of public scrutiny, performance expectations and sponsorship demands.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/nov/10/100-meters-review-mesmerising-anime-of-young-athletes-in-search-of-physical-and-spiritual-high">Continue reading...</a>