Plenty has been recorded about the art of running, a healing activity with capacity for therapeutic unburdening. In the realm of professional sports, yet, the pressure of contests can lead athletes to forget of this fundamental aim. Transposed from the original graphic novel, Kenji Iwaisawa’s spellbinding anime transcends trophies and medals to examine the inner motivation that fuels an competitor’s aspiration.
Plot Overview
The Sprint Story chronicles Togashi and Komiya, early-life buddies whose personal journeys diverge when they enter elite competition. Previously the quickest elementary student in Japan, Togashi guides the less confident Komiya with the basics. As the pair progress into their teens and their 20s, Komiya consistently improves up the standings of elite competitors, while Togashi is mired in a rut; both confront fears and doubts. Covering more than 15 years, the story documents their internal hurdles, laying bare the difficulties of an competitor’s existence, caught in a cycle of societal observation, achievement demands and commercial obligations.
Visual Highlights
Possibly it’s due to the original work, but the movie’s approach to these intricate issues is rather superficial; frequently, a lead’s mental struggles quickly dissolve after a lengthy conversation with a peer or a senior. But what the anime lacks in narrative subtlety and pacing, it compensates for in dazzling visuals. Utilizing rotoscoping, in which cartooning is drawn atop filmed sequences, the feature creates remarkably precise sprinting scenes. The athletic effort of a dash is on full display, and the pain and the joy of contests are imprinted on the protagonists’ forms.
Memorable Moments
One particularly momentous race finishes in the downpour, with sheets of charcoal lines that immerse the screen. Beyond spoken words, these bursts of creative mastery encapsulate the near-transcendent euphoria the movie aims to provoke.
The Sprint Film is released in Britain from 16 November.
