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A great deal has been documented about the art of running, a therapeutic exercise with capacity for therapeutic unburdening. In the realm of professional sports, however, the stress of rivalry can lead athletes to forget of this fundamental aim. Adapted from the original graphic novel, Kenji Iwaisawa’s enthralling anime transcends prizes and accolades to examine the core impetus that spurs an athlete’s ambition.

Plot Overview

The Sprint Story chronicles Togashi and Komiya, youth companions whose personal journeys diverge when they go pro. Previously the fastest grade-schooler in Japan, Togashi assists the less self-assured Komiya with the basics. As the twosome move through their teens and their 20s, Komiya steadily accelerates up the standings of top athletes, while Togashi is mired in a rut; both confront fears and doubts. Spanning more than 15 years, the tale documents their psychological barriers, exposing the difficulties of an competitor’s existence, trapped in a pattern of public scrutiny, result pressures and commercial obligations.

Visual Highlights

Perhaps it’s because of the base story, but the movie’s approach to these complicated problems is a bit simplistic; repeatedly, a character’s inner doubts just vanish after a extended discussion with a fellow athlete or mentor. But what the anime lacks in narrative subtlety and pacing, it compensates for in stunning imagery. Employing rotoscoping, in which drawn art is traced over real-life video, the movie generates stunningly detailed running sequences. The bodily strain of a dash is visibly evident, and the suffering and elation of contests are engraved on the athletes’ physiques.

Unforgettable Scenes

One particularly momentous race concludes in the rain, with sheets of grey strokes that overwhelm the scene. More than any dialogue, these displays of artistic excellence embody the near-transcendent euphoria the film aims to provoke.

The Sprint Film is showing in the United Kingdom from November 16.