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Much has been recorded about the practice of running, a therapeutic exercise with ability for therapeutic unburdening. In the realm of competitive games, though, the stress of contests can cause individuals to overlook of this ultimate goal. Adapted from the original graphic novel, Kenji Iwaisawa’s enthralling anime looks beyond awards and honors to examine the inner motivation that fuels an athlete’s ambition.

Plot Overview

The Sprint Story traces Togashi and Komiya, early-life buddies whose career trajectories diverge when they enter elite competition. Once the fastest grade-schooler in Japan, Togashi helps the less self-assured Komiya with the essentials. As the pair move through their youth and early maturity, Komiya steadily accelerates up the standings of elite competitors, while Togashi is stuck in a slump; both struggle with fears and doubts. Spanning more than 15 years, the story documents their psychological barriers, revealing the difficulties of an athlete’s life, caught in a loop of media attention, achievement demands and commercial obligations.

Creative Merits

Possibly it’s due to the base story, but the animation’s answer to these complex dilemmas is somewhat facile; repeatedly, a protagonist’s uncertainties simply disappear after a lengthy conversation with a peer or a senior. But what the anime lacks in narrative subtlety and rhythm, it makes up for in dazzling visuals. Employing trace-over animation, in which drawn art is traced over filmed sequences, the film produces stunningly detailed running sequences. The bodily strain of a dash is on full display, and the suffering and elation of contests are imprinted on the athletes’ physiques.

Unforgettable Scenes

One notably pivotal race finishes in the rain, with cascades of grey strokes that engulf the frame. More than any dialogue, these flourishes of artistic excellence encapsulate the almost spiritual high the movie aims to provoke.

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