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Much has been written about the practice of running, a restorative movement with potential for therapeutic unburdening. In the realm of competitive games, yet, the pressure of rivalry can cause individuals to overlook of this primary objective. Reimagined from the eponymous manga, Kenji Iwaisawa’s spellbinding anime transcends trophies and medals to explore the existential drive that spurs an sports star’s dream.

Plot Overview

The Sprint Story traces Togashi and Komiya, youth companions whose career trajectories split when they turn professional. Once the fastest grade-schooler in Japan, Togashi guides the more uncertain Komiya with the fundamentals. As the pair progress into their teens and their 20s, Komiya consistently improves up the ranking of top athletes, while Togashi is trapped in a decline; both battle fears and doubts. Spanning more than 15 years, the story documents their psychological barriers, laying bare the challenges of an athlete’s life, locked in a loop of public scrutiny, achievement demands and endorsement requirements.

Artistic Strengths

Perhaps it’s due to the source material, but the movie’s approach to these complex dilemmas is somewhat facile; frequently, a character’s inner doubts quickly dissolve after a lengthy conversation with a peer or a senior. But what the anime lacks in narrative subtlety and tempo, it makes up for in stunning imagery. Employing rotoscoping, in which drawn art is drawn atop live-action footage, the feature generates remarkably precise running sequences. The bodily strain of a race is clearly shown, and the struggle and triumph of rivalry are etched on the characters’ bodies.

Impactful Sequences

One especially significant race finishes in the rain, with sheets of grey strokes that engulf the frame. More than any dialogue, these bursts of creative mastery embody the near-transcendent euphoria the movie aims to inspire.

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