🔗 Share this article

A great deal has been recorded about the practice of running, a therapeutic exercise with ability for emotional liberation. Within the context of competitive games, yet, the pressure of contests can cause individuals to overlook of this fundamental aim. Transposed from the same-named comic, Kenji Iwaisawa’s mesmerising anime transcends prizes and accolades to examine the core impetus that spurs an sports star’s dream.

Story Synopsis

The Sprint Story traces Togashi and Komiya, youth companions whose personal journeys diverge when they go pro. Previously the speediest young pupil in Japan, Togashi guides the less self-assured Komiya with the basics. As the twosome progress into their youth and early maturity, Komiya consistently improves up the standings of elite competitors, while Togashi is stuck in a slump; both confront anxieties and insecurities. Encompassing more than 15 years, the narrative documents their mental obstacles, revealing the struggles of an athlete’s life, trapped in a cycle of media attention, achievement demands and sponsorship demands.

Visual Highlights

Perhaps it’s due to the base story, but the film’s response to these complex dilemmas is rather superficial; frequently, a lead’s mental struggles just vanish after a lengthy conversation with a peer or a senior. But what the anime is deficient in plot refinement and pacing, it makes up for in stunning imagery. Employing live-action tracing, in which cartooning is drawn atop real-life video, the film produces exquisitely intricate dash moments. The bodily strain of a sprint is on full display, and the struggle and triumph of contests are imprinted on the protagonists’ forms.

Impactful Sequences

One especially significant race concludes in the downpour, with cascades of monochrome brushwork that immerse the screen. Apart from conversation, these bursts of artistic excellence embody the almost spiritual high the film aims to inspire.

The Sprint Film is released in Britain from 16 November.