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Plenty has been written about the practice of running, a therapeutic exercise with potential for emotional liberation. Within the context of professional sports, yet, the strain of competition can make people lose sight of this fundamental aim. Transposed from the same-named comic, Kenji Iwaisawa’s spellbinding anime looks beyond trophies and medals to explore the core impetus that drives an sports star’s dream.

Plot Overview

The Sprint Story follows Togashi and Komiya, early-life buddies whose life paths diverge when they turn professional. Once the speediest young pupil in Japan, Togashi assists the less confident Komiya with the basics. As the duo progress into their teens and their 20s, Komiya progressively advances 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 tracks their psychological barriers, laying bare the challenges of an sports professional’s journey, locked in a loop of media attention, result pressures and sponsorship demands.

Visual Highlights

Possibly it’s because of the source material, but the animation’s answer to these complex dilemmas is somewhat facile; time and time again, a character’s inner doubts just vanish after a lengthy conversation with a colleague or elder. But what the film lacks in narrative subtlety and tempo, it redeems itself with in dazzling visuals. Using rotoscoping, in which animation is superimposed on live-action footage, the movie generates stunningly detailed sprinting scenes. The physical exertion of a race is on full display, and the pain and the joy of rivalry are etched on the protagonists’ forms.

Impactful Sequences

One especially significant race concludes in the rain, with cascades of monochrome brushwork that engulf the scene. Apart from conversation, these flourishes of artistic excellence encapsulate the quasi-enlightened elation the movie aims to inspire.

The Sprint Film is in UK cinemas from November 16.