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Rating: 5 out of 5
In the world of sports, the 100-meter is the only race where one can be named “World’s Fastest.” I was a track and field athlete growing up. I ran in high school and through college. My personal best in the 100 meters was 10.21. The shortest outdoor sprinting event is by far the most popular and prestigious in athletics. In football, the talk is the 40-yard dash, but even those athletes love to venture into the realm of the 100-meter dash to prove they are just as fast as world-class sprinters. It has been the go-to event since its inception at the Summer Olympics in 1896 for men and 1928 for women. As of today, the men’s world record is 9.58 seconds, set by the god-like sprinter Usain Bolt of Jamaica in 2009, while the women’s world record is 10.49 seconds, set by American Florence Griffith-Joyner in 1988.
I have an anime film that is awesome to watch from the standpoint of the story, characters, and animation. The film is called 100 Meters, and it follows the life of one athlete through their ups and downs in three parts: grade school, high school, and adulthood. The anime revolves around Togashi, a beast of a sprinter at a young age. He is considered the fastest grade school sprinter in Japan. This dude is straight-up fast and dominates any competition when he races. One day, a new kid named Komiya transfers to his class. Komiya runs every day, but dude is the slowest in his class. One day, Togashi asks Komiya why he is running, and Komiya explains that he is a loner and that his only escape from the world he is in is to run, because it blurs reality. Strong words from a kid right there. Togashi states that being the fastest 100-meter runner can solve any problem. Togashi starts training Komiya, and he begins to improve little by little. At a sports festival, Komiya wins his first race. Later, Komiya asks Togashi to lace up them shoes because he wants to race and see where he is at. Togashi agrees and points to a tree about 100 meters away. Togashi takes the early lead, but Komiya pulls off the upset and is injured during the race. The next day, the class is told that Komiya has moved.
The story skips to Togashi in high school. He is a stellar athlete, having won the junior high championships in the 100 meters each of the three years. Yet Togashi’s performance has been declining under immense pressure to perform. Dude is burned out and doesn’t have that passion. He meets a girl named Asakusa who is trying her best to recruit him for the track and field club, as it might be discontinued. At first, Togashi isn’t about that life. Still, after talking with her some more, he changes his mind after getting a jolt of inspiration from a simple sprinting drill. The group ends up recruiting Nigami, who looks like a straight-up homeless bum, after he quit sprinting due to a major back injury and the pressure of performing. Sounds eerily familiar. Nigami decided to give it a shot after racing Togashi. The group comes in second, and the club continues.
Komiya returns and ends up going to Nishizawa High, an elite school known for track and field and the former school of national 100-meter champion Zaitsu. Komiya starts off strong during practice but fades as a mental hold weighs on him. When he has a chance encounter with Zaitsu, the sprinter gives him advice after Komiya straight-up tells him he wants to beat his record and be the best around. From that point, Komiya unleashes his potential and starts whipping all ass. During the national high school finals, Komiya defeats Togashi in a rain-filled final that leaves Togashi shocked, as he was the favorite to win.
The story skips ahead 10 years again, and life has changed for everyone. Togashi runs for an agency but is barely holding on as he hasn’t produced meaningful results. Komiya is balling out and might be the future. Togashi, feeling lost, has a conversation with Kaido, who has always been considered the second-best 100-meter sprinter in Japan, and wants to get out in front just once. He gives Togashi some advice, and after that, Togashi takes off and starts winning major races. He qualifies for the national championship, where he gets a chance to challenge Komiya. Togashi’s world is upended when he injures his leg. A doctor recommends he stop, but Togashi decides this is the end and will give it all he has. At the finals, all the major players but one face off for Japan’s fastest title.
The story of this anime is high-quality and one of the best I have seen in an anime film. I love the progress of Togashi. It is very compatible with what a person in real life goes through. As a young kid, Togashi is faster than many others, but he seems humble and doesn’t gloat about it. He even helps train the outcast Komiya. As time passes through each stage of Togashi’s life, you see the burnout of being the best and the passion for running leave him. I like how he gets inspiration from small places to keep him going. During that 10-year gap, you see that he has fallen on hard times and lost it. Dude is just hanging on but wants to keep going. It’s funny how a simple conversation with someone higher up can spark the fire inside one to help them reach a new level.
On the other side of the coin, the story introduces Komiya, who went from awful to one of the best through obsession and hard work. I love Komiya’s story because he has a lofty goal and will do anything to achieve it. It shows during the final race when dude called him out and he straight up said nothing matters than breaking his record and being on top. It’s funny how the previous person asked him if it is worth it after reflecting on his own life. I remember, long ago, Kobe and Jordan said it is lonely at the top when you’re the best. Don’t try to sway that man if he is after your records. You see the deep contrast between Togashi and Komiya.
The animation in this film is beyond FANTASTIC. Holy shit, the animation in this film was awesome, and the prime scene was during the race for junior nationals, where Togashi and Komiya raced. The style was awesome and changed when both dudes met in the falling rain. The music was intense as trumpets blared, signaling that two men were about to battle. Love how the scene became silent after the race as Togashi stood in the falling rain. You see the shock on Togashi’s face as everything goes grey, the rain seeming to fall more like a monsoon. The awesome scene in the animation was when Togashi breaks down upon hearing about his injury. As he stands in the darkness, only his silhouette is seen. When a car passes by, the lights of the car illuminate on Togashi’s face, and you see a serious face. A master class in animation.
100-Meters is one of the best sports anime I have seen in quite a while. Being a former sprinter, this film resonated with me as I felt many of the ups and downs the characters went through. Togashi and Komiya are great characters that bring out what athletes go through. One has natural talent, and the other has to work their ass off to develop it. The animation is by far top-notch and worth seeing alone. Watch this anime before the Summer Olympics and see who the world’s fastest man and woman are.
