An intermission video has been released for the animated feature film "Hyakuem.", based on the manga by Uoto , who is also known for " Orb: On the Movements of the Earth (Chi: Chikyu no Undo ni Tsuite), " which was adapted into a TV anime. The film is based on the 100-meter dash in track and field, and the intermission video features 100-meter sprinter Abdul Hakim Sani Brown. Commenting on his impressions of the film, he said, "It was quite realistic about life, including track and field."
Sani Brown commented, "The 100m is a world of competition, and it's the law of the jungle, so you never know what's going to happen in life. It's a sport for people who put their lives on the line. However, there are times when they get so absorbed in it that they forget their original intentions, so when they ask me, 'Why are you running?' I think that's true. A lot of things come with you as you become an adult (laughs), but there were many scenes where I could relate to the lines and feelings of the characters, such as the feeling of continuing to run at the top like Togashi and Zaitsu. It was quite realistic about life, including track and field. I thought it would be nice to be included in Togashi and Komiya's final race."
The video also includes comments from Tori Matsuzaka, who plays Togashi, and Shota Sometani, who plays Komiya. Matsuzaka said, "The words of each character really hit me hard," and Sometani said, "I took on the role knowing that it would definitely be an interesting production."
It was also revealed that active athletes and other track and field professionals are participating in the filming of "Hyakuem." In order to achieve a sense of realism, the film enlists the cooperation of leading athletes in the field, recreating their running forms in 3D CG and then creating the animation based on that. Masashi Eriguchi, a member of the Japanese national team at the 2012 London Olympics, is responsible for Togashi's sprint form, while Takumi Yamamoto, a member of the Japanese national team at the Nassau 2024 World Relays, is responsible for Komiya's sprint form. Hiwa Uzawa, who competed in the 2024 Paris Olympics in the 200-meter sprint, is responsible for Kabuki. Yuzo Kanamaru, who has competed in three consecutive Olympics since the 2008 Beijing Games, is responsible for Zaitsu. Nobuharu Asahara, a legend in the Japanese track and field world who has competed in four consecutive Olympics since the 1996 Atlanta Games, is responsible for Kaido.
"Hyakuem." is Uoto's debut serialized work, serialized on Kodansha's web manga app Magazine Pocket (Magapoke) from 2018 to 2019. It depicts the madness and passion of those in the world of track and field who are captivated by the brilliance of the 100m (meter) race, a moment that lasts less than 10 seconds. Togashi, a naturally fast runner who has made friends and found a place to belong, meets Komiya, a transfer student who simply runs desperately to forget his harsh reality. Gradually, the two develop a relationship that could be described as both rivals and best friends through the 100-meter dash. A few years later, Komiya, now one of the top runners, appears before Togashi, who has made a name for himself as a genius runner but is terrified of the need to keep winning.
The anime will be directed by Kenji Iwaizawa, who was nominated for an Annie Award for his work on "Music," and produced by Rock 'n' Roll Mountain, the studio behind "Music." It will be released on September 19th, and in North America in October.
