Five years ago, director Kenji Iwaisawa burst onto Japan's animation scene with "On-Gaku: Our Sound," a film about high school ruffians who discover the power of rock 'n' roll. Produced by a tiny team over seven years, the scruffy masterpiece announced Iwaisawa as one of the most exciting new voices in anime.

Now Iwaisawa is back with "100 Meters," which adapts the manga by Uoto ("Orb: On the Movements of the Earth") about a pair of rival 100-meter sprinters. Unlike Iwaisawa's debut, "100 Meters" is a major production staffed by veteran animators, and yet, it retains the director's unique style. And though it's not quite as revelatory as "On-Gaku," it's still a gripping piece of animation.

The film's dual protagonists are Togashi (voiced by Atsumi Tanezaki and Tori Matsuzaka in childhood and adulthood, respectively) and Komiya (Aoi Yuki and Shota Sometani), who meet in elementary school. Togashi is a naturally gifted sprinter who dominates the 100-meter dash without actually taking much pleasure in it, while Komiya is a plodding runner who nonetheless embraces the sport because it helps him take his mind off life.