100 Meters Finale: Netflix Sports Drama Ends Mid-Race, Focusing on Rivalry Over Victory

The highly anticipated finale of Netflix’s new anime, 100 Meters (also known as Hyakuemu), concluded without declaring a winner, intentionally cutting away before rivals Togashi and Komiya crossed the finish line. The series opted for a thematic resolution over a scoreboard result, leaving the intense race between the two professional runners unresolved.

Instead of official times or a podium finish, the final shot shows Togashi and Komiya smiling, arms around each other. This visual choice confirms the series' core message: rediscovering the pure joy of running ultimately mattered more than the competitive outcome.

The series initially tracked Togashi, once the fastest high school runner, as he mentored Komiya, a struggling transfer student. Komiya’s rapid improvement quickly created tension, culminating in a bad race that caused him to walk away from the sport. They resurfaced years later as pros in their twenties, still locked in a cycle of intense competition.

Their dynamic became increasingly fraught, fueled by Togashi’s fear of losing his speed and Komiya’s deep need for validation to mask past pain. The national championship race became less about track times and more about psychological warfare. During the climax, Togashi pushed through a muscle injury for one final sprint, shedding the weight of career pressures. Komiya ran right alongside him, having finally dropped his need to prove himself against his rival.

In a separate event, Nigami secured a narrow victory, which Komiya observed without concern, underscoring the shift in his priorities. While viewers praised the animation quality of the Kenji Iwaisawa-directed series, some critics noted that the time skip resulted in underdeveloped character arcs due to light backstory development. Ultimately, Togashi and Komiya did not take the podium; they reclaimed the thrill that initially drew them to the sport.