"I hereby declare, with all due arrogance, that Sparks of Tomorrow is a masterpiece destined to leave its mark on anime history." –– Minoru Ota, Director
Steampunk meets historical Kyoto in the next masterfully animated work from beloved studio Kyoto Animation, set to release in 2026. With production quality equal to fan-favorite Violet Evergarden, and an original retelling of the novel, anime fans can get excited for another breathtaking and emotionally rich story from the acclaimed studio.
In our conversation with Director Minoru Ota, we go behind the scenes to explore how Kyoto Animation is bringing to life a story that intertwines invention, emotion, and the pursuit of connection in a rapidly changing era.
What is Sparks of Tomorrow (Nijusseiki Denki Mokuroku)?
In an alternate version of the early 20th-century, where steam power developed rapidly and progress has now stagnated—Kyoto is shrouded in soot, smoke, and steam.
Kihachi, a skeptical boy, is haunted by the loss of his brother with whom he once dreamed of an "Age of Electricity." Inako, a deeply spiritual girl, feels forced to hide both her dreams and her regrets for her late mother. When Inako crosses paths with Kihachi, their encounter creates a spark that propels them to challenge a new era, with the 20th Century Electric Catalogue as their guide: a mysterious and visionary record full of secrets that could reshape the world.
To move beyond who they are now and reclaim the dreams they once held—this is a story of renewal.
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──Director Ota, this anime is your directorial debut. How did you approach it?
To deliver new expressions to fans. Whether they succeed or fail, to push forward without hesitation. That was how I approached it.
While this is a completely imaginative work of fiction, I believe the earnest efforts of the characters living in this world will surely influence the actions of everyone who watches. Please look forward to powerful animation that will touch your heart.
About the Theme
──What is the theme of this work?
Regeneration. In this alternate world of Kyoto, steam technology has become deeply ingrained in people's lives, and their pollution has become a serious problem. But the "Age of Electricity" that the protagonist Kihachi strives for, has the potential to improve the situation...
Once the premise was established, I casually remarked, "So the theme might be something like renewable energy?" That was the initial spark that led us to set the theme of this work as "regeneration."
──"Regeneration" is an interesting theme. How does this steampunk world need to be regenerated?
The abnormal development and global proliferation of steam technology has caused people to lose interest in new energy sources, leading to stagnation across society. Changing an environment where people have grown accustomed to convenience and fallen into a state of status quo is no simple task; bringing about change requires enormous effort.
The theme of "regeneration" in this work also refers to the characters. Much like the setting, they all begin from a place of setback or stagnation. As the story progresses, they overcome these obstacles, breaking free and rising once more, moving forward. Undoubtedly, the protagonist Kihachi overcoming his negativity and harnessing the power of electricity will inspire you all.
About the Setting and Story
──How did steampunk elements come to be added into a story set during the Meiji era?
One of the charms of this work lies in Kihachi's creation of electrical gadgets and their subsequent feats. However, during the scriptwriting process, those gadgets were things like light bulbs—items that seemed utterly commonplace to us. So, how could we make these ordinary items and Kihachi's creativity compelling?
When we pondered this, an idea emerged: what if we set the world in a time where electricity barely developed? A world of "what-if," shaped by a distorted history. Without the advancement of electricity, what would it be like if electrical items began to emerge? We believed they would possess a charm quite different from what we know. Based on this idea, we started to incorporate steampunk elements into the setting of this work.
──Most works set in a steampunk world exist in that era, and we find it unique that this work is about trying to break into an electrical world from it. Could you comment a bit on this and Kihachi's electrical catalogue?
Originally conceived as a counterpart to Kihachi's electricity, steampunk was deliberately introduced later. Since it was added intentionally, I felt it was necessary to present growth potential not only for the characters, but also for the setting itself. Therefore, Kihachi uses the grand concept of "era" to create a shift in the "era" from steam to electricity.
The key item in this "Age of Electricity" is the 20th Century Electrical Catalogue, which also serves as the Japanese title of this work (Nijusseiki Denki Mokuroku). Multiple characters (including Kihachi) become obsessed with this catalogue; and as the story unfolds around it, the secrets hidden within the catalogue are gradually revealed.
──What are the strengths of Kyoto Animation when depicting works set in Kyoto?
We truly understand the strengths of Kyoto as a city and its people, so we can incorporate the subtle, delicate aspects of Kyoto into our work—things most people wouldn't notice.
For example, in the art backgrounds of this work, the ground is terribly muddy due to steam escaping from pipes. To make it easier for people passing through, each house has laid bamboo mats from their eaves onto the ground... depicting a truly Kyoto-like consideration. This is, of course, fictional; but this natural thought is something only our company, based in Kyoto, could come up with.
──How did you balance realistic elements with fantasy elements when developing the setting? Was it necessary to do any historical research?
When transforming Kyoto into a steampunk world, I prioritized the sense of realism for the characters living in that world, keeping fantasy elements to a minimum. It was my belief that if the charm of Kyoto's real historical buildings and terrain were compromised, the characters' sense of reality would begin to fade from that moment. Thus, the steampunk elements are strictly devices to enhance the drama of the characters.
Regarding historical research of Kyoto, the story's focus is not on strict historical accuracy, but rather on presenting a "what-if" narrative. So we researched a timeframe of approximately 10 years around the year the story is set in—1906—with the intention of creating a chaotic image of Kyoto. Steampunk-inspired items were added and repeatedly adjusted to blend seamlessly into Kyoto's streets, resulting in the visuals you see now.
About the Characters
──One of the charms of this work is the psychological portrayal of Kihachi and Inako. Could you tell us a bit more about the main cast and what you focused on while portraying their characters?
The protagonist, Kihachi, is acutely aware of his own insecurities. He struggles constantly with this awareness, which has made him a deeply skeptical person. He knows exactly what he dislikes about himself and what he wants to change, yet he feels trapped by a sense of stagnation—a feeling that he cannot change these things on his own.
At the very beginning of the story, it is Inako, the daughter of a sake brewery, who happens to meet this Kihachi. Sake breweries in those days were major local powers. As the daughter of a respectable family, she was raised with extreme strictness, and suppressing her own will became second nature. This aspect links to the oppressive worldview I described earlier.
Yet, when Kihachi and Inako meet, their very presence becomes a stimulus for change in each other, and their stagnant hearts and circumstances begin to shift dramatically.
When portraying the characters, we focused on ensuring their personalities are immediately apparent in both their designs and performance. This approach aims to help the audience smoothly immerse themselves in the story. However, as the Japanese kabuki saying goes, "you can't judge a book by its cover." As the story progresses, we gradually see sides of them that differ from their initial impressions, and this shift in character perception is another fascinating aspect of this work.
──Did you have any particular requests for the character designs?
We insisted on a specific hairstyle for Inako. It had to convey strength of will, while maintaining a traditional Japanese style. If it was too airy and cute, it would undermine that sense of resolve. On the other hand, the weightiness of traditional Japanese black hair requires meticulous design of silhouette and color balance; otherwise, it becomes clumsy and unbearable to look at.
Inako's character design
Developing Japanese hairstyle designs that would come alive in the visuals for this work was a real struggle. The male characters were surprisingly quick to finalize, but every female character went through similar agonizing struggles over fashion and hairstyles, just like Inako.
Kihachi's character design
──How historically accurate are the characters' clothing designs, and where were they modified to fit a Japanese steampunk world?
Since the ground is muddy from the steam technology, everyone wears leather boots instead of straw sandals or wooden clogs. We didn't lean heavily into steampunk elements, but rather tried to stay as close as possible to the image of Japanese clothing and culture around 1906. We were especially focused on preserving the impression of women's kimonos.
In hand-drawn animation, kimono patterns are often heavily simplified due to the labor involved. However, this time we wanted to avoid compromising the image of Japanese kimonos, and aimed for a design with minimal simplifications to the kimono patterns. This resulted in an extremely high workload, requiring tremendous effort from the staff. Thanks to their dedication, the charm of the kimonos and the characters' performances were successfully balanced.
About the Trailer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_O5ZVkdhQhc
──Seeing the PV, the art backgrounds are drawn using a special painting technique. Were there any challenges or new discoveries for Kyoto Animation?
I specifically asked the art director to emphasize the presence of the art backgrounds. I wanted to highlight that—in this world polluted by soot and smoke—the characters repeatedly face setbacks and have comebacks, truly living their lives. To achieve this, I felt the backgrounds needed to convey a slightly abstract impression, retaining the roughness of brushstrokes rather than appearing smoothly polished. As a result, the work took on a matte finish unlike any previous Kyoto Animation production, but this effort paid off by lending the characters and story a more vibrant quality.
──Are there any character movements or camera work unique to this work?
We've positioned the camera as close as possible to the characters to heighten the sense of immersion. Furthermore, scenes that would typically be shown through multiple cuts are presented in a single continuous shot throughout this work. This approach makes the characters' complex movement paths easier to follow, while also expanding the range of possible action sequences. Of course, it simply means drawing more animation cels and backgrounds, making the work incredibly demanding...
Added to that, we frequently draw characters with exaggerated expressions to convey their emotions more clearly. Some of these include comical expressions you don't see often, so please look forward to those as well.
──Please leave a message for the many overseas fans of Kyoto Animation who are anticipating this work.
We aimed to create a work that would be recognized as a new frontier for Kyoto Animation, and I believe this anime has achieved that.
This work employs a technique rarely seen in anime history, where the art backgrounds assert themselves as strongly as the characters. Traditionally, art backgrounds should have a presence that is one step behind the characters. Normally, if the art backgrounds were to stand out more than the characters, it would distract from the crucial expressions and gestures of the characters themselves. However, through repeated adjustments, the presence of the art backgrounds with the visibility of the characters has been successfully balanced in this work.
I hereby declare, with all due arrogance, that Sparks of Tomorrow (Nijusseiki Denki Mokuroku) is a masterpiece destined to leave its mark on anime history. Whether this confidence is valid or not, I urge you all to watch it and see for yourselves. Thank you for your consideration.
Interview was conducted in Japanese and has been translated into English.
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©Hiro Yuki, Kyoto Animation/Sparks of Tomorrow Production Committee
