Two young dreamers chase electricity, love, and a future beyond the steam-powered world.
2026
Animation, Anime
13 episodes
TheNextHint Score
8.7
8.7 / 10
Overview
Sparks of Tomorrow mixes steampunk-style tech, a Kyoto inspired by history, romance, comedy, and a heartfelt tale about chasing your dreams. The anime centers on Kihachi Sakamoto, a would-be inventor who gets tangled up with Inako Momokawa after the strange reappearance of the 20th Century Electrical Catalog. The book holds ideas linked to Kihachi's missing older brother, and it might help change a world run by steam power.
What makes this setup fascinating is that electricity isn't just shown as some futuristic technology. To Kihachi, it stands for possibility and a chance to create the future he once pictured with his brother. For Inako, the journey becomes tied to her own goals and what her family expects of her. Their bond grows while Yosuke Mizoe chases the catalog for reasons connected to his own past.
Quick Verdict
Sparks of Tomorrow works well for people who like anime that blends romance, invention, settings inspired by history, and science-fiction concepts. Its alternative steam-powered Kyoto gives the story a distinct identity compared to a typical modern-day anime. The mix of Kihachi and Inako's personal dreams with the mystery around the electrical catalog is the show's biggest draw.
Sparks of Tomorrow is a Japanese anime series made by Kyoto Animation, set in a different version of Japan in the early 1900s, where steam power is the main technology and electricity has not yet changed daily life. The story starts with Kihachi Sakamoto, a young inventor who once hoped to build an “Age of Electricity” together with his older brother Seiroku. Their plans focus on a strange 20th Century Electrical Catalog, which holds ideas for inventions that could change the future. When Seiroku vanishes during the war along with the catalog, Kihachi abandons his dreams.
Four years later, Kihachi meets Inako Momokawa, the daughter of a Kyoto sake-brewing family. This meeting brings the lost catalog back into his life and sparks his interest in electricity once more. But they are not the only ones looking for it. Yosuke Mizoe, heir to a powerful steam-engine company and Inako’s arranged fiancé, also wants the catalog for reasons of his own.
The series mixes a Kyoto inspired by history, romance, invention, family conflict, comedy, and science-fiction ideas. Over 13 episodes, Kihachi and Inako chase their dreams while discovering how the catalog connects to Seiroku and the future they hope to create.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Sparks of Tomorrow about?
Kihachi Sakamoto (voiced by Yuma Uchida) and Inako Momokawa (voiced by Sora Amamiya) meet and finds the catalog with his ideas for electricity lost years ago. But her Yosuke Mizoe wants the catalog for himself in the anime adaptation of Hiro Yuki's novel "20 Seiki Denki Mokuroku" set in an alternate 20th century where steam powers the world.
Is Sparks of Tomorrow based on a manga?
No. The anime is based on Hiro Yūki's light novel 20 Seiki Denki Mokuroku, published by Kyoto Animation under its KA Esuma Bunko imprint in 2018.
How many episodes does Sparks of Tomorrow have?
Season 1 has 13 episodes. The series originally aired from July 5 through September 27, 2026.
Where can I watch Sparks of Tomorrow?
The series is available worldwide through Netflix, including Netflix India.
Story — Spoiler Free
In a different Kyoto of the early 1900s, steam power shaped how people lived, while electricity was still just a dream that had not come true. A young inventor named Kihachi Sakamoto had once hoped to change that together with his older brother, Seiroku, but those dreams ended when Seiroku disappeared along with a strange electrical catalog. Years afterward, Kihachi meets Inako Momokawa, the daughter of a sake brewer who has pressures of her own to face. Their meeting brings the missing catalog back into the picture and sets them on a journey full of inventions, family struggles, romance, and a powerful man who is set on discovering the book's secrets.
8.7
TheNextHint Score
8.7 / 10
Sparks of Tomorrow works well for people who like anime that blends romance, invention, settings inspired by history, and science-fiction concepts. Its alternative steam-powered Kyoto gives the story a distinct identity compared to a typical modern-day anime. The mix of Kihachi and Inako's personal dreams with the mystery around the electrical catalog is the show's biggest draw.
Rating breakdown
Story
8.6
Acting
8.8
Direction
8.8
Visuals
9.2
Sound
8.6
Entertainment
8.4
External Ratings
Scores from other sources, shown in their own scale. These are not TheNextHint's rating.
A young inventor who dreams of bringing electricity to the world and rebuilding the future he once imagined with his brother.
Sora Amamiya
as
Inako Momokawa
A traditional sake brewer's daughter who has her own ambition of becoming a brewer despite pressure from her family.
Koki Uchiyama
as
Yosuke Mizoe
The heir to a powerful steam-engine business and Inako's fiancé, who becomes deeply interested in the electrical catalog.
Daisuke Ono
as
Seiroku Sakamoto
Kihachi's older brother and an enthusiastic electrical inventor whose disappearance shapes the story.
Shunsuke Takeuchi
as
Kengo Kuga
A former soldier connected to Seiroku and the electrical catalog.
Minako Kotobuki
as
Noriko Momokawa
Inako's older sister and Kengo's fiancée, who is skilled in martial arts.
Seasons & Episodes
Season 1
13 episodes July 5, 2026Completed
In Season 1 of Sparks of Tomorrow, young inventor Kihachi Sakamoto gets involved with Inako Momokawa and the strange 20th Century Electrical Catalog. The story takes place in an alternate 1907 Kyoto ruled by steam technology, and it follows their attempts to uncover the catalog's secrets while chasing their own dreams. While Kihachi looks for clues about his missing brother Seiroku, Inako is torn between her duties to her family and her dream of becoming a sake brewer. Their journey leads them to clash with Yosuke Mizoe and slowly uncovers the deeper link between the catalog, Seiroku's inventions, and the future of electricity.
1The Electric Boy
25 min July 5, 2026
Kihachi's dream of electricity is revived when he meets Inako and becomes involved with the missing catalog.
2The Mysteries of the Catalog
25 min July 12, 2026
Kihachi and Inako struggle to protect the catalog while Yosuke continues pursuing it.
3Their Dream
25 min July 19, 2026
Hidden pages lead Kihachi toward Seiroku's ideas and a new attempt to prove the catalog is authentic.
4The Steadfast Girl
25 min July 26, 2026
Inako's own dream of becoming a sake brewer comes into focus as she and Kihachi help a struggling family.
5Proof of Love
25 min August 2, 2026
Kihachi's unusual invention attracts a university student hoping to use it to prove his feelings for his crush.
6The Sound of Innovation
25 min August 9, 2026
Yosuke challenges Kihachi's group to a music contest involving experimental electric instruments.
7Elopement
25 min August 16, 2026
Kihachi encourages Inako to pursue her dream, leading the pair to flee toward Shiga in search of another piece of the catalog.
8His Brother's Footsteps
25 min August 23, 2026
Kengo finally reveals the truth about Seiroku and the events that separated him from the electrical catalog.
9Time to Part
25 min August 30, 2026
Inako makes a difficult choice to protect her family while Kihachi attempts to change the situation.
10Engagement Trouble
25 min September 6, 2026
Yosuke discovers an important circuit design while Kihachi and Inako help Kengo and Noriko confront their relationship problems.
11The Enticing Circuit
25 min September 13, 2026
Inako uncovers an important connection to her mother while Kihachi discovers a breakthrough involving Seiroku's circuit designs.
12Electric Brain
25 min September 20, 2026
Kihachi and Yosuke work together on the Electric Brain while Inako pursues her own dream of creating Electric Nishiki.
13To the Future We Desire
25 min September 27, 2026
The Electric Brain spirals out of control, forcing Kihachi, Inako, and Yosuke to confront the consequences of their ambitions.
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