A PV Built Around Character Voices
The pre-premiere PV for Sparks of Tomorrow arrives three weeks before the show's July 5 broadcast. Set to "Eureka Evrika," the opening theme written and performed by Luna Goami (五阿弥ルナ) with composition and arrangement by Hitomi Kotō, the trailer weaves spoken dialogue from the cast across its scenes. Each lead gets a distinct vocal moment, making this the first sustained listen to the voice performances in context.
The third key visual released alongside the PV centers Kihachi and Inako amid the show's expanding ensemble, all rendered in expressive detail. A glowing light bulb anchors the composition, fitting for a world where the arrival of electricity threatens to upend everything.
Produced at Kyoto Animation (Violet Evergarden, K-On!), Sparks of Tomorrow is set in an alternate early-20th-century Kyoto where only steam technology has advanced. Inako Momokawa, the second daughter of a Fushimi sake brewer, finds solace in prayer after daily scoldings from her father. When she meets the freewheeling Kihachi Sakamoto at Fushimi Inari shrine, a boy who dismisses the gods and champions the age of electricity, their collision launches an adventure built on grief, reinvention, and the friction between old faith and new technology. The series is adapted from Hiro Yūki's novel published through KA Esma Bunko, Kyoto Animation's in-house publishing imprint.
Four Actors Round Out the Cast
Japanese manga news site Comic Natalie reported four voice actors joining the series. Hiroshi Yanaka voices Jinuemon Momokawa (百川甚右衛門), Inako's father and head of the sake-brewing household. Mayumi Asano plays Naeko Momokawa (百川苗子), Inako's mother. Daichi Endō takes on Bunshichi Yagura (矢倉文七), a character he described as rooted in old-world sensibilities and disconnected from electricity. In his cast comment, Endō noted he was careful with every line delivery and reaction to preserve the show's delicate blend of historical and fictional elements.
Ayahi Takagaki (Chris Yukine in Symphogear, Lisbeth in Sword Art Online) pulls double duty as Tome (とめ), a live-in housekeeper at the Momokawa residence, and Inari (イナリ), a stoat companion. Takagaki said she initially pictured a middle-aged woman when she heard "live-in housekeeper" and was surprised by Tome's actual design. Sound director Yōta Tsuruoka reportedly told her that when he heard director Ōta's description of the character, Takagaki was the first voice that came to mind. For Inari, she researched stoat biology and vocal anatomy to build the voice from scratch. She also teased that she already appeared in a third, undisclosed role in the show's second PV.
The lead cast includes Yūma Uchida as Kihachi Sakamoto, Sora Amamiya as Inako Momokawa, Kōki Uchiyama as Yōsuke Mizoe, and Daisuke Ono as Seiroku Sakamoto, among others.
Looking Ahead
Sparks of Tomorrow premieres July 5, 2026, airing Sundays on TOKYO MX (11:00 PM), BS11 (11:30 PM), ABC TV, and TV Aichi. Netflix handles exclusive worldwide streaming from the same date, giving international audiences same-day access. The series already held its world premiere at London MCM Comic Con in May, and Anime Expo will host the U.S. premiere screening.
The ending theme has been confirmed as "Soarin'" by Ginger Root, the indie retro-pop project led by Cameron Lew out of Southern California. Lew's city-pop and analog-synth sensibility is a notable match for a period piece about the dawn of electrical modernity.
Director Minoru Ōta leads the production in his first directorial role, with series composition by Tatsuhiko Urahata, character design by Kōhei Okamura, sound direction by Yōta Tsuruoka, and music by Hitomi Kotō. The source novel by Hiro Yūki is not currently published in English.