Audience reviews
20 · Sample from the first available page, separate from the total number of ratings.
nicolwsc
The story is very well-crafted. Honestly, some people won’t like it because it doesn’t have those “action” scenes, but it still has good drama—it gives you just enough to help you understand it.
It’s not that predictable. As for the romance, yes, it is predictable, but it’s very sweet, and you can really appreciate the little details. There’s a lot of attention to detail! That’s why the animation is so beautiful.
The character designs are very good—quite acceptable, actually—and better than many current anime.
It’s not a realistic anime, and it never tries to impress with “wow, look at these inventions from the age of electricity.” I liked it, but if you know a lot about this subject or are expecting realistic situations, you’ll probably think it’s terrible. This anime isn’t for you.
Th…
Read at the sourceLamisha_Astaria
Kyoto Animation's "Sparks of Tomorrow" was an anime that immediately caught my attention with its fascinating concept and breathtaking visuals and kept me curious about where the story would go next! ✨
The main storyline was extremely promising from the very beginning. Set in an alternate version of 20th century Kyoto where everything runs on steam the story follows a young boy named Kihachi Sakamoto who dreams of making the 21st century the age of electricity. Inspired by his older brother Seiroku, Kihachi comes up with many unique ideas and inventions. But will he actually be able to make his dream come true? This is the question that drives the story forward.
As the story progresses we learn more about Seiroku's past and how the events before his death during the war continue to affec…
Read at the sourceBodaGameplays
Imagine watching an anime with a beautiful art style, incredible animation, and interesting designs, but a story that leaves something to be desired. *Sparks of Tomorrow* is a prime example of an anime with high production quality, yet a story that fails to reach the same level. It features a very compelling premise and a unique setting—I truly thought it had the potential to stand out from the crowd due to its distinctiveness. However, the story itself is quite basic and eventually becomes rather dull, leaving it as just a "good" anime—nothing more.
Given its premise and quality, I expected *Sparks of Tomorrow* to be another Netflix hit—perhaps even surpassing *Violet Evergarden*—but it turns out I was mistaken.
As for the narrative, the beginning offers a slow yet intriguing introduction…
Read at the sourceBodaGameplays
Imaginem ver um anime com uma art style bonita, uma animação incrível e designs interessantes mas a historia deixa a desejar. Sparks of tomorrow é um bom exemplo de um anime com uma qualidade elevada mas a historia não consegue ser tão boa. O anime tem uma premissa muito interessante com setting bastante único que eu achei que poderia ser um anime capaz de superar muitos outros no quão diferente poderia ser. Mas em si a historia deste anime é bem básica e fica meio sem graça apos certo ponto tornado se assim um anime bom...
Pela premissa e qualidade eu achei que sparks of tomorrow podia ser mais um hit da netflix e que conseguiria ser melhor que violet evergarden mas pelos vistos enganei me.
Falando da historia, o começo do anime tem uma introdução lenta mas interessante e eu realmente fiq…
Read at the sourcesparklecat2
I know why people have mixed feelings about Sparks of Tomorrow…but I don’t get the hate towards it. I’d highly recommend this anime if you are looking for something very unique, different, and weird…but in the best way possible! I think the setting and world can feel a bit overwhelming to people and be a turn off, but the anime is essentially a sci-fi series about a young boy fulfilling his dead brother’s wish to bring the wonders of electricity to the world and he does so through a book the two shared…along with the power of friendship by his side.
The story is actually not hard at all to understand, it’s just very peculiar in time and tone being set in early 20th century Kyoto, Japan and bringing steampunk into the mix. The show also has an odd cast of characters but it’s all for the b…
Read at the sourceLinusSocksTips
Sparks of Tomorrow was a thoroughly enjoyable 13 episode adventure. It's not reinventing the wheel, but what it does do, it does quite well.
The animation is gorgeous. There is so much detail given to every moment and movement. There are exceptionally well animated scenes all throughout, and I especially appreciated the creation montages. The visual language of this fictional world was similarly very well portrayed. This adjacent version of Kyoto feels exactly like a steam-built empire. The grunge, colouring, and overral vibe of the city was impeccable, so much so that it made the set pieces beyond Kyoto really stand out.
The story was very interesting. It was always presented as a mystery, and whenever the story divulged more information, it always became more interesting and I became…
Read at the sourceakirahik
I believe this show has a distinct tone compared to recent anime releases. Its setting is neither entirely modern nor strictly historical. Of course, this uniqueness alone doesn't make the anime great; it undeniably has plenty of flaws.
The show heavily struggles to maintain a consistent tone. It introduces highly ambitious and serious concepts for its universe, such as ushering in the age of electricity. However, right in the middle of these serious discussions, the narrative suddenly derails into silliness, exaggerated reactions, or complete nonsense. These over-the-top moments are particularly jarring. Kengo’s scenes are a prime example: he might be a strong character, but he somehow pulls off completely superhuman feats (like stopping an airplane in the final episode). There is an abu…
Read at the sourceKaziki
This had so much potential, I was amazed by the first few episodes I couldn't believe this was a work by Kyoani when I was watching the first few episodes until I looked it up,
The characters were eccentric yet grounded and relatable, I didn't mind when it was kind of "invention of the week" type of thing for a few episodes, I didn't mind the BL bait, I didn't mind the generic romance but the more episodes you watch the more you realize this is indeed a work by Kyoani, and Kyoani always do what they do best, they recycle the same character writing and plot of their previous successful anime from the past, they did not improve past their 2010's level of writing because towards the second half all the characters become not even one dimensional but rather parodies of themselves especially Yos…
Read at the sourcezozozee
The animation is nothing short of stunning, with fluid action sequences and breathtakingly detailed backgrounds that bring its world to life. It's a true feast for the eyes in every single frame. The brilliant fusion of steampunk aesthetics— gears, airships, and steam— with a deeply sinister and ominous undercurrent creates a world that is as captivating as it is terrifying. You feel a constant sense of dread beneath the beautiful machinery.
Their personal struggles and intertwined storylines are compelling and emotionally resonant, making you deeply invested in their journey. They aren't just pawns in a plot; their motivations feel real and drive the narrative forward. But the character that I was most intrigued by has to be the show's antagonist, Yosuke. He is a genuinely intriguing fig…
Read at the sourceFirechick12012
Man, you have no idea how much I wanted to enjoy this show. Look, historical fiction has always been one of my personal favorite anime genres. So many of my favorite anime of all time are historical fiction stories, whether they be adaptations of Western children's books or manga/light novels. Sparks of Tomorrow's premise alone sounded really interesting to me, and with this being a KyoAni project finally seeing the light of day after that awful arson attack, why wouldn't I want it and the staff behind it to succeed? I'll repeat this until the day I die, I NEVER go into something wanting to hate it. I really wanted to enjoy Sparks of Tomorrow, as it has all the ingredients for what could have been something good. Not perfect, but fairly nice if it played its cards right. However, in light…
Read at the sourceJonnay
Sparks of Tomorrow is an anime series from the globohomo streaming service Netflix.
Every single male character alludes to homosexuality in one way or another, either by looking and/or acting effeminately or by making decisions that only make sense from the perspective of a homosexual.
Here's a list of all the male characters ranked from the least to the most gay:
Kihachi - The protagonist
Is afraid of the dark and will bitch and moan about it every chance he gets.
Dresses up as a woman and dances with another guy.
Despite being a show about gays, the protagonist is somehow the least gay of them all - mainly because he is the only one to display a genuine interest in the opposite sex.
Sakon & Ukon - The couple
These are two minor characters who serve no other purpose than being an open…
Read at the sourcemarioink508
Completed - 6.00
It’s not often a Kyoto Animation series ends up feeling this disappointing and inconsistent—yet here we are with Sparks of Tomorrow. That’s a hard thing to say, given how long I’ve been looking forward to it—its early episodes alone, unpolished as they were in pacing, still carried the kind of refreshing character expression KyoAni is known for, promising something worth sticking around for. Though, even with its compelling world and premise, Sparks of Tomorrow turned out to be one of Summer 2026’s weakest entries. You never quite know what’s going to happen, and it’s not the tense, deliberate kind of unknown either—instead, everything in this series is constantly competing for the spotlight, with no clear priority. It lacks, almost entirely, any coherent shape, steadily…
Read at the sourceDollacarti
A beautiful idea with a creative story that... unfortunately, ends up disappointing due to the plot.
"Sparks of Nowhere" or "Seiroku's Harem" would be more fitting titles, but one is capable of enjoying the work anyway, anyhow.
STORY: 5/10 — A unique concept that surprises the viewer right from the start! Everything is incredible in the early episodes, and every new detail holds promise—you get the feeling the story is about to take off at any moment... but it never does. The series promises a lot but delivers little; the closer you get to the end, the more the narrative feels stagnant. There are no BIG revelations at all and only a single plot line is presented. By the time the anime concludes, that spark of electricity hasn't actually taken the characters anywhere; aside from the bonds…
Read at the sourceSSJester
Looking around, I conclude that Kihachi and Yosuke managed to bring Seiroku's dream to life. We live in the era of electricity, which never ceases to delight us with new wonders. But seriously, the anime Sparks of Tomorrow is a pretty standard journey to a dream story. And thanks to the diverse characters, we can see the different paths people can choose.
Personally, I liked this anime. The visuals are very beautiful, and the cute or goofy faces added a special charm to this art style. As for the plot, chances are you've seen stories like this more than once, so if you're looking for something brand new, this anime is hardly for you. But for me personally, the small dose of absurdity in both the story and the animation of this title made me give it an 8 instead of a 7.
Unfortunately, I c…
Read at the sourceSakusSaku
If I had to give this review a title, it would be: "Good Animation, Interesting Basic Premise, but Poorly Executed."
This series is a clear example to me that an anime can have good animation and great OSTs, but if the narrative structure and basic coherence aren't there, it simply doesn't work for me.
The way this series operates is strange and often grotesque, and it never really managed to inspire much in me. In my eyes, the characters and their development lack narrative consistency. This anime simply cannot be taken seriously.
Out of everything I watched this Summer 2026 season, this was the worst anime for me in terms of overall experience.
I managed to stay motivated until the end mainly because I didn't want to leave a friend alone to suffer through it, and also because I wante…
Read at the sourceSigmar-Unberogen
Biggest disappointment of the season.
When it comes to the positives, animation is literally the only thing that comes to mind.
Nothing else stands out. Not even OST (with the exception of OP/ED maybe).
When it comes to the story, we have: One dimensional, irritating characters. Cartoonish, obnoxious antagonist. One of the laziest writing in a while - Coincidence after coincidence to drive the plot forward (like stumbling upon a random person who happens to know MC's brother; or suddenly tripping and unlocking a secret touch-panel on the wall!!!). Obsession with male butt, shoved in your face as fanservice for some reason. Forgettable, filler episodes. 0 romance, unless gay. Decisions and events that make absolutely zero sense but happen anyways.
Not to mention, author of the source ma…
Read at the sourceVanVeleca
My first thought upon finishing this was "That's it? That was just a bunch of empty sakuga!"
It looks good, that's it.
It could've been more, but then it delivers such a massively disappointing end that makes everything from before feel so useless, and it's not done on purpose or anything, the ending is supposed to be hopeful but it left me with despair.
What. The fuck. Was that ending???
I don't like making spoilery reviews so I won't go into too deep detail, but oh my god seriously that last episode was some straight BULLSHIT that just left a bitter taste in my mouth. It's like- constant build up and then it just drops the ball right on your foot.
If you decide to watch this, genuinely turn your brain off and just enjoy the visuals. It's a much better watch this way. In fact, chan…
Read at the sourcesoraand
i enjoyed so much and we need 3 more seasons it was so cute i love the animation and the voice acting and they are so cute i loved everything<3 SEASON 2 PLEASEEEEEEEEEE
Very unique story very unique animation and people hating but I DONT CARE i love this half raw animation makes me feel so happy! i binged the first 10 episodes and been waiting every sunday for a new episode to come out and it never made me feel disappointed. I know for sure they can improve in the second season so pleaseeee make it happen
also can this website finally get a damn update why must i type a damn essay I JUST WANNA WRITE I BRIEF REVIEW FOR OTHERS AND MYSELF! just like i dont wanna be reading a 2 pages review why cant i damn write just a yes its worth it and good and u should totally watch it type of review "…
Read at the sourceWielbiciel-Zoro
This production is quite interesting, particularly the storyline about the protagonist, Kihachi, introducing the age of electricity. He had to overcome various obstacles along the way, one of which was Yousuke, a rather repulsive individual (especially after seeing the whole series) who was simultaneously a tragic figure. The relationship between the protagonist and Inako was also quite pleasant to watch.
As for the visuals, honestly, it was one of the most beautiful anime of the season I’ve ever seen, a great deal of detail went into the animation itself, and the music is solid, too.
If I were to rate it, I’d probably give it an 8/10. It’s a nice little gem worth watching, though I wouldn't rank it among the absolute best new anime of the summer season.
Read at the sourcescarykitty84
Keeping this short...
This anime looks and feels amazing, but it just lacks a compelling story. Other than how beautiful everything is there's nothing really that special about it. The entire tension of the plot is that there's just one rich dickhead who's screwing everything up for everyone around him by being a complete psychopath because he can't get over his friend's (or maybe love interest's if we're being real here) death. Like honestly this whole storyline could have been solved by a few good therapy sessions.
Which kind of sucks because everything about this show other than the actual storyline is really really well done. Everything audio/visual is superb, the characters feel real and the voice acting is great... it really feels like a big budget cinematic extravaganza, but in th…
Read at the source
