Intriguing quirky animation and cozy, alternate history vibes
Sparks of Tomorrow is the latest contribution to the cozy/comfort anime genre. But, instead of a magical fantasy setting, the drama is based on conflicting pursuits of mechanical inventions that inspire the dreams and drive the motivations of the various characters. The series is set in an alternate history where electricity was never pursued and the few machines are powered by steam. Based on a series of light novels, the story’s undercurrent is an exploration of science and invention. Despite being inspired by science, the series is mostly a drama with plenty of personal angst, including a lost brother, a forced marriage, an over-the-top antagonist, and plenty of family secrets in a mostly kid-friendly plot. Additionally, the show uses a range of animation styles, inventive costumes, and fun character designs to maintain a semi-fantastical vibe that makes the show shine more on the gorgeous visuals than on the underlying storytelling.
Protagonist Kihachi is the orphaned younger brother of a charismatic inventor, Seiroku, whose genius (in this alternate reality) held the key to creating an age of electricity. The loss of Seiroku leaves young Kihachi alone, bitter, but still searching for a way to fulfill his brother’s dream. Kihachi is taken in by a repair shop’s family and works there while still searching for the lost catalog of his brother’s inventions and instructions. As he vacillates between determination and discouragement, Kihachi meets Inako, an optimistic girl trapped in an arranged marriage to the story’s antagonist, Yosuke. Yosuke is the wealthy and obnoxious heir to a large family business who wants the electric invention catalog for himself. As part of his scheme, Yosuke coerces Inako’s father into an engagement to Inako, hoping to gain access to the catalog that he thinks is hidden at her family’s home or brewery. Despite grieving the loss of her mother and her dire situation with the forced marriage, Inako is intrigued by Kihachi’s goals. Inako’s optimistic faith inspires Kihachi to move past his cranky cynicism and chase his dreams. The pair are surrounded by an eclectic collection of characters who help them on their journey, including Inako’s sensible sister, Noriko, and Noriko’s sturdy, but secretly insecure, fiancé Kego, who each have unexpected connections to the lost Seiroku. Inako also has a pair of super smart girlfriends, Kate and Suzu, who help in the various schemes and one of whom also has an unexpected connection to Seiroku.
Sparks of Tomorrow is more of a light, background show or episodic family viewing, rather than intensely binge-worthy. Unlike most new anime, the storytelling feels a bit generic despite the unique premise. Unlike many slice-of-life anime, the lead characters are not irresistibly appealing. Kihachi’s cynicism and Inako’s earnestness start to feel a little repetitive after a while. But the presentation is bolstered by the side characters who are all interesting, clever, and quirky. In particular, Inako’s calmly smart older sister Noriko hides a host of secrets, while her strong but angsty fiancé Kengo has his own internal turmoil. Rather than being a traditional shonen adventure with a mix of light energy and intense violent encounters, Sparks of Tomorrow is more of a middle-grade steampunk science adventure designed for cozy comfort rather than intense peril (although there are some backstory war scenes with on-screen deaths). While there is an overarching story arc of Kihachi and Yosuke fighting over the electrical catalog, each episode is mostly a self-contained adventure, typically focusing on one particular invention. Similar to Food Wars, where each episode showcases a particular cooking technique, Sparks of Tomorrow focuses on a new device which is then used to address a particular plot element in the episode. Many of the inventions are used in ways that are semi-fantastical, such as an electric guitar for a music competition or a motorized toy rat used to scare someone. The tone is primarily comedic rather than profound. Even when there are serious moments of grief or guilt, they eventually give way to a more humorous element.
However, a major appeal of the show is the animation. The visual style is primarily smooth Ghibli-style character movements which shift, at times, to quirky fantastical, or eerie black and white, or abstract impressionist as the plot evolves. Each time, the change of visual effects (which may only be for a moment) is surprising and adds an artsy element to the presentation. In the war flashbacks, the animation style changes to a more retro, hand-drawn style where scenes of rain and scenes of fire follow each other while one character cries over the death of another. Later there is a switch to an impressionist style of flowers and color in the remembering of the lost person. In another scene a character is shown through the reflection of their face in the liquid inside a teacup. A character’s inner thoughts are portrayed as abstract black with white pencil-style animation of their body. In yet another scene, a character walking in the rain is depicted from high above by the pink circle of an open parasol floating among other colored circles against a neutral surface. In a later episode, Kihachi dresses in a ballgown and makeup to sneak into a private event and, once discovered, engages in an extended elaborate dance with the antagonist Yosuke while still wearing the ballgown and continuing their verbal sparring. These unusual and whimsical visual elements are intermittent and unexpected but keep the story from becoming too flat.
Overall, Sparks of Tomorrow is a unique story that delivers intriguing animation and clever side characters. While the central story arc is not intensely compelling, the overall vibes are cozy, kid-safe and interesting enough to hold your attention if you are in the mood for something with low stakes.
Nerd Coefficient: 7/10.
Highlights:
- Cozy, kid focused content
- Gorgeous animation and character design
- Low-stakes cuteness and tension
POSTED BY: Ann Michelle Harris – Multitasking, fiction writing Trekkie currently dreaming of her next beach vacation.
