Interview: Sparks of Tomorrow Director Minoru Ota and Producer Satori Senami on Kyoto Animation’s New Creative Challenge

Kyoto Animation’s Sparks of Tomorrow marks a new step for the studio: an alternate-history romance set in a world where electricity never developed, built around invention, communication, and the relationship between its main pair, Kihachi and Inako.

Ahead of the series’ release, Anime Corner had the opportunity to interview Director Minoru Ota and Producer Satori Senami about bringing this world to animation, with some responses from ABC Animation included. They discussed reimagining familiar technology through a fresh lens, making background art the visual centerpiece of the series, preserving the story’s emotional core, and sharing Kyoto Animation’s latest work with audiences around the world through its Netflix release.

Read on for the full interview.

Q: Sparks of Tomorrow is set in a unique world based on an alternate history where electricity never developed. Because of that setting, were there any creative opportunities or new challenges it allowed you to explore as a director?

Director Ota: All of the electric devices that appear in Sparks of Tomorrow—such as light bulbs and telephones—are things that also exist in our real world. Precisely because they’re so familiar to everyone, I found it especially rewarding to present them in a fresh and imaginative way.

Another distinctive aspect of the film is that it’s set in an alternate-history world. That allowed us to loosen the boundaries of realism to some extent, giving us greater creative freedom. We were able to develop the story on a larger scale and explore a wider emotional range in the characters, which made it possible to take on more ambitious creative challenges.

Q: Electricity in this world is more of a dream and a promise than a lived reality at the start. How did you make that feeling of “almost having it” come through visually, before it’s actually on screen?

Director Ota: Throughout the story, Kihachi is mostly focused on inventing electrical devices and putting them to use. However, if we were to depict the true arrival of the “age of electricity,” the story would inevitably have to shift toward more practical matters, such as mass production, infrastructure, and business expansion. Instead of portraying that kind of industrial growth directly, we chose to express the coming of the age of electricity metaphorically through the personal growth of Kihachi and Inako. Their journey as individuals ultimately becomes what leads the world toward the realization of the age of electricity.

Q: The official materials call this “Kyoto Animation’s new frontier”. What was genuinely new or difficult for you personally on this project, compared to the kind of work you’d done at the studio before?

Director Ota: I think one of the biggest new challenges—for both myself and, in some ways, the industry—was our decision to make the background art the visual centerpiece of the series. Taking that approach for a whole season production made it an even greater undertaking.

As a result, much of the production know-how we had built up on previous projects simply didn’t apply. Every time we encountered a new type of scene, we had to develop new techniques and test whether they would actually work. One thing we hadn’t anticipated was that our usual post-production lighting effects wouldn’t work well with this show’s background art. The painterly backgrounds, with their visible brushstrokes, just didn’t blend naturally with the smooth gradients created through compositing.

When we realized that our conventional approach to lighting simply wasn’t going to work, it was a real headache. In the end, we made the decision to paint the light directly into the background art itself. That not only solved the problem, but also allowed us to create lighting that felt far more distinctive and expressive than if we had relied on compositing alone.

Q: If a viewer walks in expecting “steampunk KyoAni” and nothing else, what do you most want them to walk away understanding instead?

Director Ota: A city covered in steam and soot, a dark society where technological progress has stagnated—these elements are the primary role of the steampunk setting in this work: to create a stifling environment for the characters who live in this world. If I were asked what I most want viewers to take away from the story, I would say that I want them to see Kihachi, Inako, and the others continue moving forward no matter how unreasonable or difficult the circumstances become.

If Kihachi and Inako had never met and had each continued living alone, they may have eventually given up on their dreams. But they did meet. They valued that encounter, and they never dismissed each other’s words, even when those words were harsh or difficult to hear. I hope viewers can feel, through this story, the strength that comes from never giving up on communication and from honestly following one’s own dreams.

Q: If audiences remember only one thing from Episode 1, should it be the world, the central pair, or the idea of electricity itself?

Director Ota: Personally, I hope viewers remember the central pair, the relationship between the two protagonists above all else. Of course, I also want them to pay attention to the worldbuilding and the idea of electricity itself, but I believe the greatest appeal of this series lies in its human drama. The world setting and the concept of electricity are elements that primarily exist to enhance that human drama. By focusing on Kihachi, Inako, and the other characters, viewers may be able to experience the story on a deeper level and appreciate the work even more.

Q: This is your first time directing a TV series. What’s one instinct from your years as an animator that you found yourself relying on most as a director?

Director Ota: Because I had a deep understanding of each animator’s individual strengths and characteristics, I was able to assign staff to each episode and scene with great precision. I also naturally understood what motivates animators and what brings out their best work.

Through our day-to-day communication, I believe I was able to encourage and inspire them in a natural way.

Q: This title has had a Japanese title, a coined subtitle, and now an English title for international release. How was that title strategy built to work across both audiences?

ABC Animation: The English title for the series is Sparks of Tomorrow. When developing the international title, rather than creating a direct translation, we wanted to convey the key themes of the work—such as “electricity” and the spirit of taking on challenges for the future—in a way that would better communicate the appeal of the series to a wider audience. This title was also developed through discussions with Netflix, our worldwide exclusive streaming platform partner.

Q: This is KyoAni’s first time going out as a worldwide Netflix exclusive, day-and-date with Japan. What did that partnership change about how you planned the release?

ABC Animation: From the early stages of production, we had the intention of delivering this work to anime fans around the world, and we had already been planning a variety of international initiatives, including world premieres. The global distribution through Netflix did not significantly change the release timing or our overall global strategy.

However, Netflix has supported us with promotional efforts both in Japan and internationally, including OOH campaigns and the nomination at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival. Through this partnership, we believe we can bring this series to an even wider audience.

Q: With same-day worldwide streaming now standard, has that changed how you think about a title’s very first impression, compared to the rollout of the studio’s earlier shows?

Producer Senami: From the beginning of production, we have aimed to deliver this work to audiences around the world while staying true to the values and qualities that we have always prioritized in our creations. In that sense, being able to share the unique world of this series with viewers everywhere at the same time is something we find extremely meaningful. We hope that audiences around the world will enjoy experiencing the series as it unfolds in real time.

Q: Sparks of Tomorrow was selected for the official competition at Annecy, a first for Kyoto Animation. What did that recognition mean from a producer’s standpoint, and did the festival audience’s reaction tell you anything about how the show lands internationally?

Producer Senami: From a producer’s perspective, I feel extremely grateful for this recognition, and at the same time, it was also a great reassurance.

Throughout the production, we incorporated new and ambitious approaches with the goal of sharing this work with audiences around the world—from the way we portrayed and adapted historical elements to the visual composition used to build the world of the series.

Since we intentionally pursued expressions that differ from Kyoto Animation’s previous works, having those choices recognized was a significant achievement for the entire production team.

Q: You’ve also produced Liz and the Blue Bird, A Silent Voice, and Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid. All very different tones and genres. What carries over from those experiences into something like Sparks of Tomorrow?

Producer Senami: One of Kyoto Animation’s greatest strengths is the way our staff comes together and collaborates closely to create each work. Since the core team remains largely consistent from one project to the next, the techniques and experiences developed through previous productions are naturally passed on. That continuity is one reason a certain “KyoAni-ness” can be felt in our works. At the same time, we have always focused on establishing a unique concept for each title and pursuing an artistic style that is specific to that individual work. With Sparks of Tomorrow, we have built upon the knowledge and experience we have inherited while also taking on the challenge of creating expressions that audiences have never seen before. As a result, I believe we were able to achieve a fusion of the qualities that define Kyoto Animation and the feeling of a new kind of Kyoto Animation work.

Q: Looking back, what was the earliest conversation the two of you had about something that absolutely had to survive the adaptation?

Producer Senami: From the very beginning, we focused on preserving the essence of the story as a “boy meets girl” narrative, the contrast between Kihachi and Inako, and the growth of the characters.

Director Ota: We also discussed the overall tone we wanted the work to have—something that audiences could enjoy without feeling intimidated, while still being a story that would capture their interest.

Q: How did you decide which parts of this world needed to be explained to the audience, and which could stay embedded in the visuals? Like in the smoke, the architecture, the machines, rather than through dialogue?

Director Ota: People are naturally drawn to things they do not yet understand, so we felt that over-explaining the world could actually diminish the audience’s curiosity. Even when unfamiliar elements appear within the background art, we wanted viewers to feel a sense of wonder and mystery toward them. For that reason, we intentionally kept explanations of the world and setting to the absolute minimum necessary.

Q: What part of KyoAni’s identity do you think translates across cultures without needing any explanation at all, is it the performance, the color, the timing, or something else?

Producer Senami: I believe it is our sincere and devoted approach to the art of animation itself. Our determination to never cut corners and to deliver the best work possible ultimately appears on screen through the careful character performances and visual expression.

Director Ota: I feel the same way. The passion that creators bring to their craft can sometimes go beyond a director’s original intentions and create a kind of appeal that cannot be calculated or planned. Every time I am amazed by how it feels almost like magic.

We would like to thank Director Minoru Ota, Producer Satori Senami, and ABC Animation for taking the time to answer our questions and help make this interview possible. The anime is streaming exclusively on Netflix.

Sparks of Tomorrow Official Website
©Hiro Yuki, Kyoto Animation/Sparks of Tomorrow Production Committee