Kyoto Animation's latest series, Sparks of Tomorrow, arrives with an intriguing concept that should work on paper: a steampunk reimagining of Japan's Meiji era centered on Kihachi Sakamoto, a timid young man pursuing his late brother's dream of harnessing electrical energy. Yet the first three episodes reveal a disconnect between the show's ambitious setup and its execution.

The premise draws obvious inspiration from hits like Golden Kamuy and Dr. Stone—historical setting meets scientific discovery, anchored by compelling character dynamics. Kyoto Animation certainly has the visual chops to pull it off; the studio delivered last year's acclaimed CITY The Animation. However, Sparks of Tomorrow feels more interested in checking boxes than building a cohesive narrative.

The ensemble cast exemplifies this problem. Characters are defined by single traits rather than genuine personality: a morally questionable villain, his child bride, an Aikido-master heiress, her superhuman-strength husband, a hyper-competent butler, a potential ninja, and others who feel more like anime archetypes than people. This approach might work in carefully constructed ensemble pieces like Baccano! or Durarara!!, but here it reads as lazy rather than intentional.

The steampunk framing itself presents a larger issue. Rather than exploring the actual Meiji era—a fascinating period when Japan was genuinely reshaping its place on the global stage—the series wraps history in retrofuturistic aesthetics. For viewers interested in historical fiction, this feels like a wasted opportunity. The setting becomes mere decoration rather than something integral to the story.

The first episodes center on various factions vying for Seiroku's "20th Century Electrical Catalog," supposedly containing secrets of electrical energy. It's a functional plot device, but one that hasn't generated compelling dramatic momentum through three episodes.

Community scores remain mixed: episode 1 and 3 settled at 3.9, while episode 2 dipped to 3.7. That consistency suggests the show has found its audience, even if it doesn't click for everyone.

Sparks of Tomorrow is watchable, and Kyoto Animation's animation remains gorgeous. But gorgeous visuals alone can't overcome shallow character work and a setting that prioritizes style over substance.