Anime
Episode 13 – Sparks of Tomorrow
© Hiro Yuki, Kyoto Animation/Sparks of Tomorrow Production Committee
It’s done; my time with one of the most frustrating, anachronistic, ill-conceived pieces of media I’ve ever experienced in its entirety is over. Earning the number four spot in ANN’s Worst of the Summer 2026 season list, this finale further reaffirms that Sparks of Tomorrow deserves this albatross. It brings me no joy to say this is likely going down as the worst anime ever produced by Kyoto Animation, and I hope this otherwise illustrious studio never sinks this low again.
This episode begins with Yosuke trying to sacrifice Kihachi (who’s drugged and in a wedding gown because Yosuke can’t be framed as a predacious gay more than a single goddamn second) to improve his Robo-Seiroku. When Inako arrives on the scene, she manages to stop Yosuke and his plan by…just kind of stopping Yosuke and his plan. She pulls on some wires and drags Kihachi out of what would have been his glass coffin before the walking plot device that is Kengo shows up and effortlessly drags them out of that situation. In this scene, it really feels like Yosuke never had a plan for what to do if anyone ever tried to stop him from doing crimes in order to revive Seiroku, and that makes him feel even weaker as a villain.
The failing of the electric nishiki creates a massive sinkhole in the middle of the city, though, and Kihachi and Inako use the electric plane invented a few episodes before to save Yosuke. Why they do this is anyone’s guess, as he literally tried to kill Kihachi twenty minutes ago, but whatever. The animation during this flight scene is pretty impressive, as is a sequence where a massive updraft essentially creates a zero-gravity sequence. The episode ends with much of the main cast having a meal together and Saki pointing out that Inako’s first brew is amazing, as Yosuke (who should be in jail) travels, and Kihachi and Inako tentatively express their romantic feelings to each other. In this finale there is not follow up on Kate and Suzu’s babyqueer romance, if Inako’s family’s business is saved from insolvency, or an indication that electrical technology is being more broadly adopted.
While I could profess endlessly about the sophomoric writing in Sparks of Tomorrow and how it misunderstands the era and innovative spirit at the heart of this work, this episode actually contains a perfect crystallization of these problems! While on their way to Inako’s home, in both the sub and the dub, Kihachi remarks that he found it odd that the lush Saki told him about the first batch of Inako’s brew being made into an offering for Inako’s late mother, as he is “not able to drink yet.” The problem with this statement, though, is that there was no legally enforced drinking age in Japan until 1922, and that this story explicitly takes place after the Russo-Japanese War and before the end of the Meiji era, so between 1905 and 1912. This is to say that Kihachi CAN drink and that Sparks of Tomorrow would so casually elevate an anachronism that I could disprove with five minutes of research demonstrates how little it cares about the culture and history at the center of its premise.
Sparks of Tomorrow routinely failed to spark any kind of joy or inspiration within me, and I am so glad to be done with this lazy, ahistorical piece of animation.
Rating:
Lucas DeRuyter finds sparks of inspiration in all parts of his life, which would explain why his portfolio features such a broad array of interests and writing formats! To read what he’s ruminating on more regularly, you can keep up with his regular contributions to ANN’s This Week in Anime column.
Sparks of Tomorrow is currently streaming on
Netflix.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of Anime News Network, its employees, owners, or sponsors.
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Viz Media announced on Monday that the Naruto franchise will have a new television anime “limited” series. The “NARUTO: What’s Next?” panel at New York Comic Con will announce details about the new anime on October 10 at 5:00 p.m. EDT (2:00 p.m. PDT or October 11 at 6:00 a.m. JST) . The panel will have a live stream worldwide at the below YouTube link:
Junko Takeuchi and Noriaki Sugiyama, the voice of Naruto and Sasuke in the anime, will appear at the panel, along with Pierrot Films executive producer Yoshihiro Tominaga.
Kishimoto launched the Naruto ninja manga in Shueisha‘s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine in 1999, and ended the series in November 2014. The manga has spawned the Naruto and Naruto Shippūden television anime series, original video anime (OVA) projects, several anime films, spinoff manga, the Boruto sequel manga and anime series, a series of novels, stage plays, and video games.
Lionsgate is producing a Hollywood live-action film adaptation of the manga. The official website for the Naruto franchise announced on July 10 that the live-action film project had begun a global casting search for the main characters Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura, with casting for other characters to come at a later date. Charles Melton (Riverdale, Beef) is “in final negotiations” to play the mentoring ninja Kakashi Hatake in the film. Destin Daniel Cretton (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Spider-Man: Brand New Day) is directing the film, and is also producing the film through his company Hisako alongside Jeyun Munford. Arad Productions‘ Avi Arad, Ari Arad, and Emmy Yu as well as Jeremy Latcham are listed as producers.
Source: Press release
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© Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, Toei Animation
The last episode of the anime for this year aired on Fuji TV on Sunday, with the anime continuing next year. The Dragon Ball Super: Beerus anime will take over One Piece‘s Sunday 11:15 p.m. timeslot on Fuji TV, starting on October 11.
The Elbaph arc of the One Piece anime debuted in Japan on April 5. Crunchyroll is streaming the arc.
Toei Animation and One Piece anime producer Ryūta Koike announced in October 2025 that the anime was reducing its annual episode output to a maximum of 26 episodes moving forward starting in 2026. Following the conclusion of the Egghead arc last year, the anime took a three-month production hiatus from January-March 2026. The anime returned in April 2026 for the first of two cours (quarters of a year) with the start of the new Elbaph arc.
According to Toei Animation, the new schedule allows episodes to “incorporate more content, tempo, and pacing of the manga while continuing to leverage the unique storytelling that is only possible with animation.” Historically, with only few exceptions, the anime has aired most weeks since its premiere in 1999. However, the pace has slowed considerably over the years.
© BIRD STUDIO/SHUEISHA, TOEI ANIMATION
Dragon Ball franchise executive producer Akio Iyoku stated that work on the Dragon Ball Super: Beerus television anime series started a few years ago and is an “enhanced” edition of the Dragon Ball Super anime that features a reconstruction of the story, and includes new and redrawn cuts.
The official announcement of the anime stated:
The project features extensive new cuts, revisions to existing scenes, a complete re-rendering of all footage, newly recorded dubbing with added score and sound effects, and a full reconstruction of the story. Living up to the name ENHANCED, this edition employs the latest visual expression to deliver greater power and immersion across all scenes, especially the battle sequences. The result is an ENHANCED edition that expresses Akira Toriyama‘s original idea and worldbuilding more accurately, that will be broadcasted with highly satisfying quality.
The staff describes the story:
Several years have passed since the fierce battle against Majin Buu, and Earth has finally regained a brief moment of peace. At the same time, Beerus, the God of Destruction, awakens from his long, deep sleep. Even Kai and Supreme Kai, aware of Beerus’s overwhelming power to destroy entire planets, watch his awakening with great fear… Meanwhile, Beerus hears rumors of a Saiyan who defeated Frieza—and suddenly appears before Goku.Targeted by Beerus, the strongest being in the universe, Earth is in grave danger. Thus begins an Earth-shattering cosmic battle between the God of Destruction and Goku and his allies—a conflict that will shake the entire universe.
Dragon Ball Super premiered in July 2015 and aired for 131 episodes until March 2018. Funimation and Crunchyroll streamed the series as it aired, and Funimation released the series on home video. Funimation debuted the English dub to its streaming service in December 2016. The English dub premiered on Adult Swim‘s Toonami block in January 2017.
Sources: One Piece anime’s X/Twitter account, Oricon News
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Will the horse girls achieve Most Speaking Characters in a Short-form Animation Series Based on a Video Game?
The Uma Musume Pretty Derby franchise boldly announced on Sunday that it is going for the Guinness World Record for the “Most Speaking Characters in a Short-form Animation Series Based on a Video Game” with the new short anime series Umayuru Full Gate! The staff said that Guinness World Records will reveal if Umayuru Full Gate! has broken the record in March 2027.
© Cygames, Inc.
Umayuru Full Gate! is the sequel to 2022’s Uma Yuru. The anime premiered on the franchise‘s YouTube channel on Friday. Episodes follow broadcasts of PakaLive TV.
The Uma Yuru anime series premiered in October 2022.
The Uma Musume Pretty Derby mobile game inspired both Uma Yuru and Uma Yuru: Full Gate! The Uma Musume Pretty Derby game launched in February 2021 for iOS and Android. The game was originally slated for a release in winter 2018, and was delayed in order to raise the game’s quality. The game launched on PC via DMM Games in March 2021.
Uma Musume Pretty Derby‘s English version launched for iOS and Android devices in June 2025. The game won Best Mobile Game at The Game Awards 2025.
The game’s concept begins with Uma Musume (Horse Girls), girls endowed with excellent running capability, and who aim to become top idols and compete in the national sports entertainment show “Twinkle Series.” Players take the role of both teacher and trainer for the girls in the Nihon Uma Musume Training Center Gakuen (Japan Horse Girls Training Center Academy) and help them make their debut.
Uma Musume: Cinderella Gray, the latest anime of the franchise, aired for two cours (quarters of a year) with a break in between from April to December 2025.
Sources: Uma Musume: Pretty Derby’s X/Twitter account
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