Behind the Scenes of the Post-Recording Session Shared by Yūma Uchida and Sora Amamiya for the TV Anime "Sparks of Tomorrow"

Then, the topic moved to a segment looking back on Episodes 1 through 3. Regarding Inako's entrance scene in Episode 1 where she recites a Shinto prayer at a shrine, Uchida highly praised it, saying, "Ten-san's Shinto prayer was amazing." Amamiya looked back, saying, "I had barely spoken since starting to play Inako, and then suddenly there was this Shinto prayer. I was extremely nervous, but I felt that the 'practiced feel' of the prayer would bring out Inako's personality and devoutness. I wanted to make it sound as if she says it all the time, so I went into it with a lot of energy." Uchida lavished praise on Amamiya's acting once again, adding, "She looks quiet and graceful, but the prayer really conveyed that she actually has quite a lot of passion."

The conversation also touched upon Kihachi's "machine geek" side, with Uchida focusing on his comical facial expressions at those moments. Director Ota explained, "They aren't fooling around; they are living their lives seriously. As a result, they ended up with those expressions." However, he then revealed that it actually "came about naturally from the flow while drawing the storyboards," which made Uchida burst into laughter. Regarding his acting, Uchida stated, "It was important not to be pulled too much by the facial expressions." He revealed his approach to the recording, saying, "I developed the acting in a direction that wasn't overly exaggerated."

Targeting the "20th Century Electricity Catalog" is Yōsuke Mizoe, the scion of a steam-powered financial conglomerate. He is a presence that leaves a powerful impact right from the beginning. Regarding Yōsuke, Director Ota answered, "I didn't intend to make him such a striking character. I wanted him to be a relatable character who is just constantly in a bad mood because he can't get what he wants. Before I knew it, he became a relatable character just as intended," which triggered massive laughter.

Episode 2 depicts the escape drama of Kihachi and Inako, who are trying to prevent Yōsuke from stealing the catalog. Director Ota revealed his directorial approach: "I directed it with the hope of showing the characters in a way that their self-introductions, actions, and explanations about the catalog wouldn't become boring." Amamiya chose the scene where the two take off from a storehouse using a kite. "Usually, parts where voices overlap are recorded separately, but since they are sharing the same fate, we recorded them together. We agreed that if we failed, the two of us would just do it one more time. Thanks to that, that specific atmosphere and sense of tension were born," she said. Uchida also reflected, "It felt like living in that single moment, and I was able to immerse myself into the visuals."

In Episode 3, Kihachi, whose talent is denied by Yōsuke, finds his dream of realizing the catalog he drew with his brother shaken. Pushing Kihachi forward at that moment are Inako's words: "Kihachi-san is the person who will realize the future, the era of electricity!" Amamiya remarked, "Inako herself didn't have any logical basis; she just said it purely from her feelings. I think that's why it gave Kihachi a push as well." Uchida mentioned, "This power has something in common with Ten-san's power. It's the power to charge forward toward what you believe in," leading to a moment where Amamiya got shy.

Regarding the "Electric Full Moon" scene, which is the climax of Episode 3, Director Ota expressed his struggles: "It took a long time to find a way to make a simple light bulb look attractive." He shared behind-the-scenes insights into the production, saying, "Because the art is drawn with a painterly touch, it doesn't mesh well with digital processing. In terms of depicting light, we applied a painterly style of lighting to make it look like it was glowing."

Note that what was screened in advance this time was the special theatrical edit. Since the actual broadcast will feature scenes and cuts not included in the special edit, the differences from the theatrical screening version are also a must-see.

Each Presents a "Future Electrical Product"! A Succession of Highly Unique Ideas

In the latter half of the talk, a variety segment tied to the work titled "Our Presentations on Future Electrical Products We Think Will Absolutely Trend or Want to See Developed!" was held. The participants drew "future inventions" that might be written if an "Electricity Catalog" existed onto flip boards and presented them to the audience.

Uchida announced his personal interface AI, "Electric Manager." He introduced it saying, "It's like a head-mounted device that translates when foreigners come, tells you today's fortune, or informs you about highway traffic congestion." However, Amamiya chimed in with a witty remark, "It sounds like Alexa would already do that," causing massive laughter in the venue. Uchida seemed convinced as well, saying, "My dream had already come true."

Amamiya followed next, showcasing a drawing of a front entrance as the "Fully Automatic Health Management Home." She emphasized with force, "When you pass through it, it instantly measures your physical condition and stress level for that day. Accordingly, it adjusts the room temperature, cooks meals, and even runs a bath while you're lying down. When you come home tired and pass through the door, everything is fully automatic all the way to bed. Because I don't want to do anything after getting home!" This brought about big applause.

Lastly, Director Ota presented the "Electric Transmission Needle," a needle inserted into the back of the head like an antenna that gives you the courage to communicate. Self-analyzing as highly shy, Director Ota said, "Kihachi and Inako met at the beginning of Episode 1, but if I were Kihachi, I wouldn't have been able to show my face," provoking a sudden burst of laughter from the audience. Since the story wouldn't start this way, he explained that it is a needle to bring out courage "in order to move one's own story forward." Uchida and Amamiya agreed in unison, saying "I want one," and the audience also showed agreement with applause.