Published Jul 11, 2026, 12:00 PM EDT
Joshua Edward Ryan Fox is a freelance writer for Screen Rant with a passion for pop culture. Joshua grew up in Connecticut where he developed an appreciation for writing and entertainment and has earned a Master’s degree in professional writing and technical writing. His writing has been quoted by both the anime streaming site Crunchyroll and the anime YouTuber Gigguk.
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For the better part of a decade, Crunchyroll has largely been seen as the best place for anime, and for good reason. Every year, Crunchyroll essentially has a monopoly on simulcasting anime, which nets them not only the largest amount of anime, but often the ones of the highest quality, so an anime streaming on Crunchyroll typically gives it the best chance of becoming a hit, and with how easily accessible Crunchyroll is, even if they share a title with other websites, most people will go to them by default, driving up traffic and increasing their reputation even further.
Crunchyroll has almost become synonymous with anime in recent years, but that doesn’t mean it’s without competition. Over the years, other streaming sites like Netflix, HIDIVE, and Prime Video have all seen massive improvements in how they stream and simulcast anime, and it’s not unheard of for them to acquire titles that far surpass anything on Crunchyroll. Summer 2026 is no different in that regard, as there’s already a huge contender for the best anime of the season, and surprisingly, it’s not on Crunchyroll.
If there’s any anime that might be the best anime of summer 2026, it would have to be Kyoto Animation’s Sparks of Tomorrow on Netflix. Thanks to genre-defining classics like Clannad, K-On!, and The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Kyoto Animation has long been seen as one of the best anime studios in the business; they might not put out anime as often as they used to, but whenever they do, it’s always a big deal, and even Sparks of Tomorrow going to Netflix instead of Crunchyroll didn’t stop that in the slightest.
Sure enough, the genuine high quality of Sparks of Tomorrow more than warranted that level of hype. Not only does Sparks of Tomorrow have all the gorgeous artwork and animation expected of a Kyoto Animation production, but it also has an incredibly unique premise: characters fighting to usher in the age of electricity in a steampunk world. It’s a story that embodies the spirit of invention and creativity, and the fun cast of characters already makes it a pleasure to watch.
Kyoto Animation has earned a reputation not only for the incredible visual quality of its anime, but also for how well they balance stellar comedy with genuine, heartfelt drama, and after just a single episode, Sparks of Tomorrow is already following that same pattern. It’s everything someone could want from Kyoto Animation and anime in general, and the fact that it’s airing on Netflix instead of Crunchyroll makes it even more impressive that it turned out so well.
Sparks of Tomorrow is an incredible addition to Netflix’s library, and its very existence further proves that Crunchyroll’s dominance of anime is coming to an end. As much as Crunchyroll has dominated anime over the years, other sites have been closing the gap with all the high-profile shows they’ve been getting the rights to over Crunchyroll; Netflix’s slate of upcoming anime is especially big with shows like Fool Night and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Steel Ball Run in the wings, and sure enough, Sparks of Tomorrow is a perfect way of kicking that off.
Anime is at its best when there are plenty of viable options for people to watch their favorite shows, and with how great Sparks of Tomorrow has been, it’s clearer than ever that Netflix is keeping that idea alive, despite Crunchyroll’s long-standing dominance in the field. As it stands, Sparks of Tomorrow has everything going for it to be one of the best anime of summer 2026, if not the best, and the fact that Crunchyroll has nothing to do with it might make that even better.
***Sparks of Tomorrow ***releases new episodes on Sundays on Netflix.
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Tokyo MX, Netflix
Kihachi Sakamoto (voice)
Seiroku Sakamoto (voice)
In an alternate Kyoto clouded by steam power, a young inventor and an optimistic girl chase down the lost secrets of electricity that could possibly bring its use back into public life.