Just Like Mona Lisa Anime by Studio SHAFT Reveals First Trailer, Main Staff and Cast

The anime adaptation of Tsumuji Yoshimura’s Just Like Mona Lisa (Seibetsu “Mona Lisa” no Kimi e) revealed the first trailer, along with the main staff and cast. As previously confirmed, studio SHAFT is in charge of the animation production.

First announced by CyberAgent under the codename “Project M,” the adaptation will bring Yoshimura’s acclaimed romance drama to the screen through the studio behind Puella Magi Madoka Magica, the Monogatari series, and March Comes in Like a Lion. The production also coincides with SHAFT’s 50th anniversary year.

The official introduction is described:

What if everyone were born genderless, who would you fall in love with?

The highly anticipated TV anime adaptation of Just Like Mona Lisa by Tsumuji Yoshimura, a series that has surpassed a cumulative 1 million copies sold, is finally here.

Hinase, the main character who continues to live genderless.
Childhood friends Ritsu and Shiori, who have already chosen theirs.
What is “love”? What does it mean to have something you want to cherish above all else?
Their classmates and the adults around them struggle and hesitate alongside them, weaving the story together.
What choice will Hinase make?

A breathtaking triangle of first love and youth, now brought to life in beautiful animation by SHAFT, one of Japan’s leading animation studios.

Chika Anzai has been cast as Hinase Arima. Commenting on the role, she said:

I’ll never forget the impact this story had on me when I first encountered it during the audition process. It made me reflect not only on Hinase, but also on myself and on what it means to be human. The story stayed with me long after I finished reading it, so it’s both an incredible honor and a great responsibility to be part of it as Hinase.

She also spoke about the recording process:

The characters are deeply complex, and the themes are equally intricate. Because of that, everyone involved—from director Shundo to the cast and production team—is approaching every recording session with great care and sincerity, always striving to find the best way to bring this story to life. It’s also incredibly reassuring that the author, Yoshimura-sensei, joins us in the studio for every recording session. As a fan of the original manga myself, I can’t wait to see this story brought to life through SHAFT’s stunning animation. I may have made it sound very serious, but don’t worry! There are also plenty of heartwarming, funny, and heart-fluttering moments. So please relax, enjoy the journey, and have fun watching!

The main staff includes:

• Original work: Jun Yoshimura (The Gender of Mona Lisa’s You)
• Director: Kana Shundo
• Character Design / Chief Animation Director: Nobuhiro Sugiyama
• Music: Yuki Hayashi
• Animation Production: SHAFT
• Production: CyberAgent

The director, Kana Shundo, also commented:

One of the first things that catches your eye when reading the original manga is its beautiful use of two-color artwork. The turquoise color, which represents emotions that are normally invisible, is one of the manga’s most distinctive visual elements. Bringing that subtle emotional shimmer to life in animation has been an incredibly rewarding challenge. We’re putting a great deal of care into bringing the beautifully illustrated characters and their story to the screen, and I hope audiences around the world will enjoy watching it.

Yuki Hayashi’s comment:

I had the honor of composing the music for the anime Just Like Mona Lisa. With every piece, I poured my heart into creating music that would gently accompany the story’s delicate emotions— what it means to live true to yourself and to truly connect with others. The atmosphere so beautifully captured in the original manga is brought to life in the anime through the combination of voice performances, animation, and music. I sincerely hope this creates a new way for audiences to experience and connect with the story. It would make me truly happy if this series could quietly find a place in someone’s heart. I hope you’ll enjoy the broadcast.

The original manga has over 1 million copies in circulation and was published by Square Enix through Gangan Comics ONLINE. The complete series consists of eight main volumes alongside the companion volumes X and Y.

The anime made an early appearance at AnimagiC 2026 in Mannheim, Germany. A special stage event on August 1 featured the world premiere of the anime’s first trailer, the reveal of the main voice cast, and a live drawing session by Yoshimura. SHAFT CEO Mitsutoshi Kubota and CyberAgent anime producer Manami Kabashima also appeared.

Source: Press Release, Just Like Mona Lisa Official Website
©Tsumuji Yoshimura/SQUARE ENIX, Just Like Mona Lisa Partners