SHAFT Adapts 'Just Like Mona Lisa' in Bold New TV Anime

CyberAgent has officially announced a television anime adaptation of Tsumuji Yoshimura’s distinctive manga Just Like Mona Lisa, with SHAFT handling animation duties. The project, previously teased under the codename Project M, centers on a world where everyone is born without a fixed gender and begins transitioning around age twelve toward the identity they desire.

At its heart is Hinase, an eighteen-year-old who remains unchanged while childhood friends Ritsu and Shiori have already chosen their paths. When both confess their feelings on the same day, Hinase must navigate romance, self-understanding, and an unavoidable choice as their eighteenth spring arrives. The story explores what it means to love and to hold something precious above all else.

Serialized on Square Enix’s Gangan Online from 2018 to 2022, the completed ten-volume series has surpassed one million copies in circulation. Yoshimura, clearly moved by the news, shared a special celebratory illustration and noted excitement about seeing the manga’s signature turquoise aesthetic brought to life through SHAFT’s distinctive visual style.

The first trailer and main cast will premiere during a special panel at AnimagiC 2026 in Mannheim, Germany, on August 1. The stage will also feature a live drawing session with the author alongside SHAFT CEO Mitsutoshi Kubota and CyberAgent producer Manami Kabashima. Fans can follow updates on the newly launched official site and X account.