Great news for fans of deep and thoughtful
stories! CyberAgent has officially announced the production of a television
anime adaptation of the manga Just Like Mona Lisa (Seibetsu
"Mona Lisa" no Kimi e), an original work by Tsumuji
Yoshimura. And to raise expectations for the project even further, it has
been confirmed that the acclaimed studio SHAFT will be in
charge of the animation.
The choice of a European convention for the
world premiere of the trailer is no coincidence: Just Like Mona Lisa has
a solid international presence thanks to Square Enix's English-language
publication, and the decision to present the project in Germany rather than
Japan speaks to the global reach that the team sees in this story. For now
there is no confirmed release date or details of cast or additional production
team; The Aug. 1 panel is where that's expected to change.
To celebrate this big announcement, creator
Tsumuji Yoshimura shared a special illustration.
The manga concluded its publication on Square
Enix's Gangan Online in December 2022 after four and a half
years of serialization, gathered in ten volumes that exceed one million
copies in circulation. SHAFT's choice to adapt the work is significant: the
studio has a history of approaching emotionally and visually charged stories,
and the introspective nature of Just Like Mona Lisa seems to fit
well with that sensibility.
About Just Like Mona Lisa
Just Like Mona Lisa is a manga by Tsumuji Yoshimura published
on Square Enix's Gangan Online between May 2018 and December
2022. The story takes place in a world where children are born without a
defined gender: around the age of twelve, people begin to develop towards the
gender they want, completing the process usually before the age of fourteen.
The protagonist, Hinase, chooses to remain genderless even after he
turns eighteen, a decision that sets him apart from his childhood friends Ritsu
and Shiori, who have already made theirs. The narrative explores love,
self-discovery, and personal choice as Hinase navigates relationships and
social expectations in a world that continues to demand clear definitions.
