SHAFT Announces TV Anime Adaptation of Gender-Drama Manga ‘Just Like Mona Lisa’

Studio SHAFT has officially confirmed its next major project: a television anime adaptation of the gender-drama manga Just Like Mona Lisa.

The announcement arrived alongside a teaser visual, with the adaptation being unveiled as part of the studio’s mysterious ‘Project M’ initiative.

While the teaser visual confirms the project is moving forward, SHAFT has not yet disclosed a release window, staff assignments, or a production timeline.

This leaves fans to speculate on what form the adaptation will take.

What Is ‘Just Like Mona Lisa’?

Published by Kodansha, Just Like Mona Lisa is a gender-drama manga that explores themes of identity, expression, and societal perception.

The series has garnered a dedicated readership for its nuanced handling of its subject matter, though specific plot details have been kept under wraps by its publisher.

The manga’s title evokes the iconic ambiguity of the famous painting, a motif that appears to carry through into the story’s thematic core.

Published by Kodansha, the series has not yet been licensed for an English-language release, though the anime announcement may change that.

The manga’s official description describes it as a work that ‘delves into the complexities of gender and self-discovery,’ though no further synopsis has been publicly released.

Project M: A New Direction for SHAFT?

The ‘Project M’ banner under which the adaptation was announced has been a subject of intrigue among anime industry observers.

SHAFT, known for its distinctive visual style and work on series such as Madoka Magica, Monogatari, and March Comes In Like a Lion, has not yet clarified what ‘Project M’ entails.

Industry speculation suggests that ‘Project M’ may represent a new production pipeline or a thematic focus for the studio.

SHAFT has not confirmed either interpretation, though the studio’s track record of visually innovative adaptations has set high expectations for Just Like Mona Lisa.

The announcement comes at a time when SHAFT has been relatively quiet on the television anime front, having focused on film productions and select projects in recent years.

The studio’s last major TV series was Assault Lily Bouquet in 2020, though SHAFT has since contributed to anthology works and film projects.

For now, the teaser visual stands as the only concrete evidence of the adaptation’s existence.

No additional details have been released regarding the cast, crew, or production studio beyond SHAFT’s involvement.

Fans of the manga and newcomers alike will have to wait for further updates from the studio or publisher.