A high-stakes race for artistic mastery in early twentieth-century London
In short: In the prestigious Saint Thomas Art Academy, a Japanese exchange student faces a brutal ultimatum: become the top student within six months, or abandon her painting dreams forever to marry into the family kimono business. Amidst this pressure, a rivalry with a distant aristocrat evolves into a transformative romance.
Wit Studio produced the 20-episode original net animation series Love Through a Prism, created by Yoko Kamio, which debuted on Netflix during January 2026. The narrative is set in early twentieth-century London and follows Lili Ichijoin, a 20-year-old oil painter from Yokohama, Japan. Lili's journey is defined by intense academic pressure; her mother has decreed that she must rise to the top of her class at Saint Thomas Art Academy within six months, or return to Japan to inherit the family's kimono business.
The story centers on the evolving bond between Lili and Christopher "Kit" Church, a talented but emotionally distant student. Kit, who always tops his class assignments, is the duke's younger son from North West England, notwithstanding his eccentric and scruffy look. Their relationship begins as a rivalry between two driven artists but eventually develops into a romantic connection, as Lili's sincerity challenges Kit's isolation and reshapes his perspective.
The series features a diverse cast of supporting characters, including Lili's housemate Dorothy Brown, an artist from Delhi, India, and Joffrey O'Brien, the son of a lower aristocratic family from Ireland. The complexity of the characters' lives is further highlighted by Kit's brother, Richard, who urges him toward responsibility, and Catherine Astor, Kit's aristocratic fiancée, who eventually breaks off their engagement to become a dressmaker after befriending Lili.
The world of the series extends beyond the academy, as Kit eventually leaves his studies to serve as an ambassador during World War I. The production features music by Naoki "naotyu" Chiba and a theme song, "Star Flower," performed by Chilli Beans. On January 8, 2026, a manga version drawn by Maki Minami started appearing on Manga Mee and Shueisha's Shōnen Jump+ sites.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Love Through a Prism
- Also: Wikidata — Love Through a Prism · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — Love Through a Prism · CC0
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