Love through a Prism, or Prism Rondo, is a 2026 original romance anime by Studio WIT, penned by Yoko Kamio. It follows Lili Ichijoin, a Japanese student who travels to England to study Art in the early 20th century — and ends up finding a lot more than that. At 20 episodes and fully original, it's already a rare thing in this day and age. Distributed by Netflix as a batch drop, it was my first watch of the year, and it set a pretty high bar.
Art - 8
Visually, Prism Rondo is a treat. The character designs are distinct and expressive, doing a great job of reflecting personality at a glance. The art direction is where it really shines though — the show plays with colour masterfully to convey emotion, and the background art is frequently stunning. WIT's animation team brings it all to life with the quality you'd expect from them.
That said, 20 episodes is a big undertaking for an original anime, and the limitations show at times. Not every background is a masterpiece and not every cut is buttery smooth. But here's the thing — the staff treats these limitations as a tool rather than a flaw. Clever storyboards and layouts carry the scenes where frame count falls short. It reminded me of what great anime productions looked like last decade. Harder to quantify, but the finished product feels more "anime" for it, and I mean that as a compliment.
Sound - 7.5
The sound design is pleasant throughout without being particularly standout. The score works well in context even if no individual track lodged itself in my memory. Voice acting from the main cast is solid and fun, with side characters like Dorothy and Catherine being immediate highlights — their voices are quirky and memorable in the best way. My one small gripe was with the inflections on Joffrey's character, which felt slightly off to me. Nothing close to breaking immersion, but a minor ick. Overall, the sound does exactly what it needs to — it's a great accompaniment, even if it doesn't demand attention on its own.
Story - 8.5
This is where the anime really earns its score. At its core it's a romance between Lili, an outsider coming in to prove herself, and Kit, an unparalleled genius who has never met his match — until now. Their chemistry is established early and the slow build of their connection through shared study and rivalry is genuinely enjoyable to watch unfold.
What elevates it is the decision to actually engage with history. The First World War isn't backdrop — it's the central rift between the two protagonists, and the tragedy it brings mid-series ripples outward to reshape every character around them. The side cast is a genuine strength here too. They're written with enough nuance to feel like real people rather than plot furniture, and their relationships with each other and with the main couple carry real weight. Shinnosuke in particular stood out to me — how he navigates his relationship with Lili throughout the story is handled with a lot of care.
Tying everything together through art as the connective tissue was a great choice and gives the story a cohesive identity. It doesn't reinvent the wheel — it works with tried and tested themes and story beats — but it executes them to a really high standard, which is sometimes exactly what you need.
Final Thoughts
I went in skeptical. WIT's last original anime, Moonrise, had incredible visuals but a story that couldn't match them. Love through a Prism is not that. I binged all 20 episodes in about 5 days — something I genuinely haven't done in a long time. The story and its atmosphere just kept pulling me back in. It's not going to be my anime of the year, and it might not even be the best of what's come out so far, but it's an absorbing, well-crafted original romance that's rare to come by. If you're looking for a shoujo or romance anime this year, this is an easy recommendation.
Overall: 8/10