Prism Rondo

I'm not sure that this review needs a spoiler warning, but just in case, I will put it there, while at the same time trying not to spoil any major plot points. If I were honest with my feelings, I'm not sure an Average rating is even a low enough rating for this show. The absolute cringe of the story writing and the main characters is on a level I haven't seen in anime for awhile. At first I was captured by the beauty of the backgrounds in this show. They felt like they were striving for Miyazaki level art, like it was so above the level of attention of what a niche anime like this, normally receives. But then I read that it was widely suspected of having had AI used not just on the deplorable opening, but also the backgrounds, and suddenly I lost all respect for what little this show had going for it. The main character Lili, is so obnoxious, I physically cringed whenever she was on screen. She came off as a self entitled brat and not at all the respectful Japanese girl, you would expect a woman from the "era" she's living in, to be. Because while the West was going through a women's liberation era. Japanese children were still very much, being taught to be traditional, respectful and thoughtful. And their women were definitely not openly embracing the progressive ways of the West, the way Lili does. She travels around with no chaperone or fellow classmates and friends, often. As if London were perfectly safe for a woman and she had noting to fear. And while I can understand her finding Kit irritating, her outbursts and constant anger towards him are over the top and left me and my 11 year old, unimpressed with this character. I don't think I was rooting for her even once, throughout the show. Kit has these grand moments of thoughtfulness, and grand moments of obliviousness, that make him draw you in and spit you out in the same breath. I do not feel he deserved to be treated the way he was, by Lili and why he loves her, is your best guess. I would have enjoyed seeing a lot more of Catherine, she was the only character besides Peter, who had growth and emotional intelligence. Onto the plot and setting. The writers obviously put little to no heart into the timeline of this story. As a history buff, the liberties being taken with most modern historical dramas, drive me insane; and LTAP is no different. The fashion was all over the place, ranging from styles 30 years before to 10 years after when the story is set. There are only maybe 2 or 3 famous artists mentioned the entire time in a show about art. If you've ever watched Blue Period, you'll understand how ridiculous this is. A show about art and you learn next to nothing about art. Blue period was what, 8 episodes shorter? and you learn so much in such a short amount of time, it truly makes you appreciate art and the lives of artists. In LATP you might hear mention of a couple art techniques, but they take no time to teach you, let alone, show you, which only takes away from this story, further, because the romance aspect is subpar at best. The women do not act like women fighting for a place in a "Man's World". They show London as this sparkling clean place, when that was not the reality of the time. Travel by map style timing, is obviously used throughout the show. When characters leave London at sunset and travel THREE hours outside the city and the sun is still stuck at sunset LOL. **SPOILER** Lili spends a long time working on a painting while Kit is on his way back to England, and at the same time, Shin is also working on his art, but they don't see each other, for what should have been a month, but act like it's only been a few days **SPOILER END** EDITED TO ADD: I recently found an 2 part anime movie called Here Comes Miss Modern, that came out in 2018. My daughter and I watched it and I was disgusted to realize that LATP took a large chunk of it's plot along with the main characters. A very loud, determined young Japanese woman (so much less annoying than Lili, I might add) and a gorgeous blonde (in this case a half) European aristocrat, during... you guessed it! The time leading up to and through WW1. AAAAAAND guess what else!? He goes MIA (loses his memory too) and is declared dead. The FLC has a best friend that's more modern and independent and out making her dreams come true. She gets engaged to another man. It's not scene for scene, but definitely a rip off. Taking my scoring down again, from 4 to 3. Overall, I would not recommend this to anyone, there is so little merit to be given, I think the only reason I got through it, was I kept hoping things would get better. I can't think of anything positive to say about it, other than, I barely managed not to throw my remote at the TV in frustration, while watching it. In retrospect, I change my scoring from a 5 to a 4.

The visuals of this anime are the only parts of it that I found amazing, you can feel the vibe of the scene through the colors alone, and that's so cool But that's about the only amazing part (except catherine, I loved catherine) Considering that this is tagged as a romance, the romance was lackluster and honestly VERY frustrating. The leads do not communicate at all, hell I haven't even seen them talk to each other properly in all of 20 episodes. They like each other... why exactly? the buildup wasn't there because we don't see them interacting as much as it would take to be believable. I get that they love each other's paintings but.. that's just called admiration, not love. You can love someone's art without falling in love with them. Even then it would have been tolerable but lili pissed me off so much, she kept stuttering, tripping over like, LITERALLY nothing, and she never said what she thinks. All in all, the art is amazing but if you're watching for the romance, prepare to be very disappointed.

Love through a Prism is the kind of anime that quietly grows on you. It doesn’t rely on dramatic twists or fast pacing, but instead focuses on emotions, atmosphere, and the inner worlds of its characters. I really liked the soft, gentle colours and the European historical setting. They give the series a warm and elegant atmosphere that makes each episode feel calm and immersive. The soundtrack is subtle yet beautiful, supporting emotional moments without ever feeling intrusive, and it fits the tone of the story very well. Atsumi Tanezaki and Koki Uchiyama give sincere and amazing performances that bring authenticity to their characters. Their acting, especially toward the later episodes, adds emotional weight and made many scenes feel genuinely moving. My only wish is that the anime had explored the artistic side more deeply. I would have loved to learn more about their inspiration and creative process. A gentle, beautiful, and emotionally touching watch — definitely not for everyone, but one I personally enjoyed.

Still standing oblivious as to why people love this anime so much... I kept seeing it over and over on all my socials and wanted to check and see what the hype was all about. I really believed i was in for a treat with other people's reviews, as well as the beginning which looked very promising and showed some GORGEOUS shots and beautiful art style. The disappointment began shortly after, just after few episodes, when i started seeing cliches and every trope possible happening one after another. There wasn't one single moment where i didn't know what would happen so i am very confused as to why is this considered a masterpiece when you can find this same storyline anywhere you look. FL was obnoxious and irritable in every way possible. I am really tired of clumsy and clueless FL that is constantly passive and always needs help and reassurance from others. Non of the characters had any characteristics that i could point out aside from the standard tropy types of personalities that can be seen anywhere. Same old, same old boring and flavorless set of people. How i managed to push through all the way stays unknown. I generally wouldn't recommend this anime as i think it's quite tedious and there are so many other good romance animes that someone can check out but i still think it's decent on a basic level so i guess there are people who would appreciate it much more than i did.

Prism Rondo feels like a series made by people who care deeply about visual composition and cinematic language. The mise en scène is carefully controlled, with color, lighting, and background design doing as much storytelling as the dialogue. The show treats its environments as emotional extensions of the characters, and its strongest moments come from how image, sound, and pacing work together to communicate inner conflict and artistic identity rather than relying on heavy exposition. Where it becomes less convincing is in its narrative structure. The dramatic build is inconsistent, some arcs take too long to develop while the final emotional resolutions are compressed. Character decisions, especially in the romance, sometimes feel required by the story rather than emerging naturally from prior development. This creates a disconnect between the care put into the form and the uncertainty of the storytelling. It isn’t a failure, and it isn’t a clear success. It’s a work with strong formal intelligence and uneven narrative execution. I admire its craft and its seriousness of intent, but I remain unconvinced by how completely it earns its emotional conclusions.

The English version is below the French version Prism Rondo est un anime abordant le thème de l'art qui ne cherche pas à en faire trop, et c’est justement ce qui le rend touchant. On sent dès les premiers épisodes une vraie volonté de créer une ambiance douce et émotionnelle. Ce n’est pas une série qu’on regarde à toute vitesse, mais plutôt une œuvre qui se savoure tranquillement. Visuellement, l’anime est agréable et cohérent avec son univers. Les couleurs et les jeux de lumière apportent une vraie identité, et même si tout n’est pas spectaculaire, l’ensemble dégage une certaine poésie. On sent que chaque détail est pensé pour refléter l’état d’esprit des personnages. L’histoire avance à un rythme calme, parfois lent, mais jamais inutile. Ce choix permet de mieux comprendre les émotions et les relations entre les personnages. Ils paraissent humains, avec leurs doutes et leurs fragilités, ce qui les rend faciles à apprécier et à comprendre. La musique accompagne bien les scènes sans voler la vedette. Elle renforce l’atmosphère et aide à se plonger dans l’univers sans jamais être envahissante. Au final, Prism Rondo est un anime sincère, qui mise sur l’émotion et la sensibilité plutôt que sur l’action ou le spectaculaire. Ce n’est peut-être pas une série pour tout le monde, mais pour ceux qui aiment les histoires calmes et pleines de sentiments, c’est une expérience agréable et touchante. Alors, laissez une chance à cet anime de vous montrer ce qu'il y a entre le pinceau et la toile. (j'ai regardé l'anime d'une traite pour vous montrer l'effet que l'anime a eu sur moi) ENGLISH VERSION (sorry if i made mistakes) Prism Rondo is an anime that explores the theme of art without trying to overdo it, and that’s precisely what makes it touching. From the very first episodes, you can feel a genuine effort to create a soft and emotional atmosphere. It’s not a series to watch in a rush, but rather a work to be savored slowly. Visually, the anime is pleasing and consistent with its universe. The colors and lighting contribute to a distinct identity, and even if nothing is spectacular, the overall effect exudes a certain poetry. You can tell that every detail is designed to reflect the characters’ state of mind. The story progresses at a calm, sometimes slow pace, but never unnecessarily. This choice allows a better understanding of the characters’ emotions and relationships. They feel human, with doubts and vulnerabilities, which makes them easy to relate to and appreciate. The music complements the scenes without stealing the spotlight. It reinforces the atmosphere and helps immerse the viewer in the world without ever being intrusive. In the end, Prism Rondo is a sincere anime that focuses on emotion and sensitivity rather than action or spectacle. It may not be for everyone, but for those who enjoy calm, heartfelt stories, it’s a pleasant and moving experience. So, give this anime a chance to show you what lies between the brush and the canvas. Bing watched the anime to give you an idea of the effect it had on me.)

Some stories treat romance as fireworks. Bright, loud, and immediate. Love Through a Prism chooses a different path. It treats love more like light passing through glass. At first it appears quiet and almost invisible, but slowly it refracts into colors you didn’t realize were there. Set in early-20th-century London, the story follows Lili Ichijouin, a determined young Japanese woman who travels overseas to study painting at a prestigious art academy. Her journey is not simply about learning technique, but about proving that her dream deserves to exist. The pressure surrounding her is immediate: her family gives her only six months to become the academy’s top student. If she fails, her artistic aspirations will be forced to end before they can truly begin. London greets her with both opportunity and loneliness. The academy is filled with prodigies, eccentric personalities, and rivalries where talent is constantly observed and quietly judged. Among them stands Kit Church, a gifted yet emotionally distant painter whose reputation precedes him. Kit is the kind of artist who seems perpetually dissatisfied with the world and even more dissatisfied with himself. Where Lili paints with hope, Kit paints with restless intensity, as if he’s trying to wrestle meaning out of every canvas. Their first encounters are anything but romantic. Kit’s blunt honesty clashes with Lili’s sincerity, and their artistic philosophies seem almost incompatible. Yet the more they observe each other’s work, the more something subtle begins to shift. Lili’s optimism gradually softens Kit’s cynicism, while Kit’s relentless standards push Lili beyond the limits she once believed were enough. Their connection grows through quiet moments: late nights in the studio, critiques that sting yet inspire, and the silent understanding that forms between people who share the same creative obsession. The academy itself becomes a living stage where every student forms a different relationship with art. Some treat painting as ambition, others as escape, and a few see it as the only language capable of expressing what they cannot say aloud. This ensemble of characters adds texture to the narrative, making the world feel like a place where everyone is searching for a fragment of their own identity. One of the anime’s greatest strengths lies in its atmosphere. The visual direction captures a nostalgic vision of London filled with foggy streets, warm studio lighting, and carefully detailed environments that often resemble paintings themselves. Watching the characters sketch, mix pigments, and struggle to translate emotion into color adds an intimacy that is rarely explored in stories about artists. The animation doesn’t simply show finished works, it reveals the uncertainty and vulnerability behind creating them as well. At its core, the series explores a simple yet powerful idea: art is not merely about beauty, but about understanding oneself. Through successes and failures, Lili and the artists around her gradually realize that their work reflects far more than technical skill. It reflects who they are, what they fear, and what they hope others might see when they finally reveal their inner world. Another subtle strength of the story lies in how it portrays artistic growth not as sudden talent, but as a slow and often uncomfortable process. Inspiration in the series rarely arrives as a dramatic breakthrough. Instead, it emerges through frustration, experimentation, and the quiet persistence of continuing to create even when self-doubt threatens to erase motivation entirely. This grounded depiction makes the characters feel closer to real artists rather than idealized prodigies. The series does occasionally slow down due to the number of characters it chooses to explore. Because the narrative invests time in giving each student their own perspective, the pacing can feel uneven at times. Some subplots begin with intriguing emotional potential but resolve a little too quickly, leaving the impression that certain characters could have benefited from more narrative space. At times, the story also leans slightly toward romantic idealism. The artistic journey is often portrayed through beautifully poetic imagery, which enhances the emotional tone but occasionally softens the harsher realities of pursuing art as a profession. While this choice fits the dreamlike atmosphere of the series, a deeper exploration of artistic failure or long-term struggle could have added another layer of realism to the narrative. Despite these minor shortcomings, everything the series builds toward reaches its emotional peak in the final episode. After such a restrained and carefully developed relationship, the romantic payoff between Lili and Kit feels deeply earned. One of the most breathtaking moments arrives near the end, when Kit brings Lili to a hidden cave he once discovered, where a garden of lily flowers grows. Standing in the middle of that flowers field that share her name, Lili seems to become part of the scenery itself. Then the lilies begin to rise into the air, drifting upward like fragments of light. For a brief moment the scene feels almost unreal. Kit simply watches, completely captivated. Like the artist he is, his instinct is not to speak but to paint. He begins capturing the moment on canvas, turning that fleeting beauty into something that can last. It’s an astonishingly romantic scene. The kind of moment that leaves you sitting there thinking, “Wow… this is unbelievably romantic.” By the end, Love Through a Prism feels less like a conventional romance and more like a carefully painted story about dreams, creativity, and the quiet ways people change each other. It understands that artistic passion is rarely loud. More often, it grows through doubt, persistence, and the courage to keep creating even when the canvas refuses to cooperate. The series leaves an impression similar to standing in front of a painting whose meaning slowly reveals itself over time. What initially appears simple begins to show layers of color, emotion, and intention the longer you look. Like light passing through a prism, the story reminds us that dreams, love, and identity rarely exist as a single color. They become beautiful precisely because they break into many. Anyway, keep in mind that no opinion is ever purely objective, and every perspective remains open to discussion. Even so, each viewpoint still holds its own value. If you happen to see things differently, simple mutual respect is more than enough. That same respect is the spirit behind this reflection as well. Wishing everyone a peaceful day ahead, and thank you for taking the time to read.

Not a bad series, but a pretty average anime. It's basically a shoujo cliché story, packed in a narrative form / structure typical for western cartoons that are aimed towards teenagers and adolescents - it's obviously intentionally produced in that way for mass appeal on western markets and for the likings of mainstream audience. What this means in practice: - very straightforward, melodramatic storytelling - very clichéd character types and romance - emotions that are told / shown in a pretty plain way - occasional average humor used for regulating pacing and tone - it's nice too look at because of high production values - there is not much depth beneath that surface And this sentence describes Prism Rondo perfectly - it's nice to look at - and that's it. The overall mix was boring to watch for the majority of length of the series. If you want emotional rawness, intelligence, subtlety and involvement found in stories like Violet Evergarden, Hibike! Euphonium, 86, Nana, Honey and Clover, Hanasaku Iroha, Clannad, Monogatari etc. - you won't find it here. Prism Rondo is a series that can be casually watched and liked my someone who wants an overdose of typical, bittersweet and visually appealing romance. People who want to feel and not only see emotions on screen will be disappointed. If you watched Hibike! Euphonium S3, you might remember the scene / confrontation between Kumiko and Reina by the end of episode 12. The reason why this scene works and why Kumiko's hand gesture on Reina's face makes wonders on emotional level is because of very slow, nuanced character development; because of emotional build-up and silence in many scenes throughout the series - silence that speaks louder than words; and because emotions aren't shown in your face - they are restrained. When release comes, you cry and choke, because story and character writing actively involved you in relationships, you weren't just a passive consumer. Prism Rondo can be a nice series for those who prefer the latter - passive and comfort emotional consuming. Nobody says every series should be emotionally mature as Hibike! Euphonium, but if that's the level of refinement you are looking for in portrayal of character development, as I am, after watching 1500+ anime - Prism Rondo won't give you that. If that's the case - you better skip it.

Love Through Prism is one of the most beautiful pieces of art Wit Studio has ever created. Sadly, it has flown under the radar due to Netflix’s poor marketing many people don’t even know this anime exists. If you ever stumble upon it, don’t skip it. Here’s why this anime is absolutely worth your time. First, the story is genuinely unique. It’s a coming-of-age romance set in early 20th-century England, which already sets it apart from the usual high-school romance formula. The characters are mature, layered, and refreshingly not the typical 16-year-old protagonists. The emotional conflicts feel grounded, and the drama is portrayed with subtlety and grace rather than cheap exaggeration. Visually, this anime is stunning. The art direction and animation are top-tier, even by Wit Studio standards. The background art deserves special mention, it’s pure eye candy and adds so much atmosphere to every scene. Honestly, it feels like one of Wit Studio’s finest works, where every frame looks carefully crafted. If you’re a fan of shoujo anime or simply appreciate a well-written romance, this is an absolute must-watch.

For a story from someone with such a high pedigree, I find myself a little... whelmed. I finished the anime earlier today and the only aftertaste I have is slight disappointment. The final episode in particular just set off like 3 separate bombs that disappointed me (the fact that FIVE characters all got their long hair cut is ridiculous, I've grown to hate that trope) but even prior to that, I can't think of much to say about this show. If you are in the mood for a decent shoujo romance, this might be up your alley. I liked Lili and Kit's dynamic, found it to have a few laughs, enjoyed the side cast, but the problem is it just kinda spills a lot of things on your lap clumsily along the way. I thought they'd address the natural challenges that come with being a Japanese woman in early-1900s London but outside of some nasty comments at the start (and a running string of microaggressions from the best friend of the MC of all characters), they don't actually address any racism. Even the nasty bully characters just kind of peter out after they do their one dastardly event. They introduce a Japanese boy and his mute sister and their role is mostly "gee, Lili, aren't you homesick? Isn't Japan so awesome?" and for Shin (the boy) to be a pseudo-rival/threat to Kit but honestly, it only really feels like Shin's a "threat" because of genre awareness, he just kind of is The Japanese Guy for most of the story. Idk if (his sister, not that she matters literally once in the entire story) Sakura's spiking his tea with estrogen or something but they say Shin likes Lili and then he just kind of meekly accepts the events of his life as they come to him. You could replace him with a cardboard cutout of Ryu from Street Fighter and nothing would change. (that being said, while I did kind of like Lili/Kit's dynamic, there's something to be said for how much Kit """deserves""" Lili considering the way he acts during the show but the heart wants what it wants, I guess, I guess trying to be realistic about love is a losing game) They build a relationship between two of the side characters in Lili's crew just to throw their hands up and do nothing with it. She hints at things and either lets them fizzle out or spills them onto your lap all of a sudden (even real-life historical tragedies are just drama fodder more than anything else and I personally was taken aback that we were going there) and that's kind of how the story goes for the most part. It doesn't really feel like people move naturally into their roles, so to speak. They're good at art and then get invited to College A or Country B (unless you're Dorothy, who can get fucked both literally and metaphorically apparently) and that's the story of their lives, I guess. One of the guys has a mental breakdown and argument with Kit but it's honestly used more for Lili/Kit drama than anything related to him. He just kinda reappears, they smooth over the relationship, and he decides his story's going to end like [the ending to his story] and yup, that's all we get. I guess it's a decent show but it's utterly unmemorable. Not the worst way you could spend 20 episodes, not to mention not even the worst thing Netflix has pumped out onto us in Winter 2026, but unless you're just REALLY hankering for this specific type of romantic setting or you just wanna see what Boys Over Flowers Gal cooked, not really any reason to check it out either.

This is my Pride and Prejudice. This anime whisked me off my feet with its beautiful scenery, larger-than-life characters, and sincere ode to romance. Not only did I appreciate how the characters are in their 20's, but they dealt with themes that make you ponder your own life. I never expected to have the urge to draw again after 4 years of quitting, but this anime convinced me. To make art is to face yourself. To be honest, I haven't felt like this in a while with a romance anime. Somehow, it made me feel like I was watching Kids on the Slope, Skip to Loafer, Fruits Basket, Orange, and The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity, all rolled into one. So if you enjoy any of these, I'd love for whoever reads this to experience Love Through A Prism and take your time with the series. Hopefully, you'll see some of the connections I've made with the series I've related to! What drew me at first was how Ghibli-like it was for Lilli to enter London as the new transfer student. The London she traveled to really did feel like London. The background landscapes and characters immersed me and it makes me want to travel there to see the art museums one day. It is phenomenal to see the care and effort the animators and artists poured into this series. As for the music, it actually wasn't that memorable to me. There were some moments where the music shone, but again, it didn't really stick out to me. I guess that the focus was more on the art than the sound. I think any series with an ensemble of characters with different personalities will always have a soft spot in my heart. Like others, I wish I had gotten to see more of them, but it was understandable. As for the romance, I loved the rollercoaster, to be honest. It was frustrating in some parts, but what do you expect from two young artists who only know how to express their true feelings through painting? People assume that if characters are in their 20's, they have their lives figured out, but I appreciated how they had to struggle and find the right words to say to each other eventually. As for the clichés, I actually found them charming. Not everything has to be so mind-boggling that it calls for critical thinking! I feel like this series is meant to slow down and feel the story as it unfolds. To me, familiarity is something comforting. In the end, the clichés didn’t take away from the story; they remind me that sometimes simplicity and emotional honesty are more than enough! If you don't like this, then maybe it isn't for you. Let Love Through A Prism stir up your heart. Watch with caution, as you will tear up from time to time. 9.5/10.

This is my Pride and Prejudice. Love Through A Prism is one of those anime that sneaks up on you. You think you’re getting a cute, visually aesthetic romance with a quirky color motif and soft soundtrack vibes… and then suddenly you’re staring at your ceiling at 2 a.m. re-evaluating your entire emotional bandwidth. The concept alone is gorgeous. Love isn’t just a feeling here, it’s refracted, distorted, intensified. Every relationship feels like light hitting glass at a different angle. Some bonds glow warm and steady. Others scatter into sharp, blinding fragments. The metaphor commits. Fully. No half-hearted symbolism thrown in for Tumblr edits. Visually? Stunning. The use of color grading to reflect emotional shifts is borderline disrespectful to other anime trying their best. Scenes transition from muted greys to oversaturated brilliance in a way that feels intentional rather than flashy. It’s not just pretty for the sake of it. It hurts in HD. The character writing is where it really wins. No one exists just to prop up the main couple. Every side character has their own emotional spectrum, their own shade in the prism. The slow-burn development feels earned. The misunderstandings aren’t manufactured nonsense that could be solved by one text message. It’s layered. It’s messy. It feels human. And the soundtrack? Criminal. Soft piano themes that evolve as relationships do. The final episode reprise nearly ended me. I sat there in silence like I’d just witnessed a life event. It balances tenderness with quiet devastation in a way that doesn’t feel manipulative. It trusts the audience to sit with complicated emotions. Wild concept, I know. Five stars because it’s beautiful, thoughtful, and emotionally precise. Also five stars because I will absolutely be rewatching it even though I know exactly which scenes will ruin me again. Apparently, I enjoy suffering, but at least this one is aesthetically pleasing. 9.5 out of 10

Love through a prism is a story that surrounds itself with art students in London in the 1900s. The actual animation is rather stunning, and every scene is just wondrously picturesque. They did a fantastic job capturing the feeling of art in this show. However, for me, that is where my praise starts and ends sadly. I had incredibly high hopes for this, however I personally could not enjoy it to the fullest. Firstly, the protagonist and love interest had a very underwhelming romance. They barely had any time together, had no moments that showed they had any chemistry or sexual tension, and lastly and most importantly for me - there were no moments of deeper understanding of one another. This is vital for me to believe characters actually love each other. And regarding these two, while I could understand what the male love interest loved about the female MC, I could not in reverse understand what she loved about him. He as a character was very frustrating. He didn’t talk much and instead of answering people’s questions he would divert to a different subject or just flat out run away from his problems without guaranteeing his return. So we never really get to understand him as a person. Everything we know about him is told to us from others - never from himself. Which is very challenging as a viewer because his character had so much potential for growth. The other characters, including the main character Lily, were all fine enough but I couldn’t love any of them And additionally, the plot itself was paced too slowly and included too many irrelevant details that harmed the story rather than helped. However, while I didn’t wholeheartedly love this show, I would still recommend it to others. Because despite my feelings on it, there will be people who will enjoy this anime even if I didn’t.

Love Through a Prism has undoubtedly become one of my favorite anime. From the very first minute, its beautiful cinematography and fluid animation draw you in, but what truly makes it special is the meaning behind the story. The series explores dreams, creative insecurity, and the fear of not being good enough in a very honest way. The friendship between Cath and Lil is wonderfully developed and feels genuine, supportive, and essential to their growth. The characters are not perfect, but their flaws and evolution make them deeply relatable. This anime was an emotional journey from start to finish. It even inspired me to start drawing again after a long time of self-doubt, which says a lot about its impact. The message of chasing your dreams and not giving up on what you love is powerful and beautifully conveyed. With strong character development, a heartfelt narrative, and stunning visuals, everything comes together perfectly. An inspiring, emotional, and unforgettable experience.

I love this anime—so raw and genuine. The main characters aren’t annoying at all (which is rare), and it’s easily one of my favorites. I loved how the story focused on art, her struggles, and her emotional transformation throughout the series. The fact that he never painted any portrait except hers completely broke me. The yearning is unreal. The art style is absolutely beautiful. I really appreciated the level of detail in the visuals it added so much depth and emotion to every scene. If you enjoy romance, I genuinely think this is worth giving a try. Every character felt meaningful and well written. Dorothy is my favorite; she’s so caring, and honestly, I wish I had friends like her.

A show that is often carried by its gorgeous backgrounds. It has an interesting setup with our MC having to prove herself before a certain deadline, but the supposed pressure of the deadline is rarely felt. I think this anime(or the manga it was based on) wants to say something meaningful about developping as a young artist and many times it succeeds. My main issue with the show is that most of the time this theme gets either pushed to the background or is delivered in a somewhat sloppy way. The two leads -Kit and Lili- are likeable enough even tho Lili's naievité/quirkyness feels a bit too much at times. The other characters are mostly generic anime-tropes, but most of them get some characterization to keep you engaged in their presence. Story-wise, there are some twists and turns, but most of what happens feel somewhat predictable. Maybe it's my love for Jane Austin-like stories that kept me watching despite my many criticisms. It certainly can't be understated that this is a gorgeous anime to look at. The actual animation isn't all that interesting, but you are constantly bombarded with these spectacular backgrounds so for me it had more then enough visual appeal. Bottom-line: a decent if somewhat unremarkable story presented with much visual flair. Fans of romance, the arts and maybe Jane Austin-novels will find a lot to like here. I do think are many different that animes that tackles these themes better, but certainly few of them look as good as this show.

Prism Rondo is an anime that I really want to love, but unfortunately the story is a narrative disaster with the amount of cliches given and with how safe they are with the story. For the positives, the show's overall lighthearted tone are displayed incredibly well, the chemistry of the friend group felt natural and never once their chumminess felt forced during the group outings, the sceneries of the lands of England are simply stunning, the characters of the show most of the time are very fun, and a lot of the artistic choices in the anime make for great entertainment. It's clear the show was made with a lot of heart and soul put into it, the animation never lacks and the comedy displayed is also written well here. The OST while felt overused by Episode 11+ is still pretty good. However, the amount of tropes and cliches throughout the show is just incredibly annoying, without saying much, making World War 1 be a story line that didn't felt significant by the end is simply nuts. The romance of the show is displayed like two high schoolers surrounded by grown adults, Lili and Kit's problems are more often than not a product of the lack of *COMMUNICATION* between the two, it gets annoying after their initial true feeling were already shown. I've watched a lot of romances but this one managed to be simultaneously progressive and outdated at the same time, why are we still using the "Female MC beats up love interest because funny" trope in 2026? Speaking of the MC, Lili as an MC is both so mature and childish at the same time. I love how determined she is when it comes to her passion for arts, it felt very real and as a viewer I wanted her to succeed from start to finish with the way she carries her passion. Her relationship with many other characters also felt natural and grown up, which is a shock when it comes to her and Kit she reverts to acting like an immature teenager for a lot of the time. It's almost a treat when Lili treats Kit like any other person and not be either a flustered mess or a tantrum throwing child. And also speaking about Kit, he just kinda exists as the aloof royalty pretty boy love interest, his love for Lili just came in like TB in the early 1900s, never felt natural from the start. I do appreciate his growth but it should've happened in a more natural way but I take what I can get. It's a shame because the others doesn't have much writing flaws in comparison, Catherine/Dorothy/Shin/Peter/Professor Brant showed growth throughout the series, but with the way the show is presented they just get shoved to the background especially Catherine you'd think they buried her on a hill, overlooking a little river, with pine cones all around her. In short, I wish the show's romance were more mature and didn't rely on cliches/tropes that are prominent in so many entertainment in general, because it showed amazing potential but the plot and the narrative of the show were just so weak compared to everything else in the show which were stellar. If only the show were focused purely on Lili's pursuit on fine arts, oh well.

The first half were actually quite great. However, the second half introduces drama that, while I understand it’s meant to force Kit to grow as a character, doesn’t really fit the tone of the story. It feels somewhat forced. Even though the series is set in Europe before WWI, which makes the situation historically reasonable, it still feels tonally out of place for this kind of narrative. The story might have handled the later political drama better if it had hinted more strongly at these tensions earlier in the series, such as labor unrest, political conflicts, or the instability of the European empires at the time. Without enough buildup, the sudden shift toward large-scale historical conflict makes the latter half feel somewhat abrupt. Kit and Lili’s relationship is developed throughout the entire series, so I won’t go into too much detail here, as it’s something viewers should experience themselves. Instead, I want to focus on Catherine, whose character arc in the first half was surprisingly strong but later became underused. Another thing I find unfortunate is how the show handles Catherine. She is a very well-written supporting character in the first half of the series. At first, she is in love with Kit, but Kit does not return her feelings. As a noble, she initially feels jealous of Lili and looks down on her. But the more she interacts with others, the more she begins to question herself: “Am I really doing what I want? Or is my role simply to love him and marry for the sake of our families?” By the middle of the story, she realizes that she doesn’t need to keep pursuing the male lead anymore. Later on, Catherine shows clear growth, she interacts with people of lower social standing., and she even gives advice to others. At the very least, she has finally figured out what she wants to do with her life. Unfortunately, despite being such a well-written character, she barely appears in the second half of the series. Instead, the story focuses on somewhat forced drama. The anime could have been even better if it had spent more time exploring the themes of art or further developing the characters that were established in the first half. Despite these flaws, the series still succeeds as a slow-burn romance with beautiful animation and compelling character dynamics in its first half. However, the latter half’s forced dramatic escalation prevents it from reaching its full potential.

Love Through a Prism is truly an amazing way to start 2026. Set in early 20th-century London, the series blends romance and drama with a truly intriguing cross-cultural premise: a young Japanese woman pursuing her dream of becoming a painter despite being the daughter of a kimono shop owner and the weight of expectations on her shoulders, eventually enrolling in a prestigious art academy, where she meets a genius painter who turns out to be from the aristocracy. What initially begins as a rivalry slowly turns into something warmer, more complicated, and more emotionally honest. In terms of the story, the plot is solid and easy to follow. The character lineup is interesting, and the dynamics between the characters feel alive, with friendship, tension, growth, jealousy, and tenderness all flowing in a way that keeps the audience engaged. My only criticism is that the energy of the “second male lead” (if I may call him that) feels a little lacking, and he seems to give up “too easily” and choose to pursue his dreams (poor Shin, but glad Kit won). Visually, there's no doubt: Wit Studio is truly stunning. The animation is beautiful, with many scenes looking like original oil paintings. The backgrounds (palaces, gardens, school interiors, city atmospheres) are so richly designed that they could stand alone as works of art. And when the characters are painting, the show makes the artwork feel “alive” rather than just “a prop,” which really reinforces the theme. The music also knows exactly what it's doing. The score consistently supports the emotional weight of the scenes without overpowering them, and the theme song fits the romantic, gentle, and glowing mood perfectly. It feels satisfying in the end... although I really wanted more. If they added one extra episode or even extended the last episode to an hour, I wouldn't mind (hehe). Overall: a fantastic historical romance drama and a truly beautiful watch. 9/10. A great way to start 2026.

This anime is just a masterpiece for those who love calm and sentimental story. 10/10 for sure, I LOVE IT The animation is amazing, coupled with the colours, the rendering is just unbelievable. The anime transports us to a London of the early 1900s. Or we follow the story of a young woman who has just arrived in a prestigious art academy, we follow her through all her journeys, whether artists or sentimental. The geopolitical context of the anime adds a grain of drama, which makes it much more captivating and interesting. Side characters are also very interesting, everyone has their own dreams and ambitions with theirs differents vison for the art.