I Think I Turned My Childhood Friend Into a Girl is officially receiving a television anime adaptation, bringing Azusa Banjo’s popular romantic comedy about cosmetics, self-expression and unexpected feelings between two childhood friends to the screen.
The announcement was made on June 22, 2026, alongside a special commemorative illustration drawn by Banjo. The artwork celebrates the adaptation by featuring the story’s central pair, Kenshiro Mido and Hiura Mihate, while preserving the colorful fashion and makeup-focused identity that helped the original manga attract a large following.
The anime is based on the Japanese manga Koisuru (Otome) no Tsukurikata, which began as a social-media comic before moving into regular serialization through comic POOL.
A premiere date, animation studio, director, voice cast and principal production staff have not yet been announced.
I Think I Turned My Childhood Friend Into a Girl Is Becoming a TV Anime
The newly announced adaptation has been confirmed as a television anime series.
The initial reveal focused on confirming that production is moving forward rather than presenting a complete promotional campaign. No teaser trailer, character voices or animated footage accompanied the first announcement.
- English title: I Think I Turned My Childhood Friend Into a Girl
- Japanese title: Koisuru (Otome) no Tsukurikata
- Format: Television anime
- Original creator: Azusa Banjo
- Release date: Not yet announced
- Animation studio: Not yet announced
- Voice cast: Not yet announced
The absence of a release window means the anime should currently be treated as a project in development. Any supposed premiere year, episode count or staff list circulating without a formal announcement remains unconfirmed.
Azusa Banjo Celebrated the Anime Announcement
Original creator Azusa Banjo released a new illustration and message to celebrate the television adaptation.
Banjo expressed considerable excitement about seeing the romantic comedy transformed into animation and thanked the readers who supported the series from its early social-media publication through its current serialization.
The creator described the story as a romance between a boy who loves cosmetics and a cross-dressing childhood friend who becomes increasingly affectionate toward him.
That description emphasizes the central dynamic of the series. Makeup begins as Kenshiro’s personal interest, but it becomes the activity that changes how he and Hiura understand one another.
The commemorative artwork also reinforces the importance of fashion and cosmetics to the manga’s visual appeal. Hiura is shown with the carefully styled appearance that emerges after Kenshiro begins using him as a makeup model.
What Is I Think I Turned My Childhood Friend Into a Girl About?
I Think I Turned My Childhood Friend Into a Girl follows Kenshiro Mido, a high school student with a deep passion for cosmetics.
Kenshiro loves studying makeup products, colors and application techniques, but he keeps that interest relatively private because he worries about how other people may react.
His childhood friend Hiura Mihate knows about Kenshiro’s enthusiasm and eventually agrees to let him practice applying makeup.
Kenshiro expects the session to be a simple opportunity to experiment with his skills. Instead, the result completely changes the way he sees Hiura.
With makeup, styled hair and carefully selected clothing, Hiura appears so beautiful that Kenshiro struggles to reconcile the transformation with the boy he has known since childhood.
Hiura also enjoys the experience far more than either of them expected. What begins as one makeup session develops into an exploration of cosmetics, fashion and a new form of self-expression.
As Hiura becomes more comfortable presenting himself in feminine clothing, his feelings for Kenshiro become increasingly difficult to hide.
Kenshiro Mido Has Always Loved Cosmetics
Kenshiro Mido is the story’s makeup enthusiast and the person responsible for Hiura’s dramatic transformation.
His interest is not treated as a temporary joke or a convenient skill introduced only to change Hiura’s appearance.
Kenshiro genuinely studies cosmetics and understands how different products can change the impression created by a person’s face.
He pays attention to color combinations, skin tone, facial structure and the way hair and clothing interact with makeup.
Despite that knowledge, Kenshiro lacks confidence about openly sharing his passion. Cosmetics are often treated as something reserved for girls, making him cautious about revealing how seriously he takes the subject.
Hiura becomes one of the few people around whom Kenshiro can express that side of himself without pretending to be interested in something else.
Makeup Allows Kenshiro to Express Himself
For Kenshiro, makeup is both an artistic practice and a form of communication.
He may struggle to discuss emotions directly, but he can show affection and attention through the care he places into Hiura’s appearance.
Every color and product reflects how closely Kenshiro observes his childhood friend.
The transformation works because Kenshiro is not attempting to hide Hiura beneath an artificial identity. He identifies qualities already present and uses cosmetics to emphasize them.
That process gradually becomes emotionally complicated. Kenshiro can no longer treat Hiura only as a model when he begins reacting to the finished appearance with obvious embarrassment and attraction.
Hiura Mihate Discovers a New Side of Himself
Hiura Mihate is Kenshiro’s childhood friend and the central figure transformed by his makeup skills.
Before the experiment, Hiura does not necessarily possess extensive knowledge of cosmetics or feminine fashion.
His willingness to participate begins through trust. Kenshiro is important to him, and allowing his friend to practice makeup feels like a simple way to support something Kenshiro loves.
The result opens an unexpected possibility. Hiura discovers that he enjoys the clothes, makeup and attention connected to his new appearance.
He does not merely tolerate being dressed differently for Kenshiro’s benefit. He begins developing preferences of his own and becomes enthusiastic about experimenting with new styles.
The experience also gives Hiura a way to approach Kenshiro romantically while maintaining enough playfulness to retreat when embarrassment becomes overwhelming.
Hiura’s Feelings Become Increasingly Obvious
Hiura’s romantic interest in Kenshiro becomes one of the manga’s central sources of warmth and comedy.
He understands that his appearance affects Kenshiro and frequently uses that knowledge to create moments of closeness.
However, Hiura’s confidence is not complete. Presenting himself more openly can feel exciting, but Kenshiro’s uncertain reactions also leave him vulnerable.
Hiura wants Kenshiro to recognize him as attractive without reducing their relationship to the makeup itself.
The question gradually becomes whether Kenshiro is attracted only to the feminine image he helped create or to Hiura as the person who has always been beside him.
The Romance Develops Between Two Childhood Friends
Kenshiro and Hiura already possess years of shared history before the story begins.
Their familiarity makes the developing romance both easier and more complicated.
They trust each other enough to experiment with appearance and discuss personal insecurities, but changing a childhood friendship also creates the risk of losing something important.
Kenshiro is accustomed to thinking of Hiura as his male childhood friend. The transformation forces him to recognize reactions he does not immediately know how to interpret.
Hiura, meanwhile, becomes increasingly direct about wanting affection while still wondering whether Kenshiro understands the seriousness hidden beneath the teasing.
The manga allows their relationship to progress through makeup sessions, shopping trips, school interactions and ordinary time spent together rather than depending entirely on dramatic romantic declarations.
The Story Explores Fashion Without Treating It as a Disguise
Feminine clothing and cosmetics are not used only to create a temporary misunderstanding in I Think I Turned My Childhood Friend Into a Girl.
Hiura’s appearance becomes a meaningful and continuing part of his life.
He experiments with different outfits, hairstyles and makeup approaches while developing a clearer understanding of what makes him feel comfortable and attractive.
The story avoids suggesting that enjoying feminine fashion automatically determines every part of a person’s identity.
Instead, Hiura is allowed to explore presentation on his own terms while the people around him learn not to force simple labels onto that experience.
That approach is one of the reasons the manga has attracted readers interested in stories about gender expression, boys’ love and characters challenging restrictive expectations.
Kenshiro Also Challenges Gender Expectations
Hiura is not the only character whose interests challenge conventional expectations.
Kenshiro’s passion for makeup places him outside assumptions about what boys should enjoy or understand.
He may not present himself in the same way as Hiura, but both characters benefit from a friendship where interests are not rejected simply because they are considered feminine.
The romance works because Kenshiro and Hiura create a space where each can reveal something usually hidden from other people.
Kenshiro can openly discuss cosmetics, while Hiura can explore a more feminine presentation without being mocked or treated as though he has become a completely different person.
The Anime Will Need Detailed Makeup Animation
Cosmetics are central to the story, making the quality of the anime’s visual production especially important.
Makeup application involves subtle changes that can be difficult to communicate through animation.
The production will need to show differences in foundation, eye makeup, lip color, contouring and hairstyle clearly enough for viewers to understand Kenshiro’s skill.
The transformation should feel impressive without suggesting that Hiura’s natural appearance was unattractive.
Color design will also play a major role because many scenes depend on how specific cosmetic shades interact with clothing and lighting.
A carefully animated makeup process could become one of the adaptation’s defining visual elements.
Fashion Will Be Just as Important as Character Design
Hiura wears a wide variety of feminine outfits throughout the manga rather than relying on one recurring costume.
His fashion changes depending on the location, season and type of makeup Kenshiro wants to create.
The anime’s character designers will therefore need to preserve the appeal of Azusa Banjo’s illustrations while creating outfits practical enough for animation.
Accessories, bags, shoes, nail designs and hairstyles all contribute to Hiura’s appearance.
These details are not merely decorative. They reflect his growing confidence and willingness to make independent style choices.
The Series Began as a Social-Media Comic
Azusa Banjo first introduced the concept through illustrations and short manga chapters posted online.
The early version attracted attention because of its immediately understandable premise and appealing transformation artwork.
Readers could see the visual difference created by Kenshiro’s makeup while also recognizing the romantic tension between the childhood friends.
The project later developed into a serialized manga through comic POOL, Ichijinsha’s digital manga platform.
Serialization allowed Banjo to expand the story beyond the initial makeover and explore the consequences of Hiura’s new appearance in school, family and social situations.
The Manga Has Surpassed 600,000 Copies
The manga has exceeded 600,000 copies in circulation, including digital editions.
That figure reflects the series’ growth from a social-media project into one of comic POOL’s recognizable romantic comedies.
The adaptation was announced shortly before the Japanese release of Volume 12, scheduled for June 25, 2026.
The number of available volumes gives the television production a substantial amount of material for developing Kenshiro and Hiura beyond their first makeup session.
The Manga Has Performed Well in Anime Adaptation Polls
Readers had requested an anime adaptation long before the official announcement.
The manga placed highly in special web-manga voting projects and appeared among the leading titles in AnimeJapan’s 2024 ranking of manga fans most wanted to see animated.
Those results demonstrated that the series possessed an audience interested not only in reading the manga, but also in seeing its fashion, comedy and romantic development brought to animation.
The official announcement therefore fulfills a request that had become increasingly visible through fan voting and online discussion.
Seven Seas Publishes the Manga in English
The manga is published in English under the title I Think I Turned My Childhood Friend Into a Girl.
The English edition introduces the series as an LGBTQ+ romantic comedy about two boys discovering new sides of themselves through makeup and their changing relationship.
Its international publication has helped the story develop a readership beyond Japan before the anime adaptation.
The anime’s international title and eventual streaming platform have not yet been formally confirmed.
The Supporting Cast Expands the Story Beyond the Central Couple
Although Kenshiro and Hiura remain the focus, the manga gradually introduces friends and family members who react to their changing relationship.
Some characters immediately accept Hiura’s fashion, while others initially misunderstand the situation or become curious about Kenshiro’s role in creating the looks.
These interactions allow the story to explore different attitudes toward makeup, attraction and gender expression without turning every conflict into extreme hostility.
The supporting characters also prevent the romance from developing in isolation. Kenshiro and Hiura must consider how they want to present themselves in public and whether their classmates understand that they are becoming more than childhood friends.
The Story Combines Comedy With Emotional Vulnerability
Many scenes use Kenshiro’s embarrassment and Hiura’s increasingly confident flirting as romantic comedy.
Kenshiro can become overwhelmed by a new outfit or makeup style, while Hiura enjoys watching him struggle to explain the reaction.
Beneath those jokes, however, both characters face genuine emotional uncertainty.
Hiura risks revealing feelings that may not be returned. Kenshiro must question assumptions he has carried about attraction and the identity of the friend he thought he already understood completely.
The story’s warmth comes from allowing that confusion to develop without treating either character’s interests as something shameful.
Why the Anime Could Appeal to Romance Fans
The adaptation offers a romantic premise that differs from many conventional childhood-friend stories.
Kenshiro and Hiura do not need to meet or build trust from the beginning. Their challenge is recognizing that an established friendship has changed.
The makeup sessions create natural opportunities for physical closeness, eye contact and emotionally charged conversations.
At the same time, cosmetics provide the characters with a shared activity that exists independently from romance.
Kenshiro loves creating new looks, while Hiura enjoys wearing them. Their compatibility grows from a genuine shared interest rather than coincidence alone.
The Adaptation Could Introduce Makeup Techniques to Viewers
The manga includes enough cosmetic detail for the anime to offer more than visual transformations.
Kenshiro explains products, techniques and the reasons particular colors suit Hiura.
An adaptation could use these explanations to make the makeup process understandable even to viewers with no previous interest in cosmetics.
This creates an opportunity similar to anime centered on cooking, fashion design or traditional arts, where the audience learns alongside the characters.
The educational details can also strengthen the romance because they demonstrate how seriously Kenshiro approaches something that helps Hiura feel confident.
No Voice Actors Have Been Announced
The first announcement did not reveal the performers who will voice Kenshiro Mido and Hiura Mihate.
Casting will be especially important because the central relationship depends heavily on playful conversation, embarrassment and gradual emotional honesty.
Hiura’s performer will need to communicate confidence without losing the vulnerability beneath his teasing.
Kenshiro’s actor must balance enthusiasm about cosmetics with confusion about his growing attraction to his childhood friend.
The main cast may be introduced alongside the anime’s first teaser trailer or character visual.
The Animation Studio and Staff Remain Unknown
No animation studio has been attached publicly to the project.
The director, series composer, character designer, color designer and music composer also remain unannounced.
These roles will strongly influence how faithfully the adaptation reproduces the manga’s detailed fashion and soft romantic atmosphere.
Until official production credits are released, fans should avoid treating staff rumors as confirmed information.
A Release Date Has Not Been Revealed
The television anime currently has no premiere date or broadcast year.
Japanese television networks and streaming services have not been announced.
International distribution also remains unknown, and Crunchyroll’s report on the adaptation does not automatically confirm that the platform will stream it.
The number of episodes and whether the anime will run for one cour have not been revealed.
What to Expect From Future Announcements
The next promotional update will likely reveal the lead voice actors and the studio producing the series.
A teaser visual may present Kenshiro and Hiura before and after the first major makeover, immediately communicating the premise to viewers unfamiliar with the manga.
The first trailer should also provide an early look at how the anime represents makeup application, clothing textures and Hiura’s many expressions.
A release window, principal staff and supporting cast are expected to follow as production progresses.
Final Thoughts
I Think I Turned My Childhood Friend Into a Girl is officially receiving a television anime adaptation.
Azusa Banjo’s romantic comedy follows cosmetics enthusiast Kenshiro Mido after his childhood friend Hiura Mihate agrees to let him practice applying makeup.
The resulting transformation gives Hiura a new form of self-expression and forces Kenshiro to confront feelings he never expected to develop toward the boy he has known for years.
The manga began as a social-media series before moving to comic POOL and has now surpassed 600,000 copies in circulation, including digital editions.
Banjo celebrated the announcement with a newly drawn illustration and a message thanking readers for supporting the makeup-centered childhood-friend romance.
A release date, animation studio, production staff and voice cast have not yet been announced.
With its combination of detailed cosmetics, feminine fashion, playful comedy and a sincere romance between two boys learning to express themselves more openly, the anime has the potential to become one of the most visually distinctive and emotionally charming romantic comedies in development.
