First-year high school student Uka Ishimori wants a fresh start. In middle school, Uka was given the nickname "Rocky" by her peers, being misunderstood as having no emotions when she was actually shy and introverted. As a result, Uka was relentlessly bullied and experienced a lonely, isolated school life. Now, Uka is determined to change.
During the first week of school, Uka accidentally gets drenched in lemon soda by her classmate Kai Miura—whose cool personality is the complete opposite of hers. After the incident, Uka is surprised when Kai performs small acts of kindness for her, encouraging her to gradually break out of her shell. Like a lemon soda, bubbly and exciting feelings are beginning to stir.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Comentários
Marinate1016
The lonely socially awkward, slightly autistic girl who gets saved by the popular “prince” of the school who’s hiding his own trauma will always be one of my favourite anime tropes and Honey Lemon Soda does that as well as any show. For people who were fans of Kimi ni Todoke, you will see a lot of similarities. The bullying, the shy girl slowly coming into her own, the wholesome vibes, this really felt like I was back in 2010 watching peak shoujo, while the production values leave a lot to be desired at times, the characters and story are so sweet that I didn’teven mind. There’s just something so charming and heartwarming about this show that leaves you smiling like an idiot after every episode. Taking the first step to be a better person is the hardest thing you can do and seeing Uka do that is very inspiring. If you’re a shoujo fan, it goes without saying Honey Lemon Soda is a must watch, but it’s also a good recommendation for those who enjoy seeing personal development.
I don’t want to take away from what Honey Lemon Soda itself is about and does, but the Kimi ni Todoke vibes truly are strong and the author was clearly influenced by it which is a plus for me since I love that series and have been craving more since season 3 ended. Uka is an absolute angel of a character and her progress is perfectly paced, going from being unable to hold basic conversations to holding leadership positions within her class and being able to freely express herself. It’s also a believable situation given her backstory and the way she was raised. I enjoyed the budding romance between she and Kai and while it definitely has some wish-fulfilment vibes to it, it’s sweet enough that it didn’t bother me. Kai serves as a positive influence on her and ideal for her to strive towards, but it’s not a project he can do alone. The other characters in the show help push Uka further too, whether it’s Ayumi and Serina being kind to her or the annoying gyaru clique who bully her, all of the supporting characters feel like they exist to help Uka grow as a person and stand on her own two feet.
One criticism I’d bring up with the show is at times Kai’s interventions feel too convenient and again that goes back to the wish-fulfilment aspect. Like sometimes he will magically solve a problem and it’s like dude, you’re in high school too there is no way you were able to figure this out. It’s definitely a series you don’t want to analyse too critically. There’s some leaps in logic and it relies on plot conveniences at times. Again, for me this isn’t a deal breaker because I know to expect that sort of thing from a series like this and ultimately we are here for a cute girl improving herself and cute romance moments.
Production quality is really where this show struggles. It looks rough for large portions, but episode 11 was one of the best of the season thanks to Honda Takeshi working on it. Uka’s design is really pretty as is Kai and the voice acting is amazing. It’s not a horrible looking series, but it does feel stiff at times.
Honey Lemon Soda is not a complex series by any stretch, it is very much a straightforward watch and one of those things you either like or you don’t like. As a massive shoujo fan and cute girl self improvement enthusiast, this was everything I need. If you’re expecting some earth-shattering writing and story, you won’t find that here, but if you like romance, character development and wholesome watches, this is a must watch!
Honey Lemon Soda gets 8 out of 10!
erinxia
This show is incredibly frustrating, and you'd have to be something like 14 to enjoy it. If you are going to watch it, it's not aimed at viewers wanting a more mature show. It's incredibly immature in it's writing and the way they portray the characters. This review does mention the general plot direction, but doesn't spoil how this happens so be aware if you don't want to know anything about the plot apart from characters to ignore the 2nd paragraph. Uka and Kai are such stereotypical "shy quiet girl" and "bad tough guy," and it's excruciating to watch, like something straight out of Wattpad.To summarise, Uka is a shy girl who is socially awkward and basically bullied by everyone, and Kai essentially takes her in and opens her eyes to the world. And when I say they fit the stereotypes, I mean textbook. It's not a creative plot at all, and it's boring. I forced myself to finish this series because I had some hope it would get better, but if the writing is bad, the second-hand embarrassment from this show is EVEN WORSE. Uka just acts so unrealistically, and manages to be seethingly cringe every time she is on the screen. It's like a worse version of any show which is centred around a shy character - sometimes it feels like a worse version of A Sign of Affection (great anime by the way). I know Uka may be implicitly suggested to be autistic, but if that is the direction the show wanted which I think would've been better, they should've put more explicit emphasis on it.
I actually think in terms of characters, Kai is bearable and somewhat likeable, but his savior complex can be cringe at times and painful. The way he coddles the main character means you never really get to see her character development individually. He genuinely always jumps in, never lets her answer for herself and therefore we never get to see Uka do anything herself. He's genuinely kind of controlling and it's dressed up as him saving her and looking after her like she's some child so I suppose that's meant to be 'cute'? Uka's character development is done poorly and is only really surface level, and the fact that she is so unlikeable from the way she acts, overly pathetic pains me. Maybe she's just not my sort of main character, but the entire show is cringeworthy. Not to mention her character development is very stereotypical in itself - 'strict parents' and learns to sort that out, 'gets bullied' but stands up to her bullies' and 'learns to find love'. Like come on, be original. However, I'll give the show credit where credit is due to that the side characters (specifically the female ones) are really likeable and honestly how I wish Uka was written. Why the hell is Uka always crying or babbling? It might've been better if they portrayed her slightly differently.
Also, the intro is a banger to be fair - &TEAM did a really good job on it, it's really enjoyable to listen to and maybe the only part I think was enjoyable. Outro is ALSO a banger. The animation is decent, and I do really like the artistic design and that is what saves the show from a critical view since the plot is absolutely miserable.
I do NOT recommend this show for the fact that it's a stereotypical, Wattpad, and cringeworthy mess. I should've given up watching it when it became unbearable from a few episodes in, it's genuinely not worth the commitment. 4/10 and that's being generous from my perspective. I'm not even sure me when I was 14 could've coped with how much of a mess this show is.
KANLen09
Honey Lemon Soda — Old-school Shoujo at its finest, or is it a hidden symptom of much worse? It used to be the belief that when one formula works, others will follow in their own interpretations, though successes will vary depending on how authors usually like to carry their approach towards known genres, even if it has to be done from tropes already existing and (usually) having been done better. This is most certainly the case for Shoujo series in the mid-to-late 2000s to the early 2010s, where works like Karuho Shiina's Kimi ni Todoke and Kanae Hazuki's Suki-tte ii na yo a.k.a Say I LoveYou prove most evident of that time period. At the same time, more prolific authors would come to push the genre into relevancy when the genre was at its peak in the 2010s, though it would come to fizzle by the time the Isekai/fantasy genre was just taking off. And one example of this would be female mangaka Mayu Murata's Honey Lemon Soda, which rode the Shoujo wave of the 2010s being one of the best-selling Shoujo series of all time since its serialization in December 2015.
Let's not beat around the bush: Honey Lemon Soda's female MC, Uka Ishimori, given her extreme introvertedness, is pretty much like Kimi ni Todoke's Sawako "Sadako" Kuronuma in every regard: the quiet and shy girl who's misunderstood for various reasons, but in Uka's case, a rather terrifying life of being bullied and called names (Stony for one), which only deepens her insecurity after constant sheltering from the retreat of the people who treat her badly as she is. Fast forward to high school, and Uka's facing the same proposition she had once again, but with a twist: the blonde-haired Kai Miura, whom, for some reason, Uka describes as akin to lemon soda (with the Honey part coming in as the start of the forgiving development), whom she faces her regular fears in school, only to have the upstanding popular boy help her in ways that only he can muster to his own credit, without ever putting a spotlight on himself and making sure that she follows up to the end. And as they say, love paints a picture of a thousand words...or rather, the efficacy for the shy girl to get along with the bad-ass popular boy, to surround herself with friends that she would've otherwise have easily given up by the skin of her teeth, and obviously, have an intimate relationship with said boy.
From the get-go, the Shoujo genre has only so many cliches and tropes that you'd expect, and Mayu Murata exploits that to the nth degree. You might just think that the stereotypes here are just blatant copies of character archetypes done before but better elsewhere (you could even label this a trashy Shoujo work if you so wish to). Uka, for one, does exactly what Sadako would've done in her own state of mind: an introvert who finds it difficult to converse with people, let alone fit into the surrounding nature, which overwhelms her to the point of overthinking. But instead of Sadako, who tries hard from the get-go to persist, Uka is the exact opposite, where her exponential trauma has gravely beset her to the point where fate travels with her everywhere she goes and wash-rinse-repeats the process no matter how many times to the point of insufferability she must. This unfortunately doesn't instill confidence in the audience that Uka will ever improve if she goes nowhere, but this is exactly where Miura comes in as her guardian saviour to notice her unspoken troubles and give her just the right amount of advice to figure out the issues on her own and to start taking flight by overcoming those issues, as difficult as it seems at first glance (from her POV).
Miura being the popular guy in class meant that Uka came under direct fire for all the things she did to catch his attention, intentionally or not, though he tried to play hooky and be discreet with her, not for the fear of reprisal, just the attention from the friends around him. He knows that Stony is the centerpiece of her own issues, and she must overcome trials and tribulations of her own, despite being the bad boy character who sometimes goes after her and gives reassurance only when it matters. Sure, while her and Miura's class can be dramatic with over-the-top reactions that might look staged from different POVs to the point of being unrealistic and overdramatic, it's this same cliche that pushes Uka to the breaking point at times alongside the many friends that she'll come to befriend, from classmates to exes that'll support her when effort is genuinely given. You may love to hate Uka "Stony" Ishimori for her many episodes of inaction that will inevitably frustrate someone to get her going, but we as humans that all have different wavelengths to take matters into our own hands, Uka may be the slowpoke compared to Sadako, but you'll come to root for her as time progresses, and the seeds of love can then be grown between her and the blonde bad boy who grows from being her watcher (from a distance) to genuine caretaker to love.
If anything, characters are the centrepiece to Uka's development. Be it her close friend Ayumi Endo, the ex of Serina Kanno, or her bullies from middle school (which she comes back to fight them with her words), not one character is wasted for effectiveness to show just how much Uka has grown out of her comfort zone, and Mayu Murata would make sure that you don't forget each and every character that came and went in Uka's way to reiterate that the point is reached across.
It's an almost given that Shoujo shows look just as bright and beautiful, and Honey Lemon Soda certainly got that treatment alright. Courtesy of TMS Entertainment under their Unlimited Produce brand, J.C.Staff and Toaru Majutsu no Index a.k.a A Certain Magical Index director Hiroshi Nishikori sought the best the studio has to offer for the Shoujo range since the last work that was undertaken (that being Winter and Summer 2023's Sugar Apple Fairy Tale). For certain, everything got a glow-up in terms of animation; even the eye colours are big and apparent, and it's just a marvel of beauty.
The OST by Akira Kosemura, if I didn't know any better, feels calm, collected, and smooth. This is a given from the composer who brought you Ao no Orchestra a.k.a Blue Orchestra and Summer Ghost, so knowing the latter movie certainly raises some hopes for a decent soundtrack that's not too flashy yet not undercooked at the same time. The OP and ED songs by fusion J-Pop and K-Pop band &Team are both visually creative and made to impact, and they get the job done for the most part.
In the end, what you're watching is a trash Shoujo in the works...good trash, that is. With such an outlandish story and resolutions that just make you question more than you can answer "How the hell did it derive to this kind of unrealistic outcome?" of scenarios, Honey Lemon Soda pins the "realistic" coat of the Shoujo paint out of the picture. Yes, you could argue that this paints a stark contrast to the much more affable and relatable Kimi ni Todoke, but Mayu Murata sure as hell isn't going to go the safe route and create yet another similar derivative. Does this make sense from a story perspective? This is a Shoujo built on hopes and dreams, amped by its drama being like a soap opera, that'll still get you the major vibes, by hook or by crook.
Is it worth a watch? Yeah...if you're the kind who wants to venture the road less travelled, but for everyone else, keep your expectations in check.
JunjiSeishin
If you've seen any slice of life anime, then you've basically seen this. I can see it's potential but it's overshadowed by every trope ever being brought in. Girl who was bullied is liked by the main dude who's super popular, but then everyone immediately likes her because he said so. I don't feel like they have any sort of chemistry at all either, and don't get me started on how much she cries. Every single episode she's bound to cry a few times. Every character is generic, every plotline is generic. All their relationships just don't feel believable for the most part. If anyone hasan issue or doubts about the MC, then they're immediately a bad person. It was almost interesting when the bullies were introduced at the start, but that immediately gets solved.
You're better off watching something else.
valchurie_
For most, it's just a simple romance anime but for me it’s a deeply relatable story for anyone who has struggled with social anxiety or the scars of bullying. Uka who was bullied in the past, and it completely altered the way she views friendships. She constantly fears being a burden and walks on eggshells around others, not because she’s weak, but because it’s a defense mechanism. As someone who was also bullied in high school (and even in college), I deeply relate to Uka’s avoidant nature. The way she hesitates, overthinks, and second-guesses herself is painfully accurate. This anime beautifully portrays how past trauma canshape a person, but it also highlights the importance of kindness and true friendship.
Despite its emotional weighted plot, the director managed to keep things light with fun and cute animation. While some moments feel a bit silly, there are visually charming scenes; like the bouquet of flowers and the moment when Uka injures her foot on a box. These little details make the anime feel more expressive and heartfelt!!!
Overall, this anime is a reminder that not everyone is like the bullies from our past. There are people who genuinely care, and true friends will always be there when you need them.
Spast1c
Honey lemon soda has got to be the corniest anime This season. Honey Lemon Soda Is a sub par Shoujo Romance anime with horrible characters and is just overall unlikeable. Alot of the things about this show are just so over the top unrealistic and just hard to watch. Most of the time the anime was about Uka's fantasy esc (Like romance fantasizing) monologues about Kai and her being like "Oh my gosh has so hot' Blah blah blah. The characters are just plain unlikeable and annoying, Treating Kai like a god and most of the characters are just plain annoying, Especially the MCUka was just unrealistically written and plain annoying.
The plot in the anime is just horrible, The backstory for Uka has got to be some of the sloppiest writing I have seen before, The bullying backstory was some of the most unrealistic garbage that we've seen in a long while. The rest of the plot is Uka just navigating through different troubles from her past bullying issues and her parents being overprotective and blah blah blah but all of it being extremely unrealistic and just portrayed horribly and alot of the time just borderline horrible.
The animation is not bad but not good either all of the characters design's are just way to bright and sometimes a Eyesore to look at. The backdrops are extremely average and you can tell that the main focus was to make the male characters just as attractive as they possibly could which alot of other anime do but there is just such an emphasis on it especially with Kai.
Sloppy mediocre garbage. 3/10
atbrightstories
i have no problem with shy introverted people but this anime is annoying. there are very unstable emotional ebbs and flows. the girl is really, really irritating. everything is so clichéd. i know it's an adaptation of an old fiction but i still didn't expect the changes to be this bad. the manga also started very boring so I left it unfinished. i made a mistake watching it, nothing got better until the end. i think it's the worst of the many similar fictions. i can understand why it's compared to kimi ni todoke but i disagree. they're as different as a and w.
Chad_Snow
TDLR: A really underrated show that's definitely worth watching. This story has a few things you don't always see, character development and a romance that goes somewhere. I always see people describe certain anime characters as "autistic". I don't know how appropriate that diagnostic is but the way certain characters in certain animes are written could certainly be perceived that way. It's important to remember that Japan is a different culture with its own rules, ways of expressions, cultural norms, and personalities. It can be frustrating to watch a neurotypical character struggle to do the most basic things or have the simplest of conversations; you cant helpbut even wonder how they even made it that far in life. This anime's main character has many moments like that. In this case, that's the point; that's the characters main aspect and what she works to overcome over the anime.
This anime is definitely a hidden gem and I do thinks it's worth watching but it's not without its shortcomings. I'm going to be a bit harsh and overly-picky. The plot can seem repetitive, characters seemingly go around in circles, having to overcome problems they seemingly already addressed or solved. This anime also does something (and I understand this might be more common in Japanese culture) where a crowd of people (mostly one-note background/supporting characters) need to witness something and react to it. It's not enough that the MC and love interest have these interactions, it doesn't "count" unless all the background characters can witness it and react to it. The background characters can all sort of blend into one, and overall be very one dimensional. Aside from acting as an in-universe representation for the viewers, the background characters can become somewhat stale or even annoying. The love interest also doesn't really have much depth. A dark past or shady connections is hinted at but not really explored. He's edgy and attractive and every girl wants him, so of course he wants the MC that's "plain", nerdy, doesn't speak, and has never been noticed by another human soul in any positive way (this has certainly never been done in anime before). It's never actually revealed just what he likes about her.
I really like how this anime actually makes note of how awkward, slow, and socially inept the MC is and works to get her to change in a positive way. It also doesn't happen overnight like you see in some amines. Though I do feel that it could have been paced better. I like how it addresses bullying and shows that it can happen to anyone and how that dynamic can change if you really work on it. I like how it doesn't present her parents (mostly her father) as these cool, hip, young, go-with-the-flow, down for anything parents like certain animes do. They are shown as realistic, strict, worrying, traditional, and even stifling representation that I don't imagine is too different from many actual parents in Japan. It's even shown how their actions cause the MC to be the way she is. This aired along the second half of Blue Box and compared to the progress made there, the anime is miles ahead (though I would be remise if I didn't mention Blue Box is an overall slightly better anime).
All in all, I think this anime has a lot to offer. I think you definitely should watch it. It actually has progress and what I thought was a pleasant ending. It's optimistic and hopeful; qualities that are much needed these days.
Autumnium
Honey Lemon Soda is the definition of a "comfort anime", in the most simple and easy to understand terms, it is something you can put on when you're feeling down and immediately feel good. The story itself is easy to grasp, you know what will happen, you know how the main girl will struggle, and you know how the male love interest will respond, and that's what is great about it. The art style is gorgeous, especially the character designs, they stick out like a rose in a sea of weeds. Honey Lemon Soda is a great introduction to the Shoujo demographic as a whole!
Comet_Official
So I randomly came across this anime because I saw the dub version was almost finished airing and I decided to give it a go. I was NOT disappointed as this was such a cute romance anime. A lot of people complained about her being overly emotional but I think that adds a lot of depth to her character and made the story that much more enjoyable. Shes growing and adapting from a sheltered kid who was bullied to a young woman who can express how she feels to the guy she loves. The character development in this anime was TOP TIER and I mustsay the story development was also very well paced. It wasn't too fast of a development but it also wasn't a drag like most other romance anime. Its a perfect blend for a romance anime that might make you tear up a little bit!
w1ntrs
Honey Lemon Soda is a solid and charming coming-of-age romance that, while not entirely groundbreaking, it still delivers a heartwarming experience that fans of the romance/shouju genre can appreciate. The show draws a lot of parallels to Kimi ni Todoke, and while the similarities might seem repetitive to some. At times, there is a comfort in familiarity, and Honey Lemon Soda will deliver on that for those of you who enjoy familiar stories. Much like Kimi ni Todoke, the characters in Honey Lemon Soda share a similar character-dynamic. Shy, misunderstood girl and a quiet, but popular kind-hearted boy who slowly build a relationship. Whilethe characters were enjoyable, I felt that it could have been more fleshed out. The protagonist is likable but doesn't have the depth or complexity that could elevate her from the average shouju MC to great. However, the character development was still satisfying. Hopefully there will be more to their characters in the future.
The sound design in Honey Lemon Soda is one of the standout aspects of the series. The soundtrack is vibrant and perfectly complements the emotional beats, adding depth to the overall experience. The art style was also solid, not the best at times, but did seem to get better as the show progressed.
Final thoughts - Honey Lemon Soda does not reinvent the wheel, but it's similarites to other shouju anime works in its favor rather than detracting from it. The feel-good romance, solid animation and excellent sound design make it an enjoyable watch. I wouldn't go into this anime expecting anything ground-breaking. While the obvious similarities to 'Kimi ni Todoke' are there, don't exhaust yourself into disliking the anime comparing the two. This is just a feel good anime you can turn your brain off to watch.
Story - 6/10
Characters - 6.5/10
Sound - 8/10
Art - 7/10
Overall - 7/10
kiyo_seibah
Okay, so first of all, shoujo isn't really my cup of tea. Especially classic school romance shoujo. And bcs it's a shoujo anime, the target audience are teenage girls so the drama or conflict in this anime are your typical "i have a crush on this popular guy, but I'm just an ordinary girl" so it was very cliche and boring. So yea the story wasn't really great. And so is the characters. The main character is ur typical "to be so so" shoujo mc, and yes she cried in every episode. But tbh i get her struggles and i do relate to her abit (like her awkwardness and anxiety) but yea she's annoying to be fair. But she has a bit of development tho (and more in the manga or so i heard). For the male lead, tbh i don't get what makes him attractive (besides his pretty face) i mean his personality or something. He's pretty basic guy and I don't see him as a husbu material (unlike miyamura or Kyo sohma)
Graphic are ur standard shoujo anime graphic and scoring are pretty spot on.
Overall, nothing really special, it was cliche and has nothing to standout. Both stories and characters aren't great.
But plus points for a vibrant opening and ending!
griddyweeb
I feel a bit conflicted about this anime. It started off annoying and stayed that way for a long time, towards the end it became more interesting and all in all the ending was good, but could've been done even better. It doesn't nearly make up for how bad the first ~8 episodes were, but recency bias is a thing so I ended up rating it 7 while labeling it with mixed feelings. The main issue with the anime is how one dimensional it was for the most part. We have Ishimori who is a hopeless shy and anxious girl due to *drum roll* bullying inthe past, how original. And of course we have the male lead, Miura, who for some reason decided to look out for her and eventually fall for her too, which is again very original. Not that there's a problem with recycled romance stories, but it has to done well to make it interestin. However Honey Lemon Soda does nothing for the first ~8 episodes besides sending Ishimori into a near endless cycle of fighting her social anxiety and coming out of her shell utilizing common tropes and setbacks. The whole sob story doesn't justify how painfully slow her development was and it doesn't make for a dramatic or deep story at all.
The characters are decent in the grand scheme of things if we can look past Ishimori's annoying level of shyness. Nothing to go crazy about and the characters can be just as annoying as the storytelling sometimes, but I'd say the characters are the only thing that will keep you going forward during the boring early episodes.
The ending and the last few episodes is what salvages the show, even though it wasn't done perfectly either. The way the confession turned out made sense from the characters' standpoints, it was sweet and the confession (or more like the conclusion) stretched out into the entire last episode instead of being a single big moment, which was a good choice and paid off. And just in general the last few episodes where Ishimore picked up the pace and came to terms with her feelings was just a much better experience than the rest of the show.
Also episode 11 deserves its own paragraph. There was a major shift in direction, which didn't really fit the show and it was more like a flop. It was a very artistic episode in terms of direction for sure, it was extremely packed with story development and the pace was way too fast, in that term it felt like a waste how slow the previous episodes were. Despite the different direction not working out, I'm still happy they went with it and gave it a shot, I believe these experiments are a good thing regardless of the result. And honestly if it was done in a different anime, it could've worked out.
The OST was really nice, animation was lacking many times.
Basically the anime is slow and boring for ~8 episodes but the rest of the anime is good, it has a decent payoff.
Guthem
This anime has a differential of other school anime, is worth the time invested Although in some situations he follows a very predictable course, in general he will leave his heart hot The development of the characters is gradual. Get ready to cling to more than one character. That's right! This is not the ordinary anime, with 2 characters, the others participate! Be enchanted by beautiful actions, be angry at tense or unfair moments The arches are clear. Yes, there is the episode of the beach, but it has a positive point in this anime, which is the way the characters grow on the scene. It isgood
At times you will cheer for the cliché to pass far, but will be frustrated, at least in some facts, because others is very comforting to see things happening (the evolution of a character)
And curious, a character is clearly good and protective, and this opens in a very tense, revolting arc
Watch, you will like
Acepir
Honey Lemon Soda is a beautiful soft, and fuzzy anime. Lovely coming-of-age romance, though slightly predictable. The way Ishimori is such a soft, and overly emotional character is a refreshing scene to see. Her character growth while staying this shy girl is incredibly wholesome, peaks of confidence coming through here and there. Development is slightly slow but well paced, each episode brings something to the story that is just right, not too slow or too fast. The handsome/popular male lead x shy/bullied female lead, is not normally something I'm into, but the way it was handled in this anime with such a fun, and extremely lovingside cast has made me love it like no other, and will hopefully do the same for those that aren't necessarily fond it of it as well.
Big recommend to those who love soft characters, and friends that will support them through out it all.
underyourcouch
I really wanted to like Honey Lemon Soda, but it became kind of a chore to watch each week, and I kept watching just for the sake of finishing it. The art is great, and the character designs look nice. The OP and ED are also cool and give off a fresh vibe. They perfectly fit the lemon soda and summer theme the show is going for. So why don’t I recommend it? Well, mostly because the show feels slow and dragging. Everything moves too slowly, it feels like every frame lingers a bit too long. Scenes and conversations could be more impactfulif they were shorter but filled with more meaning.
The animation is average—lots of stills with just the mouth moving or panning over a static shot. There are worse animated shows, but also far better ones.
The character's personalities are superficial or just plain flat. The problems they face aren’t particularly challenging either; some seem more suited for children or are just cliché. Most of the drama could have been avoided entirely if the characters talked to one another instead of acting based on assumptions.
The interactions between the FL and ML remain almost the same: FL is too shy to do X, ML drags her along in some way, FL completes X, and everyone praises her. However, she then falls back into her insecurities, unable to do even the most basic things on her own, remaining dependent on ML. This cycle repeats, and it gets old fast.
Additionally, the ML is always annoyed and kinda rude, yet he’s the most popular guy in school—and we’re never given a clear reason why.
Overall, this show is just plain average in every aspect and gives you no reason to choose it over any other romance anime out there. There are definitely better romance anime to watch instead, so you’re better off picking one of those.
Kyou_Ryuu
Sweet and bubbly like soda, but artificial like saccharine and citric acid. I would have loved something more natural, like real honey and lemon juice. Story-wise, the series has good main characters showing significant growth. Especially Ishimori, the female lead, has a very strong development for a mere 12-episodes show. Miura, the male protagonist, doesn't undergo the same development, but he is at least a complex character. Unfortunately the rest of the cast is almost non-existent. They are just cardboards defined by their relationship with the MCs ("Ishimori's bully", "Miura's friend", etc.). They LITERALLY have nothing else going for them. Even Serina, the most fleshed-out sidecharacter, has no characterization beside being "in love with Miura" and "friend with Ishimori". She appears more complex just because she carries 2 labels instead of 1, like all the other characters.
From a writing perspective, pacing needs to be reviewed: we have super-slow episodes alternating with rushed ones.
Moreover, sometimes the plot forces the drama without any in-character or in-story justification.
But the true issue is dialogue. Most of the show is plagued with cringe lines that no one would ever hear in a real life conversation.
From a technical perspective, the good direction isn't supported by the animation. The best level the show can reach is seasonal average, but in some episodes the quality drops significantly. It's a pity because there are scenes with incredible good composition and dynamics.
From the sound perspective, the OST is decent although not stellar, with some exceptions, e.g. the main piano theme. OP and ED by &Team are catchy and singable, perfect for a shōjo. Voice acting is OK, with Ichinose (Ishimori) being the best by far.
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Not a bad anime, but a lot of wasted potential. Considering the character growth of the female lead, with good writing and decent animation this could have been one of the best romance of the last few years.
Recommended ONLY if you enjoy shōjo, with all its tropes, and you don't mind poor production value to get it.
cinnymin_
Disclaimer - This review is going to be biased as I have been reading and collecting Honey Lemon Soda since 2015. Hence, this manga and its characters are very dear to my heart. If you are looking for a classic shoujo anime with the nostalgic trope of a bullied, damsel-in-distress heroine who wants to change, and the rebellious, popular and extremely handsome hero who brings her out of her shell, then Honey Lemon Soda is literally it! Uka is a very wholesome character who is constantly striving to improve. Although her emotional side might make you annoyed, its hard not to cry with her when sheis trying so hard to be happy. I love Uka's character with my whole heart and will cry every time she does 🥹
Kai is the typical nonchalant hero, but really he cares deeply for the people around him, especially Uka. 10 years ago I would've immediately folded for him but after watching the anime, his character can come off a little cringe 🌝 Regardless, he is an important figure for Uka's change and is extremely patient and respectful of her growth and family!
If you were looking for an anime with an exciting plot and unique characters, this is not it. Honey Lemon Soda is very cliche and focuses more on the relationships and gradual character development of the main characters.
Just to comment specifically on the anime, I did find the animation was okay at best. They did well to capture Mayu Murata's art and the personality of the characters, though I did think Kai had more personality than I was expecting.
Regardless, highly recommend if you love typical high school romance animes !
[MANGA SPOILER]
It's sad that the anime ended right when their relationship was about to take off because this was the part of the manga that made me fall in love with their relationship, more than the individual characters. Uka gets to do her part and become Kai's biggest support system, and its just so lovely to see him finally be vulnerable about his back story.
ameRi1022
if you're looking for a light and simple slice of life shoujo with a bit of drama mixed in, I think this is perfect. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, some may think it's cringe-worthy but honestly you can't judge MC's actions probably unless you've been in the same level of anxiety or years of bottled up emotions just to pretend being happy, to your parents. Besides, Ishimori actually takes a lot of improvement than most people in reality. If you are used to being locked in a comfort zone then you'd still have trouble handling new things (like the stutters, stammers) evenif you have so much will to change it, it realistically doesn't completely change right away. I wouldn't wanna compare it to Kimi no Todoke but it did remind me a bit of it, like a very 'mild' version. It's one of the a bit above average shoujo you'll get amongst the many shoujo animes out there but I'm glad it can make you giggle and blush at times.
I wish MAL allowed half ratings cuz I'd actually rate it about 6.8 : D
