Honey Lemon Soda

Honey Lemon soda is one of your usual shoujo animes. You have Ishimori, who is the shy girl that gets bullied, only her anxiety is upped to the max and then you have the popular guy Kai, everyone is a fan of Kai. You can already tell where this is going, the bullied and socially awkward girl Ishimori will grow out of her shell with the help of our boy Kai. She decides to go to the highschool where bro goes only because they randomly met one day and he picked up some papers for her. It all reminds you of Kimi ni Todoke right? ... Only Kimi ni Todoke is far better than this. Kazehaya is actually a likeable guy and our guy Kai here sleeps in random places and is constantly annoyed. He always tells people to buzz off and shut up and yet somehow the whole class puts him on a pedestal. That Kai praised a girl? That Kai did that? That Kai?

Then there's the bullying, I just cannot take it seriously, it's like the bullies are taken out of a Disney movie or something, they call her stone to bully her and then Kai comes in with the corniest one liner ever, you may be a stone but you're a gem stone, seriously, the dialogue is bad, its stiff and cringe.

The animation is very average and not worth discussing, altough the art style is good. There's one scene where the boyfriends of 2 girls that bully her come to what beat her up in a classroom? Then our hero Kai comes in and throws a desk at them and they run away like they've seen death or something, I couldn't hold in my laughter.

Comparing it again to Kimi ni Todoke because they're so similar, the side cast is boring, there's nothing to say about them unlike the former, and Ishimori, unlike Sawako, is just meh, she's way too stiff and awkard, the endearing part of Kimi ni Todoke was how despite everything, it was Sawako trying her best to get her feelings across and Kazehaya was just helping her a little from behind, in this anime, this guy Kai is a thought reading plot moving device, he always comes in to save her and tell her what to do while looking annoyed of course.
In conclusion, there's no strong reason you should watch this, Kimi ni Todoke is this anime but a lot better.

Overview:

Finally, an anime title without a marathon-length name! Honey Lemon Soda tells the story of an ultra-introverted and painfully insecure girl named Uka Ishimori, who struggles to fit in at school. Through a chance encounter, she meets Kai Miura, the dazzlingly handsome and ever-so-kind male lead who helps her find her voice, make friends, and navigate her high school years. Along the way, romance blossoms as Uka starts to discover her true self.

If this premise sounds familiar, it’s because it leans heavily on the tried-and-true formula of shy girl meets a prince-charming-boyfriend who changes her life. Think Skip to Loafer meets Kimi ni Todoke, with ... a dash of Komi Can’t Communicate for the introvert-focused appeal.

Plot and Themes:

The story wastes no time in establishing Uka’s struggles. She's socially awkward and overwhelmed by self-doubt, making it nearly impossible to enjoy her school life. Cue Kai Miura, the archetypal “perfect guy” who’s not only attractive but also effortlessly kind and supportive. Through his guidance (and the support of his lively group of friends), Uka starts to come out of her shell and experience the joys of youth.

While the plot is designed to be heartwarming, it doesn’t escape feeling derivative. It’s hard to shake the impression that we’ve seen this before, and the early episodes don’t do much to distinguish Honey Lemon Soda from its genre predecessors. The pacing also feels a little slow at times, but then rushed on others, like he helped me ao i must be in love! which may test the patience of viewers seeking more dynamic storytelling.

Characters:

Here lies the show’s biggest challenge: the main character, Uka. Unlike relatable and endearing introverts like Sawako from Kimi ni Todoke or Komi from Komi Can’t Communicate, Uka struggles to capture the viewer’s sympathy in the first few episodes. Her insecurity is so overwhelming that it comes across as frustrating rather than charming. Instead of rooting for her, I found myself wanting to shake her into action.

Kai, on the other hand, embodies the classic prince archetype—charming, supportive, and a little too perfect. His role as the hero who saves Uka from her social struggles is predictable, though his cheerful personality adds warmth to the story. The supporting cast, particularly Kai’s entourage of friends, offers glimpses of potential for character development, but their arcs remain largely underexplored early on.

Art and Animation:

The visuals are a highlight of the series. While the character designs lean into the fantastical with eye-catching hair colors and exaggerated eyes, they manage to stand out in a genre often constrained by sameness. The animation is fluid, and the use of soft, pastel tones creates a dreamy, romantic atmosphere that suits the story’s vibe. Side notes do those EYES stand out to all of you like they do to me?! I am not sure if i love it or hate it, but for whatever reason it catches my EYE!

Music:

The soundtrack is calm and unobtrusive, perfectly complementing the gentle tone of the show. While it’s not particularly memorable, the music does its job of enhancing the emotional moments and creating a soothing ambiance.

Final Thoughts:

Honey Lemon Soda aims to be a sweet, feel-good anime about personal growth and budding romance. However, it doesn’t quite reach the emotional depth or charm of its predecessors in the genre. The protagonist’s lack of appeal early on, combined with a predictable plot, holds the series back from being something truly special.

That said, it’s not without its merits. The artwork is lovely, and the foundation for character growth is there if the show decides to explore it fully. If you enjoy light, slice-of-life romance stories and don’t mind a slow start, this might be worth a watch—just keep your expectations modest.

Rating: 6/10

🟢New anime NO SPOILER early review
Story: insecure bullied girl who's afraid to speak has an encounter in which she makes a choice to go to a public school instead of a smart kids school. This is story of a girl coming out of her shell with the help of her love interest, lemon soda.

Opinion: Except the random theme of Lemon soda being thrown at you, this anime makes me feel fuzzy. I watch it in the morning, the warm colors art, BGM and pace is very relaxing. This is a love story where a guy changes the girl's world, this is a story of watching ... the MC take little steps one by one to confront her bullies, her fears, her challenges to grow and change as a person. I can't help myself but to root for her and drink lemon soda.

🔥HOT BONUSES:
1. All female have the same unique drawing of moe eyes, but that shape + the MC's yellow color eyes = Lemon slice eyes.
2. No lemon soda bottles were harmed in this anime, only people.
3. Did i mention Lemon Soda already? Sprite please collab.

⚠️: I will edit this review at the end of the season with my final thoughts with no spoilers at my "Anime List" on my profile, i will NOT delete this early review. If you want to check the season review or other anime reviews i do, you can check it here: https://myanimelist.net/animelist/Ron014

At first, I liked this anime, especially the atmosphere of its scenes, which were filled with soothing piano melodies. Besides that, the opening and ending music were also incredibly cool. I really loved them. I even thought this would become my favorite anime of the season, but after watching up to three episodes, I started to lose patience with its flat plot. Even though the animation quality was bad and stiff, I could still tolerate it as long as the story or plot was engaging. However, *Honey Lemon Soda* couldn’t even offer me anything exciting to develop its narrative. It felt like those Wattpad stories ... written by middle school girls in between their after-school breaks—very plain and boring.

The conflict in the early episodes was quite thrilling and tense, in my opinion, but objectively speaking, it might come across as "just okay." The bullying that happened wasn’t that dramatic, lacked emotional impact, and was very cliché. Not to mention how the "blond prince" kept helping our main character while showing his irritation—it really annoyed me.

What made me finally decide to drop this anime was my outburst of anger when I saw the "blond prince" refer to our protagonist as an "inanimate object." Even though it was meant as a joke, I found it completely unacceptable. On top of that, the way our main character responded so foolishly, which somehow made her fall for him even more, made my frustration boil over.

This isn’t the worst anime out there, but you’re better off not watching it. There are plenty of other high school romance anime that are far better than this one.

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’t ... even 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!

Even though it was enjoyable and warm for a while, we're 4 episodes in and it's just another basic Romance Shoujo. The story hasn't progressed and the girl has no will and no personality beyond her feelings towards the main love interest. Said love interest is very annoyed every time he does something nice, while everyone fawns over him for acting like a decent human being. Honestly tired of this trope.

And because MyAnimeList doesn't think the above is enough: rest of the characters have no depth either, and the conversations are a bit superficial as well. I kept watching, waiting for something to happen, ... and it might, but I don't think I want to waste more time on this.

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 Love ... You 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.

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 MC ... Uka 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

A refreshing taste of a already told story

I watched the first 7 episodes in one sitting and I was soooo disapointed to not have more of it.

Ishimori is a bit of an outcast and have 0 social skill. She's aware of it and recognise it as her biggest flaws. Her encounter with Miura gives her the little push she need and makes her explore the social high school experience fully while being actively protected by him. She also discovers what is love and must decides how she'll act on this opportunity.

Friendship created between unlikely characters, love triangle, school festival, this anime has it.

The ... animations colors are vibrant and the characters design have a little "je ne sais quoi" that gives the overall look of it really uplifting. What set this anime aside visually is the way they draw eyes and the emotions that they are communicating with them.

I am looking forward the next episode.

this anime made me realize i'm not a teenager anymore, because i'm unfortunately not able to gobble this type of content anymore... it was too cringe for me and not a fun experience
RIP TEENAGEHOOD, you were good to me <3

anyway, try it because its visually beautiful, and younger audiences do pardon the type of female lead she is...
I don't, she's a BORE
maybe it was going to evolve into a more complex story, to make more sense, but there are so many animes that i prefer to spend my time on, its really sad, i was supper hyped for this

It's not like any school anime. She is not the girl who, after meeting the person she likes, is cured and becomes the most wonderful person in the world.
It's a slow romance anime, quite real that anyone in high school could have (where most of us are silly and inexperienced).

(+)
- The opening is wonderful.
- The plot maintains its story throughout all the chapters. If something happens in the first episode, it affects the next ones.
- Characters created naturally both physically and mentally (nothing disproportionate. They are 15 year olds, so it is normal for them to have these behaviors).


(-)
- At first the characters can be ... strange since they have very strong and persistent attitudes.


Let's hope there will be a second season

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.

Every single shoujo high school romance troupe squeezed into one show. My first mistake was watching it in dub. The mc voice was so bad, but at least the other characters were okay BUT mc talks a lot. The mc character is bland and unlikable. The guy literally talked to her once and she fell in love :/ like girllll srsly get over it, its just a guy. I knew it was a romance but the only reason I watched the show was because the title looked interesting. If you really like high school romances then this is right up your alley

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 can ... shape 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.

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 help ... but 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.

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 must ... say 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!

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!

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.

At first, I didn't really get what this anime was about, a lot of the scenes felt kinda thrown together and I was unsure about the direction this anime was heading in, untill my impatient ass watched the second episode and it made sense

I haven't dived deep into shoujo animanga media as much as others have (even though I absolutly love romance). But if this is my introdcution, I am not dissapointed.

My biggest compliment would probably go to the art, which at first seemed kinda shoujou generic, but with the beautiful blend of realistic backrounds and the classic shoujou artstyle that I have ... at least seen, it left me pretty amazed

The characters aren't anything to write home about, Ishimori, our main girl, is pretty cute and relatable but her personaility and struggles are not things I haven't seen before. Kai is pretty cool but again, not special or genre-defying. The side characters at large, suck. Thats it.

But, their dyanmics together are so sweet, and after the snoozefest Blue Box was after there was so little romance and slow pacing, Honey Lemon Soda at least keeps my everlasting love for romance alive for this season at least. Since I have already caught up to Kuroiwa and Okinawa. I digress, but Ishikawa gaining confidence through Kai's efforts is pretty cutesy in my opinion.

From a recommendation stand point, I dont think this will be for everyone. So it gets mixed feelings from me. Give it a watch to expand your horizons maybe.

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. While ... the 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