Honey Lemon Soda Anime Review: Sweet Romance & Self-Discovery

Honey Lemon Soda

Have you ever had a point in life where you were determined to start anew? Perhaps you wanted to get away from past burdens or even the old you, but either way, the determination to start a newer and better chapter in life remains unchanged. The new direction may come with drastic changes to oneself or even your environment, but the most important thing is the willingness to change and act accordingly. So while we embrace the changes, turns, discoveries, adventures and people to become a better version of yourself, make sure you never lose sight of who you truly are inside…

“Honey Lemon Soda” is a 12-episode TV anime series that aired from the 9th of January until the 27th of March in Winter 2025. Pierrot, TMS Entertainment, Fuji TV, BS Fuji, Crunchyroll, and Unlimited Produce by TMS were the producers, while Studio J.C.Staff brought it to life. The main staff behind it include Shibata Aoi as assistant producer, Nishikiori Hiroshi as director and episode director and on storyboard, Ootera Fumihiko as sound director, and Yamamoto Yutaka as episode director and on storyboard. Targeting the shoujo demographic, it features the genre of romance alongside the main theme of school. Each episode ran for a total of 22 minutes and earned an overall rating of PG-13 for teenagers 13 years or older. It was even released on Blu-ray as a box set on the 25th of June 2025.

The anime is based on the manga of the same title, which began publication on the 28th of December 2015 and is still ongoing. Serialized in Ribon Magazine, it is the work of author and artist Murata Mayu. The series was nominated for the 45th Kodansha Manga Awards in the shoujo category back in 2021 and was ranked 40th on Da Vinci magazine's "Book of the Year" list during the same year. It got published in English via Yen Press on the 17th of January 2023 and was even adapted into a Japanese live-action movie, which premiered on the 9th of July 2021.

The story is centered around protagonist Uka Ishimori, who is a first-year high school student with many aspirations. The one thing she wants the most, though, is a fresh start in life, to change the person she used to be and become someone far better. As it turns out, she didn’t have a wonderful middle school life; she was given the weird nickname "Rocky" by her classmates due to being misunderstood as someone with zero emotions when in reality she was just super shy and introverted. Her peers relentlessly bullied her due to these traits, resulting in a lonely and isolated school life. But now, things are going to change! At least that’s what she thought until the unexpected happened during the first week of school: poor Uka got completely drenched in lemon soda owing to an accident by her male classmate Kai Miura. What’s more, Kai’s super cool personality is the complete opposite of her own. Following this incident, she starts to surprisingly notice that Kai was now doing small acts of kindness for her, all of which are encouraging her to slowly but surely break out of her shell. So much like the very lemon soda that started it all, bubbly and exciting feelings begin to stir between the two as Uka marches forward to a future she never imagined…

Before I even start this review, let it be known that I am not a big fan of most shoujo anime. But every now and then, I do come across a series that I find to be decent and enjoyable, like in the case of Kimi no Todoke. The premise of Honey Lemon Soda sounds very familiar, and that’s because its central character is a shy and introverted girl meeting the seemingly perfect guy at school, which kicks off a series of events that change everything around them. So if you are a fan of Kimi no Todoke, Skip to Loafer, or even Komi Can’t Communicate, there’s a high chance you’ll enjoy this one. But be warned that the story department is not the strongest, because while it is quite heartwarming at times, it feels like the kind of tale we have witnessed countless times before without any outstanding virtues. The plot lacks uniqueness, resembling every other shoujo of its type. The story is clearly not what we call a dynamic narrative, as it is coupled with inconsistent pacing that is too slow at times but rushed during others. Formulaic and predictable, do not expect major twists or groundbreaking events to unfold because this is the same cringy teenage romance you’ve seen multiple times before, with some added corniness and cheesiness.

In the character department, it is safe to say that they’re the ones running the show instead of some plot that needs to unfold. However, the protagonist herself poses a problem, as I found her difficult to like. I didn't actively dislike her, unlike my intense dislike for Nanami from Kamisama Kiss, but I simply found Uka to be unrelatable and not particularly endearing, akin to Sawako in Kimi no Todoke. Yes, she is an introvert with scars from the past, but her insecurity is so overwhelmingly huge that it gave me a headache at times. Instead of winning my sympathy or getting me to root for her, she made me want to slap her across the face and say, “Get it together already!”

Her inaction is just that annoying sometimes, making her a huge contributing factor as to why this story goes nowhere. Kai is her polar opposite, the ever-so-perfect guy that might as well be royalty with plenty of charm, support, and positivity to throw around. My main gripe here is that this man is just too perfect, but I suppose that is to be expected from shoujo like this. His role in the narrative is to become Uka’s knight in shining armor against all the social perils that she encounters, but at least his cheerfulness and warmth make him fairly endearing. There’s not much to say about the supporting characters outside the fact that they all have outstanding potential for growth. They are mostly Kai’s friends and act as key factors affecting Uka’s development, but I feel they were done a disservice by not getting their own character If any future seasons explore these, I would honestly prefer to see them over Uka's stagnant nature.

The strongest aspect of the show is the art and animation department. The character designs are all attractive and memorable, with plenty of eye-catching colors for the hair and eyes, alongside exaggerated facial features. They manage to stand out even within the shoujo genre with the fantasy-infused color palette and soft features that give each character a unique vibe reminiscent of their personality. The animation is surprisingly fluid, making the movements more impactful than they should be and conveying more of the "story" than the narrative. The backgrounds and scenes mainly employ soft pastel shades to create the kind of warm and romantic environment this show is trying to convey, and the characters blend seamlessly into them.

The sound and music department is also decent, following a quiet and soothing vibe that’s well suited for this kind of show. The OSTs do not disrupt anything and blend well with the visuals, perfectly bringing out the gentle tone of the series. While not as memorable as the artwork, they do a great job of enhancing the emotional scenes and even create a strange sense of soothing ambiance. The opening theme is "Magic Hour" by &TEAM, and the ending theme is "Wonderful World" by &TEAM, both of which are pieces well suited to the genre but aren’t particularly memorable. The voice acting is generally good, but it's not particularly noteworthy. While I felt like violently shaking Uka multiple times, I must admit the VA did an amazing job bringing out every ounce of that insecurity and making it very believable indeed.

Overall, “Honey Lemon Soda” is a sweet and feel-good kind of show that focuses on the MC’s growth and the warmth of budding romance. Regrettably, I found it lacking in the emotional depth and charm I experienced in series such as Kimi no Todoke. I honestly feel this show could’ve been much better if Uka wasn’t so insecure and inactive, and the predictable plotline everyone marches on holds little appeal for me. As I said before, I am generally not a big fan of most shoujo, so I feel I may be a little harsh on this one, which definitely does have some merits. The characters hold great potential and the focus on growth is nice; both aspects need to be explored further, and the artwork is definitely beautiful. Therefore, if you're a general fan of shoujo, especially those with prominent slice-of-life elements, you might find this light-hearted show enjoyable, as it doesn't rush to advance any grand plot. Despite its slow start, you'll need to overcome it to truly engage, but it's still a decent show that you can enjoy in a relaxed manner.