Review of Honey Lemon Soda

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.