Review of Honey Lemon Soda

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