Review of Honey Lemon Soda

Directed toward a tween girl audience, this anime does well to portray high school romance and friendship through the lens of a girl who is most probably autistic - experiencing social anxiety mixed with an inability to recognize social constructs and grasp human communication. When bullies often bully another student, they take their name away. The main character shows how she earns her name back though her actions and character. She does this with the help of a popular kid who recognizes her good qualities. Our actions show our character and we can bring the character out of others. Her presence and social difficulty causesher classmates to reflect on themselves and pay attention to the good qualities of others.

As the main character leans what a “vibe” is and exclaims “maybe I’m not vibing right,” The anime is relatable to young viewers having the same questions and experiencing the same social awkwardness in school.