The start of a new year can represent many things. For some of us, it means new anime series to enjoy, and 2025 is not lacking in promising, highly anticipated options. From the upcoming romantic comedy Zenshu to the conclusion of the epic Dr. Stone, anime fans are spoiled for choice. Among these is Honey Lemon Soda, a new shoujo manga adaptation that, despite some faults, might just steal your heart. With a heartwarming coming-of-age story, a relatable main character, and a charming depiction of falling in love for the first time, this bubbly teenage romance promises to be a worthy addition to your watchlist.
What Is ‘Honey Lemon Soda’ About?

The story revolves around shy and reserved Uka Ishimori, a 15-year-old girl determined to make her high school life a positive experience after enduring years of bullying and ostracization in middle school. Uka, nicknamed “Rocky” for her stoic demeanor, would freeze up in awkward social situations and never showed emotion even in the face of constant teasing. Despite these painful experiences, Uka enters high school with an optimistic outlook, ready to turn her life around and leave her past behind. However, things get off to a rocky start on her first day when Uka is accidentally drenched in lemon soda by Kai Miura, a laidback classmate with striking lemon-colored hair. While the incident is mortifying, it also sparks a connection between the two.
On the surface, Kai is everything Uka is not: popular, confident, and unafraid to speak his mind. Despite their differences — or perhaps because of them — Kai takes an interest in Uka. He becomes her unofficial guardian and guide to high school life, standing up for her, encouraging her to express herself, and helping her break free from her “Rocky” curse. Initially, Uka is focused on building friendships and simply enjoying her high school experience. Yet, as Uka’s bond with Kai deepens, she begins to feel emotions she has never experienced before. What starts as gratitude and admiration quickly grows into something more, leading to a heartfelt coming-of-age love story filled with personal growth and self-discovery.
‘Honey Lemon Soda’s Main Characters Might Be Hard to Love at First

Image via J.C.STAFF

It’s difficult not to compare Honey Lemon Soda with other recent shoujo anime series that feature similar romance dynamics, such as Kimi Ni Todoke: From Me to You and My Happy Marriage. Both of these series excel at creating layered characters and deeply emotional storytelling. In contrast, Honey Lemon Soda takes a bit longer to establish enough context to make its main characters fully likable, which might be a drawback for some viewers. Uka’s inferiority complex and self-deprecating attitude can become grating early on. Her constant self-doubt and negative inner monologue may leave viewers frustrated, especially in the beginning. However, as the story progresses and offers more insight into her traumatic past, it becomes easier to empathize with her struggles. Years of relentless bullying and exclusion have deeply affected her self-esteem, giving her journey of growth and healing more depth and meaning. Watching Uka slowly peel back the layers of her trauma to embrace her true self adds emotional depth to her character, making her growth satisfying despite the slow start.

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Kai, on the other hand, presents a different challenge. While his efforts to help Uka are well-meaning, his aloof and blunt demeanor sometimes comes across as borderline bullying. His “tough love” approach occasionally feels unnecessarily cruel, as he uses harsh words and an avoidant attitude, despite insisting on getting involved in Uka’s life. Adding to this, Kai’s anime portrayal feels less expressive than his manga counterpart. In the manga, Kai’s frustration, embarrassment, and anger are much clearer, reminding readers that he’s also just a teenager navigating high school life and complex emotions. In the anime, his consistently cool demeanor loses some of this emotional nuance, resulting in his character feeling less dynamic on screen.
‘Honey Lemon Soda’ Depicts a Grounded High School Experience

Hachimitsu High School is unlike the typical school depicted in your coming-of-age anime, where most students are high achievers, worry about grades, and do their best to be well-behaved. Here, characters of all grades dye their hair in vibrant colors, wear piercings, and have very distinctive styles, creating a colorful and diverse backdrop ensemble that truly feels like teenagers trying to find their place in the world. What initially attracted Uka to this school reflects the realistic expectation of a shy teenager trying to come out of her shell. At Hachimitsu, the rules are relaxed, and the students are rowdy and cheerful, creating a lively atmosphere. However, the show also highlights the consequences of a more permissive environment. We see how easily rules can be broken and how real-life dangerous situations can make their way into the lives of those who are testing their limits. This setting adds complexity to the story, offering a different, less wholesome light on the teenage experience. While many coming-of-age anime portray teenagers in more idealized ways, Honey Lemon Soda shows a messier, more rebellious side of adolescence.
‘Honey Lemon Soda’ Knows How To Pull at Your Heartstrings

Image via J.C Staff

While Honey Lemon Soda introduces many relevant characters early on who might catch the audience’s attention, this is ultimately Uka’s journey of self-discovery and her hope to build a better future for herself despite her past. The pacing and script do a great job of highlighting every small step she takes forward, with beautiful attention to detail and design. The animation of the more emotional scenes truly brings Uka’s inner world to life as she struggles and triumphs over her fears, learns, and explores the depth of her new emotions. The heartwarming and sometimes tear-jerking moments in this anime series will undoubtedly leave viewers inspired and curious about where this story of young love might lead. With each episode, Honey Lemon Soda builds a deeper connection between its two leads, making us root for them as they learn to embrace love and change.
Honey Lemon Soda premieres January 8 on Crunchyroll.

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Despite its bumpy start, Honey Lemon Soda is a charming coming-of-age romance story about growth and self-discovery.

Pros

The show beautifully highlights Uka’s growth with meticulous animation and visual storytelling.
The vibrant and diverse background of Hachimitsu High School adds an interesting layer to the narrative.
The pacing and script work beautifully to bring this story of young love to life on screen.

Cons

It takes time to establish enough context to make Uka and Kai fully likable.
Compared to the manga, Kai’s animated counterpart shows fewer emotions, losing some of the depth present in the source material.

Honey Lemon Soda follows Uka Ishimori as she strives to reinvent herself at Hachimitsu High School. Overcoming her reputation as “Stone,” she finds inspiration in Kai Miura, a captivating classmate with lemon-colored hair. The series explores themes of personal growth and self-discovery as Uka’s life begins to transform.

Release Date

January 8, 2025

Creator

Mayu Murata

Cast

Kana Ichinose
, Shogo Yano
, Rie Takahashi
, Miyari Nemoto
, Shunichi Toki
, Taku Yashiro

Seasons

1

Studio

J.C.Staff, TMS Entertainment

Creator(s)

Mayu Murata

Based On

Manga

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Watch on Crunchyroll