“I realized why I was lost. It’s not because I didn’t have a map… It was because I didn’t have a destination.”
-Yuuta Takemoto

Gosh, I don’t know what to say. Honey and Clover is a gem of a masterpiece! I watched it way back 6 years ago, but when I re-watched it, this anime gave me many important things in life. I’ve read the manga, seen the live-action movie and TV Drama, and re-watched the anime nevertheless, it hits me in the heart. Chica Umino wrote it, known for 3-gatsu no Lion and if haven’t watched it, you might miss a hidden gem of a masterpiece. It is a tale of friendship, love, pain, family, and self-discovery.

(LIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD!)
Story: 9/10 - The major premise of the story is about Yuuta Takemoto, your typical poor college boy who lived in an old apartment with his senpais, Morita and Mayama. He doesn’t have any plans for his future, as well as his studies in architecture in Tokyo Bidai. His whole life changed when Hagu Hanamoto comes into the picture. He falls in love with Hagu at first sight but Morita and Hagu seem to like each other, so Yuuta becomes confused with his feelings for her. He felt that his love for Hagu is unrequited. Along with Ayumi Yamada, whose in love with Mayama, they will experience pain and hardships in life and adulthood. The premise seemed like a typical romance story, but what hooked me was the actual intention of the story to the viewers. Every episode is talked about the struggles of college life, as is facing the future is uncertain and mysterious and sometimes, it scares us a lot. The pain of each person is also told in the story and how should we take another step to have the courage to face it. The passion that every person has been working on will make you think, “Is this the thing that I want to do most?” The story is also heartwarming that gives SoL feels that will make you fall in love with the show, as it’s a charismatic feature of a josei anime. The story is a bittersweet ride, for all the fans who love watching SoL Romantic Dramedies anime.

Art: 10/10 - This show was released in 2005 but the art is so gorgeous. It’s like a watercolor animation but uniquely and beautifully. The scenes on sakura tree and the old dormitory gave life, and it’s suitable for the atmosphere of the story. This style fits the story, and gives the show a warm and comforting feeling, like coming back to a home after being out in the cold outside all day. Every pallete and art in every scene are like amazing paintings in the exhibit.

Sound: 10/10 - The soundtrack is so beautiful! It gave me dramatic and romantic feels, as well as the feels of each scenario. The sounds will be in my heart and mind for some time because they gave me hope to understand the meaning of living and the pain of life. The OP was so weird but the ED made it up for me. The OST is full of emotional songs that capture moments in time. These songs will sound like normal OSTs but every moment when they play them, the feelings of the show are coming to life.

Characters: 9/10 - I love Yuuta because he was one of the best character-driven in the story. His monologues can be so inspiring, as he was too scared to face the uncertain future of his adulthood. His bicycle journey across Japan inspires me A LOT! as he wants to move forward, just like I want to. The other characters in the story, especially Ayumi, as she holds an unrequited love for Mayama are amazingly portrayed by the seiyuus. Each character is relatable, and you will almost certainly see parts of yourself in this cast. This makes Honey and Clover shine: this show is relatable, unlike any other that I’ve personally watched. The humorous moments are funny, and the emotional moments can hit like a truck; few shows can take you from a hearty laugh to the verge of tears as quickly as this one. The characters gave me fuzzy, warmth, pain, and many more feel me, as I’ve watched them struggle throughout every episode.

Enjoyment and Overall: 10/10 - As you can probably tell by now while reading this review, this show is very special to me. It molded me into a mature person, as this anime gave me many important things in school and myself. After some re-watches, I truly believe this show is one of the better anime ever made, and it is undoubtedly one of my personal favorites of all time. This anime has everything, unlike the other SoL drama animes. I never knew why this anime got my attention but this anime is so beautiful. You may not regret it when you watch it.