moving on to the anime itself, it was romantically nuanced, laced with youthful undertones of self-growth. i don’t think it takes one to relate to a story to understand such as this one, however, i take one’s ability to comprehend the characters themselves as individuals. an increasing problem with media nowadays is how everyone indirectly inserts themselves into a character, whether conscious or not, degrading the storyline. while it’s common for a person to imagine what they would do if they were in the same environment as the characters, they tend to forget one thing: they aren’t. honey lemon soda is derived from three main aspects of youth from the title. honey: the sweetness of leaping into a new world of adolescence. lemon: the slight sourness of the sheltered past of one’s childhood lingering. soda: the unexpectedness of the unknown future that bubbles inside someone. these aspects encapsulate the story of ishimori uka. this isn’t a one-off episode where a girl finds her confidence overnight. it’s about the ignition of ambition being lit within a soul. where an inner voice can break the shells of a sheltered nest they’ve been sitting on for long and take flight.

this anime showcases the brightness held within the youth while gradually building the unknown paths one might face when moving forward. adolescense isn’t perfect. the road moving forward will be tumultuous, painful, or broken. nevertheless, so long as one holds their head high, one step at a time, confidence slowly builds to deflect doubt. now, let’s move on to the characters.

ISHIMORI UKA ❁
she is so precious, it makes me want to defend her from all negativity in life (੭ ˊ^ˋ)੭ ♡ honestly, reading through the discourse regarding uka left me quite saddened. naturally, i’m not surprised people have opinions or critiques about a story or character, but the most reiterated sentiment seemed to be ‘she cries too much’ ∘ ∘ ∘ ( °ヮ° )∘ ∘ ∘i-i’m sorry, did i hear that correctly? c-cries too much? (⩌_⩌) heaven forbid a girl shows her emotions too much, especially in this context. there’s a reason for this, a recurring factor. uka was a sheltered kid (,,⩌'︿'⩌,,). from the moment in episode 1 where kai approached her, he was quite literally the sudden light in her life. while her nickname is ‘stone’ (expressionless/emotionless), i’d say she’s more of a locked bird who hasn’t learned to fly yet. uka is book smart, not solely due to the expectations from her parents, but that was the only thing she could pour her heart into at the time to please others. to stay in her lane, so to speak. yet, it was that faithful day she met miura that he gave her the push to step forward.
some might interpret this as gratitude for a small act a stranger did for another or blunt advice that could’ve been brushed off, but to uka they were words she’s always wanted… no. always needed to hear. for so long, she held in all her pain. the ridiculing, the bullying, the torment, the pressure. mass amounts of pessimism stored up in a jar until it cracked. a reality shattered all thanks to kai’s words. in that moment, uka not only felt thankful, but she felt love. a warmth radiating like she’s never felt, opening her eyes to a new world where she could have a chance at living. even after her transfer, the story makes sure to not show that her bottled trauma can’t be healed overnight, or that the school she thought was a utopia, off the whim from words she heard from kai alone could fix all her problems. this is where the emotional upheaval comes from.
uka emotional growth is that of a very young grade student, yellow newborn chick, or a caterpillar. she’s spent so much of her life being passive, not in a sense of a pushover (slightly, but it was for emotional survival). no tears, being ‘selfish’, or being eloquent. which is why every conversation, word, advice, event, and moment hits uka like a train. think of it as a cyclone of colors hitting her at once. someone who’s only hidden their thoughts and suppressed pain, when met with true kindness for the first time, i’d think anyone would break into tears. ishimori doesn’t cry to gain pity, sympathy, or attention, as many relate the act of crying to be. she cries because she’s experiencing waves of new experiences that make her feel all sorts of emotions that words alone can’t explain. sometimes even she questions why tears are falling in certain situations.
her interactions with not only kai, but ayumi, serina, yuru, seto, etc. is the push she’s given to grow her own voice. this allows her to better articulate her thoughts, speak up, communicate her truth, and stand her ground. episode 9 especially broke me. hearing the words from uka’s father, his actions, watching the scenes play through of how much control he had on her life, hit too close to my heart. in that aspect, for a moment i felt as if i was watching what my life would’ve been had i not grown my own voice, because i didn’t have my own miura kai. i felt so proud when she stood her ground to her father, that entire episode was me in a pool of tears.
naturally, there are many aspects where one might not understand or find the whole premise of uka to be weird. to that group, they’re in luck. they represent the people around ishimori, as if the author knows how basic people would react to uka’s personality without looking at the full picture due to a lack of nuance. like sand, it’s all on the surface. which can’t be said for uka. everything she acts upon is at her own free will and endurance to create new memories full of color. something she can learn from, whether good or bad, in the end, it’ll be hers to cherish.

MIURA KAI ☆
the focal point of the title, probably. he’s the flashy yet reserved character in this anime. similar to his hair color, he is the light in uka’s life. what she doesn’t know about him is that she is that to him. she believes kai is brave with a strong moral, when he sees that in her. his love might not have been as upfront as uka’s, but his feelings grew with time. he found himself drawn to her as if become second nature. i think all the meddling (it’s a recurring aspect throughout the story) slowed his progression when it came to his feelings. but, once he came to, he always put himself out there when it came to uka while not trying to overstep his boundaries. kai is always an ‘act before thinking’ person, or that’s what he used to be til uka reminded (indirectly) he needs to be aware of his actions. in that aspect, they switched methods. he learned to be more adept while she became the ‘act before thinking’ persona.
people like to point out how ‘harsh’ kai’s words were. except, they’re not meant to be. not to uka. from an outsider’s perspective, one might see kai’s blunt attitude as brushing off uka’s journey to self-confidence, when in actuality his words are laced with caution. he doesn’t look down on her, he’s worried. in his own way, as he learns how much uka’s willing to push herself. they’re direct because if he doesn’t say things as they are, uka won’t build herself up. she’s been sugar-coated words or has had to read between the lines up until she met kai. those kinds of things have only hindered uka’s chance to better herself. he’s doing the complete opposite. his words cut deep so as they are not to cause miscommunication, he’s using them to open up bit by bit to her.
kai drew me in as a character because of his mysterious filter. it’s probably one of the reasons uka fell in love with him as well. someone who looks her way to give her a cherishable youth, one can live and learn from. it’s only fair to wonder who he is underneath the mask he hides under. even when uka believes kai’s not looking her way, he points out her strengths, weaknesses, characteristics, and more. he’s the type to show he might not care or listen, when in actuality he does. from his actions, i think he’s the type to show he protects those closest to him. because he never had anyone or a similar influence while growing up. the anime doesn’t bring up or show what kai is like (since we’re focusing on uka’s growth), but i can assume from the little details what kai’s past was like. he’s the only one who didn’t criticize uka’s curfew or make fun of her for it.
furthermore, in episode 9, where all of uka’s friends took the direct approach in telling mr. ishimori, he’s in the wrong (which he totally is), kai takes a more understated attempt. unlike other stories where the male lead may play protector, fighting for the heroine’s love by taking the lead, kai lets mr. ishimori as he is. of course, he does sneak up to give uka his usual push or advice, but ultimately, how uka’s parents learn of her true self, her past, and importantly, what she wants, comes from her, not from miura forcing his way in. uka could easily tell her parents off and run to kai, but she cares for her family too much to do such a thing. moreover, seeing as kai doesn’t mention his past or family dynamics, i can assume he doesn’t have a family. being the lone wolf character, where someone has to carry everything on their own, can be taxing. i believe that’s why even though uka’s parents act overbearing, he views her as lucky to have people in her life who care for her that much when he had no one. in the wake of the fruits of his labor, he’s found uka, who showers him in love he didn’t realize he needed. it’s why his first relationship didn’t work out. because he was always giving. whether he might’ve believed during the time he didn’t want to receive, indeed, kai is always giving to others. this is why he loves uka. she tells him she wants to give back the same amount of love he’s given her and is willing to always be there for him. compared to other girls who simply only like him for his looks and fail to even understand him as an individual.

KANNO SERINA ୨୧
serina doesn’t enter the scene till a bit later. originally, i had a terrible view of her. since i haven’t read the manga, i feared she was written in as an annoying wedge or the start of an unnecessary love triangle. my worries worsened when it was revealed that she was kai’s ex. which i have to say, i don’t know what universe these characters live in but everyone. and i mean EVERYONE AND THEIR MOTHER (minus the main cast) seem to be nosy as hell. the minute people found out serina was kai’s ex they started shipping them together? knowing they’re __EXES?!??!?! ಠ_ಠ__ with that in mind, i was suspicious of serina’s motives around uka. but, turns out she had the opposite growth compared to ishimori. it was clear serina was being treated badly, yet she kept enduring. both her and uka uplift each other and really don’t let kai get in between them. since serina’s more experienced and knows kai (to an extent) she knew she was out of the running. which i loved because this meant no unnecessary drama. now, did revealing her story make uka question her chance with mirua? yes. but did serina gain anything or start dating kai again? no. because she knew as much as the audience (hopefully (ᴗ_ ᴗ。)) that they were meant to be together.
when i heard serina was kai’s ex, i assumed he was the one who broke up with her. as it would explain her introduction of having lingering feelings for him. however, as it turns out, serina was the one who broke up with him. she never wanted to, but she did the healthy thing by making the first step because at the time i sure as hell don’t think kai would’ve. she broke up with him because she relied on him too much. there was no self-growth with how much she depended on him. this isn’t to say a girl can’t rely on their boyfriend, but they must know how to stand tall without them too. and at the time, kai being absent for just one day broke serina from the bullying. however, i’m proud she never pinned it all on miura. of course, it hurt to break not only his but her heart too, but this was for the best. because it allowed serina to deal with her problems head on and not hide behind someone constantly, which might’ve led to a mental breakdown of the other party. serina still confesses to kai, but i think she knew the answer at this point. her confession was just as a means to close the chapter that was roughly managed in the past. it allowed closure.
yet, even through all of this, she supported uka and her endeavors. if anything, she encouraged her to go after kai. she never let the words of onlookers waver her feelings into jealousy or hatred. how could she? when uka saves her, knowing what she feels, yet cares for her anyway. serina is mature in learning from experiences to grow, move forward. especially since she knows she was the one who initiated the breakup up she knew there was no way to change time. does she have regrets? perhaps. nevertheless, she doesn’t dwell on actions that can’t be changed and looks forward. and for that, she’s such a good character. wish i could see more girls being, well…a girl's girl. instead of fighting or breaking up a relationship.

ENDOU AYUMI >⩊<
omg this is best girl hands down. ayumi might be a supporting character, but she makes her presence known with her outgoing personality. she’s basically uka’s number one fan and best friend. her sweetness knows no bounds (˃̣̣̥ᯅ˂̣̣̥) she would go to the ends of the earth for uka, it makes me tear up. girl doesn’t let the fact she’s known kai longer let his actions go unseen when regarding uka. she calls him out (anyone for that matter) and lets people have a piece of her mind. her true friendship shines through during episode 9, when she uses every method to convince mr. ishimori to allow uka to return to school. ayumi had friends before meeting uka, she could’ve looked the other way and let kai or someone else handle it. but no, she took matters into her own hands and stood up for the school’s reputation, her personality, and how much uka means to her and the class. she’s such a good friend, it’s so heart-warming to see their bonds blossom throughout the series. her and uka are like two peas in a pod, even when she has feelings for seto.

TAKAMINE TOMOYA (ᵕ—ᴗ—)
he caught my attention from the supporting characters. he’s so mysterious it drives me in insane (⸝⸝> ω <⸝⸝). his actions or little lines, i wanted to see more of him. sadly, he’s not shown as much (╥﹏╥). but some might see him (at least in the earlier scenes) that he might be kai’s rival. well, that is far from the truth. everything he does is to look out for kai’s best interest. after all, they’ve known each other the longest from the main ensemble. his advice isn’t as direct as kai. they’re laced with a message between the lines. honestly, like many of the girls in the story, i wish to know more about him. his appeal stems from the fact that no one really knows what he thinks. tomoya is similar to the wind, he lives life with the flow of nature. never really being here nor there, but one can count on him to tell someone exactly what they need to hear. but, if someone were to act shady or make him cross with something, he will make it clear. which i think is a trait people fear in him (ᵕ • ᴗ •).

OVERALL THOUGHTS ｡⊹°‧
i think for a first season this was done very well. the only reason this isn’t a ten in my book is because there are times the story made me overly upset (,,>ᨓ<,,). honestly, all the overbearing people. like what is this universe? why the hell is everyone nosy as hell?! besides that there's also the part where uka met up with her bullies again. i’m not saying one should hold on to the past, but the bullies did irrevocably damage uka’s early years. they almost ruined her current environment had she not stood up for herself. also, the head girl sent out her boyfriend to hurt uka by any means after she retaliated once. ONCE!?!?! and everyone is supposed to hold hands and move on? but, i digress because i don’t think uka will ever forget. but she forgave to moved on since she’s grown to be a different person. in turn, her kindness was repaid when the bullies came to show mr. ishimori how controlling his parenting was towards uka, showcasing what world uka’s been living in, not the singular filter he’s been seeing the world to be. the color palette stands out to show the pops of color, like watercolors. although judging from some of the cover art i’ve seen the manga is better in regards to art. moreover, the romance in this story is so refreshing. both uka and kai drop such heartfelt lines throughout the season, but my favorite has to be from kai. “you might be a stone, but you’re a gemstone” (episode 2). that line is the closing of one story and the start of a new journey. love runs deep, and it shouldn’t be used as something as a weakness. uka loving kai is her strength. the love she has is selfless and a bit greedy, unexplainable in simple terms, but powerful enough to search for confidence. to her, just being accepted, having small moments, and being by kai’s side was enough for her. that’s how much she loves him. he’s the same. kai pushes uka to be her best self while not being overbearing. he doesn’t always have the answers and learns what it means to put down a facade and take a breath. in fact, he loves so strongly that he’s restraining himself to follow her pace and not overstep. he always seems to be the one doing the rescuing, it might’ve never occurred that someone wants to protect and save him as much as he’s willing to do for the people he cares about.

SPECIAL MENTION ⋆˙⟡
a big win to have &team be the opening and ending for honey lemon soda!
MAGIC HOUR ⏱︎

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