REVIEW: ‘Honey Lemon Soda’ Episode 1 — “Because I Met You”

I should love Honey Lemon Soda Episode 1. From the shojo genre to the soft-lit aesthetic and general slice-of-life whimsy, the series is catnip on paper. Unfortunately, it fails to maintain interest during a tedious premiere that never once finds a strong foothold despite the numerous beginnings it attempts. Based on the manga series written and illustrated by Mayu Murata and produced by J.C. Staff and TMS Entertainment, it misses the mark despite such an easy target.

Great shojo—great anything, really—shares DNA with past stories. There are elements of Honey Lemon Soda that adopt energies and visuals similar to those of the prior series of its ilk. Uka Ishimori (Kana Ichinose) is desperately shy and has been bullied since middle school due to her “stone”-like personality. The reality is she’s simply cautious when responding to others. However, teenagers are terrible and cruel, and Uka’s silence is taken as a personality flaw.

She enters high school with the desire to remake herself, though she finds herself running into the same hurdles and bullies. That is until she meets Kai Miura (Shōgo Yano), who is outspoken and bold, whereas she’s timid and self-conscious. Throughout Honey Lemon Soda Episode 1, Kai helps Uka gain confidence and stability while he encourages her to speak up for herself, even if it’s simply to ask for help.

Honey Lemon Soda Episode 1 fails to make us care.

When we meet Uka, she’s at her lowest point. At its core, the premiere is pure melodrama. Each interaction between Uka and Kai is monumental and life-changing. When Kai first notices Uka in a flashback to their first, unlikely meeting, Uka bursts into tears, moved by that simple recognition after being terrorized by classmates. But despite the emotional upheaval written into the story and the genuine journey of healing Uka traverses, it fails to be moving. Uka’s story is sad initially, but the series captures this sorrow with apathy.

There are pieces of series such as Kimi Ni Todoke and even, to an extent, Horimiya in Honey Lemon Soda. The former, too, has a misunderstood, misjudged girl who finds camaraderie in her classmates. The latter deals with the after-effects of loneliness and the necessity of finding someone who challenges your outlook on life. However, the critical difference between the two is clear and true in any shojo anime period. By the end of Horimiya Episode 1, we love the two leads. After the premiere of Honey Lemon Soda, it seems unlikely we’ll reach that same level of affection for Uka and Kai.

This isn’t helped by the fact that both, so far, are little more than archetypes. There’s no real interiority. Simply a girl in need of rescue and a boy who burns bright. She’s drawn to him, but we’re unsure why he returns her gaze. Nothing about him is written to be overtly kind or empathetic, yet he instantly champions her and tries to get her to stand up for herself. It’s a nice sentiment and works in theory, but it’s a thin premise to set itself on.

The series finds its footing in its visuals. 

Honey Lemon Soda Episode 1 charms most with its visuals, though they’re not of the same quality as the best of its genre. While the character designs provide interesting contrasts to many current protagonists, their movement is still stiff and uncanny in rendering. The lighting provides interesting dynamics that help give the series an otherworldly hue, but it lacks the necessary vigor to keep us engaged throughout.

And it’s where the final nail in the coffin falls because all of this would be forgivable or easy to ignore if it moved quicker. Instead, 23 minutes feel like 40 because of how the story paces itself. We hit the same emotional points before anything is done about them. Shojo is best when used as an escape, and Honey Lemon Soda doesn’t quite whisk us away.

There’s merit, however, to its adaptation, even if, so far, this reads like a mere cantankerous rant. The series might not hit it out of the park immediately, but there’s intrigue in these characters and their struggles. It will be interesting to see how their relationship develops, hopefully becoming less one-sided. There’s no use watching a series and not hoping to love the protagonists and their romance. It needs more time to settle into itself and craft an identity better tailored to its needs.

Honey Lemon Soda Episode 1 isn’t going to convince anyone immediately. Hopefully, however, the series will find its charm as we get to know Uka and Kai better and as they continue to grow alongside one another. It looks pretty; it just needs more than that.

Honey Lemon Soda Episode 1 premieres January 8 on Crunchyroll.