While the title is fun and refreshing, Honey Lemon Soda is a very familiar flavor of shoujo romance, but well-executed and full of novel details. The titular soda is accidentally splashed all over the socially awkward Ishimori Uka (Ichinose Kana, voicing Uka like a far less confident Fern from Frieren) by the lemon-headed social butterfly and semi-bad boy, Miura Kai. Even though he gives the least sincere apology in history, she’s simply happy he acknowledged her existence.
This isn’t the first “opposites attract” anime and it won’t be the last, but Ishimori Uka is trying to become more socially proficient, after she feels she was spoiled by overprotective parents. Miura Kai and the sudden soda shower provide the jolt and motivation Ishimori needs to redouble her efforts. She arrives at school early, shouts “GOOD MORNING” just as Miura arrives. He says Good Morning to her, and after some effort, she’s able to say it back.
Miura comes off as a bit of a jerk, but I actually don’t mind that, as it would be more annoying if he was Mr. Perfect. His looks and popularity lend him a convincing arrogance. He also has a clique of kind and slightly less flashy friends who keep him in check. Those friends are eager to reach out to Ishimori, but their efforts are interrupted by a trio of classmates calling her “Stony” and verbally bullying her just like they did back in middle school.
Ishimori’s flight instinct kicks in, and she retreats to the library, where Miura soon appears to rattle her cage, urging her to ask for help next time, or at least react to the shitty way those guys are treating her. Ishimori recalls a day she was knocked down to the sidewalk by those same three jerks, and Miura picks up the school pamphlets she dropped, recommending she attend Hamamatsu, since that’s where he’s going. It’s a seminal moment for Ishimori, who proceeds to bawl her eyes out.
The next time the jerks surround her and try to harangue her into buying their lunch for them, Ishimori remembers Miura’s advice and her own earnest desire to change, to not simply stand there and take shit like she used to. She opens her bag, takes out a bottle of shaken-up lemon soda, and shoots it all over the bullies. When the guy of the group pushes her down in anger (chivalry is dead), Miura appears with his friends. After working her through asking him for help, she asks all on her own, and he comes to her aid, telling the antagonistic triad off. He also lets Ishimori know that he remembers the day they met on the sidewalk.
What does Miura get for his heroics? The biggest, most expressive smile he’s ever seen emanate from Ishimori’s face. A smile that may just make his heart skip a beat, and which indicates the crippling “Curse of Stony” has been lifted. It’s not just the smile of someone grateful to be helped, but someone who is proud she was able to take one small but important step forward in asking for help. This opening outing made me eager to see Ishimori continue to make progress as she makes more friends and gets closer to Miura.
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