Winter 2025 - Honey Lemon Soda
Introduction
Hello, everyone! Welcome to Weirdly Wired!
This is the third video in our guide to the Winter 2025 anime season.
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Today, we’ll be talking about the anime Honey Lemon Soda.
Sinopsys
Fifteen-year-old Uka Ishimori had a hard time in middle school because she was bullied and called "Rocky" for being shy and freezing up around people. Now in high school, she hopes for a new beginning. But during her first week, she accidentally gets soaked with juice by Kai Miura, a confident and popular boy with bright yellow hair. Even though they are very different, Kai helps Uka open up, starting a friendship—and maybe something more—that will change their lives.
Staff
Hiroshi Nishikiori – Director
Known for directing works that generally receive average ratings, with most of his projects hovering around a score of 6.7.
His strengths lie in storyboarding, followed by directing and episode direction.
Interesting detail: He worked on the storyboard for episode 8 of DanDanDan, which was very well-received.
Akiko Waba – Series Composition
A career filled with ups and downs. Akiko has been involved in various projects, especially dramas, which could mean the emotional aspects of this anime will be handled well.
Fumihiko Ootera – Sound Director
Relatively new, with only a few works in his portfolio.
Many other staff members also have limited experience, which could be a concern for production quality.
Studio
The anime is being produced by J.C. Staff. While not a top-tier studio and with some recent quality dips, it should be adequate for this project.
Additionally, as this is their only anime for the Winter season, the team may be able to dedicate more resources to it.
Voice Actors
Shougo Yano voicing Kai Miura
Has appeared in a few anime across various genres. His most notable role was in Given, where he voiced one of the main characters.
Kana Ichinose voicing Uka Ishimori
A talented voice actress who seems to fit the shy and reserved nature of Uka. She has played characters like Ichigo in Darling in the FranXX and Fern in Sousou no Frieren.
On a personal note, I really enjoyed Kana's performance as Maki Shijou in Kaguya-sama: Love is War. She made the character more fun and likable, even though Maki is just a supporting character!
Rie Takahashi voicing Serina Kanno (Supporting Role)
Known for her iconic roles as Emilia in Re:Zero and Megumin in Konosuba, her inclusion adds some star power to the cast.
Final Considaration
Story
The premise is fairly standard. While most romance-themed anime include comedic elements, this one seems to focus heavily on the romance and the protagonist's emotional journey.
Staff
The team isn’t particularly impressive, but it’s not terrible either. The director and series composer seem capable, though the overall staff is on the weaker side.
Studio
J.C. Staff should be able to deliver a decent production for this type of anime.
Voice Actors
The main cast seems promising, especially Kana Ichinose for the female lead.
Preview
While not highly dynamic, the preview reflects what you’d expect given the studio and genre. The emotional tone is enhanced by piano sound effects and Kana’s heartfelt delivery, making the protagonist relatable.
Though it may not be a standout anime, it seems like a decent mid-tier option. If you enjoy slow-paced romances with some drama and don’t mind average production quality, this could be worth a watch.
