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The series Honey Lemon Soda always felt like it offered a fairly realistic take on the growth and development of not only characters Uka and Kai, but their relationship. While we get to see this right from the start in both the manga and anime adaptations, it’s especially evident in later chapters and volumes of the story. With volume 8 of the manga, for example, we’re seeing what happens when both the nature of the relationship changing and Uka growing as a person happen.

Editor’s Note: There will be spoilers for volume 8 of the Honey Lemon Soda manga below. 1j2iv

Okay, so right from the start this volume of the Honey Lemon Soda manga is exciting. We came out of the last entry with Uka finally making her feelings known to Kai. Since that’s reciprocated, all of that is out in the open. People notice. But because Uka is so naive, she doesn’t really get that this means the two are an item.

So initially, we’re dealing with the fact that the two really need to understand define what their relationship is now. Kai, who is more experienced, confident, and aware, sort of behaves in a way that purposely makes her come out and say it. That way, she better understands, there are no misconceptions, and they are together. However, because of the care Mayu Murata puts into the story and design, we can see how much this bothers and affects Kai as well. He already knows exactly how much Uka means to him. He’s ready to go ahead and be official. But he’s choosing to pull back and be even a bit more curt about it all, as that means Uka does need to think more clearly about what she wants and step up.

It also then means we see Uka growing as a person. She’s taking the care to go outside of her comfort zone. She makes great strides when speaking up, even though her and Kai initially don’t seem to be connecting regarding the change in their status. And when it does click and things get through, it’s so satisfying for them to both sort of… understand. They start to get it. Each of their feelings get through.

I also love how, even though we do get this satisfying element of Uka and Kai being together now, Honey Lemon Soda doesn’t shy away from getting into the challenges that come from a high school romance and connecting with your first love. That initial communication issue? That’s just one part. There’s also the fact that Uka is growing during this process. Throughout this volume, we see her start to step outside of her comfort zone. Part of this is for Kai, of course, but many of the decisions are ones she is also making for herself. One of the earliest ones, and the one that leads to them being separated into different classes, is her choice to pursue a college education. So we have them considering their goals and futures, while still staying together.

I’m not going to spoil what happens in this volume, of course. However, the result ends up being satisfying! We see both Uka and Kai react in a health manner to these obstacles. Namely, with the two just communicating and being together, rather than letting them get in their own heads or others get in the way. 

A lot of the satisfaction in Honey Lemon Soda comes from watching Uka recover from bullying, rebuild her confidence, and find people who love and appreciate her for who she is. We’re constantly seeing her progress in the series. With volume 8 of the manga, we’re seeing the new types of anxieties that can come from the Uka and Kai finally entering a proper relationship. Yet, in again a reassuring way, we get to see that growth and independence doesn’t mean sacrificing people or relationships along the way. It makes me excited to see how Uka and Kai’s romance goes next.

Volume 8 of the Honey Lemon Soda manga is available now, and Yen Press will release volume 9 on June 24, 2025. The anime is available via Crunchyroll. 

The post Honey Lemon Soda Volume 8 Covers Adjustments and Insecurities appeared first on Siliconera.

Honey Lemon Soda was a staple in Shueisha’s Ribon, running in the manga magazine since December 2015. We’ve read about Uka Ishimori’s growth and developing relationship with Kai Miura for years. We saw series that ran alongside it, like Tsubasa to Hotaru and Acro Trip, inspire animated series. Now Honey Lemon Soda finally gets its change with an anime streaming worldwide on Crunchyroll, and I feel like the J.C.Staff and TMS Entertainment adaptation might have been worth the wait.

Editor’s Note: There are minor spoilers for the first episode of the Honey Lemon Soda anime below. 6d576e

 Honey Lemon Soda is one of those series in the vein of Fruits Basket or Kimi ni Todoke, where you have a downtrodden heroine who gets a chance to finally be accepted and find a place for herself. Uka Ishimori found herself bullied throughout school. One of the only exceptions was the lemon soda-loving Kai Miura, a stranger who was kind to her and there for her at a pivotal moment. As a result of their meeting, she ended up at Hachimitsu High School alongside him. And even in instances when people might hassle him for his popularity or blond hair, he doesn’t let that get him down and handles it.

It’s because of one of those interactions that Uka finds herself in Kai’s life and circle again. When heading to Hachimitsu one day, some classmates attempted to bully Kai. He responded by shaking up the lemon soda he carried and opened it to dowse them. Uka ended up caught in the crossfire, which in turn brings her to his attention and helps her find actual friends in people like Ayumi Endo. It’s the impetus for her to finally get a chance at the “cheerful and fun high school life” she wants. 

Given the nature of the series, we aren’t going to see major development in the first two episodes of the Honey Lemon Soda anime. But there are strides we already get to see in these initial moments. Kai recognizing Uka and her struggles and showing consideration, even though he’s initially painted as a more quiet or stand off-ish individual, by wearing his gym uniform and helping her get the courage to greet people. Uka reaching out to Ayumi to help her after being helped a previous day. Accepting an invitation from potential friends. J.C.Staff and TMS Entertainment handle these initial moments really well, and the depiction of them ensures they feel poignant as they happen.

I also appreciated how the anime adaptation of Honey Lemon Soda never minimizes what Uka went through in the past either. We see how the trauma and stress from past bullying triggers a flashback to a past memory after getting soda splashed on her in the introduction. When others from her middle school spot her at Hachimitsu and use her nickname “Stony,” Uka panics and runs even though she’d been invited. However, Kai, Ayumi,  Satoru Seto, and Tomoya Takamine don’t blame her for the altercation, instead identifying correctly the bullies as the issue, and Kai finds and encourages her to react and get help. The resolution of the first episode left me in satisfied tears as the group banded together.

For years, Ribon readers and people following the Honey Lemon Soda manga have gotten to gradually see Uka recover, find friends, and develop a relationship with Kai, and it feels like the new anime adaptation is going to do that story justice. After seeing how it’s started, it seems like the pacing and development is taking the proper care to address the situations and bonds between characters. It feels like it could end up being quite heartfelt, and I hope more people get to appreciate this shojo classic as a result.

The Honey Lemon Soda anime is airing in Japan and streaming on Crunchyroll worldwide as part of the WInter 2025 season, and Yen Press handled the manga outside of Japan. 

The post Honey Lemon Soda Anime Adaptation Was Worth the Wait appeared first on Siliconera.