Story
Honey and Clover's story is so simple. It's a story about some friends who are attending the same art college....and pretty much what they go through in their everyday college student lives. At first glance, oh it's bland. Where's the action? Where's the crazy plot twists? Where's the fan service?? Where's the blatant mushy romance?!?!?
*cough* I see why this anime is a tad underrated.*cough*
This anime is SUBTLE, SO subtle, in its storytelling. It doesn't lay everything out for you in plain writing. It unfolds gradually, maturing slowly. It gives you hints--glimpses, snippets, of a character's true feelings, strivings, yearnings-- a glimmer of what's really there underneath the plots' seemingly simplistic surface. The development of the story is pretty unique as well. This story is essentially about love. Painful love. Giddy love. Unrequited love. Life changing love. But mostly about the care and devotion that we feel towards our friends. And so the plot isn't developed with unexpected happenings or crazy tragedy or predictable romance. It's developed as the relationships between the characters develop. Which is incredible.What I LOVE about the story is that it isn't plastered with those cheap devices one finds in a lot of anime to keep the viewers' attention (fanservice, cutesy romance, melodrama, fast plot with zillions of littles arcs).
It is SO honest with the story it's trying to tell. So genuine. So straight forward yet deeply moving and suggestive of things so much bigger than what it shows you. In the end, you're left breathless.
It's just...so beautiful.
Art
The art matches the tone and style of this series PERFECTLY. It's muted and pastelly and soft and seems to glow a bit. It might seem boring to some. It isn't jam-packed with CGI and bold colors and crisp backgrounds. But it's beautiful all the same. I loved the unique sugary softness of the character designs especially.
Sound
The music for this series was another home run. Like the art (and everything else) it fit the series perfectly. I also really liked the opening and ending songs :)
Character
The characters of Honey and Clover are what make this anime a masterpiece. Like any story, character development is key. What I liked so much about this anime was how realistic the characters were. The emotions they feel and they way they react to the situations they go through were just so believable. I could relate to so much of it. And as the anime progresses and you get to see more and more of who these characters are, you grow to understand the way they feel and why they act they way they do....you get to see what makes them tick is a way. Watching the characters of this series grow and develop and mature and relate to one another, the connections they build, and the love that they share, is an incredible experience.
Enjoyment/Overall:
Honey and Clover, to me, is an incredible anime because it's unique, the character development is... incredible, it's very touching and heart warming...but mostly because it's so sincere with the story it's trying to tell. It sticks to the integrity of the storytelling and its central themes of love and friendship in a way that's so genuine and lovely and passionate...I don't see how it couldn't be my favorite anime.
