Takemoto lives in a run-down student apartment, where his greatest worry is when he'll next be able to afford to eat meat and whether he'll get to class on time. Along with his crazy cast of friends, Takemoto sets out to discover life and his true self. Set in a Tokyo art college, Honey and Clover blends comedy and pathos to bring to life a very unique set of individuals.

Love is never easy for our heroes. Takemoto is forced to confront his resentment of his stepfather and his own feelings of being cast adrift, while Mayama and Ayu flounder in their unrequited loves and Morita faces the prospect of being held back another year.