[Pu the Owl]

Honey & Clover isn't as banal as it may seem just reading something about it or looking at the various artworks. I wasn't going to watch it since it looked so very cliché: the group of young college students, the romance etc... at the beginning the show is very confusing, since the story is not very clear, there are definitely too many characters to start with, and events are apparently not in a strict chronological or thematic order. Most of the time everything, from single facts to characters' thoughts and memories are more like a stream of consciousness. It took me a few episodes to get used to this kind of "pattern" of narration. Comedy and drama are also mixed together, sometimes you can't say what'll happen next. I like how characters are always deeply analyzing their situation. Love triangles aren't annoying because of that, because you get to know the inner feelings and motivations of each character, and in every moment you get to know why they act in a certain way (it's true some characters are more "mysterious" than others and you are left wondering what are their motivations when you compare their actions to the ones of other characters). Also, in H&C there's nothing superfluous. There's never a surplus of emotions or overreactions, so it's hardly annoying. It's all very measured. Every dramatic moment has its complement in some very funny scene or absurd situation. That gives you time to reflect on what you see without being too focused on the emotional side.
Well, at least that's how I see it

As for Aishiteruze Baby, this is a series you can watch when you don't want to be too much involved. I mean, it's nice, it's cute, it has the right amount of everything, but it's mainly good when your interest is to watch something that has a certain feeling to it without being too much absorbed. I recommend it when you want to watch something with a very optimistic message, or when you're in the mood for something cheerful with the right amount of everyday's little tragedies and misunderstandings

Regarding Hanakimi... I had an online friend who was completely in love with this series. But it was the manga. It was... 3 years ago. I didn't know they were making the anime too.