Citrus (manga)

Citrus (stylized as citrus) is a Japanese "yuri" manga series written and illustrated by Saburouta. It was serialized in Ichijinsha's "Comic Yuri Hime" from November 2012 to August 2018 and is licensed in English by Seven Seas Entertainment. A 12-episode anime television series adaptation by Passione aired from January to March 2018. A sequel manga titled "Citrus Plus" began serialization in December 2018.
Plot.
Yuzu Aihara, a fashionable, spontaneous and fun-loving city girl, transfers to a new neighborhood and high school after her mother's remarriage to another man. More preoccupied with boys and shopping than studying, Yuzu struggles to fit in at the conservative all-girls school and frequently clashes with the student council, specifically Mei Aihara, the hard-working, beautiful but cold student council president. As it turns out, Mei happens to be Yuzu's new stepsister and Yuzu finds herself having to share a bedroom with a girl she absolutely can't stand. The series follows the evolution of the relationship between the two girls, with the animosity slowly lessening as the two begin to learn more about each other and confusion growing as Yuzu discovers that she is starting to develop romantic feelings for her new stepsister.
Media.
Manga.
"Citrus" is written and illustrated by Saburouta. It was serialized in Ichijinsha's bimonthly magazine "Comic Yuri Hime" from November 17, 2012 to August 18, 2018. Ichijinsha has released ten "tankōbon" volumes since July 2013. To advertise the third volume of the manga, a PV covering the story up to that point was uploaded to Ichijinsha's YouTube channel on November 18, 2014. A drama CD was released with the fourth manga volume in July 2015. The manga is licensed in English by Seven Seas Entertainment, who began releasing the series in December 2014. It has also been licensed in Germany, Thailand, and Taiwan. A sequel manga series, "Citrus Plus" (stylized as "citrus+"), launched on December 18, 2018.
Volume list.
"Citrus Plus".
These chapters have yet to be published in a "tankōbon" volume:
Anime.
An anime television series adaptation, directed by Takeo Takahashi and animated by Passione, aired on AT-X from January 6 to March 24, 2018. Naoki Hayashi oversaw the scripts, while Izuro Ijuuin was in charge of designing the characters. Lantis produced the music, while Infinite was credited with producing the anime. The opening theme is by Nano Ripe, while the ending theme is "Dear Teardrop" by Mia Regina. Crunchyroll simulcasted the series, while Funimation streamed the English dub. The series was released on Blu-ray Disc in North America on January 22, 2019 and in Australia on May 8, 2019.
Reception.
"Citrus" appeared on "The New York Times" best seller list for manga five times in 2015. In a review of the manga's first volume by Rebecca Silverman of Anime News Network, "Citrus" is described as having emotionally interesting characters with the contrasting personalities of Yuzu and Mei, and their relationship is likened to a "yuri version of the twins' from "Arisa"." Silverman praises Saburouta's use of reader hindsight, pointing out that Mei's actions can be seen in a different light as the series progresses due to Saburouta giving a slow understanding of her character. However, the non-consensual elements of the manga are described as uncomfortable in contrast with gentler yuri manga that have previously been released in English.
Juliana Failde of CBR also criticized the series, calling it problematic because it has "strange sexual assault" between two people (Mei and Yuzu) in a "horribly toxic relationship" with each other, and called the romance "poorly executed." Failde further stated that the series had an "inappropriate" sibling relationship where "two step-sisters fall for each other after a forced kiss." The founder of Yuricon and writer of "Okazu", Erica Friedman, criticized the series as well for trying to present "sexual assault [as] amusing," and called it insensitive to the Me Too movement. Vrai Kaiser of Anime Feminist cited its effectiveness as a melodrama, but found the non-consensual physical contact between Yuzu and Mei to be uncomfortable, adding that the discomfort is heightened by how these specific elements "seem to make it popular above and beyond other yuri series." Nicoletta Christina Browne of THEM Anime Reviews has argued that Sara, is pansexual, demisexual, or even bisexual, but that the series never fully explored this.