"Citrus" review: What is the appeal of this forbidden yuri love story?

"Citrus" - A bittersweet story of youth

Citrus is a 2018 anime TV series based on the manga of the same name by Saburouta. It aired from January 6 to March 24, 2018, and consisted of 12 episodes. It aired on AT-X and TOKYO MX every Saturday from 11:30pm for 30 minutes. It was animated by Passione and directed by Takahashi Tsuyoshi. Copyright belongs to Saburouta, Ichijinsha, and the Citrus Production Committee.

story

The story of "Citrus" begins with Aihara Yuzuko, a high school student who looks like a gal but has never experienced her first love, transferring to another school. Due to her parents' remarriage, Yuzuko is transferred to Aihara Academy Girls' High School, where on her first day as a transfer student she meets Aihara Mei, the student council president. Mei severely scolds Yuzuko for not following the school rules, and the two have an unfortunate first meeting. However, the two are actually the daughters of Yuzuko's parent's new husband, and they begin living under the same roof as step-sisters. The story depicts how the two girls, despite their different personalities, gradually become attracted to each other.

Commentary

Yuzu, a high school girl who is a gal but has never experienced her first love, transfers to an all-girls school after her parents remarry. On her first day at the school, she has a terrible encounter with Mei, the beautiful black-haired student council president. What's more, she ends up living in the same room as her step-sister Mei...!? A love affair between two opposite high school girls who are drawn to each other despite their differences begins.

cast

• Yuzu Aihara - Ayana Taketatsu
• Mei Aihara - Minami Tsuda
• Harumi Taniguchi - Yukiyo Fujii
• Himeko Momokino - Yurika Kubo
• Mizusawa Festival - Shiori Izawa
• Kayo Maruta - Ikumi Hayama
• Tachibana Sarah - Kanemoto Hisako
• Tachibana Nina - Rei Matsuzaki
• Sho Aihara - Tomoaki Maeno
• Aihara Ume - Kana Ueda

Main Staff

• Original author - Saburouta
• Director - Takeo Takahashi
• Assistant Director - Sanpei Sei
• Chief Director - Ryuwa Chokusei
• Series composition and script - Hayashi Naoki
• Character design: Ijuin Izuro
• Prop design - Yoshiyoshi Iwanaga, Hiroyuki Kodama
• Color design - Aiko Matsuyama (Typhoon Graphics)
• Art setting: Nobuhito Sue (KUSANAGI)
• Art director - Yuki Unno (KUSANAGI)
• Photography - Graphinica Inc.
• Director of photography - Hitoshi Tamura (Graphinica)
• 3D Director - Toshiro Hamamura
• Edited by Ayako Tan (Graphinica)
• Sound Director - Katsunori Shimizu
• Music: Ryo Takahashi
• Music Producer: Terunari Yoshie (Lantis), Yukie Iwashita (Lantis)
• Music Production - Lantis
• Producers: Kanako Umezawa, Hirohiko Kanbe, Hiroshi Akio, Fumihiro Ozawa, Hirotaka Kaneko, Takemasa Okamura, Jin Kawamura, Norito Isoya, Shinji Omori
• Produced by: ∞infinite
• Animation producers: Kazuhiro Nishito, Eisuke Hayashi
• Animation Production - Passione
• Production - citrus production committee

Main Characters

• Aihara Yuzuko - A high school freshman. She has a very flashy appearance with dyed brown hair, but she is an innocent gal who has never been in love. When her parents remarried, she transferred to an all-girls high school, where Mei, the granddaughter of the school's chairman and student council president, became her step-sister. She gradually begins to become aware of Mei, who she now lives with under the same roof.
• Aihara Mei - The cool student council president. A high school freshman. She is the granddaughter of the school's chairman and an honor student with both beauty and an intelligent mind. However, behind her perfect exterior lies a loneliness deep inside, which causes Yuzu to be at her wits' end.
• Harumi Taniguchi - A stealth gal who survives in a school for rich girls. She is Yuzu's first friend at the school she transfers to. Her special skill is hiding everything in her chest.
• Himeko Momokino - Mei's childhood friend. She supports Mei as the vice president of the student council. She has always had feelings for Mei, but when Yuzu suddenly appeared, she became her enemy and is trying to find out about the relationship between Yuzu and Mei.
• Mizusawa Matsuri - A second-year middle school student and childhood friend of Yuzu. She has a cynical view of the world. She looks up to Yuzu as her older sister, and is hostile towards Mei, who stole her place as her younger sister.
• Kayo Maruta - Student council member. She acts alongside Mei and Himeko as their senior.
• Aihara Ume - Yuzu's biological mother. She remarries Mei's father, Sho.
• Aihara Sho - Mei's biological father. He travels overseas for work and is often away from home.
• Tachibana Sara - A petite beautiful girl. Although she is often compared to her capable younger sister, she is generally positive. She becomes best friends with Yuzu during a school trip. She dreams of a fateful love, but...
• Tachibana Nina - A completely different younger sister who loves her older sister. She thinks of her sister's happiness first and foremost. She seems like a bright and carefree character, but...!?

subtitle

• Episode 1 - Love Affair!? (2018/01/06)
• Episode 2 - One's First Love (2018/01/13)
• Episode 3 - sisterly love? (2018/01/20)
• Episode 4 - Love Me Do! (2018/01/27)
• Episode 5 - Under Lover (2018/02/03)
• Episode 6 - Out of Love (2018/02/10)
• Episode 7 - Love or Lie! (2018/02/17)
• Episode 8 - War of Love (2018/02/24)
• Episode 9 - love is (2018/03/03)
• Episode 10 - Winter of Love (2018/03/10)
• Episode 11 - love you only (2018/03/17)
• Episode 12 - My Love Goes On and On (2018/03/24)

Related Titles

"Citrus"

Theme songs and music

• OP - Azaria
  • Lyricist - Kimiko
  • Composer - Jun Sasaki
  • String arrangement: Jun Sasaki, Kanade Oda
  • Arrangement and vocals: nano.RIPE
• ED - Dear Teardrop
  • Lyricist: Saori Kodama
  • Composition and arrangement - Kazunori Watanabe
  • Song: Mia REGINA

The appeal and reputation of "citrus"

"Citrus" is a work that depicts the bittersweet youth and romance of girls, and its unique setting and storytelling have attracted many viewers. In particular, the relationship between Yuzu and Mei, which began as a relationship between step-sisters, left a strong impression on viewers. Below, we will take a closer look at the appeal and evaluation of the work.

Character Appeal

The greatest appeal of "Citrus" is its characters, each with their own unique personalities. The main character, Yuzu, looks like a gyaru, but is pure on the inside and has never experienced first love, creating a fascinating contrast. Meanwhile, Mei is a complex character who presents herself as a cool and perfect student council president, but harbors loneliness deep inside. The relationship between these two is at the heart of the story, drawing viewers in. Additionally, the supporting characters, such as Yuzu's friend Harumi and Mei's childhood friend Himeko, are each charming and add to the excitement of the story.

Story Development

The story of "Citrus" begins with the meeting of Yuzu and Mei, and depicts how their relationship gradually deepens. The process in which the two, who initially repel each other, gradually become attracted to each other is carefully depicted, drawing the viewer in. In addition, the setting of the two being step-sisters gives the story a unique sense of tension, drawing the viewer into the story. Furthermore, the story progresses from the perspectives of other characters, allowing the viewer to enjoy the relationship between the two from multiple perspectives.

Visuals and Music

The visuals for "Citrus" are meticulously drawn by Passione, with the characters' expressions and movements depicted in detail. In particular, the changes in Yuzu and Mei's expressions and the sense of distance between them are visually expressed, strongly conveying the emotions of the story. The theme songs "Azalea" and "Dear Teardrop" also add to the atmosphere of the work and enhance the emotions of the viewer. nano.RIPE's "Azalea" has impressive lyrics and melody that symbolize the relationship between Yuzu and Mei, while Mia REGINA's "Dear Teardrop" expresses the sad feelings of the two characters.

Evaluation and acceptance

"Citrus" was highly praised by many viewers as a work depicting the love affair of young girls. In particular, the setting of step-sisters, the appeal of the characters, and the development of the story were praised. The visuals and music also enhanced the appeal of the work, leaving a strong impression on viewers. However, some viewers were of the opinion that the setting of step-sisters was unacceptable. Overall, "Citrus" was loved by many viewers as a work depicting the bittersweet youth and love affairs of young girls.

Recommendations for "citrus" and related works

"Citrus" is a work that depicts the bittersweet youth and love of girls, and the setting of step-sisters is particularly appealing. Below, we will introduce the reasons why we recommend "Citrus" and other related works.

Reasons for recommendation

Here are some reasons why we recommend citrus:

• Characters with unique personalities - The characters, including Yuzu and Mei, are charming and draw viewers in.
• Unique setting - The setting of step-sisters gives the story a unique sense of tension and draws the viewer in.
• Carefully crafted storytelling - The gradual development of the relationship between Yuzu and Mei is carefully depicted, keeping the viewer captivated.
• Visuals and Music – Passione’s meticulous artwork and theme songs “Azalea” and “Dear Teardrop” really add to the atmosphere of the show.

Related Titles

The following works have similar themes and settings to "citrus".

• "Strawberry Panic" - A work depicting the love lives of girls in an all-girls school. Like "Citrus", it depicts the bittersweet youth and romance of girls.
• "Maria-sama ga Miteru" - A story about friendship and love between girls in an all-girls school. Like "Citrus," the story revolves around the relationships between the girls.
• "Yuru Yuri" - A story about the daily lives of high school girls. Like "Citrus," it depicts friendship and romance between girls, but it has a stronger comedic tone.

Conclusion

"Citrus" is a work that depicts the bittersweet youth and romance of young girls, and the setting of step-sisters is particularly appealing. Many elements attract viewers, such as the unique characters, unique setting, careful storytelling, visuals and music. Related works include "Strawberry Panic," "Maria-sama ga Miteru," and "Yuru Yuri." "Citrus" is recommended for viewers who want to enjoy the bittersweet youth and romance of young girls.