I'm actually not sure why people are assuming that this is the last chapter.

And read it now. Yep, it hurts, but I really can not say I am surprised. This is very Mei-like. I also do not think this is bad writing, since it has pretty clear internal consistency.

Fipse
"Inheriting the academy became something I wanted to do of my own will." That being said, as Klice stated, we already discussed at length what Mei's social position entails, but of all that we covered I would want to bring one possible explanation as to why the marriage.
Female heiresses inheriting the business in lack of male heirs is nothing unheard of in Japan, however, Mei is not just a woman, she is also very young. How many CEOs do you know who are just fresh out of high school? Her fiance is older, from a prestigious family himself, a second son (so he will not be bogged down by running that business), and has management experience. The grandfather specifically selected him because he has an unimposing, gentle character, and he would serve as practical help for Mei, while the union alone would put business partners, boards and parents of students at ease, since they would know a high schooler is not running the academy unchecked.

I know I might sound boring bringing this up again, but you really can not have a lesbian who is dating her step-sister openly as the charwoman of a prestigious girls' academy. For one, gay and Japan. Two, step-sibling relationships are viewed as actual incest by many people, and are generally not socially acceptable (even outside Japan, even if heterosexual). I mean, name me one prestigious school anywhere in the world, east or west, that is run by an openly gay person. Let alone a gay person who is in a relationship with their own same-sex step-sibling. It is stupid, and it is not something I am fond of, but such is the world at present.

Mei basically has three choices, choose family and duty over Yuzu (as she seemingly did here), choose Yuzu openly (in which case her dream of running the academy is finished), or try to compromise (somehow convince the boards, any potential investors, and the parents of students that someone as young as her is up to the task, break off the engagement and come clean to grandfather she does not wish to marry; then she would be able to be with Yuzu, provided they keep the relationship a secret from the general public).

+

I really liked this chapter. It finally allow us to understand Mei's actions.

Some reaction and analysis here make plenty of sense honestly. Enough for me to try reconsidering my opinion about the writing of the story and characters. It didn't change though, because:

• this letter only allows us to really understand Mei's latest action, doesn't explain her earlier actions properly,
• the whole heiress vs step-incestuous lesbian relationship has been the elephant in the room for 36 chapters.

It states that Mei's only purpose in life bad been to inherit the academy, before that become her real wish. She doesn't mention why she started messing with Yuzu the way she did. It didn't fit the role she tried to fulfill and if that's how she confronts someone she doesn't get along with, it's seriously messed up.

"...I even ended up kissing you."

It was already stated many times that Mei is in fact a(nother) victim of the genre. That's fine, my point is just that this letter doesn't bring her any closer to being a person with integrity. It's supposed to be a matter of telling or showing but Citrus just doesn't do either. Maybe this chapter is an attempt to make a turn, to reveal growth or a well-hidden puzzle of emotional and rational thoughts, fitting together behind everything that happened. I'll be impressed if something like that gets revealed, but this is still very far from that and after all these chapters I don't have faith left in that it could happen.

I tried to read previous comments about the last chapter to see other people's reaction, but I only saw people screaming at each other. That's weird.

Anyway, I hope that isn't the end coz it feels like there should be more right? I mean, I don't mind happy endings, what bothers me is incomplete endings or forced endings like this one if it is the last. All I wish is that the author finishes it with giving readers a satisfactory ending. Whether it be a good or bad end, as long as it is an end. I guess what I'm saying is please don't let this end like Banana no Nana. The time skip is already here, pleeeeaaaassseee please don't end it in such an obviously forced way.

So I'm jumping to the Harumin x Yuzu ship. This ship will be our salvation.

So... what am I suppose to do with all of the feels these last two chapters have instilled in me? I honestly feel like crying.

...What do?!

last edited at Feb 18, 2018 4:56AM

Kinda regret buying 5 volumes of this now. GODDAMNIT MEI

Seira posted:

I'm actually not sure why people are assuming that this is the last chapter.

This.

Oh my achy breaky heart T____T

Some ppl take things too seriously, it's ridiculous lol

Watch the next chapter be a time skip. Yuzu one shotting a Pacifista.

I'll be officially done with this series.

Flip it around and you notice that Mei is misunderstood, she loves Yuzu, you cannot deny that she does

Yes, you can. Shou left the school and his family to live the life that he wanted. Mei can't even leave the shitty school to be with the girl she loves, only explanation is that she never actually loved her in the first place.

Yes, because humans never have conflicting feelings and motivations. Humans never want multiple, different things that are sometimes diagonally opposed to each other. Humans are simple, uncomplicated creatures that only ever operate with one single motivation in mind. And obviously, love is the most important motivation of all. Therefore, if you are not prepared to drop your own family (whom you love) and all other dreams you might have (like running the academy) like hot potatoes the moment love enters the picture, then the only possible explanation is that it was not love in the first place. You nailed it. As usual.

I cannot fathom two things: one, why are some people convinced that this is the last chapter? It is not. It's the last chapter of volume 9 (which will also have bonus stories, by the way, and most likely an afterword), yes, but there is a volume 10. So at the very least, Citrus is getting 4 more chapters. I personally think it'll be 12 volumes, though.

And two, the baseless rumor that Saburouta is a straight, married woman to somehow discredit her (?). Nevermind that most yuri authors are straight, married women, that was Merryhachi, by the way. This reminded me of when some tried to pass off a random Japanese woman's picture as Saburouta herself as an "haha, she's ugly! X author is so better looking!".

Weird shit.

last edited at Feb 18, 2018 5:36AM

Maybe it'll drop the melodrama, fast forward to when they're both adults and Yuzu becomes a teacher at Mei's school. Yuzu is adored by all though she tends to bend the rules. Mei isn't sure why she's there, but won't deny her the job since she's technically qualified and it would raise questions.

They haven't really seen talked to each other except in passing for years. This Yuzu is different, but still the same in the lot of ways that matter. Yuzu got over her years ago, easier than Mei thought she would. That had hurt then but she understood she had no right to say anything. Her life is bland, boring, and predictable.

Or, it was, before Yuzu came back.

sigh I mean, it would be nice. I haven't really been keeping up since the manga went all over the place, but I skim through to confirm it's still not the kind of thing I'd fully enjoy. A shame, since I really liked the art in the beginning. I'm still hoping for some kind of hail mary for this to become something I could really enjoy again.

What I liked about this manga was the character development of Mei. Despite all the shit she constantly pulled off (some you could understand, some was just stupid), you could see her falling for Yuzu. I always hoped she would give something back to Yuzu, but all she ever did was take. With this bitter letter she confessed her feelings and is also running away from them. So it's 10000 steps backwards again (and a huge stab into Yuzu's heart). I understand that Mei is bound by her heritage, but that still doesn't give her the right to treat the one she supposedly loves like that. Then again, Mei is a 15 year old girl, so how grown up can you expect her to be. It's still a pity that all the character developement that could have been so good, was just destroyed.

last edited at Feb 18, 2018 6:04AM

So the only way a girl can inherit the family business is marrying a pedophile. And it seems to be the only prerequisite.

Every time a new chapter gets posted, people are always like “oh this chapter was so bad omg so overly dramatic with shit writing as always” but we all keep coming back. Like many other people, this manga has become more of a guilty pleasure for me. Even though the writing is all over the place, I still look forward to reading a new chapter every month. The first chapter was released back when I was 16 years old, and I’ve been keeping up ever since.

Maybe I want to keep up with Citrus because I started reading it so long ago and just want to see it through. Maybe it’s because the ridiculous plot actually entertains me despite my complaints about it. Probably both.

AnimexObsession posted:

It might be 'low quality' writing compared to other mangreasonable One Punch Man etc., but this is a drama manga about two 16 year old steph-sisters falling in love. With the base plot that is has, there isn't much to work with to make it an amazing well thought out deep emotional introspective manga.

It actually had potential to do it. The first few chapters were great and could be taken into different direction. But Saburouta did not capitalized on it and decided to write cheap soap opera instead.

I understand what you mean, but my take is that from the beginning it was this overly dramatic soap operesque manga. Apart from Mei her personal development (and thus also the development of her relationship with Yuzu) I wasn't expecting much of this series. And it's not supposed to be more than that. Like you said, Saburo Uta decided she wanted to write some soap opera, and so she did.

Tbh all this hate just reminds me of the Justin Bieber hate in the beginning of his career. Fair enough right now he isn't the most decent human being but in the beginning he did nothing wrong, yet received so much hate it was like WW III had started. It wasn't like his music was that god awful, though I understand why people wouldn't like it. But still, that's not a reason to go meta tier shit posting on it. There's just this sort of group-hate spewing power that just spreads like a wildfire and blows everything way beyond reasonable proportions. One person starts shouting, then the next joins in, then people who have hardly spoken a word before. And suddenly it's just a wild fury of hate and disgust. #1984

last edited at Feb 18, 2018 8:15AM

Every time a new chapter gets posted, people are always like “oh this chapter was so bad omg so overly dramatic with shit writing as always” but we all keep coming back. (...) The first chapter was released back when I was 16 years old, and I’ve been keeping up ever since.

Maybe I want to keep up with Citrus because I started reading it so long ago and just want to see it through. Maybe it’s because the ridiculous plot actually entertains me despite my complaints about it. Probably both.

Amen to that.

Basically, Mei couldn't see a real future with Yuzu since being a lesbian is totally taboo in Japan and that could some what compromise her future job at the school so she had chosen to marry instead cuz if she had chosen Yuzu, she'd be all she could think about all day every night even while you're working cause surely not marrying someone you're in love with and reciprocates it will surely not lead you to a path of a happiness instead of an arranged marriage with someone you're already going to accept as your spouse for the rest of your life and looking forward to a career you never wanted in the first place. When the hell is Mei going to stop setting herself up for unhappiness and stop following orders, and set herself up for own happiness? She's either a robot or a masochist.

Anyway we can all agree now its Mei time to move ass and do something with their relationship. Fix it, or tell Yuzu in face its over. I dont want someone to "save" her again, i look on Shou and Ugadawa. I dont want see Yuzu to chase Mei AGAIN! Mei wrote a letter and broke up relationship, so she must end this ALONE. Without any help from the others.

She's either a robot or a masochist.

I think she's a bit of both

Or she is impaired

Kinda regret buying 5 volumes of this now. GODDAMNIT MEI

Same I bought 6 volumes of this crap

Or she is impaired

Socially acepted impairment

I cant forgive what mei has done to yuzu and now this is the final blow. its like bruh if thats what you decided for yourself since you were a child why suddenly become a gay and start kissing and teasing yuzu..

The only explanation is that she actually LOVES YUZU A LOT, contrary to what people are assuming , its like are you people dumb ? if she didn't love yuzu she wouldn't even give her a look and kept progressing towards her dream just like how she always treated Himeko but Yuzu is different, She truly loved her.so the dream that she has always followed and her love for yuzu opposed each other.

What People Didn't Notice is that Mei HAD BEEN SUFFERING CONSTANTLY, and EVEN Yuzu can't do anything for her in this state. Actually what Mei has did is probably one of the most difficult decisions i have ever saw. She is truly strong not weak like how people are saying..I Really Respect Her decision and I think Yuzu should too,YES ITS HARD,I know, its really hard BUT just like how Mei decided this hard resolve Yuzu should too if she truly loved her , its never too late, both of them are still very young and could forget eventually.even if Mei threw all of her dreams aside and decided to stay beside Yuzu still, the ghosts from the past will come back to hunt her and will especially hunt Yuzu leading her to think it was better if she didn't fall in love with Mei and many of other hardships.Mei did this for her own good in the future and for Yuzu's good too, she actually did it out of her pure love for Yuzu so she won't get hurt in the end in the future, yes she will be hurt a lot in the beginning but she will get over it believe me. so Thinking this through is better than regretting it in the future.

i don't want to be this kind of person but what made me write this is that because i knew two women who always loved each other and i was their friend and respected their love, but once they faced the pressure of society and the difficulties of two women living alone with no men helping them with money or protecting them and with no children there to be by their side when they get old one of them has committed suicide and the other has followed her.

Im not saying you should believe my story but regardless what im trying to say is that you should think of these things properly and not take it lightly without giving in to your emotions so you won't be facing those kind of hardships in your real life,I'm saying this for your own good, If you wanna be gay then be prepared for it!!! don't drive your lover crazy in the future.
if you cant respect a manga ending or got depressed over it,then im sorry to tell you that being a gay is not for you, to be a gay is not for weak people and is not just a sexual preference it is a matter of being able to live a decent life or a depressing life.if you couldn't accept this manga ending then you won't be able to hold in or accept how the society will look at you in the future.

I had always thought Citrus was a dumb drama and only kept reading it because it was entertaing nonetheless , I didnt think it would get this dramatic towards the end and actually leads you to questioning your views about life

If Saburo Uta actually ended this manga like how I described then it is really one of the most mature endings i've ever read and this manga should be labled among people as "Aimed Towards Prudent and Mature people" though i know a lot of people will call it a bad ending.

I know my comment wont be liked by many and is not gonna get much attention but im writing this to rational and mature people who know what they are doing with their life.

last edited at Feb 18, 2018 11:34AM

Every time a new chapter gets posted, people are always like “oh this chapter was so bad omg so overly dramatic with shit writing as always” but we all keep coming back. Like many other people, this manga has become more of a guilty pleasure for me. Even though the writing is all over the place, I still look forward to reading a new chapter every month. The first chapter was released back when I was 16 years old, and I’ve been keeping up ever since.

Maybe I want to keep up with Citrus because I started reading it so long ago and just want to see it through. Maybe it’s because the ridiculous plot actually entertains me despite my complaints about it. Probably both.

It's because a lot of us enjoy it even if we're pointing out flaws or things that annoy us.

last edited at Feb 18, 2018 9:53AM