So? What's the problem with wanting spoilers? Her being a rich bitch or obedient girl doesn't really give away anything,
infact it'd make it easier for her to pursue the life-style that she wishes for. It's not that I don't want to care for this mang,
it's that I'm starting to doubt it being worth caring for.

last edited at Feb 23, 2018 2:31PM

So? What's the problem with wanting spoilers?

You were asking people who read the story to make a summary for you while, at the same time, you were calling it shit and not worth reading. You're asking us to make the effort to digest the story for you while you're insulting it. That's the problem : why would we help you when you're literally saying that you don't like the story and it's not worth reading anyway? Why would you care in the first place?

Unless I misunderstood you, I'm really confused.

[...] it's that I'm starting to doubt it being worth caring for.

You'll have to read it if you want to know! Edit To give you an honest answer though, I'd suggest that you wait for the manga to finish. Depending on the number of volume left, it should be over in a year or two. Then, you can read the end and see if it's worth reading everything past vol6.

Yuzu was not a willing participant in being the side chick that Mei gets to play with before starting a real relationship with someone else.

She wasn't a sidekick, if anything, she was the instigator, the leader. Mei has always been reluctant and I can't blame her for giving in to the display of kindness and love Yuzu showed her.

See, if Mei was the one who started it, promising Yuzu all sorts of things to seduce her, knowing full well they couldn't keep it going in the long term, I would've agreed with everybody. But in this story, Mei is more passive than anything. She still promises lots of stuff to Yuzu but it's because she's too young and too in love with her to refuse her, to say to Yuzu "keep your hopes down, relationships aren't set in stone" (in the library in vol6); and that she didn't have the heart to break Yuzu's further : her step-sister just had an existential crisis and was really feeling down. The smile she does at the end of this chapter is like a complete opposite to her crying face in the last chapter.

Well, the only thing Mei can be accused of is to have been seduced by Yuzu, but who can blame her for that? Okay, okay, I'm pushing it. Still, it hurts, it wasn't a kind act at all, but I don't think she is a monster, just a confused selfish teenager who still wanted to indulge in the love of her step-sister, even if just a bit.

last edited at Feb 23, 2018 6:04PM

Though I laughed really hard when I saw Yuzu's book. Never noticed it the first time, but I swear the "LA" part that was crossed out could have meant "The strategy book!! To be happy and get laid by Mei" ROTFL

It means Yuzu wasn't sure how to spell "love".

Oh yeahhhh I totally missed it say it in a really sarcastic tone but noooo friend, it just means that I am just so frustrated at these two having drama (which is of course justifiable considering the genre) that I need to make up something to relieve me of the scrutinizing pain :)

Shit, I kinda hope that Mei's grandfather dies so they dont have to go through with this whole engagement. Mei clearly doesnt want it for herself. I bet Matsuri's gonna play a big part in getting this whole thing to calm, just how she looked at Mei in the other chapter was terrifying!

Even if grandfather died, this will nothing change. Only Mei can stop all of this. And Udagawa ofc.

Something like Yuzu going crazy and barging in the wedding will happen. I'd be more sad if it wasn't so certain that there will be a happy ending. I highly doubt Mei will actually marry this guy

Only Mei can stop all of this. And Udagawa ofc.

Well, yes and no. Of course, only Mei can decide what she will ultimately do, and you’re right that the grandfather dying doesn’t fundamentally change the situation. But the fiancé saying, “I know you love Yuzu, so I won’t marry you so you two can be together,” just kicks the problem down the road until the next (undoubtedly worse) arranged-marriage candidate comes along.

What needs to change is the need for Mei to marry in order to keep the school in the Aihara family. That can happen any number of different ways (some plausible, some deus ex machina wish-fulfillments). But the first thing that has to happen is that key players need to find out what’s really going on.

For instance, both Gramps and Mom (we assume) think that Mei is rather stoically but willingly doing her duty as Mei herself has always expected to do; we have no idea if Shou even knows that she’s getting married at all. The Scooby gang of friends will almost certainly play some role in getting the word out that Mei is actually sentencing herself (and Yuzu) to a future of emotional anguish.

And if the school/inheritance problem can be solved, then in regard to the subsequent “but—lesbian step-sisters” issue, both of the parents represent a significant “do whatever you need to do to be happy” faction of potential support.

At first Mei must decide at all that she wants to be with Yuzu for sure.

It wouldn't do justice to Yuzu if Mei stepped down inheriting the school because Shou would take the duty/Gramps would die/ the manager would cancel the engagement. The two last solutions are short-lived and don't solve anything for the future. The first one just erases Mei's responsibility to make her own choices or to realize the choice she did condemn her and Yuzu to pain.

So yeah, she has to decide herself. It's the best solution to make up for the break-up.

The author should just have ended the series this chapter and turned it into in a timeless yuri masterpiece.

ThE AuThoR sHoUlD HaVe JuSt eNdEd ThE SerIeS ThiS chAPtEr AnD TurNeD iT inTO a TimeLeSS YurI MasTeRpIeCe.

You must be the type of bellend to like aaaaangst yuri, eh? Whale Oil Beef Hooked. We got a Rick and Morty watcher with an iq of 200 over here bois.

So yeah, she has to decide herself. It's the best solution to make up for the break-up.

Exactly! Mei broke the relationship, let it fix it now.

Let me tell you the most obvious thing; you are being given THE UNBEARABLE PAIN only because it's finally time for THE SWEETEST RELEASE. Nobody slaughters a successful comic with anime in progress on top of that. I assume they didn't go through the full sexual intercourse yet? That's exactly what you'll get. Their "first time". So just relax.

So yeah, she has to decide herself. It's the best solution to make up for the break-up.

Exactly! Mei broke the relationship, let it fix it now.

Of course that’s right, but you guys are talking character psychology, and I’m talking story construction.

I just watched episode 8 and Mei smiled like three fucking times in just one episode wtf. She only smiles like once or twice in the entire manga (not counting evil smiles)

Let me tell you the most obvious thing; you are being given THE UNBEARABLE PAIN only because it's finally time for THE SWEETEST RELEASE. Nobody slaughters a successful comic with anime in progress on top of that. I assume they didn't go through the full sexual intercourse yet? That's exactly what you'll get. Their "first time". So just relax.

Did you make an account because you wanted to post this? XD

I'm a bit surprised people are surprised by this chapter. I can understand feeling like the second arranged marriage was introduced abruptly but the previous few chapters telegraphed this clearly imo, and Mei eventually having to choose between Yuzu and running the school was introduced volumes ago

I honestly don't know how to explain this but Mei's decision here makes total sense to me. I can feel it in my bones. Coming from a country where arranged marriages are common (Saudi), I have known a number of gay women who have married men and set to raise families out of a sense of familial obligation. And on one level I used to find it infuriating but on another I know intimately the pressures and upbringing that lead there because I had to escape it myself and just... there's nothing unusual about it. It's just reality for a whole lot of us. calling it a cliche is like saying it's a cliche American fiction frequently features drug crime. It shows up regularly in fiction because it's something a lot of us deal with. Of all the absurd drama in this series, this strikes me as the least contrived and most natural twist so far

Honestly it feels like every time a manga has this plot element people complain about it and it irritates me because it feels like people don't understand what it's like growing up in a social context where you are not an individual so much as a representative of your family whose honour you are responsible for. You don't have to like it, I certainly don't, but getting angry at characters who reflect how little real choice we often have in the matter leaves a bad taste in my mouth

last edited at Feb 24, 2018 11:23PM

She wasn't a sidekick, if anything, she was the instigator, the leader. Mei has always been reluctant and I can't blame her for giving in to the display of kindness and love Yuzu showed her.

No, Mei began it all when she kissed Yuzu in their bedroom not long after meeting. Yuzu is not the instigator, it was 100% Mei who started it all.

See, if Mei was the one who started it, promising Yuzu all sorts of things to seduce her, knowing full well they couldn't keep it going in the long term, I would've agreed with everybody. But in this story, Mei is more passive than anything. She still promises lots of stuff to Yuzu but it's because she's too young and too in love with her to refuse her, to say to Yuzu "keep your hopes down, relationships aren't set in stone" (in the library in vol6); and that she didn't have the heart to break Yuzu's further : her step-sister just had an existential crisis and was really feeling down. The smile she does at the end of this chapter is like a complete opposite to her crying face in the last chapter.

Except, again, Mei did start it with the kiss. Mei was also the one pushing to have sex first. Mei was the one who went on the attack the first sign of Yuzu getting with someone else. Mei was far from passive. She wasnt the one pushing for a normal wholesome relationship but she was certainly the one pushing for a physical one.

Well, the only thing Mei can be accused of is to have been seduced by Yuzu, but who can blame her for that? Okay, okay, I'm pushing it. Still, it hurts, it wasn't a kind act at all, but I don't think she is a monster, just a confused selfish teenager who still wanted to indulge in the love of her step-sister, even if just a bit.

Yuzu was seduced by Mei starting with the kiss and Mei was the one pushing for sex before Yuzu was ready for it. She is just as much of a monster as a playgirl can be. She seduces Yuzu, gave into Yuzus demands for an actual relationship and then shattered it all in almost the worst way possible. People arent saying she should be hanged but you have to see why a lot of people would hate her for doing what she did.

I wish there was a bit more build up leading to this chapter, like her making the decision and accepting and leaving, but I think standalone, this was pretty brilliant. It tugs on your heartstrings in all the right ways, and the clashing of the emotional note and comedic pictures only cause it to hurt more towards the end. My only issue is I wish Mei went a bit more in depth with her reasons for making her choice. Ah well, pretty good chapter.

How many volumines Citrus will have? Someone knows? I saw on Twitter a picture with 50 chapters, but...

How many volumines Citrus will have? Someone knows? I saw on Twitter a picture with 50 chapters, but...

Mistake. the person who took the picture was on a manga site that counted the bonuses as chapters hence the number 50.

Since the volumes are paired with their regular cover, it will be 10 volumes or 12. The author tweeted for the new year that the manga was entering its turning point. Did she mean climax or just we were in the last part of the plot which could be expanded on numerous volumes? Who knows.

We'll have probably some idea with chapter 37's structure. If resolution begins in it, volume 10 could be the last. The fact that there is an anime can lead to thinking the same thing will happen than with NTR. When the anime ended, the last volume began. Ichijinsha uses animes to promote their top series when they are reaching their acme.

Let's hope the author doesn't rush the ending, that's all.

4 chapters are not enough for me to end the story without feeling the rushing of the action. 12 would be ok.

last edited at Feb 25, 2018 12:19PM

4 chapters are not enough for me to end the story without feeling the ruching of the action. 12 would be ok.

That, or Saburouta could do a last big volume like Kodama with NTR who did 6 chapters. But yeah, I would prefer 12 volumes with a view on their life after the big drama resolution, and also a closure for the side characters too.

Yo first time posting here, made the account because I recently read the whole Citrus manga so far and felt impacted by chapter 36, as something similar happened between my girlfriend and I years ago (except in our case I’m more similar to Mei in personality and she is more similar to Yuzu, but she was the one sending me the “Dear Yuzu” letter once sh*t hit the fan with her strict family).

I feel all the hatred towards Mei is uncalled for, even though upon first reading chapter 36 I also had a very gut level emotional reaction of disliking the way she did things. But that was just my immature side talking, that empathizes with Yuzu and would like life to be simple when it’s actually not. The author of this manga sure knows how to deliver the point, she made us feel exactly like Yuzu did which I believe was precisely her intention (in addition to being an easy way of moving on to the next, likely more serious phase of the story).

My analysis of Mei’s actions is the following.

Mei never gave any demonstration of actually liking the life of managing the academy. I mean, she doesn't show any love or enjoyment for it even after she affirms it's her own decision. I don't think it really is, she just believes so because she is still a kid: she is actually doing it completely out of duty and as a "good kid" would, because she has only ever been loved conditionally and in her mind, in order to have value and be loved she must follow these obligations. If she truly loved it and was looking forward to doing this her whole life, she would behave like most people who are really into their work, and show joy in her life and in her interactions with people.

But she doesn't! It means that just like her dad, she is only doing it out of a sense of obligation and not because it's her passion in life. If she chooses the path of passionless duty, she is never going to feel fulfilled and would likely crash her own life down the road with a divorce too and god knows what else, recreating the cycle of divorce and unhappiness with her own children, maybe abandoning them like Shou did.

Regardless, in the end, the story is about duty vs personal fulfilment, rather than a conflict between career and love. It is about whether Mei can handle the uncertainty of going for a path forged by herself rather than laid down for her (as Mitsuko explains in a previous chapter when she applauded Yuzu). The main challenge though, is that Mei is an extremely insecure and needy person and in my opinion has been obsessed about Yuzu from the very beginning, precisely because subconsciously her mind knows Yuzu is the gatekeeper, the person who has the type of psychological freedom she craves so much.

In terms of how to solve this whole issue, in my opinion if Yuzu doesn’t do something concrete to demonstrate that she is willing to be together with Mei permanently as an adult and through thick and thin, Mei will just go ahead with the marriage. Reason being, Mei doesn’t believe Yuzu loves her enough (as an adult rather than just a crush) or has enough maturity to face the uphill battle of fighting the family and society, even though she clearly would like for her to be able to: which is why she was trying to make Yuzu be more open about their relationship to their friends, and encouraging her to not worry so much about societal opinions.

And who can blame her for thinking that Yuzu would not be up to the task of supporting her as a reliable adult partner? During the story, it becomes clearer and clearer that Mei’s love for Yuzu was never “puppy love”, it’s adult love, but Yuzu is still a kid. Yuzu starts out as a reckless teenager and the process of her becoming more mature is still ongoing. She has been unable to lead Mei to have sex with her because she is still not ready for it (psychologically), even though Mei has given indication she has been wanting to do it since pretty much day 1. Because Mei has a more passive and accommodating personality, she wants/needs Yuzu to lead, and so far Yuzu is a very confusing leader to say the least.

My opinion on how the story will go: I feel Harumin, who has been a mystery so far in what is her real purpose in the story, will finally stop being neutral. Either she will push Yuzu to take action, or talk to Mei, possibly instigated by Matsuri. I doubt Matsuri will actually take action herself because she is very smart and knows Yuzu and Mei would likely not listen to her, given she is not seen by others as a reasonable person. But Harumin is, so she is the best bet here. Another possibility, even more dramatic but leading to unpredictable consequences, is that Harumin liked Yuzu all along and decides to do something about it. However, I find that less likely because I am under the impression Matsuri and her will become a couple.

I hope Citrus won't end at Volume 10. 12 is fine but I wish there will be more. it won't be bad also if we can have a canon Matsuri x Harumin after the hopeful happy ending for Yuzu and Mei.

There's no doubt that Volume 10 is going to be the turning point of Citrus. I can't even imagine the amount of drama it will have especially that it will now involve the whole Aihara family into the plot. Getting the acceptance of their family with their taboo relationship is going to be the toughest obstacle Mei and Yuzu need to deal with before they can have their happy ending. man' I hope we can see Mei and Yuzu get married and have science babies.

Who wouldn't want to see Mei finally happy with her new loving family with Yuzu after all the sh*t, she has to deal with because of her irresponsible father.

last edited at Feb 25, 2018 12:22PM

I hope we can see Mei and Yuzu get married and have science babies.

My money's on mismatched twins who fight all the time in public, but underneath it all . . .