If they were dating the whole dating, it's the best secret i ever seen because there is almost no period of time where the confession could have happen.

There’s ALOT of off-screen time and time skips each . I’m saying it’s a POSSIBILITY, Not that it’s a fact. I mean there are chapters that are days even a week apart. And even then most of those include little to no screen time of either Harumi and Matsuri more often than not. On top of it all, they’re all in the same school, Matsuri shows up unannounced at Harumin’s place often enough for her use the word ‘always’. It literally could have happened ANY time in Citrus or Citrus+ if it were so.

And also, they would have talk about it during Harumin's visit to Matsuri. Think about it, why would they hide the fact they're going out to each other when they're alone ?

Umm sorry, I don’t understand the argument here… Why or what would they need to talk about? IF they are together then they are together, what is there to talk about? I don’t get what you’re trying to say here???

Are you talking about the way Matsuri address her formally, despite them being alone? If that’s what you’re referring to then the answer is simple. They’re technically fighting, Matsuri is upset with Harumi still. And to Show Harumi she’s STILL angry, she speaks to her in a condescending formal tone. Polite speech in Japanese can be used to convey sarcasm. It’s called Taningyougi. 他人行儀。Using this with someone whom you’re close with is considered the ultimate insult to your relationship, and it’s a public show of how upset you are with them, especially if you were close enough to call them with by their name or nickname. It’s like, “imagine IF Harumi got upset enough with Yuzu to revert to calling her “Aihara-san”. That’s why I said that “IF” they were, that it brings the whole situation under a whole new light. Also seems like they text and meet often enough that getting stood up on and radio silence for a week is enough to bring it to Harumi’s attention. And judging from everyone else’s reactions, they weren’t invited, otherwise Yuzu would be the first to bring it up.

I’m just saying by inferring from their expressions and their words that the POSSIBILITY exists.
I’m not denying the fact that Matsuri COULD be lying to Mei about being in a relationship, or have actually been dating someone else the whole time, but then kissed Harumi to “shut her up”? The later seems the least likely.

But as you all LOVE to point out, without cannon confirmation it’s all headcannon at this point.

Leave for a year cuz of the toxicity, come back and it’s still toxic lol. The previous pages were a riot but I’m not going to even bother to address it.

I’ve pretty much fallen into the category of ‘still reading for HaruMatsu development, ignoring and skipping through YuzuMei chapter’.

This is purely assumption but I’m starting to wonder if HaruMatsu were the hidden couple in the background the whole time. (Besides MaruMitsu) It wasn’t until the previous chapter where Matsuri says she’s actually been hiding the fact that she’s dating someone the whole time, that I started to really wonder. Cuz it would explain some of their interactions. Just hear me out.

1.Harumin not getting upset at the sudden kiss Matsuri just planted on her, only just mumbling “Idiot. That’s totally not it at all” after Matsuri kissed and ran.

1. The way Matsuri is just able to randomly follow her to her house out of the blue and borrow her shower without prior notice. (Unless you’re very close, this is a fauxpas in Japan even if the rain counts as an emergency situation). Well I guess you can argue that grandma would recognise Matsuri as one of Harumin’s friends and let her in after seeing her drenched in the rain, and it seems slightly implied that Matsuri does show up unannounced often.

2. Why Matsuri got SO upset with Harumin (enough to raise her voice) for constantly arguing against her everything she says but always being so accepting of Yuzu’s opinions. Enough for Harumin to show a slight guilty expression.

3. Why Harumin would think it was her fault Matsuri stopped going to school, enough to trigger memories from what Matsuri said to her two years ago. And she was the first to realise Matsuri’s absence enough to bring it to the attention of the others.

4. That (4) is enough to propel Harumin to be spontaneous enough to butt herself into someone else’s private business (which is completely OOC for her as she prefers to remain a bystander), to the point of showing up unannounced to Matsuri’s house with an Omiyage as an apology present. (This is society fauxpas in Japan, especially with the dark palette of Harumin’s clothing and how flashy and revealing her clothing is. I get that this is Harumin’s style, but she had just shown in the previous chapter that she does own clothings that are more muted in style. For those of you who argue that she might not know about the clothing thing since she’s just a student, I will remind you that her family is prestigious enough to enroll Mitsuko and then Harumi into a school of mainly high society ojou-sama and reijos from powerful families, those schools AREN’T cheap and is mainly governed by an escalator system)

5. The specific way Matsuri confronted her in her room “is it because senpai wanted to do so, or was it for the sake of ‘EVERYONE’ that distance between their faces goes way beyond ‘friends’. And Harumi FROZE, where she would normally push the other party away.

6. Latest chapter, Matsuri getting irritated, almost to the point of pissed with the incessant bombardment of Nene’s HaruYuzu daydreams. (There were quite a few panels that showed her with an emotionless expression.) usually she’s get annoyed but still slightly indulge Nene, this time she almost completely shuts off after releasing the floodgates of Nene.

7. That one scene (latest chapter also) where Harumi silently lets Matsuri sit beside her and the full panel of them all too slightly leaning on each other in the touching-not-touching situation with a similar expression on their faces. Harumi could’ve easily leaned on her other arm and avoided any contact with Matsuri at all if she were still pissed with Matsuri’s earlier shenanigans.

8. The infamous scene of Harumi face planting Matsuri into her boobs in the original Citrus vol…8? 9? Though they might have still been just friends then? But friends don’t faceplant other friends into their boobs even while trying to comfort them.

I mean, it’s purely assumption of course, but after a while you realise that Saburouta only really shows scenes where Matsuri and Harumin interact in the presence of others, until that scene where Harumi made an unannounced visit to Matsuri’s condo. From the moment of Matsuri’s greeting you could see and hear the sarcasm every time she addressed Harumi as ‘Senpai’ throughout both chapters. (Is it because senpai wanted to do so? Or for the sake of “Everyone”)

When Matsuri mentions that she’s “been in a relationship for a long while now”. And you re-read July 1st with that context, it brings out a whole new subtext to the interactions in those two chapters and the few chapters earlier in Vol.2 when they ‘fought’

If they really had been dating the entire time (since, who knows when), I think it’s a relationship, or not-relationship based on understanding each other in a way no one else does. Matsuri understanding Harumi’s Flight over Fight response in uncomfortable situations, which is why she was surprised it was Harumi who had made the move to visit and apologise, and Harumi understands Matsuri’s thought process in a way no one else has, (just as Mei mentioned). They probably aren’t overly affectionate in words, and fight waaay more often than not, arguing over the smallest things. But like in the latest chapter they’d also have moments where they silently acknowledge each other and be able to just be together comfortably even if neither says a word.

Probably initiated by Matsuri’s one-sided confession, and Harumi accepting grudgingly cuz she was worried Matsuri might cause trouble for Yuzu otherwise… I highly doubt their relationship started out mutual. High chance that THAT scene was their first kiss as well. But even if it was mostly one sided, they’d both probably take it seriously. Birthdays, anniversaries, giving gifts to the other in that Tsundere way of theirs… and if anyone asks, no, they’re “not dating”, at least probably not until that kiss…

OR Of course I could have just been talking through my ass the whole time and Matsuri is either lying with a straight face to Mei about the whole dating thing and I’m just reading too much into it, or it’s the truth and she’s dating someone else entirely… THAT would bring a whole new drama to Citrus+ and HaruMatsu…

Leave for a year cuz of the toxicity, come back and it’s still toxic lol. The previous pages were a riot but I’m not going to even bother to address it.

I’ve pretty much fallen into the category of ‘still reading for HaruMatsu development, ignoring and skipping through YuzuMei chapter’.

This is purely assumption but I’m starting to wonder if HaruMatsu were the hidden couple in the background the whole time. (Besides MaruMitsu) It wasn’t until the previous chapter where Matsuri says she’s actually been hiding the fact that she’s dating someone the whole time, that I started to really wonder. Cuz it would explain some of their interactions. Just hear me out.

1.Harumin not getting upset at the sudden kiss Matsuri just planted on her, only just mumbling “Idiot. That’s totally not it at all” after Matsuri kissed and ran.

1. The way Matsuri is just able to randomly follow her to her house out of the blue and borrow her shower without prior notice. (Unless you’re very close, this is a fauxpas in Japan even if the rain counts as an emergency situation). Well I guess you can argue that grandma would recognise Matsuri as one of Harumin’s friends and let her in after seeing her drenched in the rain, and it seems slightly implied that Matsuri does show up unannounced often.

2. Why Matsuri got SO upset with Harumin (enough to raise her voice) for constantly arguing against her everything she says but always being so accepting of Yuzu’s opinions. Enough for Harumin to show a slight guilty expression.

3. Why Harumin would think it was her fault Matsuri stopped going to school, enough to trigger memories from what Matsuri said to her two years ago. And she was the first to realise Matsuri’s absence enough to bring it to the attention of the others.

4. That (4) is enough to propel Harumin to be spontaneous enough to butt herself into someone else’s private business (which is completely OOC for her as she prefers to remain a bystander), to the point of showing up unannounced to Matsuri’s house with an Omiyage as an apology present. (This is society fauxpas in Japan, especially with the dark palette of Harumin’s clothing and how flashy and revealing her clothing is. I get that this is Harumin’s style, but she had just shown in the previous chapter that she does own clothings that are more muted in style. For those of you who argue that she might not know about the clothing thing since she’s just a student, I will remind you that her family is prestigious enough to enroll Mitsuko and then Harumi into a school of mainly high society ojou-sama and reijos from powerful families, those schools AREN’T cheap and is mainly governed by an escalator system)

5. The specific way Matsuri confronted her in her room “is it because senpai wanted to do so, or was it for the sake of ‘EVERYONE’ that distance between their faces goes way beyond ‘friends’. And Harumi FROZE, where she would normally push the other party away.

6. Latest chapter, Matsuri getting irritated, almost to the point of pissed with the incessant bombardment of Nene’s HaruYuzu daydreams. (There were quite a few panels that showed her with an emotionless expression.) usually she’s get annoyed but still slightly indulge Nene, this time she almost completely shuts off after releasing the floodgates of Nene.

7. That one scene (latest chapter also) where Harumi silently lets Matsuri sit beside her and the full panel of them all too slightly leaning on each other in the touching-not-touching situation with a similar expression on their faces. Harumi could’ve easily leaned on her other arm and avoided any contact with Matsuri at all if she were still pissed with Matsuri’s earlier shenanigans.

8. The infamous scene of Harumi face planting Matsuri into her boobs in the original Citrus vol…8? 9? Though they might have still been just friends then? But friends don’t faceplant other friends into their boobs even while trying to comfort them.

I mean, it’s purely assumption of course, but after a while you realise that Saburouta only really shows scenes where Matsuri and Harumin interact in the presence of others, until that scene where Harumi made an unannounced visit to Matsuri’s condo. From the moment of Matsuri’s greeting you could see and hear the sarcasm every time she addressed Harumi as ‘Senpai’ throughout both chapters. (Is it because senpai wanted to do so? Or for the sake of “Everyone”)

When Matsuri mentions that she’s “been in a relationship for a long while now”. And you re-read July 1st with that context, it brings out a whole new subtext to the interactions in those two chapters and the few chapters earlier in Vol.2 when they ‘fought’

If they really had been dating the entire time (since, who knows when), I think it’s a relationship, or not-relationship based on understanding each other in a way no one else does. Matsuri understanding Harumi’s Flight over Fight response in uncomfortable situations, which is why she was surprised it was Harumi who had made the move to visit and apologise, and Harumi understands Matsuri’s thought process in a way no one else has, (just as Mei mentioned). They probably aren’t overly affectionate in words, and fight waaay more often than not, arguing over the smallest things. But like in the latest chapter they’d also have moments where they silently acknowledge each other and be able to just be together comfortably even if neither says a word.

Probably initiated by Matsuri’s one-sided confession, and Harumi accepting grudgingly cuz she was worried Matsuri might cause trouble for Yuzu otherwise… I highly doubt their relationship started out mutual. High chance that THAT scene was their first kiss as well. But even if it was mostly one sided, they’d both probably take it seriously. Birthdays, anniversaries, giving gifts to the other in that Tsundere way of theirs… and if anyone asks, no, they’re “not dating”, at least probably not until that kiss…

OR Of course I could have just been talking through my ass the whole time and Matsuri is either lying with a straight face to Mei about the whole dating thing and I’m just reading too much into it, or it’s the truth and she’s dating someone else entirely… THAT would bring a whole new drama to Citrus+ and HaruMatsu…

-sigh- I’m getting bored of entertaining the vitriol in this discussion, it has digressed way too far from any discussion of the latest chapter, and that’s what I was originally here for. Maybe it was my fault for poking the hornets’ nest with a stick regarding the Mei discussion but I was looking for someone to have a mature debate about the plot, not get attacked because I prefer the side characters over the main ones. And honestly, if you can’t see that the immature act Matsuri puts on is just that, AN ACT, then there’s really no point in further continuing this discussion. Not that it was even a discussion in the first place.

Also sadhomu, I wasn’t joking, Homura is my most hated character in the MadoMagi, still is. I can even safely tell you that I like Nagisa more than Homura LOL. I won’t argue with your preferences, I’m just stating mine. Madoka was a good starting role for Yuki Aoi, it gave her a step up into the world of mainstream but it wasn’t one of her best roles. It was a good role that fit her though, but it stereotyped her roles for a while cuz it was just too iconic even though that role wasn’t her full potential.

You guys can say whatever you want about me wanting more character development about the most ‘insignificant character in the story’ I was stating that as an example, but even joke characters have their own story especially since she is WAAAAY more than just a cameo character, just seeing how often she appears together with the main cast in the story is enough to peak my interest in how and why did she get significant enough to be with them in so many panels, I mean if her presence in the manga was like Shirapon senpai or even Momokino, popping up every once in a few chapters/volumes, I probably wouldn’t care less about what her story is. I simply want more insight on the universe of Citrus and for more expansion and development on the supporting cast.

Maybe because I see Citrus as something close to a Shoujo manga, and an expansion of the characters followed by a character arc is always present. Especially for characters that are always within the same circle as the ‘main characters’.

Anyways, I’m done here. Getting a bit too toxic to stay.
Might be back when the next chapter is out for plot input if there’s any.

last edited at Nov 23, 2020 1:56PM

Plus Harumin did confess to Yuzu, but chickened out and added ‘as a best friend’ at the end to not make it awkward. Yuzu had already fallen off her seat in shock at Harumin’s ‘confession’, so she changed it at the last moment

That's just a way to interpret it honestly and not the best one to be honest.You say that you have scruted every detail but where isthe backup on saying she chickened out ? Harumin has barely showing any romantics feelings toward Yuzu period, hell she has barely shown those feelings for anybody. Sorry but i can't buy the "Harumin was serious with her confession" thing without any real proof.

Ahhh right, this is probably a case of cultural differences. Just to note, every Japanese reader probably is of the same opinion that I have. Citrus+ vol1 March 30th part 2. This significance of this scene is most likely lost to the overseas readers. But for Harumin to go out of her way to may a detour in sending Yuzu to the train station in the opposite direction of her home, just for the excuse to go to a bookstore near the station and walk through a manga section which she has no interest in, simply so that she can report to Yuzu that the latest release of her favourite manga is out. In Japan, this has the same significance as going to the store where your crush works at just to ‘spend time with them’ by watching them work from afar.

This is the reason why Matsuri decided to trace Harumin’s steps and then called her out for ‘being too affectionate with Yuzu’. In the next page, Saburouta also cuts off half of Harumin’s face in a panel after she opens the umbrella. This is also rather significant because writers do not do not do that unless you do not want to show the character’s expression for a reason.

A 100% platonic friendship would be Harumin walking by a bookstore while she was on her way home. Or being on an errand to shop for groceries and remembering that Yuzu said she was looking for a specific book and dropping by because it is nearby.

Hey Lilliwyt, maybe do something about your spelling and language before lecturing me.

That's a dumb way to start an argument btw. I don't write that bad for you to not understand what i'm saying.Also English is not my native language and is not something i practise daily.

Create another drama that would threaten to tear them apart again?

Like having comfy and wholesome moments is not an option. It will have been a better change of pace rather than going for another round of dramas but on side characters.

Honestly, the side character cast has much room for expansion, especially Nene and Mitsuko. Heck even the new characters, Sayaka and Miyabi. How will their roles in the story affect Matsuri after Harumin and Yuzu graduate?

I couldn't care less about Nene and Mitsuko honestly. Nene is a joke character about the whole HaruYuzu ship and Mitsuko really ? She barely exist outside of her arc (which ironicaly was the same as Nene). Honestly, you're the first one i see caring Nene or Mitsuko. We clearly not on the same page here.

PS : Also you're speaking to someone who is not a huge fan of Harumin as a character so i might probably be biased but frankly not that much.

Nene IS a joke character, but she’s also in the plot for a reason. Whether she was meant to be a superficial joke character, or have a bigger significant role later in the story remains to be seen. Mitsuko would probably have a bigger appearance if there were to be a Harumin arc.

Being biased is fine. I’m biased too, so are most of the people here. Doesn’t matter if we’re not on the same page, I’m really just here to discuss the translation and translation mistakes of the latest uploaded scans mostly. But participating in a discussion like this isn’t too bad every once in a while. At the very least it is entertaining.

And it is obvious that you aren’t native in English. I don’t blame you if you don’t understand a lot of the significance of the conversations in the side character cast because TOO MUCH is lost in translation. Like how Matsuri only uses Keigo (Japanese polite speech) with Harumin, or how Harumin slangs some of her words intentionally to portray her ‘gyaru’ persona. Japanese is a difficult language to translate, it’s incredibly difficult to try to maintain the same tone and nuances after translating into English and a lot of the times it just comes out flat.

This is the reason why some readers say there ‘no chemistry between Harumin and Matsuri’ (granted their chemistry is closer to a live wire coming in contact with a conduit).

After all, let’s be frank, in the end the side characters and pairings are always more interesting than the main couple.

Let’s be frank, in the end this is a completely specious generalization—sometimes they are, and very often they’re not.

Haha true it’s a generalisation, but at least to me, it has been true 90% of the time. After the first few chapters/volumes/episodes, the main cast just gets.... boring... for lack of a better word. You already know they’re gonna get together/have feelings for each other, it’s essentially a matter of time. During that phase, the side cast’s will they won’t day starts to pop out occasionally in the background, the more the interact with the Main cast the more they start to be fleshed out the more the draw away the attention from the main cast. While it’s not for every series, in my group of friends I’m not the only one who thinks that way.

Like others have said, I find Harumin (to say nothing of her almost invisible sister) to be profoundly uninteresting except as someone for Yuzu to talk to, and the domesticated version of Matsuri only slightly less so.

And as Lilliwyt says, the idea that the only options for Mei and Yuzu are artificial “drama” or this bizarre developmental regression where they appear to have lost about 5 years from the earliest chapters is quite preposterous. (I mean seriously—you’re engaged to be married and you’re still doing that “talking through the teddy bear” thing?)

As just a crazy example off the top of my head, scenes of them sitting around at home having a friendly everyday conversation (you know, in the bed they actually share) would be quite commensurate with a series whose main focus is the other characters.

Well the setting is... Japan... yep they’ve already gone further than just a normal peck, but Mei said they’ve decided to start all over with each other from scratch didn’t she. Not to mention it’s been two weeks since the outburst and engagement and MONTHS since they were living together. Mei’s an introvert, and extreme one on top of that, her life was school-home. But she’s also still just a very shy high school girl who doesn’t know how to act in front of people she cares about. On top of that she grew up in an environment where expressing feelings was a sign of weakness. She’s technically relearning that it is okay to express emotions

It might not make sense to westerners cuz of the culture differences, but this is quite normal... when you’ve done something drastic and caused a lot of trouble to those around you. They tell you it’s fine but you no longer know how to face them, unsure if you should start from scratch, or pick up where you left off, or just wait for the other party to make a move. And in the end you muddle in the dilemma for so long you just end up staying put until the other party comes over to drag you out of your shell.

Honestly I started out liking Mei a lot, but after a few chapters of their one step forward two steps back routine I got very sick of those two. Just around the same time, all the other side characters started to appear, Matsuri, Tachibana sisters, Nene etc...My attention became more focused on them after that.

But Yuzu and Mei are the main characters so even if you wanted to avoid them to they’re splashed all over the pages. So I continued on for the plot to see if they’d finally resolve their never ending drama at the same time finding my reprieve in the story from reading about how the side characters interact with each other.

Reading citrus and not caring about mei and yuzu is like watching madoka and not giving a shit about homura and her pink goddess

True, but yes that was me. I absolutely hated Homura and honestly didn’t give a shit about her. Madoka was Yuki Aoi being Yuki Aoi, didn’t really care for her either... Watched it for Sayaka and Kyoko. Main characters aren’t everything to a story, if it was it would be a very sad and lonely linear script.

There is such a thing as watching for the plot. People can watch a series just for the story without giving a shit about the characters. The focus of everyone is different. But it is possible to watch/read a series without giving a damn about the main characters simply because the main characters just don’t feel important to you to warrant your attention, if if they are the driving factor of the plot itself. It’s a bit ironic really, that you can’t separate the two, but I’m pretty sure we’ve all watched a series at one point where you only care about the universe or the music without any care for the characters. In the end we’re all biased and tilt to what we like...

last edited at Nov 23, 2020 2:57AM

Just FYI, I’ve scrutinised every detail, every panel, and the nuances of every conversation. I’m not just shipping Harumin and Matsuri together on a whim. Nor was the ‘Matsuri getting jealous’ thought just something random I came up with. Harumin does have feelings for Yuzu. Just because the mouth forms words to deny it doesn’t mean those feelings didn’t exist.

Plus Harumin did confess to Yuzu, but chickened out and added ‘as a best friend’ at the end to not make it awkward. Yuzu had already fallen off her seat in shock at Harumin’s ‘confession’, so she changed it at the last moment. However, Matsuri can see through straight through her to something she’s been trying to deny to herself for so long.

That’s why Harumin shuts her down fast and hard every time she brings it up. However she doesn’t do that with Nene and just brushes off or ignores her shipping fantasies cuz Nene simply ships it with no intent. But she is aware of how perceptive Matsuri is, that’s why she says that ‘Matsuri gets to her’ cuz it feels like Matsuri can see straight through her to things that she tries so desperately to keep hidden.

Sigh... It’s kinda sad that so much has been lost in translation or not translated and shared with the overseas fanbase that few people actually realise that Saburouta has been pairing Matsuri and Harumin rather intentionally both in cannon and even in non cannon images and random official artwork and one shots, like birthday greetings and holiday 4 komas, not to mention drama CDs and radio drama.

Hey Lilliwyt, maybe do something about your spelling and language before lecturing me. True, Citrus+ is about the time BETWEEN the engagement and marriage, but honestly, we already know they’re gonna get married, there’s already an end game. Watching those two flirt with each other for however many volumes is honestly not that entertaining, and from an author’s perspective, will run out of stuff to write about after a few chapters, there really is only so much you can do to expand on an already established couple. That’s why most series only have the characters get together at the end. While slightly different, This goal was completed in the final volume of Citrus. Tbh there’s really nothing much to expand on for Yuzu and Mei anymore. Create another drama that would threaten to tear them apart again? That gets old after the 2nd attempt. Sure they are the main characters of Citrus, but they aren’t the only two characters with a pivotal role in the cast lol. If you can’t see that, then either you haven’t been paying attention or are selectively reading, or, judging from your comment that there might be a language barrier?

If I were an author writing a spin-off sequel for an already completed series, I would be shifting the focus away from the main cast and start to focus on expanding the universe and the side characters instead while keeping the main cast within peripheral view. Honestly, the side character cast has much room for expansion, especially Nene and Mitsuko. Heck even the new characters, Sayaka and Miyabi. How will their roles in the story affect Matsuri after Harumin and Yuzu graduate? They were introduced to the series for a reason, it can’t just be that arc. But that arc leads up to the current Matsuri arc, so it was pivotal in its role to propel us to this chapter.

After all, let’s be frank, in the end the side characters and pairings are always more interesting than the main couple. This has been the same for almost all the romance anime’s and mangas, even doujins I’ve seen and read. Shoujo, shounen, even Yuri.

Citrus was satisfying imo, it ended well, even though the end felt a bit rushed. My disappointment in the series was about the lack of development in the side cast and that is what I’m reading Citrus+ for. But hey, it was only 10 volumes, couldn’t really expect too much. I’m hoping to see more development of the universe of Citrus in general in the ‘sequel’, though I’ve honestly had enough of Yuzu and Mei, I understand they’re pivotal for plot progression.

Considering up that it is getting obvious that the focus is no longer so heavily focused on the main couple, I don’t understand why people are arguing about what Mei should be. Saburouta is simply keeping her appearance minor to the plot as much as possible. In all effect, the story between Yuzu and Mei is DONE. Anything between them in Citrus+ is just filler to flesh out the context and set the stage for the development of the other characters and new characters that may be introduced in the future. If you’re a fan of the main two or either of them and don’t care for the side characters, Citrus+ is not going to be your cup of tea and possibly even a disappointment to you.

To be honest, after reading through Citrus for the 3rd time to refresh myself on the plot, I’ve quite honestly gotten sick of the main two and am personally glad the focus is shifting off of them. Honestly Matsuri and Harumin are pretty much the main reasons I continue to read Citrus, and Nene is literally just for Comic relief but she’s fun to have around...

What I’d REALLY love to see is Matsuri getting jealous of Yuzu for being with Harumin all the time and then accidentally bursting out at Nene unintentionally which will lead to another Matsuri growth arc... hopefully...

And this is probably just me, but more of Mitsuko wouldn’t hurt either hehehe

Sorry guys about all this. I might ask if we could possible put a note up for the next chapter explaining the mistakes, but we're all kind of just over this chapter at this point so no guarantees ):

I understand your struggles, Japanese is a difficult language, it is even more difficult for someone who’s not lived in Japan.

Just to note, I’m not native Japanese, it’s just that what I studied in Japan, and my major happens to fall in line with reading and understanding the character.
S of a story. To put in frankly, I was in Seiyuu school, vocation major in voice acting. My understanding of the language and character study had to go beyond and above that of the normal consensus. And it’s carried over to whenever I read Manga...

I read out the characters in my head and I imagine them actually speaking when I see words. And I tend to forget that not everyone has my experience in character study... and exposure to the language

I apologise for being so harsh.

I think the previous version of the translation made more sense...
Pg 00109 “Matsuri, are you saying that because you’re worried about me”

This line is NOT SPOKEN BY HARUMIN! It’s spoken from Matsuri to Harumin. Seriously the translators aren’t new are they? They should have understood the speech patterns of each of the characters and gotten them down pat by now... Harumin refers to herself as ‘Atashi (あたし)’ Matsuri refers to herself as ‘Watashi (私)’ The line here in Japanese is ‘それは私を心配しての言葉なのか’ this is a Matsuri line. This bubble the next bubble and the following conjoined bubbles are spoken as as one line.

“Are you saying that because you’re worried about me?
or is this another one of your selfish ‘defensive instincts’?
By concerning yourself with the matters of everyone around you
Are you that desperate to be loved?”

Pg 00101 “I understand that Yuzu Chan is so worried to the point that she might come busting through my door at any moment”

Last page: “Is you choosing not to tell anyone your principle as a ‘Stealth Gyaru’?”

To be honest there’s a few more minor ones in between, especially the bridge scene which I mentioned earlier cuz everyone who’s translating it translates it as though Harumin is reprimanding Matsuri “go on loving ‘that part of yourself’” when it’s actually Harumin telling Matsuri that she needs to learn to love that part of herself that she’s hiding away so desperately to make sure no one sees through her facade.

last edited at Nov 21, 2020 5:06AM

Random question but why do you guys think Matsuri is always so formal with Harumi ? She has never called her by her frst name unlike her other senpais. I kind of like it cos it means their bond is special.

More because all the weird tension between those two. Neither of them tends to act all that "natural" around each other.

While this is purely just my own inferred opinion, but I think it's probably because she knows Harumin doesn't really like her, and to portray the 'distance' between them to keep Harumin comfortable. In Japanese she uses polite speech to speak to Harumin, sure she drags an intonation or two, but the sentence structure and format falls within Japanese Keigo. Usually you use formal speech with people who are older than you, unless you are close friends. Matsuri is aware that Harumin doesn't like her, and so keigo is her way of keeping the distance between them comfortable.

Honestly if Matsuri were to suddenly break into casual speech patterns with Harumin, Harumin would probably be like "Geh! Why are you speaking so casually to me! -Sigh- well it's fine I guess..." I think in this case it's also more for her own sake. Matsuri has feelings for Harumin, has since vol 3, and has been constantly bugging and pestering Harumin but staying within Harumin's 'safe zone'. Keigo might be her own version of 'self defense mechanism' against going overboard and have Harumin pull away. Although if they do get closer and Harumin makes a comment like 'it feel kinda lonely that I'm the only one you're still so polite with' we might see some changes... Though Matsuri would probably stick to 'senpai' and we all know Harumin secretly likes being called senpai by Matsuri, despite trying to show otherwise.

Also, this is purely my own fantasy but I think that Matsuri will continue calling Harumin 'Taniguchi senpai' when they're in public and with their friends, and only switch to calling her "Harumi" in private. First name, not nickname, no honorifics.

last edited at Nov 20, 2020 11:47PM

I know some fans don't like Matsuri and that Harumin deserves better but Harumin is still the most mature character and knows Matsuri the most. So Harumatsu banzai!

You would think so right? But more fans like Matsuri more than Harumin. Lol
(At least the fans I know and the Japanese fandom)

To me I think Matsuri is the most mature character in the series, she portrays herself as the immature imouto character, but Matsuri is also the most jaded character, unlike the others she’s seen the darkest and most depraved of human desires from her ‘part-time job’. Not to forget she has been taking care of Inori practically since he was born, a responsible older sister.

On the other hand, Harumin just doesn’t want to get involved in anything troublesome that will disrupt her peaceful life. But recently she can’t help but be concerned about Matsuri*

*Harumi’s character synopsis from the cover of Chapter 14

last edited at Nov 20, 2020 1:11AM

Damn, I was so impatient I preordered and downloaded the kindle magazine exactly at 12midnight 18th Nov. When the room scene happened I was like.... oh well that’s probably the closest we’ll get to MatsuHaru this time I guess. Bridge scene at the “Senpai!” Right before I flipped the page I was thinking “nah Matsuri’s prolly only called her to stop her to tell her something no way—flips page— HOLY SHIIIIIIIIT” And now I’m back to fight me irl with anyone who’s willing argue against this ship.

It’s been a LONG TIME COMING. The stage for HaruMatsu has been set since Vol 3 special in the original story. They were always eventually gonna get together it’s just how fast or slow... and I am REALLY GLAD that Saburouta took her time with this.

And yes that special in Vol3 with Matsuri meeting Harumin is 100% cannon. Not just a random omake added. At the end of Chapter 13 when Harumin has flashbacks before she grabs her phone and calls Yuzu, the square bubbles have been SEVERELY MISTRANSLATED and it's actually word for word from what Matsuri says to Harumin in Vol 3 special.

Am I the only one finding the dialogue in this chapter rather odd?

Which part?

If you mean the scene on the bridge I can say that yes, it’s translated a bit oddly. But even in Japanese, the phrasing was a bit weird cuz of the way Harumin usually speaks.

So here’s my take:

“You might be someone who must never screw up”
“But if you’re going to hide that”
“Then no one is going to notice when you’re fed up with it all”
“So learn to love “that part of yourself” as well”

This is the closest I could get without breaking the momentum of that scene...

I'm sorry. Inori looks is an adorable brat I get it. This gives me Bandori (Lisa) moment flashback and it's not good.

LOL, unlike a mobile game, they can't remove him with a patch or update wtfLOL... but yeah RIP little bro.

Hmm... since the YuzuMei Dynamic started with a kiss...
Am I the only one day dreaming that the next chapter will have Matsuri pinning Harumin against the room door or against her bed pretending to intimidate her and force a kiss onto Harumin hoping that she can make Harumin hate her and push her away or slap her?

I mean right now, Harumin is the only person left in the main cast that Matsuri hasn’t kissed LOL
Though tbh, the really sweet cliche of a romantic comedy accidental kiss is also too good to pass up...

Yeah, but there is way and way to translate. Citrus, ch 14, official (bold in the original):

I... / really like you... Mei. / As sisters... / as family. / I feel like it's my job to look after you...

Current translation on dynasty (from Yuri Project):

I... I... / I do love you... Mei. / Disregarding we are sisters, / disregarding we are family... / I cherish you, personally, an incredible amount!

I've no idea what is the original, but one of the two is clearly wrong, and the other fits more with the overall images and events.

Okay I took a look at the Original

It’s a mixture of both, in a way... but #2 is definitely way off on the first half...

So this is my direct translation:
I... / really like you... Mei. / As sisters... / as family. / You’re really important to me... / and I...

I don’t understand why ‘sisters’ and ‘family’ are bolded In the original Nor why they chose to use the word ‘job’, cuz it makes it sound like Yuzu is obligated to like Mei.

But I would bold ‘ really ’ in my version because Yuzu uses the word ‘meccha’ in this dialogue, which means ‘very’, or ‘extremely’.

last edited at Oct 23, 2020 8:58PM

Woah, I've no idea what's written, but it's exactly the same characters. 'How fascinating.'

The translation are the ones in English, just a comparison of how different the translations for the scenes were despite the words being the exact same in Japanese in two completely separate scenes. Spoiler: They were ALL jabs at Harumin.

FYI May 30th Omake:

Harumin lost:the 'game'

In 30th June the last few panels where Harumin remembers Matsuri saying "all prez does is magically solve things from afar..." is actually a mistranslation. This scene is Harumin remembering Matsuri's words in that scene from June 21st "People who've only used magic to heal from a distance..." and is actually a jab at Harumin, and while it's not the whole reason, it ends up being one of the reasons it propelled her to be the one to visit Matsuri instead of leaving it to Yuzu and sitting on the sidelines as usual.

In other words, the first time Harumin has decided of her own will to get involved in something
'troublesome and Matsuri related'.

June 30th

From June 21st Scene

June 30th:

Citrus Vol 3 Special

last edited at Oct 23, 2020 9:46AM

I wonder how many other things they got wrong.

Just in this chapter alone:

"Uhh...The wrong sibling...?" Is actually
"Eh... SHE SHRUNK!?"

The dialogue when Matsuri is scolding Inori "what did I tell you? when you're alone at home and someone buzzes in, you're to never leave the house" is actually
''when you're alone at home and someone comes over, you're not to leave the house no matter who it is. Those are the rules right?"

To me I feel like Matsuri's 'no matter who it is' part was supposed to be emphasised to make Harumin feel unwelcome, as you see from her expression in the background during that scene. The fact that this line was removed in the scans made me feel as though this scene didn't have as much impact in English as it did when I read it raw.

The last part is not so much as a "let's... talk in my room" as it is a "senpai... can we talk in my room?" Because Matsuri is being extremely formal, even more than usual. Which is a nuance that is very hard to replicate in english cuz by being overly formal in Japanese is a way to express anger, sarcasm, indifference, sadness etc...

Also, this is actually VERY VERY MUCH lost in translation. But Matsuri speaks to Harumin ONLY in keigo (Japanese polite speech). True that she uses it very casually and lightly dragging her intonations with "de-su" and "ma-su". With everyone else, Yuzu, Mei, Nene, she switches between casual and polite speech. But she has never once used casual speech when talking directly with Harumin, even when she's furious or throwing a tantrum, not even if it's only the two of them alone together. Harumin is also the only person she has never referred to by first name or nickname in the presence of others. Only EVER referring her "Taniguchi senpai" or "senpai", or the ever occassional "boobs" ONLY when they're alone and she's trying to poke at Harumin. Even then despite how long they've known each other compared to other side characters, she's NEVER once referred to Harumi by her first name nor by only her last name without honorifics (which I have seen in the translations and this can be interpreted as 'casual speech')

It's these small things that have made me give up on reading scans other than to compare translations or to explain to my friends the actual meaning of the scene in Japanese. Cuz so much stuff is just lost in translation and it's just really sad that the translators are unable to replicate the nuances or at least something close to the original Japanese raws.

last edited at Oct 23, 2020 8:33AM

So... I took a look at the comments and there are readers saying that Harumin and Matsuri have zero/negative chemistry???

I'm guessing that there's a lot of stuff lost in translation or wasn't translated correctly to give off the same nuances as the original Japanese comic?

I don't usually read scans, I'm just here to compare the translation with the original. It's... translated fairly differently... some contexts were cut out to fit the conversation into the speech bubbles and others were lost in translation. And I think that might be why some readers seem to think there's no chemistry between them. There's alot of reading between the lines in Japanese even because when it comes to Matsuri and Harumin they are implied to have A LOT of interaction 'away from camera', like hanging out together (alone) and texting each other regularly. But in English with the context removed or translated wrongly, I see why most people say they have no chemistry.

In 30th June the last few panels where Harumin remembers Matsuri saying "all prez does is magically solve things from afar..." is actually a mistranslation. This scene is Harumin remembering Matsuri's words in that scene from June 21st "People who've only used magic to heal from a distance..." and is actually a jab at Harumin, and while it's not the whole reason, it ends up being one of the reasons it propelled her to be the one to visit Matsuri instead of leaving it to Yuzu and sitting on the sidelines as usual.

In other words, the first time Harumin has decided of her own will to get involved in something 'troublesome and Matsuri related'.