Manga Review: Citrus, Volume 3, by Saburouta

Rating (Out of 5): ~3.5

Publisher: Seven Seas

Release Date: 2015

Volumes: 7+

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. RightStuf.

Volume: 1. 2. 4.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Yuzuko Aihara, a high school girl whose main interests are fashion, friends and having fun, is about to get a reality check. Due to her mom's remarriage, Yuzu has transfered to a new, all-girls school that is extemely strict. Her real education is about to begin.

From Day One, happy-go-lucky Yuzu makes enemies, namely the beautiful yet stern Student Council President Mei. So what happens when a dejected Yuzu returns home and discovers the shock of her life: that Mei is actually her new step-sister who has come to live with her? Even more surprising, when Mei catches Yuzu offguard and kisses her out of the blue, what does it all mean?

Review:

I want to love this series, but it kind of makes me uneasy.

Yuzu seems to be feeling completely one-sided love for Mei. Mei appears to be completely uninterested, and even just put-off by Yuzu’s feelings, though I do think that there’s something big she’s hiding still. A new character is introduced, an old friend of Yuzu’s, but she just feels pushy and harasses the two of them, then blackmails Mei.

This series makes me feel bad, uncomfortable. I want to like the relationship developing between Yuzu and Mei, but all the drama from other people, the blackmailing and using, makes me dislike it.

The cliffhanger makes me a little intrigued in the next one… But I just don’t know if I can read more.

Manga Review: Citrus, Volume 2, by Saburouta

Rating (Out of 5): ~3-3.5
Publisher: Seven Seas
Release Date: April 2015
Volumes: 4+
Spoilers?: No.
Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble.
Volume: 1. 3.

Goodreads Synopsis:

A yuri tale like no other, now a New York Times manga best seller!

Yuzu and Mei may be step-sisters, but that's about all the two girls have in common. Yuzu is an outgoing girly-girl who cares more about fashion than school work, while Mei is the serious student council president. Yet despite their differences, or perhaps because of them, the two girls find themselves drawn to each other...


Mei has been running herself ragged trying to oversee the school, and Yuzu is worried about her. When Mei's dad comes home from a business trip, however, it looks like the cavalry has arrived. Unfortunately, his presence opens up old wounds between father and daughter, and Yuzu finds herself caught in the middle. Will Yuzu put aside her feelings for Mei to help fix this family feud? 

Review:

The drama in this series! Why am I surprised by it? Why did I think this wouldn’t be so dramatic and characterized? What did I expect, really?
There’s more family drama for Mei and Yuzu. Mei is hurt from what her father did years ago, and with her grandfather being so harsh, she doesn’t know what to do with herself. And when her father shows up, it’s hard on her, but it finally brings some closure.
Then there’s Mei’s best friend, who’s jealous of Yuzu stealing her attention and starts putting the moves on Mei. Given that Mei doesn’t have any attraction to Momo, she doesn’t take any of it seriously. There’s mainly just a rivalry between Yuzu and Momo, but the friendship between Momo and Mei is actually really sweet.
Mei hasn’t been given Yuzu’s attraction to her any real attention or respect, either, until the end of this volume when she starts feeling it in return. I like that Yuzu believed herself to be straight up until Mei, but once she starts feeling attracted, she gives in to it and she doesn’t hold back. Mei is now starting to really understand it, though, and return those feelings.
The ending introduces a new character that I’m sure will bring a new batch of drama.
I’m rather enjoying this series. I like the genuine attraction between the main characters, and the way they’re growing to figure it out.

Manga Review: Citrus, Volume 1, by Saburouta

Rating (Out of 5): ~3-3.5

Publisher: Seven Seas

Release Date: December 2014

Volumes: 4+

Spoilers?: No.

Buy it here: Amazon. Barnes and Noble. Book Depository. Powells. RightStuf.

Volume: 2.

Goodreads Synopsis:

Citrus is an all-new yuri manga series that offers a bittersweet love story coupled with gorgeous artwork. Fans of Morinaga Milk’s Girl Friends will find themselves enthralled with Citrus’s unique blend of comedy, melodrama, and secret desire between girls.

Aihara Yuzu, a high school girl whose main interests are fashion, friends, and having fun, is about to get a reality check. Due to her mom's remarriage, Yuzu has transferred to a new, all-girls school that is extremely strict. Her real education is about to begin.

From day one, happy-go-lucky Yuzu makes enemies, namely the beautiful yet stern student council president Mei. So what happens when a dejected Yuzu returns home and discovers the shock of her life: that Mei is actually her new step-sister who has come to live with her? Even more surprising, when Mei catches Yuzu off guard and kisses her out of the blue, what does it all mean?

Review:

I expected something a little more typical, I think. Although, I don’t know, I suppose I don’t read enough yuri to really know what’s typical.

Aihara is being forced to move and transfer to a new school, because her mother is getting married. And in this change, she gets a step-sister, Mei, who for some reason pushes her in interesting ways.

Aihara is stubborn and brash and rebellious. And surprisingly shy and embarrassed around Mei, even if she’s pushy and curious and finding out that she might actually like her. She’s a bit high-strung, but she does have a good heart in her.

Mei, on the other hand, is standoffish, strict. She seems more beaten down, doing what she’s told instead of what she wants, to me. She doesn’t seem to feel much, and she lets others do what they want with her. But for some reason, she’s attracted to Aihara. Or at least Aihara is attracted to her, and wants to do something about it. 

I wasn’t expecting the direction that Mei’s feelings went, or the complications with her and her family. I also wasn’t expecting this much conflict about the attraction from both parties. It has me intrigued to see where the story goes from here.