How a sudden family merger sparked a decade of romantic tension
In short: When Yuzu Aihara’s mother remarried, a simple move to a new neighborhood transformed her life. Suddenly, the fashionable, spontaneous girl was sharing a bedroom with Mei Aihara—the cold, disciplined student council president and her new stepsister. This unexpected bond became the foundation of a celebrated yuri saga.
From November 2012 until August 2018, Saburouta's manga, Citrus, appeared in the magazine Comic Yuri Hime by Ichijinsha. The story centers on Yuzu, a self-proclaimed gyaru who struggles to adapt to the conservative environment of Aihara Academy. Her arrival at the all-girls school is complicated by her new relationship with Mei Aihara, the school's student council president and the granddaughter of the academy's chairman. Yuzu, whose maiden name is Okonogi, enters this world as a blonde-haired, green-eyed girl who often clashes with the school's strict dress code through her customized uniform.
The narrative explores the shifting dynamics between the two stepsisters as their initial animosity evolves into romantic confusion. The tension is heightened by the rigid social structures of the academy, where characters like the vice-president Himeko Momokino and the observant Suzuran navigate complex feelings of jealousy, infatuation, and social standing. The series even features high-stakes drama, including a moment where the chairman briefly expelled Yuzu after witnessing an incident involving Mei. The academy's social hierarchy is further complicated by characters like Himeko, a wealthy student council vice-president, and Sayaka, a first-year student who openly questions Mei's leadership. Even the school's chairman, Shō, plays a pivotal role, having once pardoned Yuzu after she saved him from a heart attack.
Beyond the central romance, the series depicts a wider web of interconnected lives, from Harumi Taniguchi, a friend who helps Yuzu navigate the school, to the precocious Matsuri Mizusawa. The story's reach extended into animation with a 12-episode series by Passione that aired between January and March 2018. The legacy of the original run was furthered by the December 2018 launch of the sequel manga, Citrus Plus. The franchise's expansion includes the English-language license by Seven Seas Entertainment. Additionally, the story's cast includes various students like the energetic Nene and the observant third-year Suzuran, all contributing to the series' intricate emotional landscape.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Citrus (manga)
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