Why should you watch Citrus?
The story is Good (7). One of the things I love about Citrus is the story. I love the original manga which was adapted from by Saburo Uta. With that, I can say that this adaptation was not well presented it exchanged the titillation for sexuality and this is prevalent with the opening theme and the “Key Scenes” of the story. It should be more provocative rather than blatant.
Art is Very Good (8). Setting aside the story, the art is well done, and it is nice to see the characters of the story realized. However, I need to point out one thing: Momokino’s eyebrows should not be edited to become more pleasing. She has a thick eyebrow in the manga and it was created that way for a reason. This causes her character to lose a lot of personality in the story. These changes in the characters hurt the story rather than enhance it.
Sound is Good (7). “Azalea (アザレア)” by nano.RIPE is a great song but I do not feel it was suited well for a story such as Citrus. It could have been better if they had chosen a song with a softer and a bit darker melody. I understand that the theme music wants to show a rebellious image since it is Yuri but it was a step in the wrong direction. The soundtrack in general is good but it still misses key scenes which is crucial for the story.
Characters are Very Good (8). I wanted to give this a 9 since I adore the manga a lot but I have to judge it based on the anime which is why I am taking a point away. Yuzu and Mei’s characters are great as they carry the story but how they are interpreted in the story is just missing something: a heart. During the finale of the episode, some scenes are satisfying to see but like eating something citrus it has a bitter aftertaste. The same goes for supporting the characters.
Generally, I came to winter with a lot of expectations with Citrus, but it disappointed me in a lot of its aspects. But if I would watch it without the manga knowledge I could be praising this anime.
7.6 bitter lemons out of 10.
