English Dub Review: Citrus “one’s first love”

Yuzu takes down a cheating fiancee, gets expelled from school, and discovers she’s finally falling in love.

Overview (Spoilers Below):

When Yuzu overhears her new sister’s fiance phoning his side fling, she calls out his despicable behaviour for the entire school body to hear. In retaliation for the trouble, Yuzu has caused his school, the Chairman orders Mei to abandon her new family and come live with him in his gigantic mansion. Desperate to learn more about Mei and her inner sadness, Yuzu confronts her and comes to a realization – she’s falling in love for the first time.

Our Take:

Well, Citrus is moving even faster than I predicted in the premiere review – in terms of iffy content and plot development. Mei continues her assaults on Yuzu in this episode, though it is becoming a little more clear that the school president is acting out in this way because of her own inner turmoil. Not only has her father abandoned her, but her (unwanted) fiancee is now cheating on her and the Chairman of the school, her grandfather, clearly is not a proper model of love and affection.

However, the underlying causes do not excuse Mei’s conduct towards her step-sister. She may just be taking out her pent-up frustrations on Yuzu, but that doesn’t make it okay. And until I’m shown more of her perspective, I’m finding it hard to empathize and root for Mei. Yuzu’s attachment and protective attitude towards her also feel a bit rushed, though the ending of this episode may explain why. Yuzu herself is pretty great. She is definitely the type to leap before looking, from immediately confessing to Mei about her fiancee’s call, to outing his behaviour to the entire school body with an impromptu speech. (She’s funny, too: “I might sleep in class, but I never skip school.”) Harumin is a highlight of the show, injecting a much-needed breath of fresh air amidst all the drama. Whether it’s taking her shopping, explaining the rules of the school, or just being there to hear her vent, Harumin is proving to be a good friend to Yuzu.

The dub this week was left me with the same impressions from the premiere, for the most part. Megan Shipman’s performance as Yuzu is spot-on, while Amber Lee Connors portrayal of Mei sounds at times too monotone for my liking. The localization choices can be a bit funky, with Yuzu calling the Chairman ‘gramps’. (I think a simple ‘old man’ might’ve sounded better, though it would perhaps be a less accurate translation.)

Overall, I’m still impressed with the show’s direction. There were some neat looking shots, like the school elevator and Yuzu’s quiet night spent alone when Mei moved out. There are certainly issues with the pacing and character development that need ironing out, especially when it comes to Mei’s motivations, but with Yuzu’s last minute realization, it seems like she may be confronting her sister again very soon.