#general disclaimer that i do not purport to be any sort of expert

[anders-hawke]

"and all things plot... i have a lot that i could say but i won’t LOL"

I'd love to hear your thoughts one day (if you're comfortable saying them)

It’s not that I’m scared to say it or anything, it’s that my thoughts are very critical and I don’t wanna bum people out by shouting it from the rooftops, lol. And it’s hard to say it all because there’s just...so much. Like, so much that I’m very slowly writing a revamp of the episode in script format. There’s no other way to fully articulate what I’d change and what I’d change it to and what I’d get rid of and what I’d add. (And then some that are just a reward for me to keep going lol.) But what the hell. I’ll give it a shot. It’ll be good to get it all out.

I don’t think any of it is Gillian’s fault, per se. Like, you’re in a writers room—it’s usually collaborative. And when all those people working on the show agreed to make her idea into an episode, that means that it’s supposed to be part of the collaborative process of making a TV show. There’s just a...je ne sais quois to the episode (the same one that I see in “Never Again” but somehow even worse) that my gut is telling me means that people working on the show (once again) viewed it as not worthy of the same level of effort as the others.

I don’t believe that’s an outlandish thing to think, especially considering that one interview that circulated on our dashes a week or two ago where Gillian said that FOX couldn’t very well say no because they barely had women writing/directing any episodes. So they had to do it. And at first glance, it seems like the script didn’t get enough passes around the critique table, but that’s not it. There was just a lot cut, and we can see that. Well, I see it. And that’s not fair. It’s fucking misogynistic. None of the other episodes look like that! Why this one? Like “Never Again,” I don’t think it’s a coincidence that “All Things” was treated like this. Maybe that was Gillian’s choice, I don’t know. (Whoever’s responsible, you did a goof.)

But I don’t know. I don’t really have proof of all that. It’s a gut feeling. But it’s the same gut that was right about Scully sitting in a room of old men as a young woman in the pilot being an integral part of the show’s thesis, and it was right that something was missing from the scene back at Ed’s apartment after the tattoo scene (they fucked on the floor—where’s that raw desire in the final product???). And I don’t wanna sell myself short. Anyways, into the thick of it:

1. Scully & Daniel’s Relationship

So, apparently it wasn’t Gillian’s intention to imply that they were actually sexual. Scrap that idea. Like we assume in the episode, they were sleeping together. It adds weight to the tension throughout the episode and to the characters’ interactions. But, we’re not even going to pretend that Daniel is a real choice. Not one bit. Not as a point of MSR supremacy but because of the maturity gap between him and Scully when they were together. He was in his 40s, she was in her 20s. Not appropriate at all. She’s not devoid of responsibility, of course, but when you have power over someone like Daniel did, you also bear the responsibility of turning down any advances. (I assume it was Scully who really started it based on her behavior in “Never Again,” even if Daniel wasn’t as firm as he should’ve been when they were getting closer.)

And I don’t like that Scully genuinely seems to believe that she could choose Daniel. Why did she leave him? Did they break up? Or did she finish school and they went their separate ways since he was still with his wife? Gotta answer those questions, and I much prefer Scully realizing that she’s a complete asshole for dating a married guy and that if Daniel’s willing to cheat, how can she trust him? Especially if we make it so she ran in the same circles as Daniel’s daughter Maggie.

2. Scully’s Issue

I still don’t really understand what Scully wants. Like, I do because I’m fixated on TXF and I know her character, but I think it can be shown better than her ignoring Mulder while he’s explaining why they’re going gallivanting off to England. It seems like she’s just tired of feeling like Mulder’s not committed to her and to their relationship, and it’s bringing up those old feelings from “Never Again,” but then it suddenly escalates to her thinking that maybe she should just get back together with Daniel. Like, WOAH, slow down, we’ve just met this dude!

I don’t think the X-file part came out right, either. It just...doesn’t feel right that she believes for Daniel and then all Mulder says is something to the effect of “crazy week, huh?” if I’m remembering correctly. It just ain’t right. It’s one of the things that I can’t quite pin down. But honestly, I’d just get rid of this through-line. I think Scully believing is tackled in the other episodes of the show and it won’t adversely affect the episode with its absence. Scully can still work through her side of the rough patch she and Mulder are going through without it.

3. Scully & Maggie’s Relationship

This is what needs to be elaborated on instead of the X-file. I think I’ve said this before but not every episode actually needed an X-file, and this was one of them. (Also “Irresistible,” Never Again,” and “Orison.”) Instead of weird things happening (although the woman in grey/Mulder in grey thing should totally stay lol), we need to learn more about Scully and Maggie’s relationship. It comes back to that idea of Scully realizing she was an asshole for sleeping with Daniel, and now she has to deal with the fact that Maggie feels obligated to care for her father but she feels no obligations towards Scully, so she’s taking out a lot of anger on her—some of it rightful.

Scully being the catalyst for Maggie’s life being turned upside down is such a tense, compelling piece of the puzzle! Especially if Maggie was the friend of a friend and so Scully heard about some of the effects of her relationship with Daniel on his home life and how it was tearing the family apart. The guilt of that mistake, and it driving her to making the impulsive decision to join the FBI. Yes, to make a difference in the world, that, too. But the initial consideration? The boost needed to send her resume and application?

Sigh... I have a version of the episode that lives in my head that I much prefer over the actual thing, although I do have a soft spot for the end. I adore that softness. And when I change that scene, I want to keep that. And just...make it mean even more.

[burnouts3s3]

Citrus, a review

(Disclaimer: The following is a non-profit unprofessional blog post written by an unprofessional blog poster. All purported facts and statement are little more than the subjective, biased opinion of said blog poster. In other words, don’t take anything I say too seriously.) Just the facts 'Cause you're in a Hurry! Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price for Season (MSRP): 48.74 USD How much I paid: 32.88 USD (I pre-ordered it when there was a New Year's discount). Animation Studio: Passione Licensed and Localized by: Funimation Entertainment Audio: Japanese Audio with Subtitles and English Dub available.   English Cast: Megan Shipman as Yuzu, Amber Lee Connors as Mei, Margaret McDonald as Harumi “Harumin” Taniguchi, Kristi Rothrock as Matsuri, Terri Doty as Umi, Number of Episodes: 12 Episodes Length per Episode: 25 Minutes on average. 21 Without Intro and Ending song. Number of Discs: 4 Discs in Total. 2 DVD Discs and 2 Blu-ray discs. Episodes per Disc: 6 Episodes per DVD Disc. Episodes 1-9 on the first Blu-ray disc with Episodes 10-12 on the second Blu-ray disc along with the special features. Bundle also includes: Digital Copy to redeem. (which doesn't work because when I enter the code provided with the discs, I get the message 'The Digital Copy is not yet Active'.). Also on: Amazon Video, Funimation Now, Funimation’s streaming service that requires a subscription and Crunchyroll, a subscription based service that allows streaming for shows. Free streaming is available with ads. Bonus Features: Textless Openings, Textless Ending and Trailers for other Funimation Licensed Shows. My Personal Biases: I actually saw Citrus a while back but never reviewed it. I like other shows in the Shoujo Ai genre such as Mai Hime, Mai Otome, Maria Watches over Us, Strawberry Panic and yes, even Kannazuki no Miko/Destiny of the Shrine Maiden. I am not fond of Citrus. My Verdict: Citrus is trashy, exploitative, gawdy, and mainly exists for the titillation of its audience. And while other Shoujo ai shows have done this as well, there’s also a lack of a narrative structure to the point where older works like Kannazuki no Miko look like the Godfather compared to this. If you lower your expectations, you’ll find a good deal. WARNING: SPOILERS FOR CITRUS AND OTHER YURI SHOWS AHEAD! Citrus, a review

Yuzucchi “Yuzu” Aihara is a new girl about to transfer schools. She’s never had a boyfriend and hopes to break that curse once and for all. But, when she realizes that she’s been transferred to an all-girls’ school, Yuzu’s outlandish behavior, clothing and voice captures the attention of the ultra-strict Student Council President, Mei. After a heated first day in which Mei confiscates Yuzu’s cellphone and Yuzu sees Mei kissing a teacher, Yuzu has one final revelation: her mother’s new husband is also Mei’s father, making Mei her step-sister. And to top it all off, Mei kisses Yuzu and steals her first kiss.   Citrus is one of the few Yuri manga that not only managed to sell a number of books in Japan but also make the New York Times’ Best Seller list. It’s a series so successful, it’s spawn drama CDs, a 12 episode anime and a spin-off series after the manga’s conclusion, Citrus Plus. It’s also been criticized as a schlocky teenage soap opera with numerous peripheral characters that add nothing to the plot, and for depicting things like Mei forcing herself on Yuzu as sexualizing rape. For a number of viewers, the depiction of, yes, sexual assault is going to turn them off, and I can’t blame them. archive.is/DRUN8

But it’s not a problem for me. This is because (and yes, I’m aware of how this sounds) I’m of the party that says you can make a good story out of anything, including, yes, rape. The Late Roger Ebert once said “It’s not what a movie is about; it’s how it’s about it”. It’s a quote I’ve come to appreciate as of late. You can make a good work out of any subject material, but you have to use it well. One of the most influential shows of my youth was Kannazuki no Miko, in which one of the main characters, Chikane Himemiya, sexually assaults Himeko, her love interest. But, I give that series a pass (again I can only speak for myself) because it was one of the first depictions of a Yuri couple in an anime after Utena and Sailor Moon and serves a purpose to the story: the good girl becoming bad and the friend character wanting more (as well as a convoluted plot with weird universe rules explaining in great detail why Chikane did what she did). While Citrus uses sexual assault, it’s more for titillation and premise. It’s clearly there to hook the reader in by generating cheap unearned drama. Again, if that were the end all be all issue with Citrus and said work gave me a fulfilling story, I would give it a pass. But even pushing aside the scenes of nonconsensual assault, there’s way too much going on with way too many characters to the point where the story’s structure resembles more of a weekly soap opera rather than a romance between two girls. 9 years after the anime release of Sweet Blue Flowers and Whispered Words and THIS is what we end up with? What’s interesting is that Yuzu, despite being the usual blonde in a Yuri anime (a loud, expressive extrovert who’s unclear of her sexuality), actually receives a lot of character development. While she does make mistakes (a lot of them), there’s a strong sense of justice in her and she attempts to right the wrongs she committed. It also helps that for the majority of the story, we’re given internal monologue from Yuzu’s point of view and we see there’s a girl struggling with her newfound sexuality. One of the highlights is Episodes 5-6, in which Yuzu starts to see Mei’s unresolved father issues becoming a part of her character and realizes the last thing Mei needs is romance and avoids it so she can better help Mei become a healthier person. But on the other side of the relationship, Mei, is little more than a reactive drama magnet. Mei, at least in the 12 episodes that adapt the early parts of the manga, has very little character. I get that’s the idea; this is clearly an introvert who’s been so focused at school and extracurricular activities that she has no life and her first sexual experience would involve assault of some sort. But in execution, she’s little more than a plot device that’s meant to generate problems to prevent Yuzu and Mei from being together. First, it’s an overbearing grandfather that doesn’t approve of Yuzu. Then, it’s a childhood friend who likes to sip tea. Then, it’s an absent father figure who stopped being strict and decided to be a traveling wanderer. It also doesn’t help matters that when Mei does take action, it’s either downplayed or shown off-screen. Do you not have enough plot going on with the fact these two are step-sisters? What next, is Seto Kaiba going to be Mei’s half-brother and kidnap her and tie her to some train tracks until Yuzu beats him in a card game?   The plot contrivances start from the very first episode. I’m not caught up on Japanese culture so I’m willing to accept that Mei and Yuzu have never met each other until after their respective parents got married, but the contrivances keep piling on. Now, Mei and Yuzu share a double bed! Now, Yuzu has a childhood friend, Matsuri, who’s really into her and is an expert blackmailer. Now, Yuzu meets a really nice girl who has a crush on Mei. And of course, where would we be in a romance series if we didn’t have two characters having a conversation about their crushes when they’re unaware they’re referring to the same person? The pacing of each contrivances are so smashed together it makes it seem like a wacky sitcom or one of those dramas found on the CW. And all the while, Mei barely changes from her introvert self. Christ, this makes me sound old. I can’t believe I’ve come to a point where I can say Kannazuki no Miko had a better sense of Story Structure compared to this. What makes this really frustrating is that other side characters continue to be way more interesting than Mei. Harumin, a girl who quickly befriends Yuzu, remains an energetic bright spot as well as a shoulder to lean on who actually has more chemistry than the main pair. Matsuri is actually very entertaining when she’s allowed to be. Funimation Entertainment did the localization and the script mainly remains loyal to the source material (for better and worse). Amber Lee Connors as Mei does the best she can when saddled with the role of a mopey, emotionally constipated introvert and manages to wring out some emotion out of the character when the story doesn’t. But it’s Megan Shipman as Yuzu that carries the series. Shipman gives Yuzu just enough energy and fire to make us empathize with a loudmouth and her internal dialogue really does help us understand the character. JAPANESE AUDIO WITH SUBTITLES IS AVAILABLE FOR THOSE WHO PREFER IT. All things considered, Funimation’s offering a pretty solid deal for Citrus, giving all 12 episodes on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital Copy (which doesn't work because when I enter it, I get the message 'The Digital Copy is not yet Active'.). It’s too bad it’s wasted on a series that, even with the trashy exploitation and inevitable thinkpieces about consent scenes, the narrative itself settles for villain of the episode melodrama. And while characters like Yuzu, Harumin, and even Matsuri, Mei continues to be less of a character than she is a plot device. CAVEAT: For a lot of people, Citrus was ‘their first Yuri anime’, as in it was the gateway anime that led them to discover other works. And in some ways, I can understand how said nostalgia can affect one’s perception of the show. After all, shows like Strawberry Panic, Kannazuki no Miko and My-Hime were ‘my’ gateway shows that led me to a bigger and better genre. But, just as time goes on, so does the genre grow. So, I would hope fans wouldn’t limit themselves to just one series and start exploring other and older works. Shoujo-ai and Yuri anime has a long history of balancing fanservice, sex appeal and story. Even older, more lurid works that DO use sexual assault to progress the story, such as Kannazuki no Miko, make up for it with strong story structure and character development. But compared to works that truly do attempt to weave a complex narrative about girl’s romance such as Sweet Blue Flowers, Whispered Words and Simoun, Citrus remains as shallow as the fountain Mei and Yuzu fall in.

Verdict: If you’re a fan, pick it up. But if you want the genre to get better, maybe wait for a sale or watch it for free on Crunchyroll first.