Ceres: Celestial Legend

Ayashi no Ceres Preview / Plot (No Spoilers)

There was once a man who had come across a lake in which a beautiful maiden was bathing with her companions and fallen in love. However, these women were in fact tennyo, celestial maidens from Heaven. The maidens each depart upon taking their hagoromo, but the man steals one of the maiden's hagoromo, preventing her from going back to the heavens.

The man coerces the maiden to marry him in exchange for the hagoromo, but over the years, the man has not returned the hagoromo and the maiden spends her days weeping. One day, her children reveals where her hagoromo is. The tennyo is able to finally retrieve her hagoromo and disappears, leaving behind her children and husband. Although many variations of this myth exists throughout the world from seal women to swan maidens, the myth does not end here.

At the 16th birthday celebration for Mikage twins Aya and Aki, the atmosphere is as lively as a funeral. Their present? The disembodied hand of their ancestor. A power awakens in both of them: Aya as Ceres, the tennyo from the legend, and Aki as the man who stole her hagoromo. Aya is ordered to be killed by her family, but she escapes and now, must figure out her future as well as Ceres' past. She comes across a mysterious man named Touya with no memories who may be the key to survival.
This is a tale of vengeance, deceit, hatred, and lust. Welcome to the story of Ayashi no Ceres.

What is Ayashi no Ceres Like? This Anime is for people like what?

Ayashi no Ceres is an intense shoujo anime filled with supernatural elements, action, lust, and horror. It is not an anime for those weak of heart, but if you are a fan of psychoticism, supernatural powers, and drama, this may be a great anime to watch. Ayashi no Ceres is a new take on an age old story brought forth in the present age. Did you ever wonder what the tennyo thought? How she felt about having her livelihood taken away and a new future thrust upon her?

If you are a fan of characters with a thirst for revenge and a hatred that has burned for centuries, this anime will grab a hold of you.

What’s so appealing about this piece of work.

While some of the elements used in Ayashi no Ceres are similar to many anime (I.e. bishounen with no memory of his past, males all after one female, the main character being the target of assassination), this animated work is capable of turning it all around with its innovative story, dark themes, and dramatic elements. Ayashi no Ceres is an anime that continually keeps you on your toes wanting more, while terrified to find out what may lay ahead for our courageous heroine, Aya. As you delve deeper and deeper into the story, you are left thirsting for more.

Ayashi no Ceres Main Characters List

Ceres

Voice Actor :Iwao, Junko

While not technically the protagonist, Ceres is an essential character to the main story. She is the purple haired tennyo, the ancestor of the Mikage clan. Ceres is an interesting character who is very much what Aya is not. She's strong, independent, powerful, and despite being a very kind soul, she is not so quick to trust other people. She has a mass of varying attributes, but in the end, I found Ceres to be a very enjoyable character, although she does remind me of shounen protagonists who are overpowered and the topic of everyone's thoughts and conversations.
Anyway, although Ceres and Aya technically share the same body, Ceres is a more mature entity from her many years of experience and former lives. Like many shoujo protagonists, she also seems to be single minded in attaining her goals. In some series, that may be adorable, but not in this one. You better hope you are not on the receiving end of her single mindedness! Still, Ceres does have a tender heart and is the entity that Aya needs the most.

Tooya

Voice Actor :Konishi, Katsuyuki

Of course, in any shoujo anime, there must be a bishounen! And, yes, his name is Touya. If that name doesn't have bishounen written all over it, then what does? Touya is that illustrious bishounen and truly, he fits the bill quite nicely. He is the typical bishounen who cannot remember his past nor cares for anyone to get tangled in his affairs. Once, we would call these characters the stoic type, but now I guess Touya is a kuudere. Correct me if I am wrong, please.
Touya is a true man of mystery. He is even capable of creating knives from his own body, an ability even he cannot explain. It just works the way he needs it to. He is also very perceptive and quite polite, no matter what the situation is. Touya may be similar to other bishounen, he is the perfect prince charming in this shoujo anime.

Ceres: Celestial legend- promo

Ayashi no Ceres Review

Written by one of my favorite shoujo mangaka of all time Watase Yuu, Ayashi no Ceres is not a shoujo anime to be underestimated. Watase Yuu is notable for creating works such as Fushigi Yuugi and Zettai Kareshi (Absolute Boyfriend) which have had some form of adaptation in the media.

Although Ayashi no Ceres is technically a shoujo anime, it does have underlying dark tones and horrifying scenes that may catch you off guard. I remember when I first came across this anime as a teen, I fell in love with it. The story is based off of an old myth that is known around the world, though there are many different variations of the myth, but the overall story is the same. Ayashi no Ceres is the vengeful sequel of that myth and it is oh, so satisfying.

This anime managed to keep me forever shocked; there was no end to the excitement in this anime. From love triangles to incest, the romance or obsession is sporadic enough to keep your heart going doki doki. Yet, it is the story between Ceres and her former lover that really drives you mad. It is a thrilling saga of possessiveness, love, and betrayal. So much lies in just that relationship alone that regardless of what your personal feelings may be regarding that relationship, you cry for more information.

Although the first time that I watched this anime was in my early teens, I have not tired of the story at all. Even though this anime condenses 14 volumes into a mere 24 episodes, it still keeps very true to the manga and manages to keep to the plot fairly well without adding unnecessary elements or taking away from the main story. Not to say that we should all expect anime to follow the manga, but I just wanted to note that for those who have read the manga, do not be so hesitant to watch the anime.

The animation is very true to the manga's artwork as well, which can vary depending on the studio. When you watch Ayashi no Ceres, you can instantly recognize it as a Watase Yuu piece, which I love about it. Nothing is changed just for the mere sake of drawing in viewers.

The characters in the anime are very fun personalities. They have wit and goofiness to them, but there are dark underlying tones, which is so perfect for Ayashi no Ceres. It makes it seem more realistic that characters have problems other than just romance or exams. Some of the notable characters like Aya's cousin Kagami have very surprising twists in their personalities.

Anger, betrayal, and obsession...These are the key qualities of this anime. You can see it reflected in the history, the plot lines, and in the characters. These qualities truly drive the story of Ayashi no Ceres, and I loved it.

1. Tennyo

The entire plot of Ayashi no Ceres revolves around the obsession with Ceres and the blood of the tennyo, or celestial maidens. These women with the tennyo blood are referred to as c-genomes. Aya is the only complete c-genome, but there are others that do exist as well, because the tennyo blood isn't limited to just the Mikage family. Throughout the series, we get to meet many different c-genomes that have awakened in some way, giving their hosts incredible power.

Despite attempting to kill off Aya in the beginning of the series, the Mikage family soon began cloning c-genomes in the hopes of replacing flawed, human women with maidens with the blood of the heavens. There is a gross obsession over tennyo women and how perfect they are. This is a notable mindset in Kagami, Aya's cousin, who lusted after the perfect tennyo woman. Perhaps this is a reflection of our own society's obsession with perfection in women and how ridiculous it is, or perhaps not.

2. Hagoromo

The hagoromo is that magical item that Ceres must find before she can finally return to her home in the heavens. It is the item that Mikage Shiso, her husband, had stolen and it is the item that many of the characters obsess over. Shiso wants it back to keep Ceres by his side. Ceres needs it to return to the heavens. The Mikage family desire it to create their tennyo clones. This singular item is the sole driving force behind so many characters and yet, no one even knew what it looked like.

The hagoromo is an important piece to the puzzle that is the celestial legend. It contains a majority of the tennyo power and is what keeps them young and lively. It is no wonder so many people desire it. Where could it be after so many hundreds of years? Does it still exist? How do you even describe a hagoromo? We can only find out in Ayashi no Ceres.

3. Relationship Between Shiso and Ceres

While I wouldn't really want to put a romance or romantic history as a highlight, the relationship between Mikage Shiso and Ceres is an important foundation for the entire anime of Ayashi no Ceres. We are told that Shiso had stolen Ceres' hagoromo so she was forced to be his husband indefinitely until he gave it back, but in truth, he never had any intention to do so. The hatred and desire for vengeance from Ceres is contrasted by Shiso's sadistic obsession to possess Ceres. Their feelings are so different, but the outlet they both used were so violent, you could not help but wonder if they completely and utterly hated each other in this life and the last.

Shiso and Ceres are constantly clashing in the most violent storms, how were they ever really husband and wife or is this the result of many years of resentment and a desire for revenge over many rebirths? While watching the anime, I had many questions about their violent attitudes towards one another, but it was the ending of the anime that seemed to dumbfound me the most. I'm not spoiling any endings, however!

Even though many years have passed since my first initial viewing of Ayashi no Ceres, my passion for this anime has yet to wane. I truly believe it was a great anime. Despite being made in the early 2000s, it is still an anime to consider watching at one point if you enjoy shoujo and psychological anime. I wanted to bring back a great older anime to the newer generation of anime viewers!

Now that I have told you why this oldie is still a goodie, tell me your opinions, please! Do you love it? Hate it? Won't even consider it? My ears are open so please leave your comments below!

Editor

Author: Jenangelx3

California based workaholic. Current mottos are “I don’t care” and “I’ll try almost anything once”. Interests include traveling, eating, video games, and weightlifting. Currently living life to the fullest, pursuing my happiness, and conquering my fears. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu!

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