Ceres: Celestial Legend (2000) User Reviews

A nice anime series, but nothing so exceptional

[Lady_Targaryen · 7/10 · 16 June 2006]

I am surprised to see here in IMDb ''Ayashi no Ceres'' with such a high number in the user rating. I mean, this anime is nice, but nothing so outstanding to have 10 stars. The manga is very beautiful, and Watase Yuu is one of my favorite Japanese anime authors of all! (But of her creations, I really prefer Fushigi Yuugi!)

Aya is a teenager girl who is a member of the wealthy and influent family of the Mikage's, as well as her twin brother Aki that she is very close to. In her and Aki's birthday, Aya failed in a bizarre test, and she proves to be the reincarnation of a tennyo, that in a prophecy, will bring many problems and eventually the ruin of the Mikage's family. Aya has success to scape, but now she will be always hunted by her own family.She meets Suzumi Aogiri,Yuugi,Suzumi's brother-in-law and Tooya, people who helped her to not be killed. As usual in Japanese series, Aya falls for Tooya. Many things then start to happen and be explained after Aya's rescue.

Ps: Tooya remembers me Tamahome very much!

It is beautiful! ya know!!! okei!

[leahmargaritadivina · 6/10 · 25 June 2008]

Actually i never imagined it as a legend, for me it's just a love story. That can actually touch you or make you feel love or this anime can also be the same as what is happening in your life. For some reason i become addicted to mangga's because of this anime... From the very first time i opened the first page i knew there's something different in it the lines, the words, the features, and specially those who are in the drawings of Yuu Watase. Like his previous story which i also love "Fushigi yuugi"... For instance the chapter 40 above you will see how aya strongly loves toya... Evey single changes... she still doesn't care she still fights for what she believe

I'm not really fond of anything under the net but those who say Yuu Watase's work of art through literature or in form of art... let's argue i'm just a mere 3rd year but i'm ready to argue with some of those people who dares... K!!

Don't even think about it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Beautiful and Surreal

[Auryn-4 · 16 September 2001]

An old legend tells of how a fisherman stole the wings of an angel, so that she could not return to heaven. Instead she stayed on the earth became the fisherman's wife. Ayashi no Ceres is based upon this legend. The souls of the angel (or tennyo "heavenly maid") and the fisherman have been reborn in the bodies of the twins Aya and Aki. Aya carries the Tennyo named Ceres, who seeks her wings so that she can return to heaven, and Aki carries the evil soul of the fisherman, who stole Ceres' wings and forced her to become his wife. Aya flees from the people who wish to kill her and Ceres, and she flees from her brother Aki, who now carries a darkness inside him. She meets Touya, a mysterious amnesia-stuck hitman sent to observe her, and slowly they fall in love.

I got lost in the plot a couple of times, since the anime covers a very large manga series in relatively few eps, but it was still a wonderful show with movie quality animation. As could be expected coming from the crew behind Fushigi Yuugi, there was a lot of romance, but it seemed more true and more beautiful than anything shown in Fushigi Yuugi, mainly because the heroine, Aya, is much more sympathetic than that annyoing brat Miaka with the ugly Princess Leia-style hairdo. We get to follow Aya from the first attempt on her life, through a great adventure of love, sadness, laughter, tears, life and death. There is a love triangle, very skillfully handled, and many subplots that brings a great depth.

This show is NOT for children! It is very realistic in its style, and includes some really nasty scenes where people get hurt in very cruel ways. It's also confusing, as it tries to tell a very long story with very few episodes, but overall it's beautiful and amazing with an almost surreal fairy-tale color.

Highly recommended!

Unbelievably touching

[Z-Trifonova · 10/10 · 29 July 2013]

The story is unbelievably touching. As short as the anime is the story was fully developed into something finished. You can't possibly expect continuation of it which is really rare in the anime. For the number of times I've watched it so far (above 3 or 4 times) I'm still crying on some of the episodes. Toya was my favorite character. As for the others they were very well developed too. All of the main characters were very likable except for Shiso Mikagi which is not a surprise. The opening song is very beautiful and sad. I still listen to it from time to time which says much since I watched this anime long time ago (like 3 years ago I think). I highly recommend this anime since the story is not only original but very interesting and heartbreaking too.

Fantastic anime

[Irishchatter · 9/10 · 6 July 2018]

Really love this revenge back anime but it is sad that Aya is betrayed by her grandfather just because she is a descendant of some witch type woman. However the romance with her and Toya just makes the anime more sexier and juicer to watch, they are just such a cute couple!

9/10 I give this brillant anime!

A Must See Favorite!

[LegolasLover2003Ashley · 9/10 · 24 October 2006]

Ayashi no Ceres is perhaps one of my favorite animes.

In traditional Watase Yuu stlye (following the hit anime Fushigi Yuugi), Ayashi no Ceres is, in essence, a fairy tale. Also keeping with Watase Yuu style, this anime is a Shounen (girl's anime), though it is recommended for ages above 14 (at least) due to graphic violence, sexuality, and nudity.

It's about a girl named Mikage Aya who suddenly discovers that she is the reincarnation of an ancient Maiden, an Angel.

Other such characters as Yuuhi, Suzumi, Q-san, and Chidori help Aya along her way to learning how to control this new found power, and to stop the Mikage family from using the DNA (the C-genome) of the Angel for their own personal and selfish gains.

Characters like Alex, Kagami, Miyori, and Wei seek to harness the power of the Angel.

However, one character remains a mystery... the strange Touya. Just who is Touya and how is he connected with Aya? It's a series with a few good plot twists, and it plays off of the Hagoromo legend which is very well known and popular in Japan. For those who don't know the legend, I suggest a bit of looking up. Depending on where you are in Japan, the legend differs. Each however, deals with an Angel and her Robe (Hagoromo).

I recommend this anime (and it's manga as well) to anyone who enjoys a good anime, Watase Yuu, or Japanese Folklore.

A Masterpiece! (Albeit a disturbing one)

[azrielle · 10/10 · 10 February 2015]

Ayashi No Ceres is intense, dramatic and oozing with depth, psychological twists and turns.

"Disturbing" here is used to show that it does its job well of pulling you in, making you feel every good - and horrible event that takes place in this mini series. It's disturbing in that it moves you, moves your emotions, moves you to fear, feel afraid, feel injustice, feel disgusted, feel happy and feel mesmerized by each character.

Shouldn't a horror make you afraid?

Shouldn't a thriller make you tense up?

Shouldn't action excite you?

That being said, this show does to you what it is supposed to do to you. The only way for it not to, is if you happen to be a stone- hearted, desensitized string bean. If that's true, then I'm afraid nothing will ever evoke anything in you :/

With that said, I give it a 9/10

As a last note, just know it's not intended for children.

Celestial Legend

[maya_bloodrose · 2 January 2006]

Ceres is an amazing story! With lovely images and high emotions. It is not a show for children because of some of its content. But its one of Yuu Watases best creations! It has interesting characters and a deep plot line that make you keep guessing what will happen next! Toya is by far the most interesting character because his past is a mystery that is slowly uncovered with the help of Aya who suffers from a family curse! To save her brother she must find the celestial robes for the raging spirit within her known as Ceres.

Its an anime that will take your breath away and will leave you in awe as the story goes on.

Very good anime!

[Oceanion · 9/10 · 1 June 2007]

I watched this anime recently and was pleasantly surprised. First thing noticed was the animation quality itself, which was a LOT better than in some of the animes I've seen (10/10). The music was also really nice (especially the opening theme, "Scarlet")-- well, maybe except "Cross My Heart" (8/10).

The characters were mostly well developed - from lonely Toya to ruthless Kagami to compassionate Yuhi. The only slightly annoying thing was Aya's tendency to go over-emotional... Overall I'd give character design a 9/10.

But the best thing was, of course, the storyline itself, which was impressively well developed. Although tragic and cruel, it shows how important it is to love and be loved, to feel compassion and to have a family. Perhaps the only drawback to it was that in the first few series, Toya and Aya's relationship got sort of rushed. Although after watching the anime "X", which pretty much had no storyline at all to it, I feel obliged to rate the story of "Ayashi no Ceres" as 10/10.

Beware! "Ayashi no Ceres" contains many very cruel and nasty scenes which are NOT suitable for children.

Beautiful and Enlightening. Light-Hearted and Emotional.

[Raspberryperi17 · 28 July 2005]

I absolutely adored this movie. The graphics are beautiful and contain true emotion, even as you watch. The storyline, although extensive, has enough curves and turns to remain entertaining. After reading the manga, i found the animation on T.V to be thrilling and enriching. Ayashi no Ceres is most definitely a great watch, especially after reading the series. Even though there are several violent moments that quite gory and disgusting, the drama just adds to the plot and you find yourself intertwined with the characters. Even friends of mine who despise Japanese Animation have loved Ayashi No Ceres, it is addicting and thrilling, while maintaining a youthful and light feeling.

A very, very interesting anime! (CONTAINS SPOILERS)

[kzarog · 13 July 2003]

One day after I finished watching this anime, I really think it's worth being praised. The story is about a girl who is the descendant of a Tennyo (a heavenly creature) and turns 16 years old. From that age on, the Tennyo (Ceres) can fully take control of her body. In that way, she can accomplish her task, which is to retrieve her hogoromo, the only way to get back to heaven. The sad thing is that the one who stole the hogoromo is her twin brother who is the vessel of the man who stole it in the first place. Therefore, he is in grave danger and their family tries to eliminate the girl (Aya) to save the boy (Aki) as they always did throughout the centuries to save the male vessels and the family as a whole. Many people get involved into this, all having different motives, like Touya, a mysterious man with no memory and Yuuhi a boy who wants to protect Aya.

The series are really violent, the animation is very good, the music is superb! (I didn't like the second ending theme, though) And the characters are really well developed. Yes, I truly liked this one. I explain why in the text that follows...

(SPOILERS FOLLOW) (SPOILERS FOLLOW) (SPOILERS FOLLOW)

The series managed to keep my full attention, throughout all of the 24 episodes. There was some good ideas in them, like the love triangle between Aya, Touya and Yuuhi. The effort to create a new, better race of humans (like in Neon genesis Evangelion) and themes about human relations. Even though most of the people thought that the themes were too much, I must disagree. Well, ok. Maybe they were too many. But even so, I don't think that they over-did it and the result was not just a confusing series.

The human relationships theme was really accurate, and I really think that this is a triumph of the author of the series (Yuu Watase). I think that she (She is a woman, I think) captivated all the anxiety, fears and thoughts that the characters experience very efficiently, and sincere. Which brings us to the romance of the series...

I think that the love triangle, was rather successful. This was definitely helped by the fact that the author is a woman, and the romance of the series depicts that. Aya's thoughts were very well portrayed. The pain she was feeling, the confusion in having to choose one of the two rivals, the weakness when it comes to matters of the heart... I didn't like the way the love triangle ended. I didn't also like like the way that Yuuhi faded from the plot after episode 14. This is probably because I had probably a hard time in relating to the deadly-mysterious-Touya in opposition to the always-good-Yuuhi, but actually this is life! And I think that because all of the characters had something to be ashamed of (Ceres, Aya, Touya etc.) this is why the only one you can really be fond to is Yuuhi. And the fact that you cannot attach to the characters is, in my opinion, the greatest weakness of the series, even though I approve the way it was finally delivered. As for the ending... Well I think that it was really realistic, the way it was done.

To sum up, this is one of the best, and most complete anime I have ever seen... A true gem.

This is the best anime ever

[Echo-the-Nymph · 7 October 2003]

This is my favorite show/anime/anything ever.. I love the manga and the anime and everything Yuu Watase does. The depth in this and the classic beauty meshed with drama and action is something I have not seen in shoujo anime for a while now.

And Lia.. this isn't just about nudity and hot guys. Also, if a woman character cries that does not make her weak. If everything happened to me that happened to Aya, hell, I'd do a lot more than just cry.

A great followup to Fushigi Yuugi

[xshadowmoonx · 27 December 2003]

The series, by Ms. Yuu Watase, is a rather gory and romantic tale about a celestial being (an angel for you slow ones) whose robe (hagaromo) was stolen. This robe allowed her back into heaven. The man who stole her robe, then lied he didn't know where it was, 'forced her to be his wife' (as Ceres, the angel, put it) and the main storyline follows the fate of her decendents.

In modern day Tokyo (I'm guessing, they never really do say), we have Aya and Aki Mikage on the eve of their 16th birthday. Aya decides to go get her fortune told, and doesn't realize how real and true it is. The next day, she and Aki go to their grandfather's only to be shown a mummified hand, which does have a great signifigance in the story. Well, much blood, kisses, and floating occurs, and we meet the Aogiri's, who also have some of the celestial blood in them. This goes to that, and it ends up being a very good series. Along the lines of being a very good celestial followup to Ms. Watase's first major series, Fushigi Yuugi.

This story might not appeal to everyone

[bloodredx · 24 March 2006]

I originally started this series by reading the manga (japanese graphic novels), which were written by he very talented Yuu Watase. Now, as I said before, this story might not appeal to everyone, but I throughly enjoyed it. When I first watched it, I have to admit that I was a little disappointed at how they seemed to skip around in the story. Most of the beginning is the same, but it order to shorten it, they combined a few scenes. Even so, most of the details are covered.

As a music fan, I must comment on the soundtrack, which is fantastic, to say the least. Each song is different, and none are better than the rest. The music is also something that really brings the story to life.

I can't speak on the voices, since I haven't watched the dubbed version.

Animation: I have seen much better animation than this, but I have also seen worse. There are times when characters will become deformed, which I feel that they do not only to lighten the mood but also to make drawing it easier, but I was upset at the lack of super-deformed chibis, which were abundent in the comics.

Even so, I have to give this series a 4.5 out of 5 rating. Because it was a good anime all things considered.

Not as good as before..

[OginoChihiro · 2 October 2003]

I admit the plot caught my attention, and it started off well, but as the story goes on the series seems to drag at an incredibly slow speed. The images are very graphic and gory. Knowing it is an occult series, I'm still surprised at the vulgarity displayed.

not bad and not good story, with good drawing for the man

[lia00027 · 28 April 2003]

Well the story is about an angel who go down to the earth, and there is a man whom see her taking a bath. Then the man take something from her, he will return it if the angel agree to marry with him. The story is always heard when we were children, but this is not that simple. Because the angel hates her husband whom she gave her power and kill their older son. The angel became angry and take revenge with kill her husband. Until now they always reborn and reborn,when they reborn they killing each other even they love each other too. LOVE BECOME HATE!

But to bad the main woman character in here (name : Aya), is simply cry. I don't like if the woman character who always cry that's mean that she is WEAK. There is a man named Touya, he is Aya's lover whom handsome and cool. All the character is had many difficult thought and they try to do something to protect someone they loved, and for they wishes for long time.

Different from the comic, in the anime the story is more serious and there is just a little sense of humor. I almost forget that the man character is almost ike Keigo in "kamisama mou sukoshi dake".

THIS ANIME IS BETTER THAN FUSHIGI YUGI, which Watase Yuu created with many scene main woman character naked and she is so easy with any of man.