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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
By The Creator of Fushigi Yuugi... Another Masterpiece, June 26, 2001
This review is from: Ceres, Celestial Legend - Destiny (Vol.1) (DVD)
Ahh, the glory that is Watase Yuu... All hail her.. This is Watase at her best, and Studio Peirrot brings her story great honor (especially since they successfully condensed a 14 volume manga into a 26 episode tv series). The animation style is much like that of Fushigi Yuugi (if you're familiar with that series, you know what I mean), based on the fact that the bishounen (gorgeous "pretty" boys) of the series look remarkably like those of FY. But in Ayashi no Ceres (Celestial Legend to us) the animation "quality" is much nicer and more outstanding. The storyline is more mature, violent, and graphic than that of FY, and the overall mood is much darker. An extremely compelling series! If you're familiar of the story of the tennou (nymph) bound to earth because of her stolen hagoromo (robe), then Ayashi no Ceres is right up your alley because that is what it is based on. If you do not know the story, it is a very famous legend told in Asia and around the world about a nymph who's robe was stolen by a man. The loss of this robe meant that she could not return to heaven. She marries the very man who had stolen her robe, and bears him children, although eventually (according to Ayashi no Ceres' version) she returns to heaven declaring that every generation she will return to seek her revenge on the one who had taken her robe. In Ayashi no Ceres, the chosen one of the present generation is Aya, the main character. The story starts out right away, and soon becomes so complex that it grips your mind as well as you heart. Having some of the same themes as Fushigi Yuugi (i.e. two people who once were so close are torn apart because of destiny, as well as romantic triangles), Ayashi no Ceres not only succeeds as a outstanding anime, it also far exceeds any storyline that you could see in many anime now-a-days...
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12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Watase Yu Does it Again, May 18, 2001
This review is from: Ceres, Celestial Legend - Destiny (Vol.1) (DVD)
Viz releases Ceres, Celestial Legend (Ayashi no Ceres), by famed manga story and artist, Watase Yu! There are 8 DVDs that will be released, 3 episodes each. Watase Yu is probably most famous for her first long running manga series spanning 18 volumes, Fushigi Yuugi (Mysterious Play). All of the Fushigi Yuugi anime has finally been released here in America by Pioneer. Ayashi no Ceres is a manga series that spans 14 volumes but only 24 animated episodes. How they fit 14 volumes into 24 episodes will be interesting to see. Ayashi no Ceres is about faternal twins, Aya (girl) and Aki (guy) Mikage, who on their 16th birthday must accept their twisted fate that is in their bloodline. Aya and Aki thought they both had a normal life but that all changed after Aya went with her friends to get her fortune told. A prophecy of darkness and power that comes when the 16th star and mood come together. When getting home, their parents retain a cold attitude telling them that they had to go to their grandfather's house the next day (their birthday). Naively going, all their relatives dressed in black sat a long table with Aya and Aki at one end. A wooden box is placed in front of them asking them to open it. At first afraid, the two open it revealing a severed hand. Suddenly, Aki gets all these scars over his body and goes unconscious. Aya gets scared and starts to panic. Her family starts to attack her. The truth was that her family wants her killed. Why? You'll just have to find out about the secret of the Mikage family and about Aya's destiny with Ceres. This is a fairly new anime (2000) with really nice animation. The animation is basically those of Fushigi Yuugi but with finer lines etc. The Japanese voice actors are mostly new voice actors. Watase Yu thought it would be a good idea because she thought it would be better not to go, "Oh, he's so and so from so and so anime!" The opening song is really nice, it's called Scarlet and is performed by Iwao Junko, the voice actress of Ceres. It's a slow, smooth song. The ending song is called ONE and features a rock beat. The DVDs are said to feature picture galleries, intereviews and such so look out for good extras along with them. Final Note: DVDs are awesome, and with all these recent animes on DVDs, I cannot wait to see the visual quality. This is an amazing series. Expect more twists and turns as can be expected from the stories that Watase Yu makes. Fushigi Yuugi fans will not be disappointed.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Captivating Anime! A must buy!, October 28, 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: Ceres, Celestial Legend - Destiny (Vol.1) (DVD)
Ayashi no Ceres (a.k.a. Ceres: Celestial Legend) is a beautiful and captivating anime. I wouldn't expect anything less from Yuu Watase; the creator of the famous shoujo (girl's) anime: Fushigi Yuugi (Mysterious Play). The animation quality is superior to that of Fushigi Yuugi even though it carries tha same characteristics like the pointed faces and very circular eyes. But Ayashi no Ceres's story line is more mature and 'dark' than Fushigi Yuugi's. Ayashi no Ceres is another anime-turned-manga and was 14 volumes long. Like past reviewers have said, they did a good job in fitting the 14 volumes into only 24 episodes. The anime does have many differences from the manga though. Ayashi no Ceres revolves around the story of the Tennyo (heavenly maiden or fairy) whose hagoromo (feathered robe) which enabled her to return to the heavens, was stolen. Ceres is the tennyo which lives in the bodies of the Mikage family's females. She wants revenge and to kill the whole Mikage family. Some of the women have very strong tennyo power, while others have very little. Aya just happens to be unlucky, and inherits the strongest power. Aya is the 15-year-old heroine of the story. She loves to karaoke and do things every normal teenage girl does. On the day before her sixteenth birhtday, she is out with her twin brother and a couple of friends, and gets her fortune told. What the fortune teller says surprises her and is completely unbelieveable. She says quote: "When the sixteen stars and moons come around, you will know where your fate will lead you. What I can foresee are blood, anger, and tragedy. Everything in the society will be off-balanced. Your fate will be strongly influenced by a dark star. Your energy and strong will might change the course of your fate. It all depends on you."
Aya becomes upset because of this. Later on, Aya sees a robber trying to steal someones purse. She immediately rushes in to help, but ends up falling off the side of the bridge. But as she is about to hit the ground, she floats and lands softly. Unfortunately, a car is speeding towards her at this same moment. But in the knick of time, a man appears and saves her and disappears afterwards. The next day, Aya and Aki go to their grandfather's house to celebrate their birthday. When they get there, what they find is not a party, but the anticipated death of the threat to the Mikage family. What is this new power that Aya obtains? Why does Aya's family want to kill her suddenly? What do they want from Aki? And how is that mysterious man who saved her associated with her family? Watch the series and find out. It's definitely worth the money.
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