Just Another Manga Monday #4

When I opened up the cover to this week’s manga, staring me in the face was VIZ’s definition of ‘shojo.’ They define shojo as:
“1. Manga appealing to both female and male readers. 2. Exciting stories with true-to-life characters and the thrill of exotic locales. 3. Connecting the heart and mind through real human relationships.”

Interesting. I consider shojo in general to be geared more towards girls with all the mushy romance I think that guys would skim over, but hey, I guess they’re trying to create a new shojo.

This week’s manga is Ceres: Celestial Legend (Ayashi No Ceres). Like last week manga’s Absolute Boyfriend, it was also written by Yuu Watase, author of Fushigi Yuugi. It is also rated T+ for older teen. I would attribute this to violence, sexuality and slight nudity.

Ceres is a 14 volume series (also an anime) based on a global legend about an angel’s cloak. In the legend, an angel is bathing and a fisherman steals her heavenly robes. Without them, she cannot return to heaven and is forced to live out her days on earth and marry the fisherman. One day, she learns from her children where her robe is hidden and returns to heaven.


In this story, Aya and Aki Mikage are 16 year old twins who are descendants of a Celestial angel named Ceres and her fisherman husband. Aya (left), Aki (right):

As the fates have allowed, Aya was born with enough pure blood for the maiden Ceres to find her body suitable, thus, Ceres possesses Aya and demonstrates supernatural powers. The angel Ceres is angered because her heavenly robes were never returned to her and seeks revenge on the Mikage family, most of all her fisherman husband. In turn, the Mikage family is trying to kill Aya to defend themselves from Ceres.

Throughout the series, Aya faces many challenges. She must survive on her own while avoiding the Mikage family, looking for her brother, and trying to repress Ceres’s destructive powers. Along the way, though, Aya is met with help. A boy named Yuhi comes to her aid as well as a mysterious and attractive man named Toya. Even though her life is in danger she still finds time for romance!

I enjoyed this series a lot. Maybe it’s because I’m a little sappy… I cried while reading Steinbeck’s The Red Pony just like I cried while reading this series. Since there are 14 volumes, the author is able to develop the characters in a way that one becomes attached to them.