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Ceres, Celestial Legend, known in Japan as Ayashi no Ceres (妖しのセレス), is a 14-volume shōjo manga series by Yū Watase, the creator of the popular manga/anime series Fushigi Yūgi. There is also the anime with the same title, which runs in 24 episodes in length. The manga is published in English by Viz Communications.
Ayashi no Ceres was serialized from 1996 to 2000 in the bi-weekly Japanese manga magazine Shoujo Comic (Sho-Comi). The original Japanese title is Ayashi no Ceres - Tenkū o-togizōshi, which the literal translation is "Bewitching Ceres - Heavenly Fairy Tale". The original title was changed for North American release.
The name of the goddess comes from one in Roman mythology. However, this one is completely different and has nothing to do with the duties, powers, and rank of that goddess. The word for "cherry" in Latin, however, is ceresia, and as the cherry tree is symbolic of Japan, the name was chosen as a code for Sakura.
Story
The story revolves around a teenager girl named Aya and her twin brother Aki, members of a wealthy and powerful Mikage family.
On their sixteenth birthday, they are called to gather in their family home to be given a special present. The present was actually some sort of test -- which Aya failed. She is found to possess the incarnation of a tennyo (celestial maiden), and when shaken, she will transform into Ceres, the tennyo. According to the legend, if left to live, the reincarnation of Ceres will bring ruin upon the Mikage family. Aya quickly found she is hunted by her own family, who plans to kill her. She is saved by another tennyo, and quickly falls in love with a mysterious man, Tooya.
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