Anime: “Ayashi No Ceres”, yes I am going to love this!!

[alexandral]

The world of anime is something that I was always passing by and thinking "this is interesting", because I love animated films since I can remember myself and though I can’t call myself very young anymore, this love stayed with me. I always welcome a chance to watch an animated film with my little daughter.

I guess something that draws me to animation films is that anything s possible. What can be conceived in one’s mind can be drawn and there is no limit to imagination. I have looked up in Wiki and it seems that the word “anime” is something used for Japanese animation. It is interesting, because I originally thought that the word “anime” is applied to animated series.

Japanese animation (or anime)
My first obsession with Japanese animation (or anime) happened at the age of 12 when I saw Japanese version of "Little Mermaid" and "Princes - swans" (adapted from "Wild Swans"). The graphical style was so different from anything I have seen before. Japanese animations seems to be less dynamic than the Disney one, but has a unique beauty in drawing figures and faces. And something else I liked very much too – Japanese version of "Little Mermaid" kept it’s original ending. And though I understand why Disney changed the ending of "Little Mermaid" and a part of me craves for the happy ending there, a part of me thinks "But this is not what Andersen wrote, HUH???".

As animated series go, I have seen "Trigun" last year and "Cowboy Beebop". I liked both of these series very much, but didn’t fall in obsessive kind love with them. May be I haven’t seen enough of “Trigun” for it's story to get developed deeper. Or may be like with many other things, I looked for a romantic relationship that can draw me in ..

"Ayashi no Ceres".
But I think now I have found something to fall in love obsessively and otherwise – "Ayashi no Ceres". It is very dark, very adult, it is mystical, it involves angels and it has a fantastic romantic story from the episode 1. I have already watched 6 episodes out of 24. :D. It is all about Aya and her brother Aki who on their 16 birthday find out that their family (Mikage) is a very special and terrible family of descendants from the celestial being (Ceres). On that same day when Aya discovers she is a curse for her family whom they want to wipe from the face of the planet, she also meets Toya, a guy working for Mikage family in a hope to recover his memories..

Original manga is drawn by Yu Watase, and anime is incredibly beautiful too, especially Toya (some spoilers)

First time Toya meets Aya:



Second time :D





He has some interesting clothes as you see:



Green eyes/red hair = Alexandra’s favourite combination.





I like the look on his face whan he sees Aya getting kissed by someone else:



Driving the car:



Toya with Aki:



My favourite scene so far:





Beautiful, beautiful drawings:







PS: Question
The only one thing worries me from the start – if Ceres is as powerful as she is, how did she manage to get into her predicament in the first place? Why didn’t she just make fisherman to tell her where her robe is???

Comments

[anna-the-fair.livejournal.com]

Yay! I love anime! :D

I've gotten into it recently, through a friend.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I got introduced to it through my LJ friends too! Which one is your favourite??

[anna-the-fair.livejournal.com]

Well, currently, Ouran High School Host Club.

It's where my icon is from. =)

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

It looks very cute!!!

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

YAY!!! You're liking! How far into it are you?

As far as your question goes, it gets answered, and quite well, and it's not as straightforward as Ceres would have you believe(though in her mind, it is)

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I cruised through 9 episodes already. :D It helps that they are only 20 minutes long.

and it's not as straightforward as Ceres would have you believe(though in her mind, it is)

Oh, this is INTERESTING, is it somehow connected to the fact that Toya is descendant of her robe? ( I read this spoiler and could not believe it - this is a new concept in pair-making :D)

And I love it, it is really MY THING so far with green-eyed Toya. :D

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Well, another way to look at it is that the robe created Toya to protect it's rightful owner and reunite them, so you could say that Toya only exists to protect Aya.

Incidentally, the battle near the end between Toya and the Progenitor is, imo, one of the best anime battles ever.

Toya was also my first manga crush(I didn't see the anime until much later)

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Well, another way to look at it is that the robe created Toya to protect it's rightful owner and reunite them, so you could say that Toya only exists to protect Aya.

Aha! So the robe will be found somewhere (I find my spoilers where I can :D).

so you could say that Toya only exists to protect Aya.

And this is so unbelievably moving, considering Toya's tortured state at the moment "I should leave her because I only hurt her". (Absolutely my thing, BTW)

Toya was also my first manga crush(I didn't see the anime until much later)

I think I can safely say he is my first anime crush (well, after Haku technically, but I like him much more then Haku)

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

The robe is a very stubborn, determined thing. I love the "I should leave her because I only hurt her" thing is something I adore when it's done right(but so often its justthere as another source of angst when there's no real logic to it) and it's done right here, because he's also doing it to protect the most important person in her life, Aki.

Haku...water dragon kid in Spirited Away, right? He is ultra woobie and needs to be loved and cuddled, though I'm not sure about crushing on him(it's been a while since I rewatched my Miyazakis, so I could be wrong)

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I love the "I should leave her because I only hurt her" thing is something I adore when it's done right(but so often its justthere as another source of angst when there's no real logic to it) and it's done right here

I agree - many doramas suffer from unnecesaary induced angst. I love angst, I do, but when there is a reason for it.

He is ultra woobie and needs to be loved and cuddled, though I'm not sure about crushing on him

He was so protective and tortured and had a memory loss, just like Toya. :D

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Heh...that's why a lot of the angst in doramas annoys me...so often, it's unnecessary and drags the story own. In contrast, though, I adore it in historical doramas, simply because it's so incredibly necessary.

The secondary OTP in 1% and the OTP in Remote are notable exceptions, as they both have a more than fair bit of angst, but no more than is absolutely necessary for the story.

I don't crush on Miyazaki guys..mostly because they're so young(Howl and the guy in Mononoke beingthe exceptions, of course) I just love and adore them to bits.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I don't crush on Miyazaki guys..mostly because they're so young(Howl and the guy in Mononoke beingthe exceptions, of course) I just love and adore them to bits.

Hee! You see, I reached the point in life where all dorama (and a large precent of non-dorama) guys are really young for me. :D I was seriously thinking about this, but then I decided that I don't really want to marry them in RL or anything like that and therefore there is no problem. :D The whole fiction thing is for me largely escapism . It is not like I need to escape my lfe, but one gets to live only one life and it is so nice to live many others through books and films. This is why I like OTP in fiction so much - I identify with the girls and cheer for them to get the guy.

OK- I hope all this doesn't sound silly. :D

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

naaah, I know what you mean

It just that(except for Howl the Ham[he is such, such a ham...*loves him*] andthe Mononoke guy) they're 10-12 or so, andthat's "take him home and feed and cuddle him and find his undoubtedly hot older brother" territoryfor me.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I dunno - I thought Haku was a thousand-year old river spirit or something. And in his human form he was 18-19. This is why his and Chihiro's feelings were more like Kay and Gerda (and there is an influence of "The Snow Queen" in "Spirited away", I can feel it.)

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

true. it' been a while since I've watched it...I guess I just see his human form as being younger because he LOOKS so much younger. *miyazaki movies are fairly high on the "anime rewatch" list*

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Hee! I am re-watching them compulsory every so often - Sasha insists. She has a crush on Mononoke guy. :D We have gotten "The Cat Returns" this week, I have seen it twice already. :D

[miss-dian.livejournal.com]

Oh the anime looks lovely. On a related note, I have been wanting to do a post on my top ten anime (movies) by Hayao Miyazaki 'cause he's just amazing :)

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

EEEEE! I am so much looking forward to this post to know which ones are your favourites - and I am so impressed that you have 10(!!!) favourites, I have only seen 6 , I think. - Spirited away, Howl's moving castle, Princess Mononoke, Kiki's Delivery Service, The Castle of Cagliostro and The Cat Returns (I don't think he directed this one). My favourite is Princess Mononoke, I still can't put my head round the Forest Spirit.

[miss-dian.livejournal.com]

Princess Mononoke was wonderful. I think I'll have a hard time choosing my #1 'cause there are so many great ones.

But I have loved Spirited Away the most, I think. Howl's Moving Castle was also awesome, as was Princess Mononoke. Do you watch the Japanese version, or the English dubbed version? It is always better, IMO, to watch the Japanese version 'cause the expressions/tones are usually always more animated! :)

PS. Is The Castle of Cagliostro = Castle in the Sky??

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I think I have seen everything with subtitles, I agree with you and prefer them to dubbing. And of course, Takuya did the voice in "Howl's moving castle". :D

PS. Is The Castle of Cagliostro = Castle in the Sky??

It us the different one, I think sometimes it is also called "Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro". It is one of his early works and looks much more like traditional anime thing. But you can see his beautiful art-style developing even there.

Unconnected, I am also watching "1 percent of anything", and KAng Dong WOn is so cute that I want to go to Korea. (seriously, so many gorgeous men!!!)

[miss-dian.livejournal.com]

Aaaaaaaaack!! 1% is fabulous! I loved it but had a hard time warming up to the lead girl. But towards the end I liked her enough ;) It's 26 eps long and overall enjoyable but sometimes I (gasp) ff the parts where the main OTP wasn't concerned. Mind you though, the secondary OTP is also quite interesting.

I hope you'll write about it 'cause not many people have watched 1% I think!! (I'd write a review but it's been so long, and I have so many things that I wanna write about but haven't got the time/energy to, like all the Kimura dramas I've watched, LOL).

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

Oh, I am sure to write about it, because same I you I love secondary OTP almost as much as the first one. (and I checked the ending , look and behold - EVERYONE is happy!!!!) I seem to like the lead girl, though, she won me over straightaway when she was helping grandpa. Also I am such a scattered person myself. I am interested to know why it took you some time to warm up to her..???

I (gasp) ff the parts where the main OTP wasn't concerned.

I find hotel employees very missable. :D

[miss-dian.livejournal.com]

Oh, the ending for 1% is all happy and wonderful. I think it's the ONLY thing that I've watched Dong-won in with a happy ending!!! >_>

I don't know what exactly it was about the girl that took me so long to warm up to. I think it was simply her mannerisms (or lack of). She was kind and good and everything, but I didn't feel that she "clicked" with Dong-won's character. And OMG. I have to warn you about the kissing scenes. Almost even worse than the kiss in Full House. Seriously.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I think it was simply her mannerisms (or lack of).

I see! I agree with this - I don't think the main lead is a particular good in acting, but not an unusual thing in dorama.

And OMG. I have to warn you about the kissing scenes. Almost even worse than the kiss in Full House. Seriously.

EEEEEEE! I loved the scene where he attempted to kiss her, was leaning in and closing his eyes. So sweet, I was swooning... :D I might just pick-spam this.

[miss-dian.livejournal.com]

That scene of him leaning on her trying to kiss her isn't bad. It's the further kissing scenes that I was disappointed about. But I guess doramas are always very reserved about the kissing ^^ (which can actually be a good thing, LOL)

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

EEEEEEE! I found one ( I was so interested!!!) , it is bad indeed. But as you say - in a way it is their standards, and at least I can watch doramas when Sasha is still awake. :D

[miss-dian.livejournal.com]

and at least I can watch doramas when Sasha is still awake.
LOL. That's cute ^^;;

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

They're completely different. I haven't seen Cagliostro, but I think it was just rereleased here. Castle in the Sky is great(or course)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

I am so glad you like.

I love this anime so much.

Yes, the question gets answered.

Btw, Yu Watase (I seriously have a girl crush on her. Or at least her manga) drew the manga the anime is based on. Studio Pierrot (I think) was the one who animated it.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I wonder if you have seen Japanese "Little mermaid" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070326/), it was very popular in Russia, but I guess I am hundreds of years older then you are.

Yes, the question gets answered.

It must be connected with spoilers I have read (and I am not sure how this will work out) that Toya is her ROBE. This is such an interesting concept considering they are in love with ech other.

Btw, Yu Watase (I seriously have a girl crush on her. Or at least her manga) drew the manga the anime is based on. Studio Pierrot (I think) was the one who animated it.

Oh, thank you for mentioning this - I will update the post, I googled it but I got this wrong. I think I am bound to watch FY too.:D

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Well, he's not really her robe. He's been created by it, just as she can be possessed by Ceres. So it's still weird, but less weird :D

I don't remember Little Mermaid but it's something to seek out.

And Watase is awesome.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I see!! And thank you very much for feeding my spoiler obsession!! Now that I got "Rome" out of my system by making icons, I am going to watch some Ceres.

[teh-haley.livejournal.com]

I loved a lot The Little Mermaid when I was a kid, and I felt a bit disappointed when I got to know that its true ending was different, but almost immediately -even though I was sad- I did appreciate it much more than the Disney version. I don't know why, but it has got something 'poetic' in its drama, doesn't it?
I feel Japanese animations really charming, to me, I loved reading Sailor Moon because of the way she was drawn, mostly.

[alexandral.livejournal.com]

I did appreciate it much more than the Disney version. I don't know why, but it has got something 'poetic' in its drama, doesn't it?

I agree! May be because it is about selfless sacrifice, not about getting a reward.

I feel Japanese animations really charming, to me, I loved reading Sailor Moon because of the way she was drawn, mostly.

I really recommend "Howl's moving castle", "Spirited away" and "Princess Mononoke" (if you haven't seen it yet) . These are feature films and absolutely out of this world.

BTW, we watched "Cars" in our friend's house. ABSOLUTELY adorable!!! We enjoyed it so much - all of us!!