The lore of Ayashi no Ceres features many original terms and concepts developed by Watase Yuu, blending elements from Japanese and international mythology. The series is primarily inspired by tennyo myths from across Japan. These stories tell of beautiful celestial women who descend to Earth and encounter human men. One of the best-known versions of this legend appears in the traditional Noh play, Hagoromo.
The
| Term | Details |
|---|---|
| C-Genomer (C ゲノマー) | The descendant of a tennyo who has inherited celestial genes. Not all descendants of a tennyo will be C-Genomers but those that are may have latent abilities which can be forcibly awakened using the Vector developed by the C-Project (often at a significant cost to the individual, including death). |
| C-Project or Celestial Project (セレスシャルプロジェクト) | The top secret operation Kagami heads, the ultimate goal of which is a eugenics program that pairs the DNA of select human males with those of C-Genomers to create powerful offspring. Ragnarok supports the Project, but it is just one of many to them. |
| Celestial Power or Cursed Power (呪力) | This is a blanket term for the psychic powers wielded by both tennyo and their descendants that possess celestial genes (C-Genomers). A tennyo can bestow a certain amount of this power on a human (as seen in the case of Ceres and Mikagi). |
| Guardinal (ガーディナル) | The elite individuals gathered to carry out the C-Project. According to her notes in Volume #13, Watase coined the term by blending the words "guardian" and "national" together. Guardinals carry out a variety of tasks from research (Alec), protecting Aki (Wei) and caring for the development of awakened C-Genomers (Gladys). |
| Hagoromo or Mana (羽衣 / マナ) | Described in mythology as sacred items belonging to tennyo, hagoromo or mana can take different forms depending on the myth, including feathered robes, furs, sashes, hair ornaments, and other objects. In some stories, a tennyo cannot return to the heavens without her mana, although this is not the case in every myth. In the series, however, mana is essential to a tennyo’s survival. During her original lifetime, Ceres had her mana stolen by Mikagi. When she was unable to recover it after his death, she gradually weakened and died. |
| Ragnarok: Twilight of the Gods (ラグナレク: 神々の黄昏) | A shadowy cabal of the world's elite who invest in and support various projects that suit their own ends. Kagami relies on their investment for the C-Project. (Watase's guide in Volume #13 describes them as "...just rich guys with too much time and money on their hands.") |
| Tennyo or Celestial Maiden (天女) | A tennyo is an otherworldly being that comes to Earth to procreate with human men. Although tennyo can take human form, they are not truly human and cannot survive without their hagoromo, or mana. They are renowned for their extraordinary beauty and possess celestial powers that vary in type and strength. The tennyo in Ayashi no Ceres are named after the first three asteroids discovered in our Solar System (Ceres, Pallas and Juno). According to Watase's Guide in Volume #13 it is presumed the sequence continues for the tennyo "types" of other unknown C-Genomers (Vesta, Astrae, Hebe...) |
References used
This page was compiled using my copies of both Ayashi no Ceres in Japanese from Shogakukan and the VIZ Media’s translated Ceres: Celestial Legend volumes. I have also referred to my copy of the series artbook, Tsumugi Uta ~Amatsu Sora Naru Hito o Kofutote~.