Do Cephirans remain youthful in appearance until the day they die?

[Antoinette Veronica]

Everyone knows Cephirans live much longer than Earthings, but I am confused whether they could remain youthful.

In the manga, all Cephirans look young, regardless whether the person is a magic user or not. The characters who looks the most mature looks like Earthlings in their late twenties.

But in the anime, we saw some civilians who really look elderly, do you think it is a mistake?

Personally, Cephiran being a land of will, I believe even the ordinary civilians can also remain youthful in looks until the day they die.

I am amusing myself thinking, if Cephirans could stay youthful in appearance throughout their lifespans, parents and grandparents will look just like the older sibilings of their grown up children and even grandchildren...

[suzanami]

I feel like the anime didn't care to pay close attention to the world-building when it came to background characters and such. I think they were just like "quick, generic fantasy RPG extras!"

and I think youthful characters are considered pretty to look at, which is why CLAMP made all the main Cephiran characters look young. (also for characters like Clef, to emphasize that age doesn't necessarily determine how you look)  or maybe they really did mean for all Cephirans to look like young fairy elf creatures, who knows?  only they know.

the way I see it?  the way you look is determined by your will, but it takes a LOT of will.  people tend to look their age (stretched out over an average Cephiran lifespan, anyway) unless they choose to look different, and even then it's not easy.  Clef is very old but he has tremendously strong will and magic.  so he can look like a 10-year-old instead of the 70-year-old he is.  Emeraude isn't as old, but she's a grown adult, and she obviously has strong will/magic. 

and it's suggested that it was no small feat for Ascot to change his appearance.  he probably had to put a lot of time and focus and magic into it.  I think some people with strong wills might also affect their appearance without meaning to.  like Ascot looks a little younger than he is, IMHO, because he's immature and has strong magic/will and that subconsciously affects his appearance.

so most people look their age, gradually aging over time, unless they choose not to.  that's how I personally think it works!


I love the idea of Clef having grandchildren and looking the same as always.  /cackles

[Trin-nya]

YAAAASSSS SUZ YASSSS

[Milieva]

I love the idea of Clef having grandchildren and looking the same as always.  /cackles

While hilarious....   That would involve some physical change to produce the grandchildren, because a child's body doesn't really produce the right hormones to create reproductive cells.  But honestly, who would want to sleep with a 10 year old?   That's creepy.

CREEEEEEEEEPYYYYY!!!!!!

[Antoinette Veronica]

I am sure Clef would turn into adult shape very soon after the manga timeline ends...

[Milieva]

I am sure Clef would turn into adult shape very soon after the manga timeline ends...

Maybe.  I mean, I do think he looks a little older at the very end.  Like looking slightly more like he's actually hitting puberty, not like grown adult, or anything.   

[Down]

I always thought LaFarga looks like he's in his 40s somewhere so I don't really see them all as looking young (though apparently that's just me! also as I get closer to 40 myself I'm starting to think maybe that's not so old... maybe...) also when Clef's talking about the Cephiran's trying to save Cephiro but being unable to in the first volume of the manga, one of the Random Background People is what looks like an old dude with long beard, so I don't think they all stay or choose to stay young, even those with strong will-power (as that dude is togged up like a mage)? But I do think a lot of the older people may have gone to fight Zagato and died from it. Also that the cast focuses on the few people with the energy and will and circumstances to be involved with the magic knights somehow, and that that makes them more likely to feel and appear younger?

Anyway! I tend to think that there is a 'natural' age for each individual to look, which is based partially on age but also partially on how they feel they are, age-maturity wise, and because there's not that much in the way of milestones physically-emotionally between young-adult when someone is say the equivalent of earth 25, and then like menopause-and-metabolism-slowing-down at 50ish, people don't tend to appear between those ages unless they're transitioning (I have LaFarga as getting older in response to the responsibility of his job as he's now in charge of a bunch of people and so his physical appearance reflects it even though he's not consciously doing that with will, because that's how he feels about his maturity/age?), and they're more likely to look like a young adult until they change to look like they're 50-60, and as they get older it takes more force of will and/or willpower and/or belief in This Is What I Look Like to counter it, so people tend to leap to 60ish and then slowly age from there, but also! there are probably people who want to look 60ish because they believe they are mature and wise and stuff!

ANYWAY I think that when they're dying most anyone who is countering their 'natural' body image would loose control of it, so their appearance may well change in the weeks/months up to death, and that's a thing people notice and so know something is happening?