Watch Candidate For Goddess

Candidate For Goddess is a mecha anime television series that was adapted from a manga series by Yukiru Sugisaki. The show was produced by Xebec and directed by Takashi Watanabe, and its original run consisted of just 12 episodes. The series aired on Japanese television from January 26, 2000, to April 6, 2000, and it was later released on DVD in North America by Bandai Entertainment.

The show's setting is a distant future in which humanity has been forced to leave Earth and settle on various planets throughout the galaxy. However, these planets are constantly under threat from massive, mysterious beings called Victim. In response, the military organization called GOA sends out a group of highly skilled pilots to fight against the Victim using giant combat robots called Ingrids.

The audience follows the story of Zero Enna, a freshman at the GOA military academy. Zero has a traumatic past - his brother and fellow GOA pilot, Dragon, went missing in action during a mission years ago, leaving Zero alone and haunted by nightmares. Despite this, Zero is determined to become a top-class Ingrid pilot to find out what happened to his brother and to protect the people of the galaxy.

Throughout the series, Zero trains and fights alongside other GOA pilots, including his potential love interest, the talented pilot-in-training, Mikhail: the tough, no-nonsense academic ace, Ikhny Allecto; and the friendly, hospitable, yet clumsy Kazuma. Their training is rigorous, and the stakes are always high as they battle against the unpredictable and deadly Victim. All the pilots dream of becoming a God Candidate - a select few that, through a series of rigorous tests and requirements, are selected to pilot the Goddesses; advanced mechs capable of unleashing unparalleled power and potentially ending Victim once and for all.

The show has a unique blend of action, mystery, and sci-fi elements. The animation is sleek, and the character designs are distinctive, with each character having their unique look and persona. The show's balance of humor and heartwarming moments keep the story enjoyable, even during the darker, more intense scenes. The writers did a great job of developing and exploring the characters' backstories, making them feel more relatable.

One of the most distinctive aspects of Candidate For Goddess was the involvement of a group of artificial beings called the 'Goddess Kiss,' or G.B., who help with the pilot's training and maintenance of mobile suits. These artificial beings govern and oversee the pilot candidates, and although they are vital to the process of becoming a pilot, Zero and his teammates can't help but feel wary and anxious around them. There is certainly some mystery surrounding the AI - were they created to help or hinder the pilots? This narrative element was a refreshing and exciting addition to the show's overall story arc and is entertaining for the audience.

Overall, Candidate For Goddess is a thrilling, well-crafted anime series that balances action, humor, and character development wonderfully. The series explores themes of loss, determination, teamwork, and the bonds between individuals, ultimately culminating in a satisfying, yet open-ended conclusion. While it may have only lasted for a single season, Candidate For Goddess is an anime series worth checking out for fans of the mecha genre or anyone looking for something exciting and well-written.