The late ‘90s and early 2000s marked a time of renewed interest in mecha anime, fueled by works as varied as Neon Genesis Evangelion (1995-96) and Turn A Gundam (1999). While some, like Dual! Parallel Trouble Adventure (1999) are enjoyable works that have stood the test of time, others haven’t. Candidate for Goddess (Megami Kōhosei; 2000) is one such confusing train wreck. Compared to certain other infamous works, it can make you ask, “what happened?”
An adaptation of a manga by Yukiru Sugisaki of D.N.Angel fame, the show was animated by Xebec and ran for 12 episodes. It’s notable for being one of the first anime to be broadcast on Adult Swim’s late night block in 2002 (as Pilot Candidate), only to soon disappear from American television. This was in no small part due to its other claim to notoriety: for being such a mismatched mess that any chance of a franchise was torpedoed almost immediately.
The anime’s Japanese opening, despite the dodgy CGI, is arguably one of the best parts of the show, if only for highlighting Asakawa’s stellar musical work.
Despite having Mitsuru Hongou as director, a timeslot on NHK2, and the talented Tomoyuki Asakawa providing music, it’s a big shame how this all fell apart. It can’t be that bad, right? How could this be one of the first bad anime of the 21st Century?
Sound and Middling Fury
Candidate for Goddess takes place in the year 4084. For generations, most of mankind has been living in scattered space colonies, fighting off invaders called the Giseisha/Victim. To stop the aliens from claiming the last inhabited planet, Zion, they rely on five humanoid weapons called Ingrids (the titular “goddesses”), with a special school set up to train those with the necessary requirements. Zero Enna (Yukimasa Obi, Joshua Seth) is one of those select few seeking to become a pilot, with optimism as potent as his stubborn determination. Yet as he and his friends begin their journey to be rightful candidates, they find themselves getting more than they bargained for.
Despite the premise, the show doesn’t focus on the titular candidates all that much, though that might be a blessing. Zero, who looks like a mix of Ash Ketchum and Amuro Ray, lacks the likable traits of either while being very annoying. His rival, Hiead Gner (Susumu Chiba, John Burnley) seems to exist solely to be a brooding jerk. Meanwhile, the hero’s cat-eared “repairer”, Kizna Towryk (Miki Nagasawa, Michelle Ruff), has a subplot about confidence and being an equal partner that doesn’t go anywhere. If anything, there seems to be a tendency to skim through the cast without giving them sufficient development or attention. Thus, the cast can seem either painfully cliched or unmemorable.
While the story, at first glance, seems straightforward, it doesn’t take too long before one of the anime’s biggest faults rears its head. Although it’s established that only boys could pilot an Ingrid, for instance, lead veteran/mentor Teela Zain Elmes (Yuri Amano, Melora Harte) is a woman. Plot points are also thrown about — whether it’s a shadowy figure talking to academy official Kuro Rivolde (Norio Wakamoto), or an Evangelion-esque setup about “EX” and a mysterious girl inside the hero’s mecha — that are never brought up again. As a result, you’re left with various ideas and threads coming up without enough breathing room or time to expound on them.
Ultimately, Candidate for Goddess does nothing to resolve any of that. Despite the buildup over the course of the 12-episode run, you’re not only left with a cliffhanger by the end, but also a lot of questions. Ones that not even the original manga does much to answer, as it went into permanent hiatus not long after. Given Yukiru Sugisaki’s reputation for being prone to delaying and abandoning various projects, perhaps it’s unsurprising that this may have contributed to its failure. Still, even with multiple viewings, you are just as likely to be as confused as disappointed.
Unqualified for Duty
The shoddy writing and a baffling plot are made worse by the visuals. Even for the era, the CGI is atrocious. Be it the poor rendering, unnatural blending with 2D, or how janky and messy the mecha fight, it’s barely above Tenkuu Danzato Skelter Heaven (2004). Not that the more conventional art is much of an improvement. Character designs flip-flop between being overly cliched and uninspired, complete with inexplicable cat ears. Even at its best, you get the impression that it’s the kind of show one would see parodied in other anime.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDIUxNvExL4
Even with the comparatively better Japanese dub track, no amount of effort could really save poor writing or a trite script. (Source: YouTube)
Just about the only thing that could really be called a positive is Asakawa’s soundtrack. From tunes straight out of a 1960s adventure show, to Star Wars-like flairs and slow auras, the orchestral stylings manage to convey a sense of wonder and scale. Given the composer’s work in The Five Star Stories (1989) and as recently as Golden Kamuy (2018–2020), it’s a shame that his talent is wasted on this anime.
While the Japanese voice acting comes across as generic if otherwise decent, the English dub is grating to the ears. With bad dialogue and cringeworthy performances, they drive home how much of a trainwreck the rest of the series is.
Needless to say, Candidate for Goddess is unqualified for any duty. While there were some critics who liked it for its initial pacing and then-novel blending of CGI, it bombed on both sides of the Pacific. It garnered mediocre ratings in Japan, and though a “13th episode” OVA was released in 2002 – which amounted to a glorified recap of the series – the poor reception ruined any chance of building a franchise. While in America, the show was dealt another blow by how the localization (originally intended for Toonami rather than Adult Swim) was wrought with censorship and mangled edits. Reportedly, even Hongo himself expressed regret at how it turned out.
Though the anime has found new life through Discotek Media and via Crunchyroll, time hasn’t been kind. More often than not, you’re bound to find more online reviews mocking it than any nostalgic waxing. Yet if there’s one saving grace to be had, and a reason to even make an effort to track it down, at least it has some good music.
