The Candidate for Goddess

The Candidate for Goddess (女神候補生) is a Japanese manga created by Yukiru Sugisaki. It was adapted into a 12-episode anime series in 2000 by Xebec, a subsidiary of Production I.G. A thirteenth episode was released in 2002 in the form of an OVA. This episode is currently unreleased in North America.

The anime series, entitled Pilot Candidate for its American release, was broadcast briefly on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block in 2002, though it was originally intended to be broadcast on Toonami and edited accordingly. Bilingual DVDs were released by Bandai Entertainment, and it is currently unavailable in a complete series boxset.

Story
It is the year 4084. It has been over one thousand years since the Crisis of Systems (Lost Property), which resulted in the destruction of four planetary systems, leaving only a single inhabitable planet, Zion. Mankind is forced to live in space colonies, since that one planet is constantly being invaded by alien life forms that have come to be known as Victim. To stop the aliens and to allow people to land on Zion, mankind has developed the astronomical humanoid weapons, Ingrids, also known as Goddesses. At the G.O.A. (Goddess Operation Academy), young men are trained to pilot the Ingrids. Each of the pilots has a special power called EX; this can consist of a number of skills or abilities, such as the ability to freeze time or to move at extreme speed. The time that a child can control a Goddess is limited and replacements have to be found after a moderate length of time.

Goddess Cadets

 * Zero Enna (ゼロ・エンナ (苑名 零))
 * Age: 15
 * Blood type: EO
 * Height: 156 cm
 * Weight: 48 kg
 * Zero (his real name "Rei" is the kanji representing number 0) lost his father when he was very young and was raised by his mother on a remote colony. Cheerful and optimistic to the extreme, Zero hides his fears and refuses to ever be depressed. His straightforward and optimistic personality sometimes grates on others. A bit thickheaded, he's not the smartest candidate, but he can move with the best of them. His piloting abilities are like carbon that hasn't yet been formed into a diamond. Zero hasn't yet mastered his EX. His number is 88 and his Repairer is Kizna Towryk.
 * Zero (his real name "Rei" is the kanji representing number 0) lost his father when he was very young and was raised by his mother on a remote colony. Cheerful and optimistic to the extreme, Zero hides his fears and refuses to ever be depressed. His straightforward and optimistic personality sometimes grates on others. A bit thickheaded, he's not the smartest candidate, but he can move with the best of them. His piloting abilities are like carbon that hasn't yet been formed into a diamond. Zero hasn't yet mastered his EX. His number is 88 and his Repairer is Kizna Towryk.


 * Clay Cliff Fortran (クレイ・クリフ・フォートラン)
 * Age: 15
 * Blood type: EO
 * Height: 159 cm
 * Weight: 53 kg
 * The class brain, Clay came to the G.O.A. not to be a pilot, but to study and theorize. Interested in many different subjects. His catch phrase is "Very interesting." Clay's number is 89.
 * The class brain, Clay came to the G.O.A. not to be a pilot, but to study and theorize. Interested in many different subjects. His catch phrase is "Very interesting." Clay's number is 89.


 * Hiead Gner (ヒイード・グナー)
 * Age: 15
 * Blood type: EO
 * Height: 160 cm
 * Weight: 52 kg
 * Orphaned in the war and forced to suffer many hardships, Hiead has a strong hatred for anyone raised in comfort. Cold and seemingly emotionless, he doesn't trust anyone or anything, especially Zero. These rivals share the same EX abilities. Hiead is number 87.
 * Orphaned in the war and forced to suffer many hardships, Hiead has a strong hatred for anyone raised in comfort. Cold and seemingly emotionless, he doesn't trust anyone or anything, especially Zero. These rivals share the same EX abilities. Hiead is number 87.


 * Erts Virny Cocteau (アーツ・ウィルニー・コクト)
 * Age: 14
 * Blood type: EO
 * Height: 156 cm
 * Weight: 47 kg
 * Orphaned very young and forced to enter the G.O.A., Erts is gentle and doesn't like to fight. His grades are very good and Erts is Zero's friend. Erts has an older brother that is a pilot, Ernest Cuore. His number is 05.
 * Orphaned very young and forced to enter the G.O.A., Erts is gentle and doesn't like to fight. His grades are very good and Erts is Zero's friend. Erts has an older brother that is a pilot, Ernest Cuore. His number is 05.


 * Yamagi Kushida (ヤマギ・クシダ)
 * Number 86.
 * Number 86.


 * Roose Sawamura (ルズ・サワムラ)
 * Number 85.
 * Number 85.


 * Force Wartlliam (フォース・ウォートリアム)
 * Number 01.
 * Number 01.


 * Aracd Narocke (アラクド・ナロック)
 * Number 04.
 * Number 04.

Repairer Cadets

 * Kizna Towryk (キズナ・トゥリーク)
 * Age: 15
 * Blood type: OX
 * Height: 154 cm
 * Weight: ? kg
 * The personal Repairer for the practice ingrid Zero pilots. Kizna wants to be Zero's equal, and not inferior to him. Sometimes, Kizna talks like a man, but because of her rational personality, the other mechanic girls in her class look up to her. She has dexterous fingers and makes an excellent mechanic. She really likes sweet things. Kizna has artificial fox ears because in her childhood, she had an accident that damaged her ears (Kitsune means fox).
 * The personal Repairer for the practice ingrid Zero pilots. Kizna wants to be Zero's equal, and not inferior to him. Sometimes, Kizna talks like a man, but because of her rational personality, the other mechanic girls in her class look up to her. She has dexterous fingers and makes an excellent mechanic. She really likes sweet things. Kizna has artificial fox ears because in her childhood, she had an accident that damaged her ears (Kitsune means fox).


 * Ikhny Allecto (イクニ・アレクト)
 * Timid and seemingly low in self-confidence, Ikhny is gifted in repair and seeks acceptance from the brutal Hiead, even to the point of once sabotaging Zero's Ingrid.
 * Timid and seemingly low in self-confidence, Ikhny is gifted in repair and seeks acceptance from the brutal Hiead, even to the point of once sabotaging Zero's Ingrid.


 * Tukasa Kuscha (ツカサ・クーシャ)


 * Wrecka Toesing (レッカ・トーシング)


 * Saki Mimori (サキ・ミモリ)


 * Kyoko Farley (キョウコ・ファーリィ)


 * Yukine Simmons (ユキネ・シモンズ)


 * Rome Lotte (ロミ・ロット)

Goddess Pilots

 * Teela Zain Elmes (ティーラ・ザイン・エルメス)
 * Age: 15
 * Blood type: EO
 * Height: 156 cm
 * Weight: 42 kg
 * The best of the five Goddesses and the only female pilot. Faithful to her task, Teela's fighting ability is frighteningly high. Nearly flawless, there are times when no one quite knows what she's thinking. Seeking perfection, she won't let herself feel the emotions of daily life. Her outward appearance has hardly changed since she saved the ten-year-old Zero, but no one knows why. Always the top of the pilots, Teela has two EX. One is the same ability as Zero's. The other is the ability to control other Ingrids.
 * The best of the five Goddesses and the only female pilot. Faithful to her task, Teela's fighting ability is frighteningly high. Nearly flawless, there are times when no one quite knows what she's thinking. Seeking perfection, she won't let herself feel the emotions of daily life. Her outward appearance has hardly changed since she saved the ten-year-old Zero, but no one knows why. Always the top of the pilots, Teela has two EX. One is the same ability as Zero's. The other is the ability to control other Ingrids.


 * Gareas Elidd (ガルイース・エリッド)
 * Age: 18
 * Blood type: EO
 * Height: 176 cm
 * Weight: 65 kg
 * Ingrid: Eeva Leena
 * Repairer: Leena Fujimura
 * Number 2 of the five Goddesses, he is in charge of attacking. When he's in the right mood, Gareas has matchless strength; when he's not, he can't hit the broad side of a barn. He doesn't like Teela (since she took his position as top pilot). Strong, quick-tempered, and violent, he has a nasty way of speaking and acting and is constantly ignoring orders. Gareas is a womanizer who's always competing with Rio. The oldest of the pilots, he has a relatively strong build. Despite their vast differences, Gareas is good friends with Ernest.
 * Number 2 of the five Goddesses, he is in charge of attacking. When he's in the right mood, Gareas has matchless strength; when he's not, he can't hit the broad side of a barn. He doesn't like Teela (since she took his position as top pilot). Strong, quick-tempered, and violent, he has a nasty way of speaking and acting and is constantly ignoring orders. Gareas is a womanizer who's always competing with Rio. The oldest of the pilots, he has a relatively strong build. Despite their vast differences, Gareas is good friends with Ernest.


 * Rioroute Vilgyna (リオリート・ウィルジナ)
 * Age: 18
 * Blood type: EO
 * Height: 168 cm
 * Weight: 57 kg
 * Ingrid: Agui Keameia
 * Repairer: Philphleora Deed
 * Rio is what's called a cheerful idiot, even though he has a rather arrogant personality. But he's easily the most gentle pilot and most easily moved to tears. Quite the flirt, he is always competing with Gar. He seems like a player, but he secretly only likes his mechanic, Philphleora. Rio recognizes Teela as the leader. He tends to say, "--ssu." A contraction of "desu" which indicates he's not showing as much respect as he should. Rio's body is fit and toned. He's the fourth in a big family. His little brother, who is also blood type EO, is expected to soon enter G.O.A.
 * Rio is what's called a cheerful idiot, even though he has a rather arrogant personality. But he's easily the most gentle pilot and most easily moved to tears. Quite the flirt, he is always competing with Gar. He seems like a player, but he secretly only likes his mechanic, Philphleora. Rio recognizes Teela as the leader. He tends to say, "--ssu." A contraction of "desu" which indicates he's not showing as much respect as he should. Rio's body is fit and toned. He's the fourth in a big family. His little brother, who is also blood type EO, is expected to soon enter G.O.A.


 * Yu Hikura (ユウ・ヒクラ (緋座 優))
 * Age: 16
 * Blood type: EO
 * Height: 160 cm
 * Weight: 48 kg
 * Ingrid: Tellia Kallisto
 * Repairer: Kazuhi Hikura
 * He's quiet and usually emotionless, but Yu is quite strong-willed. Like Gar, he is also in charge of attacking. Because of his calm judgment, the other pilots have great trust in him (his skills are also top notch). He has a rather young face and light complexion, and has a small build. There are rumors to the effect that, while enrolled in G.O.A., he nearly killed his instructor. When his home colony was attack by Giseisha, he and his sister Kazuhi were rescued by the previous five Goddesses. To him, the most precious thing is his only family, his little sister.
 * He's quiet and usually emotionless, but Yu is quite strong-willed. Like Gar, he is also in charge of attacking. Because of his calm judgment, the other pilots have great trust in him (his skills are also top notch). He has a rather young face and light complexion, and has a small build. There are rumors to the effect that, while enrolled in G.O.A., he nearly killed his instructor. When his home colony was attack by Giseisha, he and his sister Kazuhi were rescued by the previous five Goddesses. To him, the most precious thing is his only family, his little sister.


 * Ernest Cuore (アーネスト・クォーレ)
 * Age: 17
 * Blood type: EO
 * Height: 170 cm
 * Weight: 59 kg
 * Ingrid: Luhma Klein
 * Repairer: Tune Youg
 * He is submissive and kind to everyone, but he has a complicated side that, while being lonely, likes his solitude. With his polite, careful way of speaking, Ernest is always the mediator if something bad happens between the Candidates. His EX is telepathy, which has caused a hard time for him when associating with others. But after meeting Gar at G.O.A., he started to look at things positively. Ernest dislikes his EX and often wonders why he has it. In battle, he uses his EX to support the Ingrids so they can fight with 120% of their power, as well as being in charge of operations.
 * He is submissive and kind to everyone, but he has a complicated side that, while being lonely, likes his solitude. With his polite, careful way of speaking, Ernest is always the mediator if something bad happens between the Candidates. His EX is telepathy, which has caused a hard time for him when associating with others. But after meeting Gar at G.O.A., he started to look at things positively. Ernest dislikes his EX and often wonders why he has it. In battle, he uses his EX to support the Ingrids so they can fight with 120% of their power, as well as being in charge of operations.

Repairers

 * Leena Fujimura (リーナ・フジムラ)
 * Age: 18
 * Blood type: AA
 * Blood type: AA


 * Philphleora Deed (フィルフレイラ・ディード)
 * Age: 17
 * Blood type: OX
 * Blood type: OX


 * Tune Youg (チューン・ユーグ)
 * Age: 14
 * Blood type: AB
 * Blood type: AB


 * Kazuhi Hikura (カズヒ・ヒクラ(緋座 一妃))
 * Age: 15
 * Blood type: OX
 * Blood type: OX

G.O.A. Personnel

 * Azuma Hijikata (アズマ・ヒジカタ)


 * Dr. Rill Croford (リル・クロフォード)


 * Dr. Kuro Rivolde (Dr.クロウ)


 * Headmaster (校長)

Others

 * Narrator

Episodes
Episodes are called "Curricula".

Music
Opening Theme: Ending Theme:
 * "Aim for Zion, the Planet of Hope" (希望の星(ZION)をめざせ!)
 * Composition and arrangement by: Tomoyuki Asakawa
 * "Chance" (チャンス): Curriculum 01 - 11
 * Lyrics by: Kyouko Tomita
 * Composition by: Koizumi Kouhei
 * Arrangement by: Zawa Ono
 * Song by: Koizumi Kouhei
 * "Shimmering" (かがやき): Curriculum 12
 * Lyrics by: Akira Okeya
 * Composition and arrangement by: Tomoyuki Asakawa
 * Song by: Koizumi Kouhei