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|  | Megami Kouhosei (The Candidate for Goddess) Anime Review continued... The animation style is a very interesting combination of traditional cell and CGI. Anything that has to do with space, the Goddesses, the Victims, the PRO-INGs, and the battle scenes were CGI, while the characters and the most of the backdrop are traditional cell. The scenes showing the combination of the two, particularly the interaction of the two media within the mecha cockpit scenes right down to the tiny detail of impact vibrations were really impressive. Though, the CGI of the mecha battles is not really anything new. The CGI sequence is not at all that different from the in game mecha battle graphics of games such as Xenogears. The music holds on to the tradition of old science fiction. The background music varies between the grandiose orcheastraic strums of the Star Trek series to creepily hummed haunting melodies from PLEASE SAVE MY EARTH. In fact, opening theme would remind a person of the opening strums of grand a Rogers and Hammerstein musical. Unfortunately, the BGM does get rather annoying if you’re not the orchestra type and try to listen to the OST on its own. The ending theme, GET A CHANCE, is nice though. As for the seiyuus, Yukimasa Obi portrays Zero Enna’s annoying energetic hyper-activeness, hilarious naiveté and tactlessness, and unshakable determination to convincing proportions. Miki Nagasawa has a list of credits under her voice, her performance as the grounded, level-headed, high spirited, and resourceful Kizna Towryk provides a convincing compatible partner chemistry with Yukimasa Obi’s Zero. Hiroyuki Yoshino is equally good as the intelligent and insightful, but not so capable fighter in the person of Zero’s best friend, Clay Cliff Fortran. For some strange reason, one cannot help but be reminded of Aida-kun from EVANGELION with Clay s antics and personality. Susumu Chiba is perfect for Zero’s cold, silent, mysterious, "Heero Yuy-ish" rival, Heid Gner. Engaging plot, amazing animation, identifiable characters, equal bishonen and bishoujou characters, cool music... Overall, I personally think this is the best new anime TV series to come out for the year 2000 season. The only bad thing is the abrupt ending. The 1st season ended with more questions than with answers... such as... what was that mistake that mankind made that brought this situation upon them? What exactly are the Victims and what are their true objectives? Who is that mysterious girl in Zero’s dream? Why are the candidates loosing memories of their home and their childhood? Why are all the past histories of the candidates deleted in GOA’s computer database? If only 14-16 year old boys are capable of having EX (pronounced as |ee-eks|) that is needed to be able to pilot the Goddesses, then why is the lead White Goddess piloted by a girl with powerful EX abilities... and without a technician? Well, it would seem that waiting patiently is all we can do as we watch in anticipation while the current pilots are deemed "unusable" one by one to the ultimate final question... Who of the many Candidates will get the chance to pilot a Goddess? [ prev page ] [ top ] [ next article ] |
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