Кандидаты в пилоты: Богини Ингриды

Manga written and illustrated by Yukiru Sugisaki

is a Japanese manga written and illustrated by Yukiru Sugisaki. The series takes place in the distant future, where human beings live among space colonies and a single, inhabitable planet called Zion. The plot follows Zero Enna and his fellow candidates as they try to prove themselves worthy of piloting the "Ingrids", also called "Goddesses". These gigantic, humanoid weapons are humanity's only significant defense against a hostile, alien threat known as "Victim". The Candidate for Goddess was serialized in the monthly Wani Books magazine Comic Gum. A total of 26 chapters were collected in five tankōbon (volumes) and released between 1997 and 2001. The manga was later translated into English and published in North America by Tokyopop and in Australian and New Zealand by Madman Entertainment. The Candidate for Goddess was adapted into a 12 episode anime series directed by Mitsuru Hongo and produced by Xebec, which was a subsidiary of Production I. G. The adaptation aired on Japan's NHK BS2 satellite channel in early 2000. The anime series, entitled Pilot Candidate for its North American release, was broadcast briefly on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block in 2002. An original video animation (OVA), serving as a thirteenth episode, was released in Japan in 2002, though it was not localized for North America until 2016, when Discotek Media acquired the license to the series. Since the debut of The Candidate for Goddess on Japanese television, a limited number of CDs and artbook illustrations for the series have been released. Overall reception for The Candidate for Goddess has been mediocre. Though its animation has been generally praised, its complex plot, compounded by its very short length, has been met with mixed criticism. Reviewers were dismayed by the lack of storyline closure at the end of the television episodes and even its OVA extension.

The Candidate for Goddess series takes place a millennium after Star Year 4084, when a cataclysmic event called the "Crisis of Systems" resulted in the annihilation of four planetary systems. With Zion being the one planet left with the ability to sustain human life, humanity must cling to life in space colonies. Now in Star Year 5030, Zion is under constant threat of invasion by extraterrestrial life forms dubbed "Victim" (犠牲者). In order to combat their alien foes, humans have developed a quintet of giant, mechanized weapons called "Ingrids", or "Goddesses" due to their female, humanoid resemblance. Each pilot is also partnered with a female repairer, who maintains the Ingrid and manually blocks painful feedback from the Ingrid to the pilot during missions. Shinichi Yamaoka was the show's character designer, having also worked on Martian Successor Nadesico. Shingo Takeba and Junya Ishigaki acted as its main mecha designers, respectively credited for the anime series Gasaraki and the video game Xenogears. Hongo felt the possibilities with the CGI were limitless; 3D director Tokumitsu Kifune did not think these portions of the show would not have been possible with 2D animation. The manga series was still ongoing at the time of the anime's creation. With only 12 television episodes produced, Xebec ended the series abruptly without giving the storyline closure. Although a thirteenth episode in the form of an OVA continues where the television series left off, it still fails to conclude the narrative.

The Candidate for Goddess was originally serialized in Comic Gum, a monthly Japanese manga magazine published by Wani Books. The 26 chapters that comprise the series were compiled into five tankōbon (volumes) and released between August 1997 and November 2001. All five volumes of the series were re published in 2005 as part of the "Gum Comics Plus" imprint. Tokyopop acquired the series in early 2003 for an English distribution in North America. All five volumes were published between April 14 and December 7, 2004. The series was translated by Alethea and Athena Nibley and adapted by comic book writer Marv Wolfman. The series has also been published in South Korea by Samyang Publishing, in France by Ki oon, in Germany by Carlsen Comics and in Spain by Editorial Ivréa.

Twelve episodes of The Candidate for Goddess, beginning with "Curriculum 00" and ending with "Curriculum 11", were aired on Japan's NHK BS2 satellite channel from January 10 to March 27, 2000. Bandai released the series on four DVD volumes from April 25 to July 25, 2000. The thirteenth episode was released straight to DVD as an OVA in Japan on May 25, 2002 as Special Curriculum: The Candidate for Goddess. By early 2001, Bandai Entertainment acquired the North American distribution rights to The Candidate for Goddess with plans to air the series on Cartoon Network. An English dubtitle was completed by Mix Magic, Inc. in Hollywood, CA. According to Bandai's Jerry Chu, the series was renamed Pilot Candidate because the company wanted to veer away from the term "goddess" for Cartoon Network's sake and because they believed the new title was more descriptive of the series. The channel had originally intended to air the series on its popular afternoon anime block Toonami that fall, and had considered including a reversible cover or an alternate angle intro animation with the original title if fans requested it. However, the anime was delayed and ultimately premiered on its late night Saturday Adult Swim block on February 24, 2002. Despite being broadcast on the more mature list of programming, Pilot Candidate was censored, including the removal of nudity, violence, tobacco use, and religious references. This was likely due in part that it was originally intended for Toonami and the episodes were already completed with the intention of the demographic being children. Four DVDs containing the series were released in North American stores between November 1, 2001 and May 21, 2002. All twelve episodes of the series were released on the Pilot Candidate Complete Collection box set on October 11, 2005. On March 8, 2016, Discotek Media had announced their license to the series and the unreleased OVA to be released on June 28, 2016. A CD Single for "Chance" was also published on February 2, 2000. "The Night Before Departure: Get a Dream!" (発進前夜 ~Get a Dream!~), a CD single by the artist Universe Form, was released by Victor on January 21, 2000, shortly after the anime's debut. This CD also contains a preliminary drama track titled "Curriculum 0.5 Interview" (ドラマ カリキュラム0.5「面接」). The Candidate for Goddess Original Drama Album, released on July 26, 2000, features the Japanese voice actors portraying their respective characters in a drama.

In April 2000, Wani Books published a Japanese paperback guidebook to the anime series titled The Candidate for Goddess Visual Book (女神候補生ビジュアルブック), which contains promotional material, artwork cels, and staff interviews. In February 2002, Wani Books published The Candidate for Goddess Special Illustrations Box: Myth (女神候補生原画集スペシャルボックス「myth～神話～」), a collector's set containing an artbook, an illustrations CD ROM, and other collectables. Sugisaki's artbook, Neutral, showcases her illustrations for The Candidate for Goddess as well from her other manga works Brain Powerd and D. N. Angel. Bandai produced a single action figure set of Pilot Candidate as part of a toy line for its licensed properties. The set contains the characters Zero and Kizna and the Ingrid Ernn Laties.

Overall critical reception for The Candidate for Goddess has been average. Its primary high point for many reviewers has been the anime version's animation quality. Protoculture Addicts staff contributor Miyako Matsuda enjoyed both the traditional cel animation and the 3D CGI, stating that the two styles blended nicely together. However, Delorme felt the "primitive" look of the 3D mecha battles to be the biggest flaw of the series. Cooper additionally noted sloppy artwork, messy action scenes, and confusion when the narrative switches between the past and present. Beard admitted some "irritation regarding unnecessary internal plot inconsistencies", such as the characters constantly voicing the importance of having only male pilots despite the most elite pilot being female, or having no explanation for Kizna being the only catgirl among all the humans. A common complaint by the press is that the anime adaptation of The Candidate for Goddess ends on a cliffhanger. Wright and DeLorme were anxious for more of the television series after the build up of several intriguing and unresolved plot elements and a "to be continued" message at its conclusion. "Effective though Pilot Candidate is," Wright stated, "there's little satisfaction to be had in the end." Having criticized the incomplete storyline of the television episodes itself, Beard was heavily disappointed in the apparent continuation in the form of the single OVA episode, which he found did little to tie up the numerous, loose plot ends present at its close. The Candidate for Goddess has yet to recommence. AnimeNation journalist John Oppliger has attributed the deficient interest in continuing the anime, beyond its delayed OVA, to the mediocre ratings it received during its original Japanese broadcast.