Godannar

Godannar
North American DVD cover of the first volume
神魂合体ゴーダンナー!! (Shinkon Gattai Godannar!!)
Genre	Mecha, Comedy, Romance
Anime television series
Directed by	Yasuchika Nagaoka
Written by	Hiroyuki Kawasaki
Music by	Chumei Watanabe
Studio	Oriental Light and Magic AIC A.S.T.A.
Licensed by	^NA Sentai Filmworks
Network	AT-X TV Kanagawa KBS Kyoto Tokyo MX
English network	^NA Anime Network
Original run	October 1, 2003 – June 29, 2004
Episodes	26
Game
Platform	PlayStation 2[1]
Released	June 24, 2004[1]

Godannar (神魂合体ゴーダンナー!! Shinkon Gattai Gōdan'nā!!, sold as Marriage of God & Soul Godannar!! in North America) is an anime series created by Yasuchika Nagaoka, Anime International Company and Project Godannar, which consists of IMAGICA Entertainment, Taki Corporation, KlockWorx, NTT Data Contents Planing, Sojitz and Oriental Light and Magic. The series is produced by AIC and OLM, with Nagaoka serving as director and Hiroyuki Kawasaki serving as its main script writer. The first season aired in Japan from October 1 to December 24, 2003 on AT-X.^[2] A second season later aired from April 5 to June 29, 2004. Both seasons were licensed by ADV Films for North America.^[3] However, as of 2013, it is now licensed by Sentai Filmworks.^[4]

Plot

In 2042, alien threats known as the Mimetic beasts (擬態獣 gitaijū) laid waste to Japan. During a final battle against the Mimetic beasts, Goh Saruwatari defeats the alien "boss" and saves his future fiance, Anna Aoi, with his robot, the Dannar.^[5]

Now, on their wedding day, the Mimetic beasts emerge after five years of tranquility. Goh and Dannar are called to action, forcing Goh to leave Anna at the altar.

As Goh struggles in his battle against the Mimetic beast, Anna stumbles upon a sealed robot known as "Neo Okusaer". She is able to activate and pilot the Neo Okusaer to save her "husband" by merging it with the Dannar to activate the Godannar's Twin Drive.

During the course of the series, it is discovered that humanity is threatened by the "Insania" virus, which is spread by the Mimetic beasts. All of humanity is infected, but the virus affects robot pilots most severely, since they come into close contact with the beasts on a regular basis. The virus has the effect of transforming human males into Mimetic beasts; females are somehow immune, unless they naturally generate large amounts of male hormones. The virus is stimulated by human hormones, especially those released in great quantities during combat.

During the second season, the pilots of Dannar Base struggle to balance the need to fight the Mimetic beasts with the danger of further infection. Eventually, it is discovered that Mira, Goh's former combat partner and lover, who was trapped inside a Mimetic beast for five years, is the source of the vaccine humanity needs.

The series is famous for its fanservice: 'up skirt' shots, bouncing breasts, and the scantily clad female pilots.

Characters

• Goh Saruwatari^[6] (猿渡 ゴオ Saruwatari Gō), is the main protagonist of Godannar and the 29-year-old pilot of titular robot. At the beginning of the series, he rescues Anna in a battle with the Mimetic beasts. Five years later, Goh and Anna have fallen deeply in love and are to be married just as the Mimetic beasts begin to move once again. Although he is in love with Anna, referring to her as the only woman for him, he feels conflicting emotions towards other women as seen when Mira reawakens and Shizuru is killed. when Anna leaves Dannar Base due to her guilt and jealousy over Mira he is shown to put his feelings for Mira aside choosing to be loyal to Anna. He is the object of admiration of many of the female personnel in Dannar Base due to his handsome features and gentlemanly nature. Dedicated and fiercely loyal he is the best pilot in Dannar Base, willing to risk his life to save those he loves and the public in general. He is infected by the Insania virus, due to exposure from repeated battles with the Mimetic Beasts. His body is later covered in a cocoon, waiting to emerge as a Beast and so is placed in suspended animation for seven years until he is given a cure, via an injection of the vaccine made from Mira and Morimoto's son's DNA ^[7] - which reverses the transformation. Since he was placed in suspended animation, his hair covered the length of his body. Anna made a promise to him the day before his last battle, to cut his unkempt hair. She is the first person he sees upon being revived and they remarry a month later.

Voiced by: Takayuki Kondo (Japanese); Brett Weaver (English)

• Anna Aoi/Anna Saruwatari^[6] (葵 杏奈 Aoi An'na/猿渡 杏奈 Saruwatari An'na), A 17-year-old high school student and excellent robot pilot, she marries Goh at the beginning of the series. However, an emergency call came from Dannar Base requesting Goh's assistance and interrupted their ceremony. She becomes the pilot of Neo Okusaer, and later Go Okusaer; GoDannar's original partner. Although Anna is very young and cheerful she is also very mature, independent and strong for her age, she learns to control the more powerful Go Okusaer fully, despite the critical situation making her the most skilled pilot after Goh. She is very devoted to her family and her husband and always fights for what is right despite the danger. She becomes a surrogate mother to Lou and later looks after Mira befriending her and mentoring her before the knowledge of Mira's past with Goh. When Lou leaves to follow Ken she becomes very distraught. After leaving the base to sort out her thoughts Anna is seen supporting herself, her cat Pinpin and her kittens through hard humiliating work. Despite this she tries her best and after a conversation with her childhood sweetheart Hidebo decides to return to Dannar Base to continue her training. It is revealed through her conversation with Hidebo that Anna's desire to become a robot pilot came from her childhood and not from her encounter with Goh 5 years earlier. Although she was saved by Goh at the beginning it is later revealed that Anna also "saved" Goh as after the apparent death of Mira she gave Goh something to fight for. Anna is shown to be very sexy for her age though not as busty as her mother, and has a body that makes all the boys in her high school roller team want to date her. She, Goh and Lou form the Godannar Triple Drive when Celleblader fuses with Godannar. After Goh is cured of the insania virus, she is the first person he sees when he wakes up. In the end, she and Goh are remarried with the other pilots and Dannar base personnel in attendance and with Kucharachyov as the minister.

Voiced by: Mai Nakahara (Japanese); Hilary Haag (English)

• Shizuru Fujimura^[6] (藤村 静流 Fujimura Shizuru) The pilot of Core Gunner and a remarkable sharp shooter, she is one of Goh's best friends and was secretly in love with him, but was unable to confess these feelings due to his relationship with Mira and later his marriage to Anna. Much later develops a close friendship with Anna and Goh's younger brother Shinobu, the latter in a flirtatious nature. Shizuru is eventually killed by a swarm of Type 19 Mimetic Beasts to Goh's horror, but is resurrected by Mira. She becomes the General Manager of Dannar Base while Kiriko Aoi and Commander Kagemaru search for a cure for the infection caused by the Mimetic Beasts.

Voiced by: Yumi Kakazu (Japanese); Tiffany Grant (English)

• Dr. Kiriko Aoi (葵 霧子 Aoi Kiriko) is Anna's extremely busty and sultry mother and Goh's boss (and his mother-in-law). Together with her husband Tatsuya she was responsible for the development of the Dannar project. She is very stern yet very devoted to her job and is a supportive and caring mother to Anna, who she raised to be strong.

Voiced by: Takako Honda (Japanese); Laura Chapman (English)

• Dr. Tatsuya Aoi (葵 竜也 Aoi Tatsuya) is Anna's father, husband to Kiriko Aoi and father-in-law to Goh. He is best friend to Kagemaru. He left his family when Anna was a small child. He disguised himself as several different people to watch over Anna and the rest of Dannar Base throughout several episodes. He and Kiriko were the founders of the Dannar project. He appeared during the final episodes to aid Danner Base against the Super Mimetic Beast. He tries to leave again at the end, feeling that they can take care of themselves but is interrupted by Kiriko. Tatsuya bears a heavy resemblance to Kouji Kabuto from Mazinger Z and is voiced by Hiroya Ishimaru, who voices Kouji in most Mazinger media.

Voiced by: Hiroya Ishimaru (Japanese); John Swasey (English)^[8]

• Kagemaru (影丸) is the dashing Commander of Danner Base. Best friend to Tatsuya Aoi. Kagemaru is secretly in love with Kiriko Aoi, but the feelings are not reciprocated though she teases him at times during the end of the series. They travel together, with Kagemaru as a personal guard, searching for a cure to the Infection caused by the Mimmetic Beasts' insania virus. At the end of the series, he turns down a promotion from the commissioners to become a robot pilot.

Voiced by: Taro Yamaguchi (Japanese); Mike Vance (English)

• Milla Ackerman/Miracle "Mira" Ackerman^[6] (ミラ・アッカーマン Mira Akkāman) is the original pilot of Neo Okusaer. She is Goh's combat partner and lover, as well as and Max's ex-girlfriend, until she is seemingly killed in battle. Five years later, Mira awakens but becomes amnesiac. After regaining her full memories, she resumed her old duties as pilot of the Neo Okusaer. She still loves Goh, and claims she is the only one that truly understands him. Although she tries to steal Goh from Anna in the end, by attempting to kill him in order to stop his transformation, a discussion with Anna makes her realize that Anna is Goh's true love and partner and respectfully steps aside. She cannot die from her wounds as her prolonged time in the infected Club Mariner caused her DNA to evolve constantly and so it's able to repair even the worst physical injuries. Her DNA is being developed as a cure for the infection caused by the Mimetic Beasts. She reveals at the end that her name "Mira" is short for Miracle.^[9]

Voiced by: Aya Hisakawa (Japanese); Monica Rial (English)

• Lou Roux/Lou Lowe^[6] (ルウ・ルー Rū Rū) is a young orphan girl taken in by Goh and Anna and the pilot of Cosmo Diver. Once an operator for the orbital space station that monitors the Earth for the presence of Type 17 Mimetic beasts, she is the lone survivor when the space station is destroyed and her father killed by Mimetic beasts that somehow managed to stow away on one of their shuttles. She becomes obsessed with becoming a robot pilot to avenge her father's death. At the end of the series, she continues to pilot Celleblader to fight the Mimetic Beasts, becoming a Menage Zero herself after Ken. She returns for a short while to witness Goh and Anna's wedding.

Voiced by: Kaori Shimizu (Japanese); Kira Vincent-Davis (English)

• Shinobu Saruwatari^[6] (猿渡 忍 Saruwatari Shinobu) is Goh's younger brother who lives with Goh and Anna. Shinobu kids his older brother about his age and goes to school with Anna. Though he was once infatuated with Anna, he later refers to her as his "older sister", vowing to find his own happiness. He later develops feelings for Shizuru, much to Kouji's chagrin but it is not definite. He becomes the pilot of the Neo Diver.

Voiced by: Junko Minagawa (Japanese); Greg Ayres (English)

• Konami Sasagure (笹暮 小波 Sasagure Konami/Sasakure Konami) is one of the two operators of the main ship's console. She becomes a pilot of the giant cat robot "Alpha tiger" at the end of the series alongside her best friend Momochi.

Voiced by: Akeno Watanabe (Japanese); Mariela Ortiz (English)

• Momoko "Momochi" Momozono (桃園 桃子 Momozono Momoko) is the other one of the two operators of the main ship's console. She becomes a pilot of the giant cat robot "Alpha tiger" at the end of the series alongside her best friend Konami.

Voiced by: Mamiko Noto (Japanese); Brittney Karbowski (English)

• Tetsuya Kouji^[6] (光司 鉄也 Kōji Tetsuya) is the easily excitable partner of Shizuru and co-pilot of G-Gunner. He spends most of the series recovering from injuries sustained in the battle from the first episode. He leaves Dannar base to finish training secretly with Tatsuya. Anna's dad. He later returns in the final episodes piloting both the G-Zero Gunner and Club Mariner for the grand battle against the Super Mimetic Beast. He has feelings for Shizuru and is a little wary of Shinobu who seems to be getting a little too close to her. At the end of the series he is shown serving alongside Shizuru as the Vice Commander of Dannar Base and still remains a pilot. He is named after the pilots of Mazinger Z and Great Mazinger, Kouji Kabuto and Tetsuya Tsurugi.

Voiced by: Nobuyuki Hiyama (Japanese); Christopher Ayres (English)

• Shadow Dunaway(シャドウ Shadō) is the pilot of the giant American robot Genesister and partner of Luna whom she secretly loves. Strong, beautiful, athletic, but masculine. The only female to be severely affected by the virus due to her male hormones. She survives the infection after her fight with Rose Type.

Voiced by: Yuko Kaida (Japanese); Christine Auten (English)

• Luna (ルナ Runa) is the co-pilot of the giant American robot Genesister and partner of Shadow whom she also loves. Small, petite and cute, but surprisingly smart and strong.

Voiced by: Tomoko Kawakami (Japanese); Sasha Paysinger (English)

• Moukaku (モウカク Mōkaku) is the pilot of the giant Chinese robot Goddiner. Loud and brash, with a surprisingly soft side. He's in love with Shukuyu. He later asks her to marry him despite their age difference. After fighting Type 29 he becomes the second case of a full blown infection by the insania virus, like Max. Because of this, Knight one of the pilots of the Dragliner who was with the Goddiner team when this happened, is forced to kill him.

Voiced by: Jūrōta Kosugi (Japanese); George Manley (English)

• Shukuyu (シュクユウ) is the co-pilot of the giant Chinese robot Goddiner and partner of Moukaku. Younger than Moukaku, she reins him in. When Moukaku asks her to marry him, she accepts. She tries to help Moukaku gain control over the virus. Moukaku ejects her out of Goddiner before Knight destroys him.

Voiced by: Wakana Yamazaki (Japanese); Kelly Manison (English)

• Ekaterina (エカテリーナ Ekaterīna) is the wealthy and well-endowed pilot of the giant Russian robot Volspina. Beautiful and magnificently busty, her relationship with her partner Kukrachyov is much like a dominatrix except she doesn't want to cause him harm. She blames her "cold heart" for what she perceives to be cruel treatment of him. Despite this she is actually a very kind hearted and devoted friend and ally :Voiced by: Miho Yamada (Japanese); Marcy Rae (English)
• Kukrachyov (ククラチョフ Kukurachofu) is the co-pilot of the giant Russian robot Volspina. Tall, thin and quiet, he obeys every command of his partner Ekaterina without question as it is the only way he feels he can express his deep love for her. According to Ekaterina, he wasn't infected by the virus due to him being so submissive, resulting in more feminine hormones. In the last episode, he presides over the marriage of Goh and Anna.

Voiced by: Shinji Kawada (Japanese); Illich Guardiola (English)

• Knight Valentine (ナイト・ヴァレンタイン Naito Varentain) is the pilot of the giant British robot Dragliner. Handsome and conceited, he is always chasing girls but is secretly in love with his stepsister to which he has no blood relation. According to Shizuru, he never seduces the same woman twice. According to Ellis, he was not infected by the virus because he had more feminine hormones due to his perverted behavior.

Voiced by: Hikaru Midorikawa (Japanese); Chris Patton (English)

• Ellis Valentine (エリス・ヴァレンタイン Erisu Varentain) is the other pilot of the giant British robot Dragliner. Knight and Ellis refer to each other as brother and sister, though they are not related by blood. Ellis is in love with Knight and feels unable to express it due to their sibling connection and so acts jealous and frustrated with his constant skirt chasing. :Voiced by: Yukari Tamura (Japanese); Shannon Emmerick (English)
• Ken (剣) is the rogue robot pilot of the Blade Gainer who makes it his life mission to defeat the Type 18 Mimetic beasts after the loss of his wife. While trying to find the Mimetic Beast that took his wife Rosa, he can be heard yelling, "You're not the one!" to every Mimetic beast that he destroys, alluding to the Type 18 Mimetic Beast that took her. He doesn't learn of her fate until later on in the series. He is often referred, by the world at large, as a "Menage Zero", a code name for a rogue robot pilot acting without authority. He later takes Lou in when she begs Ken to teach her to be a pilot. He becomes infected by the virus that almost every male pilot gets. He ejected Lou from the Celleblader out of the Gainer before he dies in his last battle and warns her she will become like him if she fights for revenge. He attacks the Super Mimetic Beast to reveal its weakness to Godannar to finish it off.

Voiced by: Toru Ohkawa (Japanese); John Gremillion (English)

• Rosa is the previous pilot of Celleblader. She saved Ken from a pack of Type 18 Mimetic Beasts several years ago, at the cost of her life. She and Celleblader were absorbed into one of the Mimetic Beasts until Ken killed said Mimetic Beast that kept her prisoner for years. Although Celleblader was intact, Rosa was not inside the cockpit when Ken looked inside. This suggests that Rosa was, somehow, absorbed by the Mimetic Beast during her capture. Lou, after being asked by Ken, becomes the pilot of Celleblader for the remainder of the series.

Voiced by: Junko Minagawa (Japanese); Carli Mosier (English)^[8]

• Nanae Hayashi (林 奈々絵 Hayashi Nanae) is one of the mechanics at Dannar base and loyal friend to all. She becomes infected by the virus after being eaten by a Type 13 Mimetic beast early in the series and becomes a carrier. She has a relationship with Morimoto, another mechanic at the base, and eventually marries him. Her children become second generation carriers, whose DNA's have the ability to repair the infected ^[10] DNA caused by the Insania Virus. She names them after Mira, Anna, and Goh by naming her children Mina, Ami, and Goh respectively.^[9]

Voiced by: Nanae Katō (Japanese); Cynthia Martinez (English)^[6]

• "Pops" Shibakusa^[11] (芝草 Shibakusa) the widowed head mechanic. He makes ramen for the team on his breaks, constantly refers to Shizuru about her butt being big, and is reprimanded by Tonko, who he denies being in love with much to everyone's belief of the contrary. He runs a ramen shop with her in the end of the series 7 years later until the base is repaired, in which time they resume their duties.

Voiced by: Jin Horikawa (Japanese); Rob Mungle (English)

• Sugiyama (杉山) is the second Head Mechanic. He is married to Anita, his sexually aggressive wife who he fears, and spends so much time on the base she threatens to leave him. She pops up on the base 7 years later.

Voiced by: Daisuke Ono (Japanese); Andy McAvin (English)^[6]

• Morimoto (森本) - Another mechanic at the Dannar base. During the series, he has a relationship with Hayashi. Near the end of the series, he asks her to marry him, which she accepts. They later marry and have three children.

Voiced by: Shinji Kawada (Japanese); Mark X. Laskowski (English)^[6]

Episodes

Season one

Season	Series	Title	Original air date[12]	English air date
01	01	"Wedding Bells on the Battlefield" "Senjou no Uedingu Beru" (戦場のウェディングベル)	October 1, 2003	October 4, 2005
In the year 2042 while battling an alien force known as mimetic beasts, Goh Saruwatari, the pilot of the humanoid mecha robot Dannar, rescues 12 year old Anna Aoi. Now five years later, after finally gotten over losing his best friend Max Jr and his lover Mira Ackerman in the battle, Goh is close to retiring and is to marry Anna as they have fallen in love. On the day of their wedding, the ceremony is interrupted by a call from Dannar Base when the mimetic beasts strike again and Goh leaves the wedding to pilot the Dannar after his friends and fellow mecha pilots have been defeated by an infected robot; "Club Mariner" which was once piloted by Max. As he struggles in his battle against the seemingly pilot-less robot, Anna stumbles upon a sealed mecha known as Neo-Okusaer and, despite not being a pilot joins the battle in order to protect her new husband, in the process, accidentally exposing their marriage and her relationship to the Director of Dannar Base, Dr Kiriko Aoi. Despite Goh's fear of losing Anna and initial reluctance, Dannar and Neo-Okusaer merge to become the mighty robot Godannar and together are able defeat the mimetic beast and Club Mariner. Immediately after, Anna's mom and Goh's Boss, Dr Aoi receives a message in which footage of a nude blonde girl is seen falling out of Club Mariner, much to her shock. It is revealed through a flashback of her death, that the nude girl is Mira. Goh's past lover.
02	02	"Burning Virgin Road" "Honō no Bājin Rodo" (炎のバージンロード)	October 8, 2003	October 4, 2005
Goh and Kiriko discuss Anna's wish to become a pilot and the marriage that Anna and Goh tried to hide from everyone. Goh is embarrassed at having the Dannar Base personnel refer to him by "Goh-chin" Anna's pet name for him, while Anna kept their relationship hidden under orders given to her by her high school principal (due to the difference in ages) to prevent a scandal. Kiriko feels that Anna is ready to become Goh's partner in battle and believes that her and Goh were destined to be married and that Goh should accept this, while Goh feels that piloting a robot is too dangerous for Anna. While Anna takes numerous tests for what she believes is training for piloting a mecha (some of which she excels at) Goh becomes even more reluctant after seeing how tired she has become and rejects her as a pilot. Anna confronts him about it and they have a fight about how Goh decides everything for them both from where they live, to having Goh's brother Shinobu live with them-which has prevented the couple from consummating their marriage and treating her like a child. Goh replies that she should not feel proud about piloting the Neo-Okusaer the one time and calls it a "fluke" thereby hurting Anna who runs to school crying, while Kiriko observes close by. It is shown then that Mira has been placed in hydro-statis and Kiriko ponders what she's going to do about her. While the mechanics at Dannar Base are trying to remove the mimetic beast's remains from Club Mariner, two Mechanics are attacked and Hayashi the female has been absorbed by the monster, who escapes into the nearby town. Anna, riding with Shinobu through the streets at the time notices and lures the creature away to her high school gym where she tries to get to a soccer robot. Goh laments that Anna is still too young, but Kiriko reminds him that Anna isn't the type to give up and is stronger than what he believes despite her age and also reminds Goh that Mira's death was not due to him not being able to protect her, but due to Mira's choice (much like Anna's) to give her all in a fight. Goh activates Dannar and reaches the school, seemingly late without a trace of Shinobu, Anna or Hayashi and kills the mimetic beast in anger and despair of having lost Anna.
03	03	"Battle Royal Honeymoon" "Batoru Roiyaru Hanemūn" (バトルロイヤル・ハネムーン)	October 15, 2003	October 4, 2005
This episode reveals that Anna, Shinobu and Hayashi did not die from the previous attack by a mimetic beast and Anna and Goh have left Shinobu to go to their Honeymoon in China. A huge mimetic beast is spotted close by and 4 bases answer the call: Goddiner from Dino Base in China, Volspina from Vega Base in Russia, Genesister from Silicone Base in the United States and Dragliner from Union Base in England. They attack together and seemingly defeat it, while Moukakou the brash pilot of Goddiner is attempting to harass Knight Valentine, co-pilot of Dragliner they are stumbled upon by Goh who reveals that he is fighting again and is now married. While the friends talk and are introduced, Luna dives in her Luna Sister and finds that not only is the mimetic beast alive, the large body is merely a decoy for the brain. Not only did they not kill it, but they must now find a way to do so without releasing the highly toxic liquid within its body. The robots go into battle again, leaving Goh and Anna behind. While the others are attacking the beast who seems to be too strong, Goh informs Anna that the world of mecha pilots is very hard but he reveals that he had forgotten how strong she was and that it's the very reason that he fell in love with her. He reveals through flashback that after he ripped through the mimetic beast from before, Anna burst out of the rubble in her soccer robot with an unconscious but alive Hayashi in its arms. As the present mimetic beast grabs hold of Volspina, Anna wants to defeat it and Goh finally accepts her as a pilot, however he asks her to never die on him, as without her, he cannot go on. Anna agrees and Goh tosses a box with a ring at her. He promises to take her as his wife and partner. Anna rejoices and together they call upon their robots and use their wedding/transformation rings to change into their uniforms and join the battle. They free the other robots and merge in order to kill the mimetic beast, with GoDannar's Heart Breaker technique but the beast flees. The other robots intercept and give Goh and Anna an opening, and they're finally able to destroy it with their combined attacks. Upon victory Goh formally introduces Anna to his friends and comrades and she is accepted into the team and Goh inquires about starting their Honeymoon, finally eager to consummate it with Anna
04	04	"Shizuru, Once Again" "Shizuru, Futatabi" (静流、再び)	October 22, 2003	October 4, 2005
Shizuru reflects upon her life in Dannar Base. While Anna envies Shizuru's incredible shooting skills, Shizuru envies Anna's relationship with Goh. Flashbacks show a younger Shizuru in Dannar Base. She is seen as an amateur shooter and Goh trying to help her aim by telling her to "imagine she is shooting all her feelings at someone she loves". Advice that seems to both help shizuru improve her aim and make her fall for Goh. In the present day she is seen overlooking at Anna and Goh and sadly wondering if she really belongs in Dannar Base. She reviews some of her phone messages, one being from a man, begging her to meet with him. Meanwhile a new mimetic threat has been discovered,: type 16 which can burrow underground and regenerate itself to heal its wounds. It destroyed Oasis Base completely, leaving the few survivors in intensive care. Since Core Gunner is still under repair GoDannar and Neo Okusaer are sent to kill it, with Anna having to leave her friend Sakura with Shinobu. While in battle with the mimetic beast Goh gets impaled on its retractable spikes and ends up in the medical ward. Angry and jealous Shizuru confronts and slaps Anna, blaming her for Goh's injuries. A worried Shinobu tells Anna that he thinks Shizuru might be leaving Dannar Base, as when he and Sakura saw her in town she was talking to a "trader" a kind of corporate head hunter and feels that if she was talking to him, there's a big probability that Shizuru is leaving. Anna finds Shizuru in the shooting range and demands to talk to her, eventhough Shizuru doesn't want to. Anna goes so far as stand in between her and the target but Shizuru still shoots. While Shizuru hit the target, Anna wasn't hurt, she only fainted. While Anna is unconscious Shizuru admits to her about not being able to express her feelings. Anna wakes up and begs Shizuru not to leave Dannar Base, promising her to become a better pilot. Shizuru explains that she was never going to leave Dannar Base, and that she'll hold Anna to her promise. With Goh still in recovery, Neo Okusaer and Core Gunner are sent into battle with the beast. Anna fails to denotate the bomb she implanted in number 16 and the beast's attack render the Core Gunner's automatic sniper arm useless. While Anna laments her failure, Goh shows up and attacks the beast, this time avoiding its spikes. Shizuru shoots her sniper gun manually and the creature is rendered weak. She expertly hits the next spot and Anna and Goh merge and finish it off with the Heart breaker. The last flashback shows younger Shizuru in love with Goh as the Danner personnel comment about Goh's new girlfriend: Mira.
05	05	"The Girl From the Sky" "Sora Kara Kita Shōjo" (空から来た少女)	October 29, 2003	October 4, 2005
A mimetic beast attacks Cosmo Base in space. The leader of the base stays behind to defend it, and sends his daughter Lou down to earth so she'll be safe. When Lou, in Cosmo Diver, and Goh return to the base to keep it from crashing in Earth, they end up fighting the mimetic to avenge Lou's father.
06	06	"The End of the Dream" "Yume no Owari" (夢の終わり)	November 5, 2003	November 29, 2005
Goh finds out that his old partner Max and girlfriend Mira are alive, but have been in comas ever since. The newly revived Max steals Mira away, leading to a confrontation with Goh, whom he blames for losing her in the first place. Mira awakes from her coma with an unexpected handicap – she has no memories.
07	07	"Death by Reminiscing" "Tsuioku ni Shi su" (追憶ニ死ス)	November 12, 2003	November 29, 2005
Max attacks the base in the Core Gunner. Goh confronts him in Godannar. Max blames Goh for Mira's death.
08	08	"The Graceful Shooting Star" "Karei Naru Gekitsui Ou" (華麗なる撃墜王)	November 19, 2003	November 29, 2005
Repairs are underway at Dannar Base, and a mimetic beast attacks. Dragliner deployes with Dannar and Neo-Okusaer. Mira is learning more and more, and there are hints of jealousy in Anna. In the wake of Max' attack, Knight Valentine stirs up trouble, one woman at a time.
09	09	"The Castaway Survival" "Ryū Sarete Sabaibaru" (流されてサバイバル)	November 26, 2003	November 29, 2005
The fighters crash on an island. Go, Anna, Knight, and Ellis inspect the damage to their robots. Okusaer and Dannar can move, but the jetboys are heavily damaged, so the four of them are stuck there. Rescue teams are sent out to recover the Dragliner, Neo-Okusaer, and Dannar. But the mimetic beast is flying around the area, so the rescue has to be delayed.
10	10	"Lu Takes Off" "Rū Shutsugeki" (ルウ出撃)	December 3, 2003	January 17, 2006
A mysterious robot fights against a mimetic beast that had been attacking Caucasus 1.
11	11	"A Flawless Departure" "Yogorenaki Tabidachi" (汚れなき旅立ち)	December 10, 2003	January 17, 2006
Ken comes to Lou's rescue. Goh and Anna realize he's the one who attacked Caucasus 1, and they confront him. Lou decides to join Ken to learn from him.
12	12	"Those Who Have Departed" "Sari Yuku Mono Tachi" (去り逝く者たち)	December 17, 2003	January 17, 2006
A mimetic beast attacks Cosmo Base. But the Dannar and the Neo-Okusaer are out of commission, so the only one to challenge the new threat is Shizuru in the Core Gunner.
13	13	"Last First-Kiss" "Rasuto Fāsuto-Kisu" (ラスト・ファーストキス)	December 24, 2003	January 17, 2006
Reports come in from across the globe of a large number of mimetic beasts, and robots all over the world are trying to fight them.

Season two

Season	Series	Title	Original air date[13]	English air date
01	14	"The Reviving Soul" "Yomigaeru Tamashii" (蘇る魂)	April 6, 2004	March 21, 2006
While in a state of limbo, a fallen mech pilot relives the events of the series.
02	15	"The New Confession" "Arata Naru Kokuhaku" (新たなる告白)	April 13, 2004	March 21, 2006
Anna struggles to get by on her own, from keeping a roof over her head to humiliating employment. Mira has teamed up with Goh in Neo-Okusaer, but he hasn't made any moves toward her because he's waiting for Anna to come back. Kiriko decides it might be time to bring out Go-Okusaer, a prototype of Neo-Okusaer.
03	16	"Its Name Is Go Okusaer!" "So no Naha Gō Okusā!" (そのなはごーおくさー!)	April 20, 2004	March 21, 2006
A new player for Anna's affections and hand in marriage has come into play. While she sorts out this new monkey wrench in her life, Anna realizes that she had given up on her dream, and decides to go back to the base. Shizuru tests the Go-Okusaer. Mira faints and Kiriko is worried about using her as a pilot.
04	17	"Tonko, My Love" (TONKO MY LOVE)	April 27, 2004	March 21, 2006
The perspective is altered, focusing on some of the mechanics that keep Godannar and the other mechs running. A female mechanic named Tonko is being pushed into an arranged marriage that she doesn’t want, but a mimetic beast destroys the restaurant where the wedding was to take place.
05	18	"Ice Cold Smile" "Hi no Bishou" (氷の微笑)	May 4, 2004	May 16, 2006
Anna and Shizuru train in order to be able to control the plasma drive. Ekaterina holds a party, but it gets interrupted when more mimetic beasts attack and she has to go out to fight them. Shadow dreams she’s attracted to Luna.
06	19	"Genesister Out of Control!" "Jenesisutā Bousou!" (ジェネシスター暴走!)	May 11, 2004	May 16, 2006
Kiriko gets Max's data. There have been changes not only to his body, but to his brain as well. Luna gets nervous because it will be her and Shadow's last battle together, and she gets shot down.
07	20	"Sorrowful Song of the Plum Blossoms" "Touka Aika" (桃花哀歌)	May 18, 2004	May 16, 2006
The strange plague that killed Max is identified – it is called the Insania Virus. Moukaku gets into a bar fight, and he's starting to undergo the same mutation as Max and Shadow. He gets it under control though, and later proposes to Shukuyu.
08	21	"Godannar Ground Order!" "Gōdannā Shutsudo Kinshi Meirei!" (ゴーダンナー出動禁止命令!)	May 25, 2004	July 11, 2006
Goh is carrying the Insania Virus and is ordered to stop piloting the Dannar.
09	22	"Crash! Danner vs. Gainar" "Gekitou! Dannā VS Gainā" (激突!ダンナーVSガイナー)	June 1, 2004	July 11, 2006
Ken manages to kill a beast before he mutates completely. But Ken is so pumped up even after the fight that it triggers the virus and he starts mutating. Goh gets into Godannar to stop Ken.
10	23	"Dannar Base S.O.S." "Dannā Besu SOS" (ダンナーベースSOS)	June 8, 2004	July 11, 2006
Mimetic beasts are focusing their attacks on the bases. And they've found a way to control the bases' weapons. But just when it seems the beasts have won, they all retreat, heading towards Godannar.
11	24	"After the Mortal Combat" "Shitou no Hate ni" (死闘の果てに)	June 15, 2004	August 29, 2006
Anna's dad, Tetsuya - the founder of Dannar Base - resumes control. It turns out that the mimetic beasts have developed the ability to merge and share their abilities. They've grown into a super-mimetic beast.
12	25	"The Eternal Couple" "Eien no Futari" (永遠のふたり)	June 22, 2004	August 29, 2006
Ken has arrived, almost completely under the sway of Insania. He and Goh, slowly succumbing to Insania, attack the beast, mutating more and more. But the beast is too much for Goh to handle, and it tries to absorb Godannar into itself. Mira, making good on a certain vow, attacks Godannar before it can cause too much damage. Anna tries to stop her.
13	26	"The Inevitable Tomorrow" "Kitarubeki Ashita" (来るべき明日)	June 29, 2004	August 29, 2006
They win against the mimetic beasts, but Goh transforms completely in the process. Seven years later, after a cure for the Insania Virus is found, Goh and Anna get remarried. During their ceremony, the last mimetic beasts attack. Goh, Anna, and the rest of the pilots go out to fight them.

Reception

"Not bad at all, but could have been loads better." — Stig Høgset, T.H.E.M. Anime Reviews.^[14] "I'm used to anime series surprising me and not being what they appear but Godannar really proved that twist again by being so much more than what I expected based on the trailer or opening sequence." — Chris Beveridge, Mania.^[15] "Like your mecha action old-school, flashy, and loaded with fan service, yet done with modern production values? Favor fun, high-spirited action series in general? Then Godannar is a must-see title for you." — Theron Martin, Anime News Network.^[16] "If the director can just even out the balancing act between HOT ROBOT ACTION and HOT CLEAVAGE ACTION, we may just end up with the best super robot series since Giant Robo." — Mike Toole. Anime Jump.^[17]

References

1. "Shinkon Gattai Godannar!!". GameFaqs.
2. "New Anime in Japan". Anime News Network. July 23, 2003. Retrieved June 27, 2013.
3. "Additional ADV Licenses from Oni-Con". Anime News Network. October 24, 2004. Retrieved June 27, 2013.
4. "Sentai Filmworks Adds Gatchaman, DiGi Charat, Godannar Anime". Anime News Network. May 25, 2013. Retrieved June 27, 2013.
5. Connolly, Sean (July 21, 2009). "Godannar Complete Collection (Thinpak)". Mania. Retrieved November 18, 2009.
6. Godannar!! - Mission 4 - Two's A Combat Team, Three's A Crowd. Houston, TX: A.D. Vision. ISBN 1-4139-1209-5.
7. Shinkon Gattai Gōdan'nā!! Mission 26: Kitarubeki Ashita 14:20 - 14:30
8. Godannar!! - Mission 6 - Deep Penetration (DVD). Houston, TX: A.D. Vision. ISBN 1-4139-1211-7.
9. Godannar!! - Mission 7 - War Bride (DVD). Houston, TX: A.D. Vision. ISBN 1-4139-1212-5.
10. EpisoShinkon Gattai Gōdan'nā!! Mission 26: Kitarubeki Ashitade 26
11. 'Godannar' : Mission 2 - 'Til Death Do Us Part; ISBN 1-4139-1207-9
12. 神魂合体ゴーダンナー!!. Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved April 11, 2015.
13. "神魂合体ゴーダンナー!! SECOND SEASON". Media Arts Database (in Japanese). Agency for Cultural Affairs. Retrieved April 11, 2015.
14. Høgset, Stig (July 12, 2004). "Godannar Season 1". T.H.E.M. Anime Reviews. Retrieved January 23, 2011.
15. Beveridge, Chris (September 28, 2005). "Godannar Vol. #1 (also w/box)". Mania. Demand Media. Archived from the original on August 20, 2012. Retrieved January 23, 2011.
16. Martin, Theron (October 11, 2005). "Godannar DVD 1". Anime News Network. Retrieved January 23, 2011.
17. Toole, Mike (September 4, 2005). "Godannar vol. 1". Anime Jump. Retrieved August 19, 2012.

External links

• Godannar (anime) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia