First Impressions / High School DxD

「修学旅行、いきなり襲撃です」 (Shuugakuryokou, Ikinari Shuugekidesu)
“School Trip, an Abrupt Attack”

It should come to no surprise that, when it comes to Issei’s potential, the form it takes is boobs. An excessive love of boobs, in fact, so much so that it can ruin lives. We’re probably not supposed to think about that, right? Like how we’re not supposed to think about how Issei wanting to peep on the girls is actually pretty creepy? But there it is. Dude didn’t even want to molest anyone, Issei’s magic just took over! And the lady definitely didn’t want to get groped. Get control of your potential, Issei.

Jesting aside, I’m pleasantly surprised that the whole issue was foreshadowed and then largely ignored, even if Issei being really genre savvy about it (“People are suddenly outrageously fixated on boobs? That sounds like something I’d do, bust must be my fault!”) would have been funny. It’s just a bit that I have a feeling could get really tedious fast, so if it’s instead sprinkled throughout the arc, that will work much better, I feel.

The battle was similarly an opener, more foreshadowing than any shadowing in the direct sense. I’m also glad we got the first inklings of what’s going on by the end of the episode—attempted alliance, kitsune leader gone missing, etc—though I’ll admit that I mostly found myself realizing that I only barely remember what the Chaos Brigade’s whole schtick actually was. Not the most memorable of villains, them. Or not their goal, at any rate. That’s not what we’re here for anyway.

What we’re here for is the absurdity and the oppai, and the end of the episode had fanservice in spades. SPADES! I’m really enjoying me some Rossweisse, not the least because I’m of an age where I’d rather date the teacher than the student, but also because her frugality makes for plenty of comedic fodder. It’d probably get annoying to actually have to deal with, mind you—I’m a fan of frugality in general, though everything in moderation, and she’s frugal to the point of just being cheap—but when she starts lecturing the class on where the 100-yen shop is, you’d better believe I’m laughing. Plus, you know. Once again: don’t strip ladies, Issei. Don’t do it! It’s rude. But now that it’s already happened, I’m going to enjoy the fruits. Or, as some might say, the melons.

Then Akeno and Rias started quarreling about whose breasts Issei likes more, and there’s not much to say. This is DxD. It’s doing DxD things. Enjoy.

Random thoughts:

  • I like how the mental landscape was done, and especially that one of the strongest possessors showed up. No real reason. It’s just a cool idea. Sometimes I talk to myself too, so it would be nice to have a mind full of catatonic dead dragon possessors to talk at.

My SECOND novel, Freelance Heroics, is available now! (Now in print!) (Also available: Firesign #1 Wage Slave Rebellion.) Sign up for my email list for updates. At stephenwgee.com, the latest post: Book 3 Progress Report.

Full-length images: 27, 33.

End Card

15 Comments

  1. The problem with the Khaos Brigade is that they’re too diverse and divided. Everything can be attributed to them because it’s “Khaos Brigade: XX Faction” this time, where last time it with Diodora and whoever it was “Khaos Brigade: Old Hell Faction” and before that it was “Vali Faction”. So we never really know who they’re talking about because Khaos Brigade has become a bit too much of a catch-all for bad guys.

    And on a better note, the girls are looking splendid once again. Mischievous Xenovia? Yes. Frugal Rossweisse? Thank you. Bathing Akeno and Koneko? Let a side of Rias finish that up for you. A proper and elegant Levi-tan?! *head explodes*

    Aex
    Reply

  2. The sole purpose of the khaos brigade from what i remember is to remove great red from the dimensional gap.
    Granted, they are going about it in different ways and some might have even forgotten their sole purpose but that is a different matter.
    We first had the old satan faction, which disbanded and now we are getting the hero faction filled with people that got ties to a mythological hero like perseus or hercules.
    As for the girls, deliciously delicious girls again even though i still get antsy a bit about koneko being lewded in her current young form. With the neko ears or her adult form, i have no issues but the normal koneko that looks like a grade schooler? Not my taste.

    Damrod
    Reply

  3. IMO the Chaos Brigade’s shtick was supposed to be about Ophis and the Great Red, but I think most of its factions were just using the Brigade’s name for their own personal endgames. Other than a shared aim of destroying the Angel-Devil-Fallen Angel alliance, the factions were only loosely allied with nothing else uniting them.

    zztop
    Reply

    1. This + what Aex said (and most everyone else) makes sense. It’s not a good idea, mind you, it makes them feel diffuse and uninteresting, but at least it makes sense. Sometimes realistic things are like that … which is why realism is overrated.

      Stilts
      Reply

  5. Having visited Kyoto for 3 days last year, I can confirm the shinkansen scenes, Kyoto Station and the surroundings accurately reflect the real life ones.

    Didn’t have time to see the actual Fushimi Inari Shrine, but we did cover Nijo Castle, Kiyomizu, Kinkakuji, Sanjusangendo, and Higashi Honganji.

    Plus the 1 day trip to Himeji Castle and a brief stopover in Osaka for okonomiyaki dinner. (12 mins from Kyoto to Shin-Osaka, 30 mins from Shin-Osaka to Himeji; by shinkansen)

    zztop
    Reply

  6. One thing that nobody talked about was how we could see the progress of Issei against the small fry, in season 1~2 he couldn’t fight so well. It’s nice to see these details. Even him chosing to minimize damages in the fight shows his growth.

    I think that DxD is such a good series because both de plot and PLOT are given an equal amout of care.

    Cya’round~

    Kil
    Reply

    1. Good point. Also, the way this season has emphasized the scrappy, consistent, determined way he works to improve himself (saying he’s going to train during the trip, etc) really does wonders for adding to his likability. Which is good, because is the Harem King becomes unlikable, this all falls apart instantly (and, for those viewers who don’t like Issei, probably has a long time ago).

      Stilts
      Reply

  7. https://randomc.net/image/High%20School%20DxD/High%20School%20DxD%20HERO%20-%2002%20-%20Large%2024.jpg
    Back when High School DxD BorN ended its run, I was wishing to see (and was disappointed at the lack of) the scene where Issei uses Dress Break on Rossweisse, and her ensuing complaint about what it’ll cost to replace her destroyed clothes (instead of complaining about being naked).

    Cue this episode of HERO and…

    “YES! YES! They did it! Those magnificent Passione bastards finally did it!”

    But they’re not done yet!

    https://randomc.net/image/High%20School%20DxD/High%20School%20DxD%20HERO%20-%2002%20-%20Large%2031.jpg
    Akeno x Rias skinship?! With bonus “symmetrical docking”?! ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) “UNIVEEEEEEERSE!”

    Considering that a well-done ecchi yuri image (or doujinshi) featuring both Hayate no Gotoku‘s Hinagiku Katsura** and K-On‘s Mio Akiyama** is pretty much a “Lockon Stratos/Kurz Weber-level” long shot, I’ll take the next best thing I can get. (Now if only someone could get going on that Kurumi Tokisaki x Rory Mercury*** image already…)

    **P.S.: Yes, yes, I know both Shizuka Ito and Yoko Hikasa already tied the knot with their significant others. Please don’t ruin it for me and let a man dream.
    ***P.P.S.: Either as back-to-back badasses, or getting ready to seduce.

    Incognito
    Reply

  9. While rewatching the episode, i noticed a small potential hole in story line for those paying attention to what is happening. I’ve put it in spoilers just to be sure since most of it is regarding stuff they left out in season 3
    Show Spoiler ▼

    Oh and Stilts, pay close attention to Ddraig whenever something regarding breasts or a certain song comes up. His reaction will most likely be hella entertaining if we already have him in BSOD mode 😀
    Show Spoiler ▼

    Damrod
    Reply

  10. Something i noticed, what an small detail can create emotions….
    What is the difference between these Two Screenshots?
    https://randomc.net/image/High%20School%20DxD/High%20School%20DxD%20HERO%20-%2002%20-%20Large%2027.jpg
    and
    https://randomc.net/image/High%20School%20DxD/High%20School%20DxD%20HERO%20-%2002%20-%20Large%2033.jpg

    Well, perhaps i know your thoughts and even where your eyes lies, but i go with the “face and tongue”

    The first one do not create the same emotion like in the 2nd, i am right?
    Because i bet your Mind Fantasy is playing some scenes right now that are Hentai stuff.. or even JAV

    See, what an small difference of detail can create emotions? Good work, seems really here is some H Professional at work, like FranXX has its own one

    And until now, the Balace is good.. Even if Stilts are lucky to have the AT-X Stream 🙂

    Worldwidedepp
    Reply

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