First Impressions / High School DxD

「トップ会談、はじまります！」 (Toppu Kaidan, Hajimarimasu!)
“The Top Conference Begins!”

“You’re really the best, buchou” – I fully concur in all conscience, no second-guessing and without the slightest tinge of reserve! I’ve struggled, time and time again, to figure out the one word that best encapsulates Rias as a character and it looks like Issei might have just given me the perfect answer to my long-time plight. “Saikou” – that’s the expression that I’ve been searching for all this while, nothing too fancy and hardly extravagant. It’s a simple remark that we have heard countless times and the one word that captures the very essence of Rias Gremory! But I have to admit, there is a real irony in such an assertion – Rias is a standout in many things, but she is not quite the preeminent of any defined merits. The crimson-haired princess is not as passionate or nearly as seductive as Akeno, she is not as dignified or as big of a joker as Xenovia, and she is clearly not as moe or as cuddly as Koneko, Asia or even Gasper. Rias has the whole shooting match going for her, both the good and the bad – she is definitely not above the pettiness of a green-eyed monster, and while Rias has a mind as sharp as a steel trap, there are times when she finds herself fraught with dubiety as well. Under the strictest scrutiny, Rias is far from your definition of a perfect girl – but she sure is the “saikou” of my eyes and as it turns out, Issei also shares my humble view. The wannabe Harem King loves Rias with all his heart and it’s not just because she’s a class-S stunner – in fact, it is what’s on the inside that counts, and Rias sempai’s unswerving benevolence has always been her strongest suit. Rias sees her peerage as more than mere servants and she cherishes every one of them like her own family – her compassion for Yuuto was more than evident in the first few episodes of Season Two and the same certainly rings true for Gasper as well!

The vampiric trap is most fortunate to have Rias as his King – or more specifically, he is very lucky to be part of Rias peerage, to be on the receiving end of such profound inspiration and love. Clearly, Gasper suffers from a rather severe case of inferiority complex – his existence is plagued by diffidence and trepidation, any form of self-esteem is pretty much non-existent. His Sacred Gear power has, more often than not, been dreaded and abhorred by his family and peers – and to make matters worse, his lack of control of this ability has been blatantly exploited by a group of terrorists, putting many of his loved ones in harm’s way. No doubt, it was Rias’ inexhaustible faith in Gasper that gave him the courage he needs – that, combined with Issei’s quick wits and his words of encouragement, has led to the emergence of Gasper’s inherent potential as a very powerful combatant. Color me surprise – Gasper is quite a badass, and he has a rather fascinating set of new capabilities to show off! Not only can he manifest himself as a flock of blood-sucking bats – his newfound power can also work in lock-step with the Forbidden Balor View, covering his blind spots and allowing him to time-freeze objects with pinpoint precision! But that’s hardly the most amazing part of this revelation – bromance is certainly in the air, as Issei and Gasper finally put their ecchi combo to work, a majestic “Dress Break” that strips his victims buck naked while they’re frozen in time!  “We’re invincible if we’re a team” – only a kosher mega-pervert like Issei can come up with such a diabolical idea and the entire feat was chockfull with great side-splitters and fanservice – though admittedly, there is an unsettling sense of necrophilia to it that I find somewhat distasteful! Issei is hardly the best role model, but you have got to hand it to the aspiring Harem King – he has his heart in the right place and Issei does genuinely care for Gasper’s well-being, a beautiful friendship that I’m sure is mutually agreeable from both ends!

Gasper and Issei have unquestionably proven their worth in the frontline, but make no mistake about it – their badassery is still leagues away from the real badass of this series. Azazel, the head honcho of the Fallen Angel, is perhaps the most charismatic persona that has graced our sights yet. Brimming with confidence and a magnetic charm, he is also an extremely powerful warrior, one who has shown little to no effort in holding his own against Katerea Leviathan (Sakurai Harumi) – a direct descendant of the original Satan and the key perpetrator of this extremist act. Surprisingly enough, Azazel’s character disposition is not nearly as intimidating as his gangsta appearance would suggest – he is a pacifist by nature, a major proponent of peace between the three factions. Azazel also has quite an acute mind and he was quick to exploit Issei’s prurient desires to get his own way. “If we declare peace, you can have sex with Rias all day and all night” – that must have sounded like music to Issei’s ears and you can be sure he’ll eat such a grand idea right up without giving it so much as a thought. The series has, more than once, hinted at a possible mentor-mentee kinship between Azazel and Issei. Evidently, the sekiryuutei doesn’t trust the Fallen Angel just yet, but there are signs that their relationship is slowly but surely warming up – especially since Azazel was kind enough to share his arsenal of gadgetries with the Devils. Azazel is not the only top dog who has proven to be somewhat of a surprise – Michael has also made his mark in this episode and he is definitely not quite as unreasonable as we once thought. The outrage that surrounds the Church is still fresh in our heads, whether it’s Xenovia’s exile, the Holy Sword Project or Asia’s dreaded banishment. But for better or worse, Michael has, at the very least, expressed great remorse for the various misfortunes – apparently, he has his hands tied and if Xenovia and Asia can find the heart to look past such atrocities, I’m happy to take his word for it as well. The fine line that separates good from evil has always been razor thin – there’s no clear-cut answer, and the formal introduction of the big wigs hasn’t made the distinction any more patent. Each of them has motives and allegiances of their own – that is true for the three big factions and the same political kernel certainly holds up for the Two Heavenly Dragons! An imminent showdown between the Nitenryuu is coming up next and there really is no better way to end this season – it’s bound to be a feast for the eyes, an epic clash that is surely going to blow our minds into smithereens!

Random tidbits:

  • Sexual Positions 101 by Rias Gremory – Delicious, luscious and absolutely scrumptious! So flexible, so hot, the things I can make her do in bed…
  • This… is sexy. That, however, is not sexy, not one bit – The frozen nudes look just like dead bodies to me. Sorry Issei, I’ll take a pass on this one.
  • Snake-rape is the new tentacle-rape! – I’m probably the minority in this, but I find Katerea to be ridiculously hot! I have a soft spot for the naughty sensei type and she fits all the criteria to a tee! That megane and that chignon, Mmmmhmmm….
  • “Gasper, show us how manly you can be!” – Is that even possible? He’s a trap! It’s already confusing enough as it is. Stop making it worse!
  • Both Vali and Azazel are such badass – I wonder if Vali is as powerful of a combatant as the three top dogs. Something tells me Azazel might just be as big of a pervert as Issei.
  • A loli and a trap hanging upside down! – Gasper and Koneko apparently share similar taste in their pantsu selection.
  • Irina and her highly suggestive combat leotard are back in action – I still can’t make up my mind on who’s the better twin-tail. The Maou Shoujo or the frivolous baka?
  • How time flies! – This post marks my 100th contribution to Random Curiosity. It feels like it was just yesterday when I made my first anime post, completed my first series and introduced myself to everyone. The journey wouldn’t be as fun or as memorable without my readers – your support and your many comments are what keeps all of us going! I love you guys and I would like to take this opportunity to thank every one of you for making this experience such a great one. Domo arigatou gozaimashita!

tl;dr: @SeishunRC – High School #DxD NEW 11: “I vote for peace, I want to make love to buchou, every day and every night!” – Tits and Peace has come full circle as Issei puts his grandest and most majestic Dress Break to work! #Anime
 
Full-length images: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 07, 08, 09, 10, 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37, 38, 40, 42, 43, 45.

 

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74 Comments

    1. You mean the side stories that made up Volume 8?
      They already animated 2 of them if I remember correctly,
      the one where Rias told Issei to get at least one contract,
      & the one where Issei went looking for a familiar (slime).

      The others in the volume would probably be Season 2 OVAs or debut in Season 3,
      since of them already has Azazel in it…
      Looking forward to the side stories about Show Spoiler ▼

      Techim
      Reply

  2. The Snake.. Well, where it came appears.. I know. Adam and Eva. You should wikipedia it. Paradise and Adam and Eva, perhaps you will find the Snake. Since then he is the Symbol of this “Faction”

    So, if his Soul is alive somehow. then the Opposite Sould should be there as well. But, where is it hidden? in a Strong believer heart? in many hearts, that whorship him? or in someone that truly live with his kindness?

    That should do it. But i think, you already have done the post production. i am curious how they animate the fight between the 2 Dragons, and let us hope they dont destroy more “gods” in their Battle Rage

    Germanguy
    Reply

    1. An entire episode (or around 20) minutes dedicated to the battle should be fine….
      but if they did that, that wouldn’t leave room for the epilogue scenes.
      Show Spoiler ▼

      I’m guessing about 15 minutes for the battle, & 5-6 minutes for the epilogue.

      Techim
      Reply

  5. Gasper is ridiculously overpowered! He managed to freeze rime for entire armies guarding the conference, and barely few most powerful beings were able to escape his spell…
    Combine him with Issei’s Dress Breaker, and you have the ultimate ecchi alliance…

    ewok40k
    Reply

    2. It does seem like he has the most elaborate set of powers – time-freeze, blood/energy-draining, shape-shifting into a flock of bats and perhaps most importantly, convincing everyone he’s a girl when he is, in fact, a boy =3

      Seishun
      Reply

  6. I must admit: I skipped most of this episode because of all the talking. The ongoing commentary during a supposedly dire situation was off-putting. It killed all the seriousness for me…

    Anyway, can anybody explain why Sirzechs, Grayfia, Leviathan, and Michael couldn’t fight, but Rias’ peerage can? o_O I’m under the impression that if all these big-shots (and supposed powerhouses) just worked as a team, all the fodder would die before they could do any damage.

    Beedle
    Reply

    1. You wouldn’t send the president of the country to fight a war right? Same thing.
      Plus they have hostages in the form of Gasper, Koneko, the ones on the meeting and the rest of the armies that are frozen(not that that stopped the soldiers from getting killed). Plus their numbers are a lot and numbers still matter in a battle, not matter how superior their firepower is.
      That’s why they needed to save Gasper first.

      belatkuro
      Reply

      1. In this case, I would actually recommend sending the president(s) because, well, one of them succeeded God, and the other three friendlies have at least as much power as him. Hit them hard; hit them fast.

        Azazel is even playing with Katerea, who is said to have been a candidate for the Leviathan title until Serafall beat her to it. If anything, the only way any of these big-shots could get injured is if they act all cocky instead of ending things quickly– and Azazel seems to be the only one with such an attitude, anyway.

        The Gasper situation could have been easily resolved with Vali as stated on-screen. Sure, it wouldn’t nearly have as much impact as what we got, but for a bunch of leaders, they weren’t using their assets effectively.

        As much as I love the series, I just don’t feel any tension in this situation unlike last season’s Issei vs Raiser, or the previous arc’s Gremory Clan vs Kokabiel. Chalk it up to the presence of Michael, Sirzechs, Serafall, and Azazel (and Vali).

        Beedle
        Reply

      2. @Beedle if they had sent Vali, things would’ve ended badly for them. You’ll see next episode.

        As for the rest… well, the three heads left behind care too much about who they’re protecting. Serafall isn’t moving an inch if Sona might get hurt, and Sirzechs won’t let his sister’s peerage to attacked. They need Michael there to keep the barrier strong enough, as well. It’s almost a hostage situation. Rias ans Issei got to Gasper through castling, so they avoided the literal mile of fighting the others would needed to endure. So yeah, Michael could’ve been the one to fight Katerea, but that’s about the only change that could’ve happened. Azazel was the better choice for a few reasons that we’ll probably see next time.

        These heads of state are emotional creatures.

        Aex
        Reply

  8. Can’t help but wonder on how powerful Grayfia is. She’s he only non-Maou/Dragon/(Fallen) Archangel that isn’t affected by the time freeze.

    I bet those mages are still warm to touch, don’t let your eyes deceive you. Those four didn’t kill anyone in the room.

    theirs
    Reply

  9. AZAAAAZEEEEEEEEEEELLLLL!!!!That dude is just too badass.I’m actually looking forward to seeing him kick Katerea’s ass his battle with Katerea ^_^,more than the battle of the two dragons.He’s also such a bro & all that I kind of wish Issei would stop being so hostile towards him.

    MgMaster
    Reply

      2. It will happen. Look forward to it… in a couple of years.

        Show Spoiler ▼

        Show Spoiler ▼

        Greyman
        Reply

  13. Now that episode 12 is out, its gonna take time for the studios to decide in start drawing the third season. If only someone can convince them into adapting the whole LN. Speaking of this episode, Time Freeze-Dress Break Combo For The Win! And Yes, Grafia IS a MILF; but that story is for another time. Azazel is not only a Big-Badass MadMan but also a Certified Pervert Sensei (Jiraiya should watch out in the afterlife). “If we declare peace, you can have sex with Rias all day and night.” That’s the best way to give a reason to a pervy Red Dragon Emperor on voting for world peace.

    GP0125
    Reply

    1. Nah, Azazel has just a Hand for explaining complicate Politics, in easy words so that Issei even understand. “Never mind the other complicate stuff. Peace is Time for make Love!” 🙂

      So even Issei understand it clearly 🙂

      Germanguy
      Reply

  16. “Ascalon!” “BLADE~!”

    I don’t know why, but I freaking love Ddraig’s VA. He just sounds so freaking bad ass, especially in dramatic/ over the top moments. Hopefully the final episode won’t be too fast paced, looking forward to the big fight. Also, congratulations on the 100th post Seishun!

    bakakubi
    Reply

    1. Thanks bakakubi, you really lose track of time when you’re blogging for RandomC
      Tachiki Fumihiko (Ddraig’s seiyuu) is amazing, he voices Zaraki Kenpachi from Bleach. I’m a huge fan of Azazel’s seiyuu as well, Koyama Rikiya (Fate/Zero’s Kiritsugu) has such a sexy voice =3

      Seishun
      Reply

  18. The Peace Summit comes under attack and Gasper reveals his true power in this awesome episode of DxD New!

    Issei logic is very simple logic: if doing something means he gets sex or a chance to act out his lust, then it’s A-Ok! World Peace is a pretty high concept to wrap your head around, but having sex with Rias? That’s enough for Issei to agree to practically anything. This is why I love Issei. His simple and honest nature, and his pride in his carnal desires, is something I find really endearing. Only Issei could make declaring you’re taking someones virginity sound heroic, and he’s a great character for it. As much as Issei is powered by his love and friendship for his allies, it pales in comparison to how much strength and ability he gets from his own lust. Society may forever shun him as a pervert, but Issei will always have my respect. If you ask me, I’d say he’s well on his way to becoming a true harem king both in-universe and out!

    I’ll have to give Azazel credit where credits due. He’s a good reader of both situations and people, and was very much in control of things throughout the entire episode even when the attack happened. I’m thankful that it appears, at least for now, that he’s all for peace between the three sides, because I think our heroes would be in very big trouble if he were an antagonist. What his motivations are is still up in the air, but at the very least his actions so far have done nothing but benefit Issei and the Occult Club. While I understand and somewhat share Issei’s apprehension towards him, at face value his actions seem to suggest that Azazel has the best interests of everyone in mind. Though I admit, I am very interested to see what Azazel is like when something doesn’t go his way…

    It was nice to see Michael address the harsh actions of the church in regards to Asia and Xenovia. The motivation for the church’s, and by extension the Angel’, actions is basically pragmatism at its finest. They can’t have any weakness in their faith or religion otherwise they lose their power, even if their way of rooting out said weaknesses is exceptionally cruel. It’s not a methodology I agree with, though it’s one I can at least understand. It was good of Michael to at least apologize for what happened, and thankfully things have worked out for the best with Asia and Xenovia joining Rias’ peerage. And with Irina looking like she’s getting over her former opinion of Devils, hopefully she and Xenovia can salvage their friendship. And maybe Issei can get a chance at the “Childhood Friend” route?

    I liked that the show delved more into the mythology of the Devils and how their hierarchy works. Basically, the Four Satans, when they claim their position, earn the title of their predecessors who fell during the war. It explains why Sirzechs and Serafall are “Lucifer” and “Leviathan” respectively, instead of “Gremory” and “Sitri.” But they are not necessarily direct descendants of the originals, as Katerea is. This all makes me very intrigued to meet the other two Satans, and to meet the proper Devil descendants of the original Four Satans. Especially Lucifer’s, because anyone descended from the original devil is likely to be incredibly powerful.

    Gasper definitely earned his place with the Occult Club in this episode, with a little help from Rias and some major assistance from Issei. After finally seeing him in action, I’d say Gasper proves well worth that one Mutation Piece. Just a bit of dragon blood and his combined vampire and Sacred Gear abilities completely ravage the spellcasters, with his personality shifting from a beloved, cute, trap to a hardcore and creepy vampire! I wonder if the change in personality is a result of the dragon blood or just the effect that blood in general has on Gasper.

    Is it just me, or does Rias look ten times better in her flashback outfits then she does in her school uniform? Not to say she doesn’t look great in her school uniform, because she does, it’s just that I think she’s looked a lot prettier in what she was wearing in the Kiba and Gasper flashbacks. Now that I think about it, have we ever seen Rias in casual wear during the present day? Hopefully that’ll be something rectified if and when we get a season 3.

    It looks like DxD New is going to close out in style with the event that’s been built up for practically the whole series: Issei vs Vali! I have high expectations for this fight, and I’m really hoping TNK can deliver. I’m curious to see what exactly will set the fight off; maybe Vali isn’t as pleased with the current situation as he acted during the peace talks. Whatever the reason for the fight, I’m expecting it to be a great chance for Issei to finally earn his title as the Red Dragon Emperor and prove himself to those who have criticized him as the weakest link in his partnership with Ddraig. It’ll also be great to see Issie finally use his Balance Breaker again, which he hasn’t used since season 1 for the fight with Raiser. Also, congrats on your 100th post Seishun!

    Frontier
    Reply

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