High School DxD New – 11 [NSFW]
Sometimes Rias is just along for the ride
The penultimate episode of DxD New is here, and the show’s winding down at a good clip. Or maybe I should say winding up, because it’s really moving quickly towards the finale. It’s definitely not cruising towards the finish, so what’s going on this week?
He Can’t Say It Any More Plainly
Vali’s just looking to fight the strongest people he can
The big purpose of the Summit at Kuou Academy is, as Azazel blurted out at the end of the last episode, to have the three factions – Angels, Demons, and Fallen Angels – declare a peace accord. But there are also a couple others that they need buy-in from: the Hakuryuukou and Sekiryutei. To be fair, those two are the only reason there has ever been a collaboration between the three factions before, and they want to know if they’ll cause any trouble. Vali’s biggest desire is to fight the strongest people possible (maybe he should go look up Kurokami Medaka), but Issei doesn’t quite get why he should go either way. And to be honest, Issei’s still not sure why his opinion matters, or why he has so much attention. Vali’s right, Issei’s not that strong. It could be argued he’s the second weakest person in the room (I think everyone would put Asia below him). But it’s his potential they’re looking at, especially if Ddraig takes more of an interest in Issei (as we’ve seen him do sometimes).
I love Sirzechs chuckle
But Azazel, not one to beat around the bush, lays it out for him: If there’s no peace, Issei could be off fighting somewhere. If there’s peace, he could be at home sexing up Rias. I don’t know what embarrasses Rias more, Azazel assuming that (the truth) or Issei’s reaction. “Woo! Yes, peace! I wanna sleep with Buchou!” You gotta give Issei something: he’s irrepressible. Even Sirzechs gives a wry smile, although he’s completely on board with IsseixRias.
Issei’s fantasy, not a bad one (click for larger)
Red Light!
Time for an upside-down attack!
Too bad the conference gets interrupted with a time stop. Yeah, those ominous dudes from the last episode have captured Gasper and made him stop time for everyone else. Only the most powerful of the group are able to move… which is of course almost everyone. Basically, Akeno, Asia, Souna and Tsubaki are the only ones who are frozen. But to be able to fight back, they have to retake Gasper.
The episode really moved fast from this point, and felt like it got an awful lot of information in while not bogging down in detail. The big new character in this part is Katerea Leviathan, a true descendant of Leviathan (as opposed to Serafall Sitri, who assumed the title of Leviathan, like Sirzechs Gremory did with Lucifer). But even with help from some unknown force, Katerea isn’t really a match for Azazel, who steps up to fight her, even if she thinks she is.
Maybe this was the reason to have Koneko at this location
The other big push is for Gasper, and of course, this is left up to Rias and Issei: Rias because she’s the King and can ‘castle’ with her unused rook (a nice extension of the chess metaphor) to teleport there without needing the magic circles which don’t work, and Issei because, well, he’s the hero of the show. Sometimes you just gotta admit that that’s the reason the protagonist goes along. But he’s also Gasper’s closest friend, and his knowledge of Gasper and what Azazel said about him last episode pays off when he gets Gasper to taste his blood (what’s with the pink blood in anime now? Yuck. Make it blood colored), resulting in an instant turnaround in who’s winning the battle. Of course, he helps Issei with the most laid back Dress Break we’ve seen so far (and of course, all the attackers are big-breasted ladies).
I never get enough of Rias’ reactions to Issei (another large link)
Good progress in the final battle of the season with the attack by the Chaos Brigade led (for now) by Katerea Leviathan. We also see that basically everyone has Rias x Issei on the brain, even Asia and Akeno who are just lining up for their share of Issei. The substitution of Irina into the conference (in the book, Koneko goes to the conference and Gasper stays in the old building by himself) didn’t really have any effect either way, except to clear up that she had thought Xenovia betrayed the Church, and found out that she actually hadn’t. And I don’t think anyone minded the added Dress Break, although the setup scene was a waste of 4 seconds, in my opinion. That just made things feel slowed down.
Looking forward to the final episode next week, they’ll definitely have some more fighting, and hopefully they’ll leave time for the epilogue parts of the 4th LN, because I think they add a lot to the relationships we’ve got. There’s a lot to go on, but as I’ve said before, the show does very well dealing with a lot of material in a short period of time without really feeling rushed or missing things.
About Highway
Proving that you don't have to be young to love anime, I enjoy all genres and styles of shows. If it's not hurting anyone else, you should never be ashamed of what you like!
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Koneko was purely there for the loli-panty shot. Should have been the other way around though… 😛
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
They actually gave her something to do, as well, helping beat up the bad guys, so it wasn’t a total waste. Better than being a statue with Akeno and Asia.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
Hah, Hah. Koneko does something. If only I could feel a bit more vindicated.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
For Koneko fans, I’ll admit that LN 4 is not where you’re going to get a lot of satisfaction. Overshadowed by the loli trap, not really having any role in the story. Even Kiba and Xenovia have more spotlight (actually, in the LN, Kiba becomes the storyteller for a significant part of the final battle, because Issei is off with Rias saving Gasper. So to see what’s going on with the faction leaders, Kiba takes over as point of view).
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
The LN’s are on the stack to read (Index is first, then Mondajii, then HSDxD), so I am hoping she has more of a roll. I’ve always like the design, and dug the rook aspects of her.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
I think it’s discrimination that Koneko gets a panty shot and Gasper doesn’t.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
It was probably to better identify who is and who isn’t a trap.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I’m currently running for office, and I endorse this message.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
/votes skylion for president.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Gasper had close to a panty shot in the eyecatch…
POWUH: Metanorn Lover with 167 comments
vintage
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
They want to invade their own realm from The World God Only Knows and High School DxD? How greedy can you get?
POWUH: Metanorn Lover with 167 comments
No one mentions that Grayfilia eyecatch
POWUH: 600-699 with 691 comments
OHHHH! Jasper-Issei combo rules! Issei is a genius…
How dare that leviathan to threaten Mahou Shoujo Sera-chan! she rules…Who knew Issei would be able of doing something really usefull, all that training with Gasper did become useful in the end, he totally demolished those…whatever they are…
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
I can’t help but think Vali’s constant need to find and fight someone strong is because he has a terrible past and wants to prove his existense. Speaking of which, I’m wondering if we’re really going to have a fight between the dragons as the OP suggests. So far, it seems it will only focus on the three factions trying to maintain peace.
Katerea Leviathan strikes me as the typical spoiled child of privilidge who believes everything is rightly hers and throws a tantrum when someone else has it. Those types are willing to do and use anything to prove their point and I’m sure that snake aura she brought out to fight Azazel is a double edged sword. By persanality, Serafall makes a better leader than her despite being carefree sometimes.
Gasper is impressive with his power unleashed. If he was feeding on the blood and energy of those who restrained him, then why haven’t they passed out? He’s getting the hang of his ability so he should start charging Issei anytime he wants to freeze time to grope random girls though Rias isn’t going to let them get that far.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Like I mentioned, DxD New has done a really good job pacing the show, such that we get all the stuff pretty much the way it happens in the book.
Katerea is definitely someone who ‘lost’ the title of Leviathan because she didn’t deserve it. I do think the whole concept of taking inherited titles away from the family they originated from and giving them to worthy successors is an interesting idea, and a very progressive one for the Demons. We can already see two instances where the inheritor of a name isn’t really worthy of the status that name confers: Vali Lucifer is a descendant of Lucifer, and even the Hakuryuukou, but isn’t deemed as worthy as Sirzechs Gremory to have the title of Lucifer. Katerea Leviathan as well is passed over in favor of Serafall Sitri for title of Leviathan. Even though in both cases, they’re pretty much all contemporaries.
I don’t think Gasper was actually feeding on any of the Chaos Brigade, that’s just what they were afraid of. And remember that Gasper is really not able to control this power himself. He’s using Issei’s blood, but that’s not really sustainable (and Gasper is very afraid of taking Issei’s blood).
POWUH: iLurker with 5 comments
Vali is pretty much the bi-shounen version of Zaraki Kenpachi or even Vegeta (especially considering that Vali takes Show ▼
).
I really like what they did with Koneko (not talking about the loli panty shot). Her presence as an hostage really makes a perfect transition for the next story arc from the novel that really deals with Show ▼
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I’m just starting to get into that story, and I can definitely see what you mean. Here’s hoping for a season 3 of DxD!
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
I’ve been hoping for a third season halfway through the second one. It’s just too good of a show to end.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I hope so too, but figure that the relatively slow pace of the LN adaptations they use will make it impossible to get much further. DxD is on LN 15 right now, and through two seasons, they’ve adapted the first four. In contrast, Toradora! had 10 LN’s in 25 episodes, OreImo had 12 LN’s in essentially 2.5 seasons, and Haganai went through 9 LN’s in 2 seasons. IS might be as slow as DxD, but it’s far inferior in my opinion.
If the show keeps selling well, and TNK keeps thinking it’s worth it, then we’ll get more, but I’m not getting my hopes up too high. There are other series that have gotten FAR more episodes, like Shakugan no Shana with 3 2-cour-each series. 6 cours of DxD would be great.