First Impression – High School DxD BorN [NSFW]
The Return of the Harem King!
Aw yeah! It’s back, the Harem King and his Harem-that-he-doesn’t-realize-he has. Yes, the third series of High School DxD, ‘BorN’… hajimari yo! If there was anything I’ve been anticipating, it’s this, and like last series, I think it’ll be fun to compare the adaptation to the source, given that the first two series stayed incredibly faithful to the books. How will this third series go, especially since it’s now moved into the prime Spring cour, as opposed to the lower expectations of the Winter and Summer cours like the previous two series?
Purun Purun Tengoku
Bam! Right out of the gate!
You might think that Jiggly Jiggly Heaven is what Issei is in, given the immediate start to BorN. They sure didn’t waste any time getting the oppai out there when Frame 1 is Rias’ boobs, followed by the rest of the girls. And as usual, Issei’s dreams aren’t as far off from his reality as pretty much all of the girls would be up for that, in some mood or the other. Well, maybe not quite yet, as Koneko really hasn’t warmed up to Issei, and is much more likely to wallop him for having a lecherous look on his face than capitulate to any dreams he has of getting jiggy. But they did add something a little original to the anime, in the form of some doubts on Issei’s part about his first girlfriend, Yuuma (who just happened to be Reynalle, who wanted to kill him, and also Asia). We’ll have to see where that self-doubt storyline is going to go, because while they usually follow the books very faithfully, there are times that they’ve moved things around and still done well.
Akeno will wake you the best way
The other thing they get right to is the rivalry between Rias and Akeno over Issei. I really liked the way they animated Akeno’s crawling into bed, because that’s something I’ve had a bit of trouble visualizing from the books (I usually imagine Rias a bit closer). And this is just continuing the pattern for Issei, whose ultimate girl is Rias, but he would gladly lose his virginity to Akeno. Unfortunately for him (or fortunately, because I think Rias would completely flip out and that would result in bad things), they’re always interrupted before it goes too far. I do think that it speaks to the strong bond that Rias and Akeno have that they can get into these all-out fights about Akeno putting the moves on Issei, and yet are still tremendous friends, although I think the fact that there is a definite hierarchy helps them to make up. Akeno is tweaking the boss, and Rias knows it and puts her back into her place.
Don’t get in the middle of this
Purun Purun Jigoku
They had to get these three in for a scene
After the fun of the cold open, the show starts to lay the groundwork for what I think will be the first half of the season. It’s Summer Break, and the whole gang is going to go home with Rias for what seems like a vacation. This means that they have to leave the Hyoudou’s newly remodeled house (Lord Gremory had it remodeled overnight into a 9-floor mansion (6 above ground, 3 underground, with pool, bath, workout space, and plenty of room for the whole harem, er, Occult Research Club). The ‘model house’ story is just for Issei’s parents benefits, it’s really that there isn’t anything that Lord Gremory won’t do for his daughter …and her intended. But enjoying the house will come later, first it’s off to the Underworld.
This is awesome work here on Tannin
Unfortunately for Issei and the others, the idea of a relaxing break in the devils’ realm is not what’s going to happen. The show threw a little bit of a curve in, bringing Old Man Tannin in after unceremoniously dumping our heroes off of the train. I liked the design of Tannin, who is a fairly major secondary presence throughout the rest of the story, and as described is a hugely strong demon dragon. Making the Gremory clan fight Tannin without Rias was an interesting setup, and I think it will help get them into the next part without some of the yakity-yak that you can afford in a book, but doesn’t fit into an anime. The position of Azazel as the training master for the Gremory Group is solidified, and we get a little bit of a taste of what the real strength of demons is, as Tannin was basically toying with them. And just to bookend the show with boobs, we end with everyone taking a bath before heading for their introductions at Rias’ house (which is what I think will happen starting off next episode). Azazel shows that he’s not just the group’s sensei, but that Issei gets special attention, as he drops that line that I’ve been using since the last series: “It is a doorbell: When you push a girls’ nipple, a sound comes out – “iyaaaan!” I don’t know if any phrase describes the perverted side of Azazel better, that he would come up with that simile.
Just a note for you guys out there: Don’t do this to a girl. You’re not the oppai dragon, you can’t pull it off
Setting Up Storylines
The cry from all the Koneko fans: “Please don’t let her grow up like this!”
And a surprise appearance from Yuuma
They did a few things to set up some of the coming storylines, a little out of order from the book, but I think well-done to foreshadow what’s coming. I think it’s obvious that the big character arc for the coming episodes is going to be for Koneko, whose sister Kuroka was introduced as being affiliated with Bikou and Vali. A surprise addition that wasn’t in the books is Issei’s flashbacks to Yuuma / Reynalle. I don’t know where they’re going with that, but given the excellent massaging they did on the Tannin introduction (and what a character design THAT is, a perfect kaiju dragon), I think that it will probably be pulled off well.
An unsettled Rias
Another storyline that will continue is one that started last series, as Rias continues to be unsure of Issei’s feelings for her, which is part of why she feels so threatened by Akeno. Not that Akeno wouldn’t take a mile if given an inch with Issei, but Rias sees the familiarity with which Issei speaks to everyone else, including Akeno, and thinks that because he won’t do that with her, instead always calling her ‘Buchou’, it means that she doesn’t mean as much to him. Of course we know, #1 in Issei’s heart is Rias, by a long way. I don’t think it’s giving away too much to say that he longs to have the position, and confidence, to not only call her Rias, but to confess how much he loves her. He just has to get over his worry about being a ‘lowly’ pawn. For me it’s one of the charms of the show that there is definitely an OTP, recognized by everyone in the show, and it continues to work that way, although slowly.
Asia is someone Issei loves and protects
I also thought it might be helpful here at the start of this season to give a little refresher / explanation of what at least I think Issei’s relationships with all of the girls in the Harem King’s harem is, because it’s certainly not the case that they are interchangeable. We know that Rias is first, and Issei is very much in love with her, but feels he can’t say so, which leads to the uncomfortable distance between two people who love each other but aren’t sure of the other’s feelings. Akeno, as mentioned earlier, would love to be ‘the other woman’, although I’m not sure if she would actually go through with it if they didn’t get interrupted by Rias. For his part, Issei thinks that Akeno is his beautiful senpai and onee-sama, and is thrilled to get any attention from her. Asia, on the other hand, is someone that Issei wants to protect. He’s actually somewhat dismayed by her insistence on joining in with Rias and Akeno’s reindeer games, as he wants Asia to be her own pure existence. I think this works because he’s not doing it to keep her to himself (which would be really skeevy), he’s doing it only for her. And when Kiryuu, who plays the role of that little devil on angel Asia’s shoulder, goads her into trying to match Rias or Xenovia, Issei is always torn between his lecherous desires and his dedication to protect Asia’s purity for herself.
What’s bothering Koneko?
Xenovia is after Issei for her own reasons, and for Issei he’s more in awe of her power and ability as a fellow ‘power-type’ and thinks she’s a little too forward about wanting to make babies, especially because it’s usually a public declaration. And while Koneko is Issei’s treasured kouhai, she’s also more of the conscience that he doesn’t have, always ready to apply some correction to his thoughts. I think we’ll see a big change in Koneko this season, but maybe not too much of a change in her relationship with Issei. I think it’s also worth mentioning that I think Kiba’s got a bit of a crush on Issei as well, although the two of them have a good camaraderie forged after the first half of the previous season. The biggest thing to remember, tho, is that Issei is dedicated to the Gremory Group, and I think his character is all the right kinds of humble when it comes to his role as the emotional center of the group. It’s said multiple times in this series that the Heavenly Dragons attract the strong around them. And even if it’s not obvious the strength they have, especially after a beatdown from Tannin, it will be soon.
I usually don’t anticipate series, but this is one I was definitely looking forward to. I even had Ness use Akeno as the basis for my banners. And while there are some series that you’re kind of iffy on, “will the adaptation be done well?”, I think TNK has proven through the first two series, and their continuity with this third series (Nearly all the key staff are the same, from Director Yanagisawa to Series Composition Yoshioka to Character Designer Gotou) pretty much ensures that the same quality will be applied. On top of that, they brought in ChouCho for the OP, a step up in my opinion from Larval Stage Planning. I think this is going to be a great series and I’m actually pretty excited.
Bonus Oppai Dragon!
“Dragon Dragon, Oppai Dragon ~bayin~ ~boin~ ~purun purun~ Just as I thought, big ones are the best!”
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
Where is our delicious Gasper? That soft pettan. Dat ass… Dat.. -bleep-
😛
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
….dat right pointy ear?
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Yes. Dat pointy ears. >_>
POWUH: iLurker with 5 comments
So excited for this season. You know this season is getting into serious business when there isn’t a single fan service shot in the Opening.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I think it’s going to be a good season as well. The crew knows how to adapt Ishibumi’s stories, they’ve got the experience at bringing the characters to life. And we’ve got some good stories to go with it. Like we’ve seen before, I think they’re looking to do two LN’s in this cour (that’s me guessing about where they got to).
POWUH: iLurker with 5 comments
It’s actually confirmed that they adapting 3 volumes (5 to 7) this season.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
That’s still not too bad, and much better than the recent shows that have tried to shove 5 LNs into a single cour. It also will get to the end of what Ishibumi claims is a ‘chapter’ of the development of the story.
It also explains a couple things that were a little off: Kuroka mentioning Loki so prominently, and the presence of Rossweisse (and to a lesser extent Irina) in the promo art and ED. They’ve also already used most of the available side stories that they used for fillers in the previous series. So I’m not particularly worried about fitting 3 LNs’ into one season.
Thanks for the info!
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
The very idea of adapting 3 LNs for a one cour isn’t bad at all. Divided evenly, that’s four episodes per volume. Each month presents a whole different arc.
POWUH: iLurker with 5 comments
Volume 6 is pretty fast paced too and would not require more than probably 3 episodes to cover it. It makes sense to do 3 LN in this case.
Best Pro is also that Vol 10 would get animated in a probable 4th season.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Better than ending on LN 11…
POWUH: iLurker with 5 comments
The idea of ending on LN11 would work if they immediately follow it up with a Theatrical Movie for LN 12. It would be spectacular, but I dunno if it’s financially viable for TNK
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
The harem king makes his triumphant return with his lovely ladies in tow. Finally, natural order can be restored in the decree that “Oppai is law!” That aside, for a guy to have so many hot girls circling him, that’s a high crime.
Rias’ sulking is back as well. If you ask me, she’s creating a wall that doesn’t need to be there. Mainly her griping about Issei calling everyone except her by name. Her master-servant contract is the reason for that. He’s simply following and respecting the chain of command, so there’s no reproach there. If there was permission to call her by name, he’d say it with pleasure. His feelings for her are already an open book whereas she’s idling around suppressing most of hers in front of him.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Really, she does think she’s being very demonstrative. She cuddles him, she spends time with him. He counts the times she’s kissed him (Issei has never kissed anyone else to this point). There is a valid point to be made for “Issei just doesn’t get it” and you’ll see a lot more of that coming up when we get more of Rias’ family.
I’d say that it comes about 90% down to Issei’s sense of hierarchy and propriety (“There’s no way I could call her Rias!”) and 10% to Rias’ somewhat romantic fairy tail wish that he would tenderly say her name.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
That aside, I wonder why Issei is suddenly thinking of Reynaré after all this. He had Rias kill her in the first season after what she did to Asia and before that, she made an attempt on his life.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
It does make me wonder a little. I just started rereading LN 10 (waaay far in the future from where the show is now), and there is the same line “Would you die for me?” I had taken it differently before (since it’s not really annotated about who says it, and my version of LN 10 is not formatted well).
Seeing this now, I think it has to do with Issei’s worries about protecting the others. It’s true that they’re moving into a phase where they have some lower stakes fights, because it’s not nearly as easy to die in a Rating Game as it is when your entire town is going to be blown up by Kokabiel, or you have to fight Freed, but the things that happen will also put them in more danger.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
If that’s how Koneko turns out in the future, she has my total support!!
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…surprisingly I’m OK with this as well…
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I tend to think that if Koneko doesn’t look more at least like Asia at age 16, she’s not going to look like Kuroka… ever.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Who are you and what have you done with the real skylion?
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…I’m always real…
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Pettan pettan tsurupettan.
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Sooo it looks like we will finally get a story dedicated to Koneko? I don’t really like her all that much since she lacks a personality, but I don’t hate her for that because that is just her character and maybe this season will help her standout a bit more? Either way YAY MORE DXD!
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Well, let’s remember that the series is about Issei. And remember that “Kiba’s story” in the first half of DxD New consisted mostly of Kiba turning all angsty and not being around for a couple episodes before joining back in for the big fight against Freed and Kokabiel. And Rias shared the story of finding him and making him into a Demon.
Likewise with Akeno in the second half of DxD New, it was one episode of Issei finding out that she was half Fallen Angel and half human (now demon). Akeno does have more story later, but the show’s always about Issei. Oh, and Gasper was in the 2nd half of New, but that was more introduction, just like Xenovia and Irina were introduced in the first half.
So we’ll probably find out more about Koneko, and she’ll have something that Issei helps with, but don’t expect a whole lot of isolation on Koneko. She does become a more included character tho.
POWUH: Meta Team and PreCure Mastah with 9203 comments
Yep and we can’t forget Kasper also got some attention in the last season so out of all the other characters Koneko needs some attention.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Gasper x Koneko FTW!
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
A bit hard for me to fathom recalling the times she’s put him down last season. “Vampire trash” being one of her slurs that come to mind.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
We can always dream about the
H-doujinshis.POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Koneko’s demeanor is not very trusting of new people. It’s a testament to Asia that Koneko is close to her at all. So with Gasper, her attitude towards him was a combination of him being a new person, someone who has caused trouble for Rias in the past, and someone who is rather useless as he is now. Plus, vampires aren’t really well thought of, especially among demons.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Need some assistance with Spammy, please.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
retrieved…
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Thanks!!
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 110 comments
first 3mins of s3 DxD yea “well that escalated quickly”!!!
yet some thing mention give koneko seem bit bother yet issei having remind of that HO-SKI aka yuuma?!
& notice mention LOKI on s3 wonder IF happen of s3 DxD https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ixEHDWqrzI ?!
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
Byooinnng!!
Between Rias’s devilish boobs and Hestia’s heavenly ones, which would you prefer?
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Koneko’s pettanko. A Gasper is fine too.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Hey! That’s a question that makes you pull your hair out while trying to make a decision! I’m going to need a lot more time.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
It’d have to be Akeno’s.
“ara ara, *fu-fu-fu*”
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…lay me down in the rolling hills of heaven….
POWUH: 600-699 and LN Enthusiast with 623 comments
I don’t really mind the changes and additions that they did. More like I welcome those additions of Issei remembering Raynare and Rias thinking about what he calls her. It’s definitely a set up for the future plot lines. In the novel those things only came up once or twice before they got addressed fully later. I prefer they foreshadow it properly as the plot goes on. They’ve set up things nicely now with these changes that will be handled as the story progresses.Show ▼
I’ve always wanted to see how Tannin looks since he never had an illustration of him. He looks really nice. For some reason though, it never came in my mind that he’s purple even if it was mentioned there. Changing their meeting with him also works well for Koneko’s plotline and for the general plot as well. It shows that every one of them are still too weak and that they need to get stronger to face future enemies.
I guess I sort of wanted to see the part where Issei gets thrown to the girls’ side and get a very different reaction but I guess you can’t get everything. That would be an overdose of oppai and we’re just starting. There’s plenty more where that came from.
Great start of the season. Waiting for the climax of volume 6 that we got a glimpse in the OP. I can already hear Kaji Yuki’s voice with that. Speaking of which, I can’t give enough kudos to him for singing the Oppai Dragon song in the PV.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Yeah, I also like having more indication that they are both thinking of the other one, and how they want to bridge the gap. I think it will also help out as Show ▼
I thought Tannin looked great although as I said he was nothing like I had expected (I was always imagining something more like Vaelastrasz from WoW). After suffering through so many crap monsters last cour with World Break, Fafnir, Isuca, and ShinMaou, once again, DxD and TNK show them how it should be done. And they do a great job tightening up the story without leaving things out.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
The fact that they made the Oppai Dragon theme song is one of those indications to me that this is the gold standard of adaptations, where you have a staff that just gets it.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I think it’s great they are showing Issei’s thought process early on. This whole franchise started with him making a choice and having to live with the consequences. Getting a “girlfriend”. Now that there are a field of choices, with ramifications, he’s going to start thinking more before he settles into a decision. And that has consequences as well.
Koneko’s story is still in early days as of now, so it’s hard to track where she is going. You know, I’ve never really thought of her as part of the King’s Harem; like you pointed out, she’s more to the “hey, me too” side of the equation.
…and again, the name dropping of different Pantheons…hope they flesh that out…
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
They do flesh that out more, especially if we’re going through LN 7.
There’s also another major decision that he made, although it kind of felt like a default choice. He accepted becoming a demon after being killed by Reynalle. There are a lot of decisions in store for Issei, and part of his charm is that he mostly takes them as they come, with really one major decision-making factor: I want to protect those dear to me. The development of the rating games parallels the development of Issei’s character from a 16-year old boy to, basically, a man, even though he never loses some immaturity, and the story doesn’t really take that long to develop.
This is really just the start of Koneko’s development.
POWUH: iLurker with 1 comments
Regarding the following statement:
This part was in the book (vol.5), where Issei states before they travel to the underworld:
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Yes, but that’s not him having a dream or a flashback. That’s just more how he died. The parts with him actually imagining Yuuma / Reynalle seem to be more from volume 10.
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 261 comments
So They are…back huh!?
I Think i’am going to had…nightmares…really bad nightmares!
OK Let’s Get to the point for this, I Remember something said that “No matter how the ladies are awesome (yeah, They are sexy…but still), The Male Lead itself is Totally Unpleasant and annoying (no matter he’s retarded or not), i think this is what the technicality of those light-novelist are for, but again like manga all of it at least.
and also I really hate to break this to you…i never like the harem-genre (or reverse-harem genre) seem like the polygamy-cal dream is getting common, at least in some erotic part or sort well, but again you get the point.
so i decide to post this just once OK…at least in this show, and i apologies for it anyways!
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
The comment itself is tantamount to playing with fire. Only you’re bringing the matches and gasoline. All the while inciting those who don’t agree with what’s said here (I imagine the number to be staggering, with me included) to all raise a very common question in response.
Getting common? Hate to break it to you, it’s been around for quite some time.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
To the contrary, I find that Issei is probably the best harem lead that you can find. The qualities he brings to the show are that he is truly the lead character of the series, not just the ‘male lead’ that all the girls center around. Issei actualizes far more of the action than other leads, and is really the focal point of the show. And as the main character, he goes through significant development of his abilities, his personality, and his attitudes. And on top of that, he frequently loses, even when it matters.
One specific instance of his growth is if you compare the actions he takes at the beginning of the first series to later, early on he makes the wrong decisions for the wrong reasons. This does change consistently to making the right decisions, first for the wrong reasons, and then later for the right reasons. Another thing that makes me think this is the best example of the genre is that Issei gains the trust and love of the girls by actually doing things, not just by being there. He goes out of his way to spend time with a lonely Asia, and then tries to save her life, thereby gaining her love. He does the same with Akeno, forgiving her past which she herself is ashamed of, and eventually helping her to accept her blood and history. On top of that, he’s a funny and engaging person, not smooth or slick, just a normal doof. But certainly with his own personality, rather than a mute reader insert.
I think it’s fine if you’re not interested in the show. But I do think that if you’re going to try a show of the fantasy harem ecchi genre, High School DxD is *the* show that you should try, although everything else would be a disappointment in comparison.
POWUH: Lovely-pyon~ with 261 comments
Sorry i got to re post this: (I Apologies again!)
I Remember something said that “No matter how the ladies are awesome (yeah, They are sexy…but even still, ), The Male Lead itself is Totally Unpleasant and annoying” (no matter how well being this would be), i think this is what the technicality of those light-novelist are for, but again like manga NOT all of it at least.
and also I really hate to break this to you…i never like the harem-genre (or reverse-harem genre) seem like the polygamy-cal dream is getting common, at least in some erotic parts and it’s really irritating, i mean this is just like i’am watching an Western (not Just American) Cartoon with Mental Retardation. but again you get the point. (IE: you want to watch it for the plot. right)
as for that lead guy…i wish he is dead…really really really dead…so what should be…hmmm…oh yeah i got two words for him….well you know…>:)