High School DxD Born 07 – 08 [NSFW]
Choices, Choices…
A Double Dose of DxD today. Hopefully this post won’t get too long, but we’re getting through the main part of volume 6 right now. Maybe it’s moving a bit fast even, but let’s take a look.
An Insulting Proposition
Pictures of Diadora are boring, so we’ll have some extra shots of topless girls beating up Issei
We had the announcement last time that the opponent for the first rating game for the Gremory Group is going to be Diadora Astaroth. That was along with his play for Asia’s affections by showing up in town. But he ups the ante by showing up in the Occult Research Club’s inner sanctum proposing a trade for Asia, Bishop for Bishop. I don’t think it’s any surprise that Rias rejects his trade immediately. Trading between groups is not unheard of in the world of devils, but Rias’ group is far closer emotionally than most of the groups are (I get the impression from the books that quite a few of the Rating Game groups are very much like sports teams). And even if Asia was first brought into the group as, essentially, a present to Issei from Rias, she’s certainly more than just a Bishop or a healer to Rias and the others now.
Pictures of Kuroka are *not* boring
But Rias and Issei (and the audience at this point) aren’t the only ones who don’t really trust Astaroth. Even Vali shows up (with Kuroka) to give a warning to Issei about Diadora. And the rest of the group is getting on with their preparations for the Rating Game, with Xenovia getting a little help from Issei in the form of Ascalon for her dual-wielding. She also mentions that she’d like to join him when he splits from Rias. For those who don’t remember, Issei has said in the past that he wants to be a high-class devil and fight in rating games as a King, so that he can build a harem of girls. It’s one of those things that the viewer hears him say and wonders when he’ll realize he already is the harem king, since he’s got the quintessential bevy of beauties enamored with him already. But of course, he doesn’t think of Rias, Akeno, Asia, Xenovia, Koneko, or even future harem members, that way.
We’re just trying to relax you, Issei
Hah, I Fooled You!
Everything he does marks him as a slimeball
Unfortunately for the Gremory, the Rating Game itself has been tampered with, and they are transported to a dimension of Diadora’s preparation, where he’s got a plan to wipe out anyone who would stand in the way of his getting Asia. Unfortunately, it’s not a very good plan, and he completely overestimates his forces strength compared to Rias and her crew. He also doesn’t realize that Azazel and Sirzechs are already suspicious of him, and have covered his big move to get the Old Maou Faction to wipe out the Gremory.
Not one of the Old Maou
I think it’s probably appropriate for a quick word on the Old Maou Faction. The Chaos Brigade isn’t really a monolithic group, it’s more of a loose conglomeration of people who don’t like the Three Great Powers Alliance. So that’s why mooks like Reynalle, Loki, and now Diadora can all be part of it. The Old Maou is a group of the heirs of the houses of Beelzebub, Leviathan, and Asmodeus, those whose names have been supplanted by the new Four Great Maou: Sirzechs, Serafall, Akuja, and Falbium. Basically, they were weak, much weaker than the new Four Great Maou, but are unable to accept the loss of their status. You might note that Vali is also the descendant of the Lucifer house, but he’s really not interested in the same support, even though he fought kinda alongside Katarea Leviathan at the end of the second series. So the Vali team isn’t really on board with the Old Maou Faction.
Classic villain setup
Who is on board with them is Diadora Astaroth, who is a much nastier piece of work than you guys even thought (I’m sure even though I tried to not reveal that he was a bad guy that some of it came through). Not only is he willing to kidnap Asia, but he reveals that he is the one who set her up for a fall in the first place, who worked with Reynalle (and Freed, who basically shows up for exposition and to get killed really easily) to kill her so that he could step in and reincarnate her, and then his goal was to break her. Even worse, this isn’t the first time he’s pulled this stunt, as the rest of his evil pieces went to other girls that he broke away from the church. So the guy is a complete scumbag, even before you account for his involvement with the Old Maou Faction.
Now’s not the time for an argument…
But like I said, he has no idea what he’s up against. The show didn’t go into it, but along with watching Sairaorg’s fight, Rias’ group also watched Astaroth fight against Agares, where somehow Astaroth got a huge powerup and beat Agares, who was heavily favored. So he thinks that he’s gonna walk over the Gremory group, but he’s sorely mistaken. Even without Issei’s newly developed power to have the breasts of women speak to him, which they didn’t have to butcher to ‘Booblingual’. They should have just left it as Bilingual, which is a lot more appropriate for a name, I think, I’m pretty sure they would have finished them off. Seriously folks, if it’s already in English, leave it alone! And Issei even helps the other side finish off their enemies, although this is where the show might have gotten in a little trouble with continuity, as the date that Issei promises Akeno here is the one that he already had two episodes ago. Maybe it works better for some that she knows how nice a date with him is, so that’s more incentive, but it feels like the first time they’ve tripped on the timeline.
Koneko finishes them off
Asia Saved?
Little punk didn’t stand a chance, did he?
So we get Diadora’s monologuing against Issei, and his idea that he’s going to break Asia by beating Issei, but it doesn’t really turn out that well for him, does it. And he even thought he had an ace-in-the-hole with his powerup from Ophis. But he seriously underestimated the power of Issei’s Balance Breaker, and gets the snot beat out of him. I liked the way they finally showed us Issei’s multiple boost phase of his Balance Breaker, and thought it was put together really well. And then he even gets Asia out of the booby-trapped (hur hur hur) device that she’s in with Balance Breaker Dress Break. And everyone’s all happy and time to go home… eh, not so much. We’ll find out where Asia ended up next week.
One to beam up?
I had thought this would be the last part of this season, so maybe some of you guys are right that they’re going to bring back Loki. Or maybe we’ll still get to the thing that happens in Volume 5, although that seems kind of weird to end the season on. I still don’t know what they’d do if Loki came back tho. I mean, I wouldn’t mind three episodes of rabu-rabu goofing around, but I don’t know if that’s the way they should really end this series.
I didn’t really have much memory of this fight sequence, because I had a hard time reading through it in the book. I kept imagining that they were fighting in a big parking garage, and the multiple stages really didn’t keep my interest. But the animated version was much better, and I liked how they wove the Akeno v Rias fights into the show both in episode 7 and in the battle with Diadora. I’m sure that Akeno could push Rias too far at some point, but it’s not going to happen yet.
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: Beginner (20-35) with 33 comments
That preview has too much hype in it. I think I might have a heart attack until next week, ugh.
I really liked the OST that was playing during the scene with Freed, it was great, gave justice to his final appearance, he was a piece of shit, but also a cool jackass piece of shit. Diodora was also a lot creepier and more sinister than in the LN. (damn eyes) It makes me excited for how they’ll portray the next main villain of the series.
About Loki, they did set up him putting a curse on Ise in episode 5, so maybe that will play a bigger role. 2 episodes focusing on the preparations for the extra life from V8 and it being the finale wouldn’t be a bad way to end the season though.
POWUH: iLurker with 19 comments
“Booblingual” is actually not butchered. The Japanese term is パイリンガル (Pairingaru). So it’s actually not Bilingual (this would be バイリンガル) like the fan translated LN’s write, but Pailingual or “Booblingual”. I would prefer Pailingual as they also use “oppai” which is understood by every reader over “Booblingual” but the latter is basically also correct and in a sense even more correct than “Bilingual” which looses the pun entirely.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Regardless, ann reviewers would butcher the term as sexist, etc, and write a dissertation of feminazism on it. Just like their latest manifesto review on UBW. Someone has to remind me again WHY I effing still bother with that useless site…
POWUH: 600-699 and LN Enthusiast with 623 comments
That’s what you get for going to ANN for anything other than news.
Though I needed a good laugh after coming home from work and that article was great.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Thank you for reminding me about the news aggregation.
I stopped reading the article 1/3rd of the way and started on the last page of comments (pg78)at the time. It was pathetic reading. To avoid a multi-page thesis, my summary:
– Yes, it is getting drawn out but this is what you get for doing a (12(+3)+13(?)) lot of episodes. It would have been better if they pushed Ep12 into this season but it wouldn’t have ended on a cliffhanger.
– Au contraire, TypeMoon female characters are stronger in almost every aspect than their male counterparts. The only thing that they’re good at is the fabled ‘Tohno Gland.’ None of the female characters would go gaga over “onii-chan”. They will attempt to murder their opposition instead. (see Carnival Phantasm).
– For all of ann’s vaunted hypocritical ‘professionalism’ they don’t show it and attempt to defend a non-existent stance. Professionalism is keeping personal views and objectivity seperate.
– I’ll say this honestly, I’ve read the original ANN when it was just a fansite. ANN became ann when it started being ‘commercialised’ and so-called ‘professional’. Chinese have a saying: Wealth is gone in 3 generations.
Oh my kamisama, this is turning out to be a rant that I wanted to avoid.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Anything other than news is sure to induce nothing but a migraine.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Dude, seriously, you are torturing yourself if you go to that site for anything other than anime news. Most of the reviews I’ve seen them produce were toxic and the comments that followed weren’t much better. It’s like their hearts would stop beating if they had to say anything positive about any series.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Then you can imagine how bad it will be when they start bashing on that upcoming series Bikini Warriors for next season. All the feminists will flock like vultures to a recently dead corpse.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Simple, too toxic and nothing useful for them to review.
Also, we all know that bikini armour is the strongest armour and 2nd best in protection overall.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
That about sums it all up.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Dear Spammy, stop support ann femnazis. TQ.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
My engeelsi grama also kannot be korek.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
He doesn’t care about that. All he wants is food.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Any time a proper noun is translated, it’s butchered. “Booblingual” is completely inelegant and should have never been written. Your point is taken that it’s more literal, but it’s awful. Leaving it with a P is fine.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Then you should fear my butcheringness. 😛 As well as my concantenating. Verbing nouns is one of my hobbies.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
I beg your pardon… “concantenating”?
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Can someone point the way to where this language can be learned or do we have to take classes from Issei himself?
POWUH: iLurker with 1 comments
indeed di-TROLL-ra is such as JOBBER to beat yea issei going IRON MAN HULKBUSTER mode on him total squash.
even same boat for freed yea strike 3 indeed finish him kiba nuff said.
with whole rias & akeno going who want issei good grief on it like snowbarry and olicity all over it.
8eps in yet wonder how s3 will wrap-up?
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
How season 3 will wrap up? Most likely in a cliffhanger or acceptable ending period. Feels as though they still have more LN material on standby.
POWUH: Meta Resident and LN Informant with 1529 comments
No more Freed?
I was hoping to capitalize on a Crazy Freed ringtone, to surpass Crazy Frog.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Freed is a mixed bag of nuts! To think Yoshitsugu Matsuoka a.k.a Kirito is his voice actor.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
I cannot say what the original string of words are, but with bilingual, it makes the joke funny without trying to hard. So, to kill the frog, it underline and “legitimizes” this newfound “language”, which is perfect for Issei.
Ug, that last bit was a bit too much “your princess is in another castle”. It’s a fine take, but as a cliffhanger it’s overused and tedious.
But they did everything else spot on. Contrast this with this weeks episodes of Owari that featured not one, but two, anti-climatic fights.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Be warned. Too many “Princess is in another castle” may lead to this:
https://youtu.be/QgACcUDttQ0?t=13s
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
One may be too many.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
You know, there is such a thing as “too much”.
POWUH: 600-699 and LN Enthusiast with 623 comments
To the Japanese Wiki!(which I find to be pretty accurate sometimes)
乳語翻訳（パイリンガル)
Breast Language Translator(Pailingual)
I can understand the mistake though as バ(ba) and パ(pa) looks too darn similar. One has a small quotation mark in it while the other has a small circle in it.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
I prefer to think that to understand this show, you have you be ‘Pailingual. 😛
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I really wouldn’t say that it’s an error in reading it. The name comes up more than once, and reading the different voice marks is not particularly hard in Japanese. It’s more of an editorial decision, in that the translators for the books I read likely directed that it should be “Bilingual” rather than anything else.
And like skylion says, it makes the joke be something that’s not so “hur hur hur”.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
This is how I take the name, and is almost exactly my thinking on it. As translated for the show, it’s trying too hard, and consequently failing badly.
I think this is the only time that DxD pulls the “Your princess is in another castle” trick, and they did actually beat the person who abducted Asia.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Because ideally, they weren’t meant to be fights, never were but were means of showing the difference in power among the enemy and calling the second encounter that is an overstatement. That was an imminent one-sided beating and massacre had things went another way.
Why do I know all this? It’s because I’m a manga reader and have been over that chapter a number of times.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10998 comments
…you should know by now that I don’t give two tosses about “what happens in the manga”, when it comes to a show; as an episode it was one anti-climax after another and made the 22 minutes feel deflated. Sure i guess know it happens beforehand can prepare you for that, but going in just to watch it…it came off as flat. Plus….there is no longer any good excuse for that sort of “the bad guy gets called away” trope any longer. It’s fillerish and un-interesting.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
*sigh* *facepalm* Whatever floats your boat…
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Glad I decided to watch both episodes back to back because after the way the 7th, I would’ve been anxious for a while.
It was given Diodora was trash based simply on his appearance but really surprising it was that he was behind everything Asia suffered from the beginning. Listening to his deplorable exploits and intentions made me sick to my stomach. Personally, I wouldn’t mind if Issei killed him right there but that’s not his style. Compared to him, the bastard was all bark and no bite.
The unexpected development was seeing Freed again. After what happened last season, I counted him out permanently. Well, Kiba made sure of that, now.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Actually, the main reason that Issei didn’t kill Diadora was the social repercussions it would have for Rias, if one of her servant devils killed a High-Class devil. Even if he committed vile acts, they might not be considered to be against any rules. And even if Rias is the sister of the current Lucifer, there are limits to what they can get away with, especially if it’s with the brother of another current Maou (Ajuka is the former heir to the house of Astaroth, which he gave up to become the current Beelzebub, leaving Diadora to inherit the head of the family).
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Basically, it’s the “master has to answer for the actions of the servant” type of consequence.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
And those perverted ideas Irina suggested to girls to employ on Issei over the past few episodes. Are we sure she isn’t an Angel on the outside and a Devil on the inside?