High School DxD BorN – 10
Someone’s been left behind… again
So I’ve been saying that I thought that Loki would be out of the picture. But I sure didn’t expect them to embark on a storyline that is completely anime original. So how are they going to fill out the end of the show?
Returning the Savior
Asia wants to save him
They signaled the new story right off the bat, as Issei needs help to recover from his Juggernaut Drive episode. And getting the chance to help him, finally, is Asia. This does give her a chance to actually be useful as a devil, and not just as a cute blond girl, which isn’t a bad development. In fact, I’d say that giving her a role here in bringing Issei back from his coma is more important than any role she actually performed as written in the three novels we’ve been looking at this series. This actually felt like something she would and could do, and she’s able to return Issei to what seems to be his normal self.
Asia takes her chance
They did work one thing from the LN into this sequence, probably the only thing in the whole episode. And that’s Asia’s kiss for Issei. It is finally her chance to declare her love for Issei, not in the “I won’t lose” way when others get ahead of her, but in her own way. And just like Asia, it felt sweet and heartfelt. The mood is a little different from the LN, one that felt fueled a little by relief, where it was more of a plan in the LN (that Rias actually encouraged, at least to some extent). But here, it leads to a bit of worry on Rias’ part, even if she initially laughs it off.
It was a nice touch to have everyone worried about him. And where do you find sheets for that bed?
Loki’s Curse
Rias feels her heart catch
They added to the reasoning for Juggernaut Drive, with the idea that perhaps Issei wasn’t quite in control of his own feelings. I don’t know if that reduces the impact of his feelings for Asia, or if it makes the Juggernaut Drive more realistic, but I think we can guess what was meddling in his state of mind. I think it’s safe to say that the curse is playing on the fears that Issei already has, and not just Issei, but Rias as well.
She’s going with the bad boy
Back at the beginning of the series, we saw that both Issei and Rias are worried that the other doesn’t feel the same way about them that they do. Even though everyone else can tell, they haven’t been able to tell each other. And apparently with the curse, it just amplifies that feeling of worry, eating away at them from inside. For Issei, it’s that he’s worried that the others will tell him how they really feel about him, and it would not be what they’ve said. Even though we know all the girls really do love and care for Issei, he’s had someone before claim that they love him, and it turned out to be a sham. So he definitely has that doubt inside of him. But it’s a surprise to him to hear from Rossweisse that Rias may have some doubts as well. But that’s going to take a back seat to getting her back, when she may be in the Dimensional Gap, where the copy of Issei spirited her away.
Between watching this, Thor, and The Avengers in the last month, I’m kinda tired of Loki.
Watching through again, it’s really not a bad storyline they’ve written here, and we will see where it goes, although I don’t know if there will be any sort of big fight at the end (and if I say that, there will be some big fight which I’d rather not see). And the fake Issei definitely did a number on Gasper, but he redeemed himself by getting Koneko and Issei out of the blast before they got blown up (I really wish they’d stop translating ‘Gya-kun’ as “Gaspie” tho). We’ll see how much Rias was brainwashed, and hopefully they can save her from the Dimensional Gap. Too bad nobody has a time machine (see Callahan’s Con by Spider Robinson).
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: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
Yeah, but will they use this Loki like a finely-tuned, yet half-arsed plot device as they did with the other one? But then, that’s the Trickster’s gig. He doesn’t destroy the world, just brings up the curtain..
Oh, goodness. But my heart melted/gushed/grewthreesizes. I’m glad they didn’t complicate the scene as you suggested they did in the LN.
Oh, why wouldn’t she? She’s been wanting that for how long? I mostly kid. But this was actually quite an interesting last minute surprise play. Good writing those scenes, it really could have come of as cheap.
….and just what’s wrong with Gaspi? You leave him alone, you brute!
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Thor: Brother, you need an image change.
Loki: Yea, skylion doesn’t like me. T_T
Thor: There, there brother, don’t fret…
Loki: I know! I’ll become a LOLi instead!
Thor: …
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
…and so it shall be written…and so it shall be done…that this LOKi shall be a LOLi!
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Thor: What is this feeling I now feel for mine brother… or sister now…
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
That’s wrong on so many levels.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Remember who is the Trickster God.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
That makes it worse.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Marvel did make Loki female. We’re just expanding on the concept.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
I didn’t need to know that. Nor did I ever see such a thing.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Someone’s going to need therapy after this.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
*recommends a good place to go to for BB…*
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Yes, I ever get subjected to such a sight, I would need therapy. A lot of it.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
*clears throat*
“Koneko-tan and Gasper-kyun”. I suggest you do not google it up unless you like the number 34. You have been warned.
After writing that, now I can’t remember whether this was written to support “Gaspie” or “Gya-kun”.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Whoa, hold the horses! Out of all these rules, which is the most dominant?
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
34.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Second and third place? Add their definitions while you’re at it.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
*checks*
Yep. Even Owari no Seraph obeys Rule #34.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
!!!!! *prepares torture devices* Poor choice, friend.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
There is no escaping it. For the Japanese will create and sell them at Comiket. And if not the Japanese, then anybody else. Even SB69 obeys it.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
I’ve never heard of that series.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Writing his name as “Gaspie” makes it sound like he’s a ‘special’ kid. It’s especially dumb because ‘Gya-kun’ is a perfectly cromulent nickname, and actually what he’s being called.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
This actually goes down to the honorifics debate. Gya-kyun uses the -kun suffix. Some people abhor using the honorifics when doing the translations. Hence they try to Anglicize it, ergo, “Gaspie~”
However, coming from a dual East Asian/Heavily Anglicized background, here we adopt East Asian honorifics/titles into our Anglo-Saxon culture. Like how I always call my elders Auntie/Uncle regardless of familial ties. Similarily, close friends get the -jeje/-koko (elder sister/brother) -meimei/tete (younger sister/brother) suffixes, even in English. Hence, my complete bias towards untranslated terms of endearment/ranking. English here in a sense has adapted to our needs.
Translating it completely into English makes it easier for those without this background to ‘easier understand relationships’. Which IMHO just simplifies it and loses part of the meaning of the conversation.
I’ve given up on this debate since I auto-append any missing subtitle honorifics in my head. So ‘Gaspie’ actually becomes Gaspie-kyun in my head. >_> (kind of really uselessly redundant.)
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Personally, I tend to prefer the honorifics, especially if they’re being used for reasons of tone, like quite a few -chan and almost every -tan. I don’t mind dropping most -san and -kun from translations as long as it’s consistent, because they are usually just being done for keeping up appearances. What’s worse is when they are translated into something like the atrocious “Miss Nagato” that they keep making Ryoko Asakura say. I think it’s understood that Ryoko addresses people more formally than everyone else. The ‘Miss’ is just awful.
I would also say that in the case of ‘Gya-kun’, it becomes part of a proper noun (the whole thing is his nickname, not just ‘Gya’), so therefore should not be translated at all. I also think the same thing for most ‘onii-chan’ and ‘onee-san’ addresses. I find it dissonant when they substitute a name, or worse ‘Brother’ or ‘Sister’ in a situation where one person is addressing another.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Spammie-kyun-chan-tan-chama-(insert poison of choice)
Please stop eating my longwinded posts.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
It’s because they’re longwinded. 😛
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Waga no Hougu! Unlimited Longwinded Works!
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
How does the Aria begin if that’s the ending?
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
Yeah, I might have some hard and fast rules when it comes to the translation, and Gaspie does violate them right down to the dot on the “i”. But, I feel it works in this case, with these characters for English.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
The tone of Asia’s kiss scene in the LN is very different, and in that case, Rias’ brief word of encouragement (just “ganbare” I think) helps to set that tone. It shows that it’s not a case like Akeno and Xenovia, where they’re trying to get around Rias, and it also helps to show the relationship between Asia and Rias, as that little sister that Rias can’t help but indulge and cheer on. I think that this changed that tone a little bit, but had to with where they took the plot.
POWUH: and LOLi Defender with 10997 comments
Well, Rias said Asia won “this day”. Awfully gracious of her to give 24 hours away like that…
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Bien joué, Asia! Vous avez gagné ce partie (Well played, Asia! You’ve won this round).
POWUH: Metanorn Regular with 110 comments
good news issei all better with asia’s healing power & thing back to normal
but i’m afraid i got some bad news for ya loki just unleash “plan B” aka evil clone-issei taking rias to dark side of DxD!!!
indeed blame both loki & this guy
http://assets.diylol.com/hfs/72c/ce2/582/resized/loki-meme-generator-kneel-you-mewling-quim-25fc33.jpg?1337502078.jpg
yea oh where are thor & hulk to team-up with issei and pals to smash loki again?!
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
As ideal as that would be, sadly, we all know that’s not going to happen.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
I summon Beatrice instead!
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Who now?
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Spoiler warning.
Her.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
I see…
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
I THOR you. (BAAAD DG! BAAAD PUN!)
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Very bad pun, indeed.
POWUH: Beginner (20-35) with 33 comments
Good points: Loki is more of an actual villain and less of a retarded brat like he was in the LNs, great improvement.
Asia got a a bit more of a spotlight and the heartwarming moment with a kiss which was adorable. God, I love her. <3
They addressed the harsh decrease in his life span due to JD, although I'm not sure if they said how much was actually decreased. That was what made JD so different that most "berserker modes" that I've seen in anime.
In case it wasn't said how much was cut and anyone is curious:
Show ▼
Bad point: That part with Rias attacking them was like a slap to my face. And the worst part is that I actually think this is really clever and interesting compared to most anime original plots (I'm looking at you Rosario+Vampire Capu2) so I'm actually interested in how this is unfolding.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Loki (
PornBorn) took lessons from Loki (Marvel Cinematic Universe).POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Loki taking lessons from his alternate self… Fascinating. They’re just fueling each other’s egos.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Regarding your spoiler: Show ▼
I also think that it’s a pretty good development, and we’ll see, but it actually may be better than any of the plots directly from the book, especially with regards to Rias.
POWUH: Beginner (20-35) with 33 comments
Yeah, but seeing her like that still hurts. The fact it’s well-written (at least up to now) makes it even worse because I can’t criticize it objectively.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Issei is lucky he’s well loved; otherwise it’d have been over for him a long time ago. Good that Asia made a move but we all know it’s Rias who gets the entire lot.
What’s the point of “finding” sheets when you can make them with magic? Compared to the house getting a massive upgrade, that’s a trivial matter.
In the end, it all leads back to the trickster. The end result is only provoking a more divine comeuppance when the time comes.
The manner of Rias’ abduction was interesting. Did she have so much doubt in herself that she was so easily manipulated?
POWUH: Beginner (20-35) with 33 comments
Well, Loki is the God of tricks/pranks/decieving/etc… If he couldn’t fool a teenager it’d be pretty sad.
And the way I understood it, the curse he put on them only used what was already there and amplified it. In Ise’s case his trauma, and in Rias her insecurity, so the one who created an ideal Ise that can comfort her and only her while the real Ise treats the other girls with more intimacy (in terms of names) was herself. When she interacted with Ise in JD and cried on his armor, it probably used that shard as the base for the clone.
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
Rias definitely has doubts about how Issei feels about her. The wall of “buchou” and “high-class devil” is significant, and it’s not like this comes out of nowhere. We’ve seen Rias worry about it before, when he started calling Akeno by her name with no honorific, and now when Asia declares that she loves him. Add to that the curse from Loki, and one has to think that the allure of an Issei who isn’t outwardly wishy-washy about her would be strong.
POWUH: Meta Team and Meta-Analyst with 3844 comments
Also, we begin the countdown towards 10k! 😉
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Have some patience, you eager beaver!
POWUH: 600-699 and LN Enthusiast with 623 comments
NTR’d by yourself? Talk about a massive paradox.
I kinda like it that Asia does the kiss on her own rather than in the novels with Rias pushing her to do it. Though we could have done without her front ripping off while performing the healing.
At least Loki does become more of a villain than a one-trick pony in the novels. But I can’t say I like the body double and brainwashing plot we’re getting here on top of the subplot of Issei and Rias’ worries. I mean, yeah there’s some buildup all throughout the season but this was the last thing on my mind that they would address it with. I do hope that the next episodes would go well, or at least remain consistent with the logic and actions of the characters. One thing DxD does is have the characters be consistent in their character as they develop.
Also, Ross eyecatch when?
POWUH: Meta Team and Spammy Tamer with 7115 comments
I’ll have to go look, but I thought they did have a Rossweisse eyecatch.
Yeah, that was pretty tasteless about Asia’s shirt. That’s why I didn’t use that as a screenshot (same reason I didn’t show that tasteless Souna panty shot earlier this season).
I think it’s obvious that Rias isn’t in her own head when fake Issei is taking her away, otherwise she would have shown some confusion when real Issei tried to stop them. So hopefully they make that clear (and don’t contravert it), and allow Issei to break her out of that state, the same way she helped him out of his JD state. I can see ways forward that would keep the characters in good shape, and hopefully they do.
POWUH: and Vampire Lover with 11746 comments
Hey, it’s still you, isn’t it? 😉