Review of High School DxD
If you've made it this fair and are now reading my review, then by now you've realized this is an ecchi/harem, and a rather revealing one at that. I hardly think that's an issue with those of you who are interested in a good harem, and for those who came here expecting a deeply interwoven dramatic plot, it might be best to now consider what you're working with here. Nevertheless this is by far the most entertained I've been regarding any series in a little while and here's why...(The following review will contain no spoilers) Story 6/10- The story isn't the reason whyyou're going to be interested in High-school DxD, plain and simple. However it certainly hold enough plot to actually make you wonder about certain things other than the obvious and enjoyable fan-service. Early on the main character Hyoudou Issei, a typical perverted highschooler is thrown into a not so typical situation. The supernatural elements are very prevalent in this story and it's actually pretty interesting for what it is. Highschool DxD does a good enough job laying a foundation where the characters can grow within, and not making it the most ridiculous thing you've ever seen.
Art 7/10- The art is good overall, nothing really to complain about but it won't amaze you in any profound way. All of the characters however are all very well designed, they all have some conventional traits from the usual archetypes presented in anime. That said though, they all have unique quirks and curves or lack thereof(I'm sorry I had to) that make them all very distinguishable from one another. Aside from the crisp character designs, the different settings they find themselves in are also nicely presented and you aren't stuck within a club-room or classroom like some Harem so often choose to do.
Sound 6/10- The sounds isn't anything to write home about. Much like the story, and there really isn't much to say about it other than it has have a good OP and the rare fitting score in the background from time to time.
Character 8/10- Other than enjoying the series itself, this is by far the best and most important part of the entire anime. Every single girl in the harem is noticeably different and aren't fawning over left, right and center for the guy. They all have unique powers and traits as well that interests you, and actually wants to see how strong they are. All of this is just gravy on top of how well the characters are voiced. I would normally put this part in the "sound" section but the seiyuu add so so much to the characters, it would be better mentioned here. They're all very fitting voices and provide distinct personality to every one of them. You just know it's a good harem when the characters are this well developed and presented when many other in the same genre tend to "cheat" and skip ahead. On top of that, the main character Hyoudou Issei is a great male lead. He's never whining or beating himself up over nothing. He will sometimes make a crack about how he hasn't done something, but nothing that will make you want to slap him silly. He also progresses nicely along with the others and quickly proves he has a strong place in the show.
Enjoyment 9/10- My favorite part of the review of course. This is my favorite harem I have ever watched for many of the reasons stated above and then some. I felt interested and invested in the characters and actually cared enough about the story arcs to be able to watch multiple episodes consecutively. Usually I find this difficult with a Harem genre since most don't have too much else drawing you in. This show has plenty of romance and it actually builds nicely rather than have all these beautiful girls just smitten with love right off the bat. Look at it this way, while he's surrounded by these beautiful women, he's only given an opportunity and still has to work very hard for their affection and love. Plainly put, I very much enjoyed this anime and will be re-watching it in the future when it leaves my recent memory.
Overall 8/10- I highly recommend this to anyone remotely interested in the harem/ecchi genre. The ecchi is very open but somehow does feel rightly placed because that's not all there is to it. There's a nice developing romance(s) going on, the characters are actually very interesting and easy to root for as well. For those who are thinking about watching their first Harem/ecchi this would be the one to start with.