Review of High School DxD

When my friends recommended me Highschool DxD, and I actually got around to watching the first episode, I didn't think I would get any further then that. I despise fan service in anime, and calling this an ecchi anime doesn't do it justice. I gave Highschool of the Dead an overall score of 3, just for perspective. However, with how much the friends that recommended this show to me enjoyed it, I soldiered on, against my better judgement. Let me tell you, I don't regret a second of it. Story: 4 Listen, I said I enjoyed the show, but certain aspects of it are lacking. I blamethe lack of story on this being an ecchi anime. Four years ago you could've confused the director of this show with me. The only reason the score for story isn't lower is because in the world this show created, the legitimate story, such as the three-way war between angels, devils, and arch-angels, actually makes sense, and makes up for the constant nipple in your face.

Art: 9

Saying this show has fan service doesn't tell the whole story. You could find this series in the softcore section of a hentai website. However, the show's art is very impressive. It has fluid, vivid, and, sometimes, downright stunning animation. The fight scenes alone are awe inspiring. Can't forget to put a titty in whenever possible.

Sound: 8

Against my better judgement, I'm giving the sound category an 8. The intro wasn't bad, but after the first two episodes, I just ended up skipping it. The outro got the same treatment. It's disappointing when even Highschool of the Dead had a catchy intro I sat and listened to. The reason the sound category's score is as high as it is is because the dub for this show is downright fantastic. I prefer watching anime dubbed, but will switch over to sub if the dub just doesn't fit the show. I can tell you right now that the dub is amazing. Jamie Marchi's acting for Rias is FANTASTIC. Issei's and Asia's actors also do fantastic work. Now that I think about it, no character in this show had an actor in the dub that didn't fit with them.

Character: 4

Issei is a pervert, plain and simple. For supposedly being a former nun, Asia is incredibly easy. For some reason, Akeno is a sadist. I'm gonna stop myself. Issei's slight evolution as a character and Rias as a person carry the entire show's cast. Plain and simple.

Overall: 7

I told myself, even as late as episode seven or eight, that this was probably going to get an overall rating of four, maybe five (only because of how much I found myself chuckling at the stupid stuff this show pulled in order to show a titty, or get Issei "laid") but then I finished the show, and I can tell you, if you're like me, soldier through it. The latter half of the show more than makes up for the former half. Hopefully Issei's character goes more in depth later on, more than just the perverted high school boy.