Is Issei ready for the Bedroom arts?
Note: At the time I did last week’s review, all DxD Hero torrents were marked as episode 01. Two days later, Horriblesubs released the first episode as 00, and everyone else followed suit, so I will too. Presenting episode one yet again, the second episode in the series.
The action kicks off off with a scene we’d previously experienced in the PV. This time it’s uncensored, though unfortunately there isn’t much to censor here.
Later on the characters head to school, where Koneko ambushes Issei with special therapy.
Afterwards, Issei attends dinner with the royal in-laws. Rias’ mom is quite well endowed and Issei gets caught peeking. Hopefully we don’t have to wait another two TV seasons for Rias’ mom to get a special the way that Grayfia did.
Like episode 00, the bulk of this episode focuses on story and action. Rias and Issei bump into Sirzechs and Sairaorg. (Seeing how well they are drawn it’s a bit of a bummer that the girls weren’t given as much detail, but I guess that’s a nitpick). Sirzechs proposes a spar between top ranked Sairaorg and the newcomer Issei. Both sides accept.
The battle takes up the bulk of the episode.
Sairaorg is different than other demon lords in that he was born seemingly without any demonic powers, so he developed his pro-wrestling sized frame instead. Through hard work he built up his strength to insane levels, making him a very strong an unique fighter. And because he had to do it the hard way, he developed character and honor, or at least it seems that way. You might say he’s the Rock Lee of the DxD universe, roughly speaking.
Eyecatch.
Issei is overmatched by Sairaorg, but fights valiantly. His harem eventually appears in the rafters and urges him to tap into his perverted powers. Rias in particular makes an empassioned plea for Issei to touch her boobs, much to her embarrassment and the amusement of the nobles around her. Sairaorg (probably not wanting for his friend’s sister to be fondled in public) decides to call the match to an end. Both sides leave with mutual respect.
Issei prepares to leave for a trip to Kyoto, apparently without Rias. The two enjoy some sexy time the night before his departure:
Rias wishes Issei a safe trip but also lets him know just how lonely she feels without him. She sneaks in a kiss and Issei departs.
End of episode.
This episode marked the first time we’ve seen the OP and ED for Hero. The OP has a catchy song, but focuses on story elements rather than service. The ED lacks nudity, but still packs in plenty of sexy.
ED
Those were some freaking difficult stitches with all the text, flipping coins, and constant size shifting. The stitches ain’t beauties, but they’ll give you a general idea.
Webms
Overall Thoughts:
Obviously, there wasn’t as much nudity as ecchi fans would like. In particular, the opening scene here would have probably been 1000% more fapable in BorN the way it maximized the fanservice potential. The last scene with Rias in bed was also a huge missed opportunity. I guess if they want they could go the extended scene route like season two did, though nothing I’ve seen suggests that is likely. I think I heard there will be specials on BD, but sometimes my memory is wrong.
With that said, this was overall one of the better episodes in the series for story, presentation, and production quality. Whereas the previous episode was inconsistent with production values, this episode looked great the whole way through. The storytelling and battle choreography with Sairaorg was admittedly cliche, but done very well.
Again, what makes DxD special? It’s not the nudity, plenty of other ecchi shows do that. It’s the combination of R-rated service amidst a backdrop of a legit mainstream anime. The ‘anime’ aspect of Hero is very good so far, arguably as good as it has ever been for this series.
I’m not trying to make excuses or anything, as a perv I’d be disappointed if every episode was like these first two. However, Passione are genuinely doing a good job of making this a watchable show, not just something you flip through for the fun bits. And as a result, we want to see these ladies naked a little more than we would for a lot of similar shows. Just don’t blueball us TOO much, please.
With all that said, it’s early but this show does feel like it’s heading in a good direction. Sequels usually sell less than their predecessors in the anime world, but the positive vibe of Hero gives me a feeling that this series could end up outselling BorN, and breathing new life into the series for years to come.
