Highschool DxD BorN (Episode 10) - Occult Research Club Vanishes!?

The battle has ended, but Issei is in critical condition. In addition, we’ve learnt about the Chaos Brigade’s intentions. Let’s see what happens next!

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Occult Research Club Vanishes!?

Azazel informs Rias and friends that Issei is in rough shape, and that only Asia can heal him. So she does. After healing him, Asia confesses her love for him, causing Rias to feel a little depressed. Things go back to normal, with Issei and Asia practicing for the sports festival, when an impostor who looks like Issei approaches Rias in the clubroom. The real Issei soon arrives and Rias attacks him and the other club members, before destroying the clubroom and disappearing with the fake Issei.

We find out that she’s in the dimensional gap, where the giant red dragon is.

Episode Thoughts

As is too often the case, Azazel spends a lot of time bigging up a situation, such as the danger to Asia if she tries to heal Issei. It’s horrific, she might die, he might die, anyone too close might die. How will they fit this much danger into one episode?

Oh, it’s all right. He’s better now. What an anticlimax? This series has steadily gotten worse since season one. There’s good parts and bad parts, but the way the episodes are structured really don’t do it any favors. In season one, it dark and mysterious. It did a great job of balancing that tone with all the fan service, but that is no more.

I wonder if they are trying to fit too much story in and not given any of it enough weight. Building on Rias’ insecurities should have been much more than a couple of throw-away lines. It really isn’t living up to my memories of the first time I watched it.

Well, the whole “Issei is in danger” thing ended real quick. Asia just holds his arm and sheds a few tears, and he’s good to go. Felt like Issei’s injury wasn’t even necessary. But then, this second half of the season hasn’t felt that great to me, and this whole dimensional gap stuff doesn’t seem that exciting so far.

Also not much in terms of fan service this episode. Maybe I’m just getting tired of DxD lately, but it doesn’t really feel like this season has delivered compared to the previous ones.