High School DxD is, at a glance, seems like your typical sleazy waifu fest series. Well, it indeed is a waifu fest. But it’s anything but sleazy. It represents the underdog’s road to a complete harem in one of the most epic ways possible for any watch order.
And just like following standard light novel volumes, there also isn’t anything too complicated for a specific High School DxD watch order. Though, it can be a bit of a chore to count the OVAs and Specials that you can’t miss and are actually an essential part of the story despite being complete filler by design.
This kind of reminds us of the likes of our Sword Art Online watch order, KonoSuba watch order, and Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions watch order, don’t you think (which are all novel adaptations, by the way.)?
Recommended watch order
The first thing you need to do is to line up the four primary seasons of the show. Like, in the order they are released. Yes, because that is essentially the also the chronological order. Next, you have to sprinkle in the OVAs and specials in between.
1. Chronological watch order
For example, something like the following below would be appropriate when trying to watch High School DxD:
- High School DxD (All 12 Episodes)
- High School DxD OVA
- High School DxD New (All 13 Episodes)
- High School DxD New: Oppai, Tsutsumimasu! (OVA)
- High School DxD BorN (All 12 Episodes)
- High School DxD Born: Yomigaeranai Fushichou (OVA)
- High School DxD Hero (All 12 Episodes)
2. Release date order
Basically use the exact same list, but with year references. We’ll also add the optional specials entry to this list. Be warned, though, that some events in the specials don’t really make sense compared to the original source material (even if it is implied to be canon to the anime).
- High School DxD (2012)
- High School DxD OVA (2012)
- High School DxD Specials (2012)
- High School DxD New (2013)
- High School DxD New: Oppai, Tsutsumimasu! (2015)
- High School DxD BorN (2015)
- High School DxD BorN: Yomgaeranai Fushichou (2015)
- High School DxD BorN Specials (2015)
- High School DxD Hero: Taiikukan-ura no Holy (2018)
- High School DxD Hero (2018)
Plot of High School DxD
Kuoh Academy was formerly an all-girls school that is now turned co-ed. Prior to this change though, like, a significant period before, the student population was secretly comprised of angels, fallen angels, and devils.
Issei Hyoudou is currently a second-year student at this newly reformed school. Ecstatic by a confession of a cute girl to her by the name of Yuma, he went on their date without worrying about a single thing. But before the day is even over, she reveals herself as Raynare, a fallen angel, and kills Issei. Third-year student Rias Gremory tried to intervene, but it was one step too late.
The next morning, Issei wakes up in his room, with the naked Rias at his side. All initial thoughts of everything being a dream immediately went away. Rias revealed that she is actually a devil, and that Issei was now revived as one of her faithful servants, as a member representing the pawn piece…
The destined rivalry of Red and White
Being a harem series, fanservice is all but inevitable, especially at the beginning of the next arcs where the stakes are reset once again. There are even a few characters (not antagonists!) that openly admit to these “indulgences”, though they understandably are designed to feel that way.
That being said, the lore of the series is surprisingly rich, and the mechanics of each character’s powers and combat prowess is akin to many other interesting light novels out there. Season two is of a particularly good point in showing this, as the story ramps up further, and the bigger world of the series materializes in a way that Issei and the audience have yet to even imagine.
Craving for more protagonists who are OP or would eventually become OP? Then check out our best anime with overpowered main characters list!
