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High School DxD BorN
Episodes 25-26

by Theron Martin,

Because I did a full write-up for episode 25 for the Spring 2015 Preview Guide, this review will focus almost exclusively on episode 26. Also, to make things simple, all references to nudity in these reviews going forward should be assumed to have the words “if it wasn't censored” attached to them. (Given the franchise's past track record with physical releases, I think it's safe to assume that uncensored versions of what appears to be nudity actually will be nudity.)

The first episode suggested that Koneko was finally going to get her backstory turn, and episode 2 delivers on that, as for the first time we truly get to see where she has come from. As her name implies, she was originally a nekomata (i.e., a Japanese cat spirit), and is apparently capable of assuming a full catgirl form, complete with cat ears and tail. We also learn that she is the younger of two sister cats and, along with her sister, the sole survivors a noted clan for her people. Her elder sister (whom we were introduced to at the end of episode 1) went berserk when her full potential was unleashed upon becoming a demon, and that is something which has always troubled Koneko. Given that the two meet face-to-face at the end of the episode, a throw-down of a family reunion can probably be expected.

While that is arguably the highlight of the episode, plenty of other stuff is going on. Issei and crew get to meet Rias's mother (and where she gets her build from is plainly obvious!) and younger brother cousin, and each of them undergo their own specialized training. Akeno is troubled by meeting her father for her training, while Issei encounters an odd individual during his who seems to know about him and later proves to be Rias's cousin. At a reception where visiting Asgardian dignitaries will be present, the crew gets introduced to some noteworthy younger devils, including Issei making acquaintance again with Ravel, the younger sister and (now former) Bishop of Riser Phoenix, who makes her first appearance since the end of the first season. And my, she looks like she's falling for Issei, too! Given that she also gets the eyecatch treatment, I suspect that we will be seeing a lot more of her as the season progresses.

With so much story going on, the episode has little room for action scenes or flashy magic. This franchise being what it is, though, it does not let up on the fan service. Though a little tamer than the first episode, it achieves its usual quota of nudity, panty shots, and sexy eye catch poses. What it does not achieve is artistic consistency. Animation studio TNK has always had occasional minor issue with this concerning this franchise, but throughout this episode the issues are much more pronounced than normal. Characters are off-model on several occasions and the artistry frequently does not look as sharp. This does not affect the fan service (which is always given special attention) or the way characters move, but this degree of problem is troublesome. Hopefully it is not an indicator of what we will see as the series movies forward.

Still, BorN is continuing to prove that it doesn't need to rely exclusively on its fan service and more light-hearted harem hijinks to carry the series. With the amount of plot and character development it has going on, it would probably be just fine if it was cleaner. But that wouldn't be quite as much fun, would it?

Rating: B

High School DxD BorN is currently streaming on Funimation.


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