High School DxD

High School DxD (ハイスクールD×D Haisukūru Dī Dī, alternatively read as Highschool DxD) is a light novel series written by Ichiei Ishibumi and illustrated by Miyama-Zero. The series began serialization in Fujimi Shobo's Dragon Magazine in its September 2008 issue. The first volume was released in Japan on September 20, 2008, with a total of seventeen volumes available as of February 20, 2014 under their Fujimi Fantasia Bunko imprint.

Plot
The story revolves around Issei Hyoudou, a lecherous high school student attending Kuoh Academy, a former all-girls school that has recently turned co-ed. He lives a peaceful life with his equally-perverted friends, Matsuda and Motohama, until he is called for a date by a girl named Yuuma Amano. At the conclusion of the date at night, Issei is brought to a local park, where Yuuma asks him if he wants to know what her wish is. Under the impression of receiving a kiss from the girl, Issei is shocked when Yuuma whispers the words "Can you die for me?" and transforms into a Fallen Angel. Issei is brutally attacked and killed by Yuuma, his last sight being a glimpse of red hair in front of him.

The next day, Issei wakes up to find himself alive, leading him to assume the events that transpired yesterday were all but a bad dream. Later, after spending the night watching some porno DVDs with his friends, Issei walks home and finds himself in the same place where Yuuma had killed him. He is then attacked and wounded by a male Fallen Angel Dohnaseek until a crimson-haired woman named Rias Gremory steps in and saves him, just before Issei loses consciousness from the light spear that was thrown by the Fallen Angel.

The next morning, Issei, under the assumption the events that occurred yesterday were all just a dream again, wakes up to find a naked Rias in his bed. Rias reveals her identity as a Devil to Issei, and claims that she has reincarnated him into a Devil, thus beginning his new life as a Devil servant in the Occult Research Club.

Story Arcs
Ishibumi has grouped the light novels into various story arcs. The first arc, titled The Red Dragon Emperor's Awakening (赤龍帝覚醒 Sekiryūtei Kakusei), ran through the first two volumes. Birth of the Breast Dragon Emperor (乳龍帝誕生 Chichiryūtei Tanjō) is the second story arc and follows volumes three through six. The Heroic Oppai Dragon (英雄（ヒーロー）おっぱいドラゴン Hīrō Oppai Doragon) follows volumes seven through twelve. The fourth arc, The Legend of Oppai Dragon and his Lively Companions (おっぱいドラゴンと愉快な仲間たちの伝説 Oppai Doragon to Yukaina Nakamatachi no Densetsu), starts at Volume 14 and is the series' current arc.

The light novels also feature a series of side stories set in between the main storyline, and are often compiled into volumes. So far, three short story collections (Volume 8, Volume 13 and Volume 15) have been published.

Development
Ishibumi had previously worked on a horror genre series two years prior to the publishing of the first light novel for High School DxD. In the Volume 1 afterword, he mentions that he changed his writing style, and wanted to develop one in the school-life, love-comedy, battle, and fantasy genre. His main character, Issei, was made into a lecherous guy at the request of his editor. For the first volume, he made Rias a second lead character and heroine, and Asia to be the second heroine. Some of his characters are loosely referenced from the Bible, non-fiction books, and mythology. He created a world where the war between the three main factions (Angels, Devils, and Fallen Angels) is over, and where many famous Angels and Devils have already ceased to exist. He also added characters and legendary beasts from a variety of places from Norse mythology to Japanese Yōkai. The concept of Balance Breaker was to represent a super-powered version of the character's Boosted Gear, and he likens this to the Super Saiyan in Dragon Ball and the Bankai in Bleach.

Ishibumi intended to make the shounen-style light novel series one that teenagers would be embarrassed to buy, yet was concerned that it might get an age restriction. In each of his afterword sections in the light novels, he makes numerous references to and also agrees with the appeal of oppai (breasts), demonstrated in later volumes of the light novels, and had planned to make the heroines more erotic, especially in the side story volumes that focus on comedy.

In Volume 5 of the light novels, Ishibumi writes that he likes to pair the main characters: Rias and Akeno as the big sister duo, Asia and Xenovia are the church-related duo who become friends, Gasper and Koneko are the young first-years, and Issei and Yuuto as the guys.

When Jamie Marchi was writing the dub script, she noted it was a "breast-centric" show, even noting that they have sound effects for when they move. She saw the main heroine Rias was calm and stern and a character that that she isn't used to playing. She also liked giving the side characters more personality.

Light Novels
High School DxD began as a Japanese light novel series written by Ichiei Ishibumi and illustrated by Miyama-Zero. The series began serialization in Fujimi Shobo's Dragon Magazine in its September 2008 issue, and the first volume was released in Japan on September 20, 2008. There are currently seventeen volumes available in Japan as of February 20, 2014 sold under Fujimi Shobo's Fujimi Fantasia Bunko imprint.

A bonus novel, called The First Errand: Ophis Edition (はじめてのおつかい・オーフィス編 Hajimete no Otsukai: Ōfisu Hen), was released with the July 2012 issue of Dragon Magazine (released on May 19, 2012) as a bunkobon volume. The story takes place after the events of Volume 12, and centers on Ophis' first time in the human world.

Manga
A manga adaptation of High School DxD, illustrated by Hiroji Mishima, began serialization in the July 2010 issue of Fujimi Shobo's Dragon Magazine. Following the third chapter, the manga began regular monthly serialization in Monthly Dragon Age. The first volume of the manga was published by Fujimi Shobo on June 9, 2011, under their Dragon Comics Age imprint. There are currently six volumes of the manga published as of April 9, 2014.

The manga also has a side-story adaptation, called High School DxD: Asia and Koneko's Secret Contracts!? (ハイスクールD×D アーシア&小猫 ヒミツのけいやく!? Haisukūru DxD: Āshia ando Koneko Himitsu no Keiyaku!?), centering on Asia Argento's first duties as a Devil. The manga was illustrated by manga artist Hiroichi, and was serialized in Monthly Dragon Age from the October 2011 issue (released on September 9, 2011) to the April 2012 issue (released on March 9, 2012). It was later released as a tankōbon volume on March 9, 2012.

A second spin-off series, titled High School DxD: The Work of a Devil (ハイスクールD×D アクマのおしごと Haisukūru Dī Dī: Akuma no Oshigoto), began in the April issue of Monthly Dragon Age. Illustrated by SODA, it adapts the short stories found in the light novels.

Anime
An anime adaptation of High School DxD was first announced on April 15, 2011 by author Ichiei Ishibumi on his Twitter page, with the official website launching soon after. The anime was produced by TNK under the directorship of Tetsuya Yanagisawa, and aired twelve episodes in Japan on AT-X and other networks from January 6, 2012 to March 23, 2012. AT-X airings of the series were uncensored, while the airings on TV Kanagawa (which began on January 11, 2012) and other networks were heavily censored. Six DVD and Blu-ray compilation volumes were released by Media Factory between March 21, 2012 and August 29, 2012, each containing an OVA short entitled "Release the Swaying Delusions" (妄想爆揺解除オリジナルビデオ Mōsō Bakuyure Kaijo Orijinaru Bideo, lit. "Release the Swaying Delusions Original Video") and other bonus material.

On January 13, 2012, a week after the first episode aired, North American anime distributor Funimation Entertainment announced they have acquired full licensing rights to the series. Funimation streamed simulcasts of the series on their video portal and on their Hulu page. They will be releasing the series on DVD and Blu-ray at an unspecified date. At Manifest 2012, Oceanic anime distributor Madman Entertainment announced they have also acquired full licensing rights to the series.

An unaired 13th episode was bundled with the limited edition release of the 13th light novel on September 6, 2012 on Blu-ray disc. The episode was written by Ichiei Ishibumi himself, and features an original storyline. An unaired 14th episode, also written by Ishibumi, was bundled with the limited edition release of the 15th light novel on May 31, 2013 on Blu-ray disc.

A second season of High School DxD, titled High School DxD New (ハイスクールD×D NEW Haisukūru Dī Dī Nyū), was announced at the post-end credits of the 13th episode,  and premiered on AT-X and Chiba TV on July 7, 2013. The second season adapts volumes three and four of the light novels and is split into two arcs: the "Excalibur of the Moonlit Schoolyard" (ハイスクールD×D3 月光校庭のエクスカリバー Gekkō Kōtei no Ekusukaribā) arc and the "Vampire of the Suspended Classroom" (停止教室のヴァンパイア Teishi Kyōshitsu no Vanpaia) arc. As with the first season, AT-X airings are uncensored, while airings on all other channels are heavily censored.

In North America, the first season is licensed by Funimation Entertainment for simulcast on their video website before releasing the series on DVD and Blu-ray, and in Australia and New Zealand by Madman Entertainment.

Music
The opening theme for the first season is "Trip -Innocent of D-", performed by Larval Stage Planning. The ending theme song is "STUDYxSTUDY", performed by the new voice actress unit StylipS, consisting of Arisa Noto, Yui Ogura, Kaori Ishihara, and Maho Matsunaga, who all had voice roles in the anime. The songs were released as CD singles on January 25, 2012 and February 5, 2012, respectively, under the Lantis label. An original soundtrack was released on March 21, 2012, also under the Lantis label. A character song mini-album, called High School DxD GirlsxSongs! (『ハイスクールD×D』Girls×Songs! Haisukūru Dī Dī Gāruzu Songuzu!), featuring the main female cast from the anime series, was released on June 27, 2012 under the Lantis label.

The second season will feature an opening and ending theme for the two arcs. The opening theme for the first arc is "Sympathy" by Larval Stage Planning and the ending theme is Hōteishiki wa Kotaenai (方程式は答えない) by the Occult Research Club Girls (オカルト研究部ガールズ Okaruto Kenkyū-bu Gāruzu), featuring Yōko Hikasa, Shizuka Itō, Azumi Asakura, and Ayana Taketatsu as the respective voices of Rias Gremory, Akeno Himejima, Asia Argento, and Koneko Toujou. The opening theme for the second arc will be "Passionate Argument" (激情論 Gekijō-ron) by ZAQ and the ending theme will be "Lovely ♥ Devil" (らぶりぃ♥でびる Raburyi♥Debiru) by the Occult Research Club Girls, featuring the main female voice cast from the first season with the additions of Risa Taneda, Maaya Uchida, and Ayane Sakura as the respective voices of Xenovia, Irina Shidou, and Gasper Vladi.

Games
Kadokawa Games announced in July 2013 that a video game adaptation of High School DxD is in development for Nintendo 3DS. The game will be released in Japan on November 28, 2013. Described as an "erotic battle adventure", the game features a visual novel and turn-based battle system.

Other media
An internet radio show, called High School DxD: The Occult Research Club Inside Kuoh Academy (ハイスクールD×D 駒王学園 裏オカルト研究部 Haisukūru Dī Dī KuŌ Gakuen Ura-Okaruto Kenkyū-bu), aired on HiBiKi Radio Station on December 12, 2011.

A trading card game by Prism Connect featuring characters from the series was released on July 27, 2012 in a starter deck and booster pack.

Reception
According to Oricon, High School DxD was the sixth top-selling light novel series in Japan for 2012, selling a total of 654,224 units.