“ | I am a servant of the Red Dragon Emperor, Hyoudou Issei, and someone who will be his wife. —I will keep fighting until the end. | ” |
–Asia to Crom Cruach, True Volume 2, Middle Game |
Asia Argento (アーシア・アルジェント, Āshia Arujento) is one of the many female protagonists of High School DxD. She is a third-year high school student at Kuoh Academy in Class 3-B and is a girl with a very gentle heart who possesses a rare Sacred Gear, Twilight Healing, in her body that is capable of healing the wounds of Humans, Angels, Fallen Angels, and Devils alike.
Asia Argento was formerly one of Rias Gremory's Bishops but now serves as Issei Hyoudou's first Bishop and one of his fiancées.
Appearance[]
Asia is a beautiful young girl with long blonde hair and green eyes. Her body measurements are [B83→85-W55-H81→83 cm]; her height is [155 cm] [5 feet 1 inch] and her body weight is [44→45 kg] [97→98 lbs]. Her hair flows all the way down to her back, with split bangs over her forehead and a single strand sticking out from the top and sloping backward.
Her former main attire consisted of a dark teal nun outfit with light blue accents, a white veil over her head with light blue accents, a brown satchel slung on her right hip (where she holds her Bible), and brown boots with black straps in an X-shaped pattern. She also wore a silver cross necklace around her neck (she was later forced to remove it after becoming a Devil).
Upon transferring to Kuoh Academy, she wears the Kuoh Academy girls' uniform, albeit with a black sweater vest over her dress shirt in place of the cape and corset which has become her current main attire.
Personality[]
Asia is extremely shy, innocent and fairly inexperienced in things like socializing. As a former nun, Asia is a devout Christian, despite being reincarnated as a Devil, Asia still believes in God and follows his teachings such as praying to him and reading the Bible, which would usually result in her getting severe headaches. Asia has a strong kindness, even when she was still a human, she harbored no hate towards Devils and treated everyone equally, regardless of what they were. Azazel noted that her unconditionally kindhearted nature forces her Sacred Gear to heal even enemies, as she is incapable of turning a blind eye to the suffering of others. Asia was also in deep shock when she learned from Kokabiel that the God of the Bible was killed during the Great War.
While initially having difficulty adjusting to her new life as a Devil, she has stated that she has found more important things than her faith in God, those things being her new friends, comrades as well as Issei's parents and Issei himself.
Asia is noted to be a very pure individual as people are drawn to her and that she is easily liked by others. Her charm and purity is such as that she was able to tame Rassei, a Sprite Dragon despite being a Devil as normally Sprite Dragons aren't tamable by Devils and are only tamable by those with pure hearts. Azazel noted that she had outstanding talent for taming Dragons, as after receiving Ophis' blessing, she was able to form a contract with Fafnir, one of the Five Great Dragon Kings. After she managed to tame 4 mass-produced Evil Dragons, her name was spread in the world of Dragons due to the fact that only Evil Gods were able to tame Evil Dragons, as she became known as the Dragon Priestess (龍の巫女, Ryū no Miko) among Dragons.
Due to having to give away her panties each time she wants to summon Fafnir, she has become very embarrassed due to seeing Farnir eat her panties to the point of escaping from reality, lamenting that she has become associated with panties. However, after seeing Fafnir's resolve to protect her against Rizevim, she has become a bit less embarrassed by it and can put her shame aside during battle when Fafnir is fighting for her intensely.
Asia has a love of agricultural work as she often does gardening and planting. She has even stated that she would like to live with Issei in the country side of the Underworld and do cropping along with other kind of agricultural work.
Asia would become more "bold" in her relationship with Issei when she saw the other girls being more intimate with him and dislikes the idea of being left out. Due to Issei initially viewing her as more of a sister due to his desire to protect her, he didn't ogle her like he did other women, causing her to be sad and develop a bit of a inferiority complex when it comes to comparing her looks to the likes of Rias. However, she will get jealous and pinch his cheeks whenever he lusts over other girls. She is shown to desire to be treated as a woman by Issei and to have his erotic behavior directed at her, as she has even shown a desire bear his children, though she ultimately succeeds in this endeavor after the Sports Festival when she kisses him, as following that point, Issei began to view her more as a woman than a little sister. Asia thinks very highly of Issei and has stated a desire to stay with Issei forever, even being willing to become his servant. Despite being shy, she is shown to be protective of Issei as she will slap someone like Diodora when they insult Issei.
After becoming Issei's servant, she has begun to shown more courage and determination in battle, as demonstrated in the Rating Game against Team Rias Gremory, where Asia stayed behind to fight Crom Cruach alone to allow Xenovia and Irina to proceed ahead as well to preserve Issei stamina, with Crom Cruach admiring her courage and guts. During the fight, she even displayed the ability to use Magic offensively, in contrast to her past passive self, as she continued to fight Crom Cruach even after Fafnir was defeated, stating that as the servant and future wife of the Red Dragon Emperor, she would keep fighting until the end, which deeply impressed Crom Cruach as he praised her courage and spirit, stating that it was his honor to fight her and Fafnir.
History[]
In the past, Asia was abandoned by her parents in front of a church as an infant and was raised there. Sometime, during her childhood, she had awakened her Twilight Healing to heal an injured puppy she discovered, which was witnessed by one of the Catholic Church members causing her to become symbolized as the Holy Maiden. But, in all that time she didn't have either friends or people to talk to since most people viewed her as a monster who could heal wounds.
At some point, Diodora Astaroth devised a plot to have Asia heal him, a Devil, and cause her banishment from the Church with people labeling her as a "witch". With no place to go, Asia had to rely on the Fallen Angels.
Powers & Abilities[]
Demonic Power: As a Devil, Asia has all the common skills and powers of one, including the power to cast spells.
Enhanced Magic Power: As a Bishop, Asia can strengthen her Magic and Demonic Powers, which she normally applies onto her Twilight Healing.
Magic Talent: As a Bishop, Asia has shown great potential in using magic as she was put in charge of forming a barrier by Freed. Asia is studying under Rossweisse in order to learn summoning and transport magic to help defend herself and increase her combat strength, she can also use Dragon Gate magic circle.[1] Using her Bishop trait she can enhance her healing abilities with Twilight Saint Affection along with Fafnir's golden aura.
- Summoning Magic: Asia is show to be very adept at summoning magic as she is capable of using it to summon various creatures to assist her and Dragon Gate magical circles to summon her guardian familiar; the Golden Dragon King Fafnir.
- Elemental Magic: Asia is capable of using elemental magic; such as fire and wind magic as demonstrated in her fight against Crom Cruach.[2]
Dragon Tamer: She's shown to have the talent of compatibility and outstanding luck with Dragons, as she made a pact with a baby Sprite Dragon, Rassei, whose race is notoriously untamable. After receiving Ophis' blessing, her compatibility increased, and she made a pact with one of the Five Dragon Kings; Fafnir. Asia was able to make a pact with four mass-produced Evil Dragons who were named Anselmus, Cyril, Gregorios and Simeon, which is an act that only Evil Gods were able to do before.[3][4]
Praying: Asia is one of the two Devils, the other being Xenovia, that can pray to God without receiving damage in the form of a headache after Issei made a request to Michael to allow them to pray to God.
Flight: Being a Devil, Asia can use her wings to fly.
Equipment[]
Twilight Healing (聖母の微笑, Towairaito Hīringu): Asia's Sacred Gear and her main weapon of choice, she can heal Humans, Devils, Angels, and Fallen Angels alike. Since she has shown no actual combat skills, she relies on her healing abilities as a healer of her team. Asia learned how to expand the range of her healing field and send her healing powers as a projectile, although these are inferior to actual touch. In Volume 11, Azazel has said that she mastered her Twilight Healing more than other possessors in healing powers and time. She can also create a bow and arrow of healing power, and if the arrow is about to hit an enemy, it will disperse instead of healing them.
- Twilight Saint Affection (聖龍姫が抱く慈愛の園, Towairaito Seinto Afekushon): Asia's sub-species Balance Breaker. Asia's Balance Breaker takes the form of a Golden Dragon Armor with red jewels that cover her body and grants her a field of absolute defence and protection. For a limited time, Asia can cover a field with tremendous healing energy and can negate any damage from virtually any sources. It does not negate the attack but rather it negates the damage that the attack would inflict. As Fafnir's aura is included as well, it also boasts immense defence on top of the healing ability. Asia can also used it to heal numerous allies at once on a wide range, using it to heal the allied youkais during the Evil Dragon War.
Bishop Piece (僧侶の駒, Sōryo no Koma): Asia was reincarnated using the Bishop Piece, which grants her enhanced magic power.
Dragons: Asia had made a pact with Dragons. With the help of Ophis' blessing, Azazel, Rias, Rossweisse and Akeno, she can make pacts with various classes of Dragons; even higher classes, especially Fafnir the Golden Dragon King. She uses Fafnir and the other four Evil Dragons (that she tamed using Fafnir's skills) to protect herself in order for her to heal her comrades.
Quotes[]
Light Novel
- (To Issei): "My name is Asia Argento! Please call me Asia!" (Volume 1, Life 2)[5]
- (To Freed): "I can’t stand it any more…… You can’t kill people just because they are entranced to a Devil and you also can’t kill Devils. It’s wrong!" (Volume 1, Life 3)[5]
- (To Issei): "……Will you become my friend?" (Volume 1, Life 3)[5]
- (To Issei while dying): " ……I was happy that……I had a friend……even for a short while…… If I were to be born again, will you become my friend once more……?" (Volume 1, Life 4)[5]
- (To Issei while dying): "……You even cry for someone like me……now I can……" (Volume 1, Life 4)[5]
- (To Issei as she dies): "……Thank you……" (Volume 1, Life 4)[5]
- (To Issei): "……Can I stay with you forever from now on?" (Volume 2, Life.4)[6]
- (To Issei while hugging him): "……I’m glad I came to this country. I met with Ise-san. Ise-san……… Ise-san……" (Volume 3, Life.3)[7]
- (Asia after finding out God was killed): "………God doesn’t exist? God……is dead? Then the love we were given by him is………" (Volume 3, New Knight & New Rival)[7]
- (To Xenovia): "Xenovia-san, I’m enjoying my current lifestyle. Even though I’m a devil now, I met someone…… people who are important to me. I am happy because of the place I live in now and the people I have met." (Volume 3, New Life)[7]
- (To Michael): "Michael-sama, I also feel I am happy. Since I now have a lot of important people. And also, I have met and talked with the Michael-sama who I admired, so it’s an honour!" (Volume 4, Life.4)[8]
- (To Issei): "I like this place. I also like Kuoh Academy and the Occult Research Club. I also like Buchou-san, Akeno-san, Sensei, Kiba-san, Xenovia-san, Koneko-chan, Gasper-kun, Irina-san, and Kiryuu-san. I also love ……Ise-san and Ise-san's parents. The new life I started in this city is something very important, and something I greatly love which makes it so wonderful." (Volume 6, Life 2)[9]
- (To Issei): "Ise-san. I love my current lifestyle. And I love everyone as well." (Volume 6, Life 2)[9]
- (Asia's prayer to God): "Lord. Please allow me to be with Ise-san forever. Let me stay next to him forever. And please listen to one of my wishes. I-If I can wish for it, if someone were to propose to me next, make it that person……. I know I am being greedy. But I love him, so I dream about it a bit. I feel really happy when I embrace my dream. Lord, please look at me with warm eyes while I spend my life with that person whom I deeply love." (Volume 6, Asia)[9]
- (Asia's prayer to God): "Lord. Can you please listen to my wish? Please protect Ise-san. And also..... Please allow me to continue living with Ise-san....." (Volume 6, Life 4)[9]
- (To Issei after kissing him): "Ise-san, I love you. I will always stay beside you." (Volume 6, New Life)[9]
Trivia[]
- Asia's birthday is on May 11.[10]
- Asia Argento is named after the famous Italian actress of the same name, daughter of horror director Dario Argento, who is known to have played a number of roles as a nun.[11]
- Asia's last name is also the Italian word for "Silver", in reference to the silver cross she once wore prior to being revived into a Devil. Silver crosses are common among the Catholic clergy, particularly exorcists.
- Asia's breasts have grown to be nearly the same size as Xenovia's and Irina's. According to Ravel, this is due to a combination of devil physiology, demonic power and Asia's own desires for Issei to see her as attractive.[12]
- Asia is the third girl to become engaged to Issei Hyoudou.[13]
- Asia wants to have her wedding take place in Japan.[14]
- According to a questionnaire[15]:
- Her favorite type of man is Issei.
- She's proud of her eyes because Issei says they're beautiful.
- Her special skill is being able to recite the Bible and scriptures.
- If she didn't become a Devil she would have continued being a Sister.
- She likes to go to home improvement stores and 100 yen stores with everyone and she never gets tired of all the products she finds unusual.
- Her one wish, is to travel to various places in Japan, because she wants to learn more about it.
- She's thankful to the Occult Research Club members for always being so friendly with her.
- She loves Issei and will always be there for him.
- She begins bathing from her hands.
- She has pink, transparent underwear gifted from Kiryuu.
- Her erogenous zone is around her collarbone.
- Her hobbies are praying and collecting shoujo manga.
- Her favorite thing is having a matching umbrella with Issei.
- Asia has stated to want five children.[16]
- Asia has a hobby for farming and one of her dreams for the future is to engage in agricultural work with Issei in the Underworld.[17]
- She also harbours a dream to live in a countryside in the Underworld at a point.[18]
- Interestingly, Asia's four Evil Dragons Anselmus, Cyril, Gregorios, and Simeon are all names of religious figures.
- In Rating Game fighting-types, Asia is considered a Support-type who is closer to a Wizard-type.
- Asia first noticed that Issei's request to Michael for her and Xenovia to be able to pray was granted during a date with Issei.[19]
- During her "date" with Issei in Volume 1, Asia gained a yellow mouse plush doll she named "Racchuu-kun" that resembles Pikachu from Pokemon.
- Asia's first-ever meeting with Issei may have been foreshadowing to the relationship between Cleria Belial and Masaomi Yaegaki, as at first, Asia and Issei similarly to Cleria and Masaomi, were forbidden from seeing each other in the same town; Kuoh Town due to the Devil's side and Angel's side still at feuds with each other.[20]
- Asia, alongside Akeno, have the most familiars in the series with both having six each.
- Asia's job requests as a Devil are usually cosplay requests for photo shoots and playing games.[21]
- The nature of her contract requests coincide with that of Koneko Toujou.[21]
- Asia alongside Xenovia, make videos giving expository about Japan's daily school life from a foreigner’s perspective and upload them to DeviTube. Irina is sometimes called in as a guest to which the trio became a popular streaming group.[22]
- Asia learned how to ride a bicycle because she wanted to ride with Issei to go on a picnic, as well as ride with Xenovia, Irina and Aika to go shopping.[23]
- There's a jinx that all the villians who have hurt Asia have suffered brutal ends and were killed, no matter the series.[1] These antagonists includes Raynare, Freed, Diodora, and Rizevim.
- In the "DxD" popularity election, she came in eighth in the all-character category, fifth in the heroine category, and 3rd in the coupling category as a couple with Issei.[24]
- Dulio and Asia could be brother and sister separated from each other, but Ichiei Ishibumi rejected this idea[25].
References[]
- ↑ Light Novel Volume 14, Life 2, Part 1
- ↑ True Light Novel Volume 2, Middle Game, Part 6
- ↑ Light Novel Volume 17, Life 4, Part 2
- ↑ Light Novel Volume 18, Life 2, Part 4
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Light Novel Volume 1
- ↑ Light Novel Volume 2
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Light Novel Volume 3
- ↑ Light Novel Volume 4
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Light Novel Volume 6
- ↑ Ishibumi's twitter
- ↑ Ishibumi's twitter
- ↑ Light Novel Volume 23, Life.1 A [King] From Now On
- ↑ Light Novel Volume 23, New Life
- ↑ Light Novel Volume 24, Life.1 Bursting into Summer!
- ↑ Dragon Magazine July 2010 issue
- ↑ Light Novel Volume 16, Life.3 Let’s Have the Sunlight Together With Me
- ↑ Amida Wars
- ↑ Light Novel Volume 17, Life 2
- ↑ High School D×D New BD1 Asia Volume
- ↑ Light Novel Volume 18, Life.2 The Forbidden
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Light Novel Volume 13, Extra Life
- ↑ Gremory of the DeviTube
- ↑ Delusion Magazine ☆ Night Material Collection, Volume 2: Riding a Bicycle!
- ↑ Dragon Magazine May Issue 2021
- ↑ Ishibumi's twitter