TV-Series
Description
Issei Hyodo is the male protagonist of the anime High School DxD BorN. He is a second-year student at Kuoh Academy, where he is well-known among his peers for being lecherous, perverted, and somewhat simple-minded, often fantasizing openly about girls. Despite this reputation, he is also characterized by a straightforward, positive attitude and an unexpectedly strong work ethic, showing he is not just a one-dimensional pervert but someone who can be passionate and hardworking when the situation demands it.
His background is rooted in a traumatic event that also serves as his origin story as a devil. Before the events of the series, Issei was a normal human boy. On his first date with a girl named Yuma Amano, she revealed herself to be a fallen angel named Raynare and killed him because he was the host of a powerful Sacred Gear. He was subsequently reincarnated as a devil by Rias Gremory, the most beautiful girl in the academy, who used one of her evil pieces to revive him as her servant. As a result, he becomes a member of the Occult Research Club and holds the position of a Pawn in Rias's peerage.
Issei’s primary motivation is a combination of his base desires and a deep-seated need to protect those close to him. His most openly stated goal is to become a Harem King, aspiring to have his own peerage of beautiful women. However, this superficial ambition is underlaid by a fierce loyalty and a desire to grow stronger. He is driven to overcome his own weaknesses, especially after feeling helpless in the face of powerful enemies, and is fiercely protective of his master, Rias, and his friends, such as Asia Argento. His role in the story is that of a low-class devil striving to rise through the ranks, participating in Rating Games and battling various supernatural threats from fallen angels, rival devils, and beings from Norse mythology, including the god Loki.
His key relationships are central to his development. His relationship with Rias Gremory is foundational; she is his master, and he harbors a deep devotion and romantic feelings for her. He shares a strong bond with his peerage-mates, including the pure-hearted Asia Argento, for whom he holds a protective affection, and the other girls of the Occult Research Club. He also develops a complex rivalry with Vali Lucifer, the host of the White Dragon Emperor's Sacred Gear, who sees great potential in Issei.
Throughout his development, Issei grows from a weak and inexperienced reincarnated devil into a formidable fighter. His journey is marked by his struggle to control the immense power of his Sacred Gear, the Boosted Gear, also known as the Gauntlet of the Red Dragon Emperor, which is classified as a Longinus, one of the ultimate Sacred Gears. By the events of BorN, he learns to access more of its abilities, including the Scale Mail armor, and begins to earn nicknames like the Breast Dragon Emperor or Oppai Dragon, much to his own chagrin. His development is heavily influenced by his unique perversion, which paradoxically becomes a source of power, allowing him to develop unusual abilities. Among his most notable are Dress Break, a technique that destroys a woman's clothing, and Bilingual, which allows him to communicate with a woman's breasts to learn her true thoughts. These abilities, born from his obsessive personality, prove to be surprisingly effective in both combat and strategic situations. He also wields the holy dragon-slaying sword Ascalon. Issei's path is one of a boy who uses his irreverent and perverted nature not as a flaw, but as an engine for his growth as a devil and a warrior.
His background is rooted in a traumatic event that also serves as his origin story as a devil. Before the events of the series, Issei was a normal human boy. On his first date with a girl named Yuma Amano, she revealed herself to be a fallen angel named Raynare and killed him because he was the host of a powerful Sacred Gear. He was subsequently reincarnated as a devil by Rias Gremory, the most beautiful girl in the academy, who used one of her evil pieces to revive him as her servant. As a result, he becomes a member of the Occult Research Club and holds the position of a Pawn in Rias's peerage.
Issei’s primary motivation is a combination of his base desires and a deep-seated need to protect those close to him. His most openly stated goal is to become a Harem King, aspiring to have his own peerage of beautiful women. However, this superficial ambition is underlaid by a fierce loyalty and a desire to grow stronger. He is driven to overcome his own weaknesses, especially after feeling helpless in the face of powerful enemies, and is fiercely protective of his master, Rias, and his friends, such as Asia Argento. His role in the story is that of a low-class devil striving to rise through the ranks, participating in Rating Games and battling various supernatural threats from fallen angels, rival devils, and beings from Norse mythology, including the god Loki.
His key relationships are central to his development. His relationship with Rias Gremory is foundational; she is his master, and he harbors a deep devotion and romantic feelings for her. He shares a strong bond with his peerage-mates, including the pure-hearted Asia Argento, for whom he holds a protective affection, and the other girls of the Occult Research Club. He also develops a complex rivalry with Vali Lucifer, the host of the White Dragon Emperor's Sacred Gear, who sees great potential in Issei.
Throughout his development, Issei grows from a weak and inexperienced reincarnated devil into a formidable fighter. His journey is marked by his struggle to control the immense power of his Sacred Gear, the Boosted Gear, also known as the Gauntlet of the Red Dragon Emperor, which is classified as a Longinus, one of the ultimate Sacred Gears. By the events of BorN, he learns to access more of its abilities, including the Scale Mail armor, and begins to earn nicknames like the Breast Dragon Emperor or Oppai Dragon, much to his own chagrin. His development is heavily influenced by his unique perversion, which paradoxically becomes a source of power, allowing him to develop unusual abilities. Among his most notable are Dress Break, a technique that destroys a woman's clothing, and Bilingual, which allows him to communicate with a woman's breasts to learn her true thoughts. These abilities, born from his obsessive personality, prove to be surprisingly effective in both combat and strategic situations. He also wields the holy dragon-slaying sword Ascalon. Issei's path is one of a boy who uses his irreverent and perverted nature not as a flaw, but as an engine for his growth as a devil and a warrior.