High School DxD redefined the ecchi battle-harem genre with its blend of supernatural action, irreverent humor, and subversive character arcs. Centered on perverted underdog Issei Hyoudou’s rise among devils and angels, the series masterfully balances power systems, fan service, and genuine emotional stakes. Despite its popularity, many anime with similar themes—complex power dynamics, underdog narratives, and genre-bending storytelling—remain overlooked.
This list highlights 15 underrated gems that capture DxD’s essence while offering unique twists, all deserving greater recognition for their innovative approaches to supernatural storytelling.
1. So I Can’t Play H! (2012)
- Streaming Availability: Amazon Prime Video (region-dependent)
- Plot: Lecherous high schooler Ryosuke Kaga forms a contract with grim reaper Lisara Restall, trading his “erotic energy” for survival while battling supernatural threats.
- Similarities to High School DxD: Features a comedic, fan-service-heavy dynamic between a morally dubious protagonist and a powerful female supernatural entity, with battles escalating through absurd power systems.
- Additional Details:
- MAL Rating: 6.3/10
- Episodes: 12
- Studio: Feel
- Notable Staff: Directed by Nobuyoshi Nagayama (Prison School).
2. The Qwaser of Stigmata (2010)
- Streaming Availability: Not currently streaming (formerly on Crunchyroll)
- Plot: Warriors called Qwasers derive elemental powers from breast milk, battling in a dark academy where protagonist Sasha faces religious conspiracies.
- Similarities to High School DxD: High-stakes battles intertwined with explicit fan service, a school setting rife with supernatural politics, and morally ambiguous power mechanics.
- Additional Details:
- MAL Rating: 6.1/10
- Episodes: 24
- Studio: Hoods Entertainment
- Awards: Nominated for Tokyo Anime Award (2011).
3. Heaven’s Lost Property (2009)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll, Funimation
- Plot: Tomoki Sakurai’s mundane life implodes when angeloid Ikaros crash-lands on Earth, dragging him into cosmic wars over divine technology.
- Similarities to High School DxD: Combines harem antics with cosmic power struggles, featuring a reluctant hero surrounded by overpowered female beings in episodic battles.
- Additional Details:
- MAL Rating: 7.3/10
- Episodes: 25
- Studio: AIC
- Notable Staff: Based on Suu Minazuki’s manga.
4. To LOVE-Ru (2008)
- Streaming Availability: HIDIVE, Crunchyroll
- Plot: Clumsy Rito Yuuki accidentally proposes to alien princess Lala, triggering intergalactic chaos as he juggles her suitors and earthly admirers.
- Similarities to High School DxD: Inter-species romance, escalating harem chaos, and action-comedy pacing where fan service drives both humor and plot.
- Additional Details:
- MAL Rating: 7.0/10
- Episodes: 26
- Studio: Xebec
- Awards: Long-running franchise with 4 seasons.
5. Rosario + Vampire (2008)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll
- Plot: Human Tsukune Aono enrolls in a monster academy, bonding with vampire Moka Akashiya while hiding his identity from deadly classmates.
- Similarities to High School DxD: School-as-battleground setting, a human protagonist navigating supernatural hierarchies, and harem tropes layered over monster battles.
- Additional Details:
- MAL Rating: 6.8/10
- Episodes: 26
- Studio: Gonzo
- Notable Staff: Based on Akihisa Ikeda’s manga.
6. Seitokai Yakuindomo (2010)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll
- Plot: Takatoshi Tsuda becomes the lone male in Ousai Academy’s student council, enduring raunchy humor and surreal school policies.
- Similarities to High School DxD: Relies on rapid-fire ecchi comedy and subverted expectations, using school life as a backdrop for absurdist character dynamics.
- Additional Details:
- MAL Rating: 7.4/10
- Episodes: 112 (including OVAs)
- Studio: GoHands
- Notable Staff: Directed by Hiromitsu Kanazawa.
7. Prison School (2015)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll, Hulu
- Plot: Five boys enroll in a formerly all-girls school, facing brutal “prison” punishments after a failed peeping attempt.
- Similarities to High School DxD: Extreme fan service as narrative catalyst, underdog males versus dominant females, and dark comedy escalating through power imbalances.
- Additional Details:
- MAL Rating: 7.8/10
- Episodes: 12
- Studio: J.C.Staff
- Awards: Top 10 Anime of 2015 (Anime Trending Awards).
8. The Testament of Sister New Devil (2015)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll
- Plot: Basara Toujou’s life upends when demon lord Mio and succubus Maria become his stepsisters, forcing him into a master-servant contract.
- Similarities to High School DxD: Supernatural harem with explicit contracts, battle-focused arcs, and a protagonist balancing power and moral dilemmas.
- Additional Details:
- MAL Rating: 6.5/10
- Episodes: 24
- Studio: Production IMS
- Notable Staff: Directed by Hisashi Saito.
9. Maken-Ki! (2011)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll
- Plot: Takeru Ooyama enters Tenbi Academy, discovering students wield magical weapons (“makens”) in sanctioned battles, with him caught in harem chaos.
- Similarities to High School DxD: School-based combat system, fan service as plot device, and a pervy protagonist surrounded by battle-ready heroines.
- Additional Details:
- MAL Rating: 6.2/10
- Episodes: 24
- Studio: AIC
- Notable Staff: Based on Hiromitsu Takeda’s manga.
10. The Fruit of Grisaia (2014)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll
- Plot: Yuuji Kazami transfers to Mihama Academy, a “prison” for traumatized girls, unraveling their dark pasts while confronting his own assassin history.
- Similarities to High School DxD: Combines psychological depth with harem elements, using supernatural undertones to explore power dynamics and redemption.
- Additional Details:
- MAL Rating: 7.2/10
- Episodes: 13
- Studio: Eight Bit
- Awards: Adapted from award-winning visual novel.
11. Strike the Blood (2013)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll
- Plot: Vampire “Fourth Primogenitor” Kojou Akatsuki teams with sword-shaman Yukina to fend off mystical threats on Itogami Island.
- Similarities to High School DxD: Protagonist with uncontrollable powers, action-ecchi hybrid structure, and a combat-heavy harem narrative.
- Additional Details:
- MAL Rating: 7.0/10
- Episodes: 48
- Studio: Silver Link, Connect
- Notable Staff: Based on Gakuto Mikumo’s light novels.
12. Demon King Daimao (2010)
- Streaming Availability: HIDIVE
- Plot: Akuto Sai enrolls in magic academy aspiring to be high priest, but a prophecy brands him the Demon King, pitting him against heroes.
- Similarities to High School DxD: Subverted expectations (hero vs. demon lord), school-based power struggles, and fan service woven into magical combat.
- Additional Details:
- MAL Rating: 6.7/10
- Episodes: 12
- Studio: Artland
- Notable Staff: Directed by Takashi Watanabe.
13. Date A Bullet: Dead or Bullet (2020)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll
- Plot: Spirit Kurumi Tokisaki fights in a death game across parallel worlds to fulfill her wish while battling rivals like White Queen.
- Similarities to High School DxD: High-stakes battles with erotic undertones, a strong female lead in a harem-adjacent setup, and intricate power systems.
- Additional Details:
- MAL Rating: 6.5/10
- Episodes: 2 films (OVA series)
- Studio: Geek Toys
- Notable Staff: Part of the Date A Live franchise.
14. Girlfriend, Girlfriend (2021)
- Streaming Availability: Crunchyroll
- Plot: Naoya Mukai’s two-timing scheme backfires when girlfriends Saki and Nagisa cohabitate, escalating into chaotic romantic entanglements.
- Similarities to High School DxD: Absurd harem comedy with fast-paced dialogue, subversion of romance tropes, and fan service as character-driven humor.
- Additional Details:
- MAL Rating: 6.8/10
- Episodes: 24
- Studio: Tezuka Productions
- Notable Staff: Based on Hiroyuki’s manga.
15. Lunar Legend Tsukihime (2003)
- Streaming Availability: Not streaming (DVD-only)
- Plot: Shiki Tohno gains death-perceiving eyes after a trauma, encountering vampire Arcueid Brunestud in a war against deadly “Dead Apostles.”
- Similarities to High School DxD: Supernatural school life, a protagonist navigating dark powers, and romantic tension amid violent conflicts.
- Additional Details:
- MAL Rating: 7.0/10
- Episodes: 12
- Studio: J.C.Staff
- Notable Staff: Based on Type-Moon’s visual novel.
Why These Anime Work for High School DxD Fans
These series resonate with DxD‘s core appeal by merging supernatural power systems with irreverent character dynamics. Like Issei’s underdog journey, protagonists in Demon King Daimao and Strike the Blood grapple with unintended abilities, while Prison School and Seitokai Yakuindomo mirror DxD’s comedic fan service as narrative fuel. Critically, they subvert genre tropes: The Fruit of Grisaia layers psychological depth onto harem conventions, and The Qwaser of Stigmata weaponizes eroticism in battles just as DxD does. For fans seeking the same blend of action, ecchi, and unexpected heart, these underrated titles deliver inventive twists on familiar formulas—proving that DxD’s magic extends beyond the mainstream.
