I get asked this question constantly. Every time a new anime season rolls around and someone rewatches High School DxD, the DMs start flooding in. “Is there more?” “Did it end?” “Should I read the light novel?” So let me lay it all out for you, because the answer is both simpler and more complicated than you’d expect.
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TL;DR
- The main High School DxD light novel (25 volumes) is complete as of March 2018
- The sequel, Shin High School DxD, has been on indefinite hiatus since February 2020 (4 volumes released)
- English translation by Yen Press has 15 of 25 main volumes out, with the full series expected by 2029
- A Junior High DxD spinoff launched in Japan in 2024 but is separate continuity
More about High School DxD
More about High School DxD
Is the Main High School DxD Light Novel Series Complete?
Yes. The main High School DxD light novel series is finished. Ichiei Ishibumi wrapped up the story at 25 volumes, with the final volume releasing on March 20, 2018 in Japan. The original run started back in September 2008 under Fujimi Shobo’s Fujimi Fantasia Bunko imprint, so we’re talking about a decade-long journey from start to finish.
And the ending actually lands. Volume 25 closes out the Apocalypse arc with the faction-wide alliance against Trihexa, tying up the major threads Ishibumi had been building since the earliest volumes. Issei’s character arc reaches a satisfying conclusion. The three-faction politics get resolved. The harem situation gets addressed (yes, really). I’ve read series that run half as long and can’t stick the landing. DxD pulls it off.
Here’s the full arc breakdown so you can see how the story is structured across those 25 volumes:
- Volumes 1-2: Red Dragon Emperor’s Awakening. Issei’s reincarnation as a devil, Raynare, first Rating Game against Riser Phoenix
- Volumes 3-4: Excalibur arc. Kiba’s revenge storyline, Excalibur fragments
- Volumes 5-7: Underworld arc. Training camp, Rias’s forced engagement, Loki encounter
- Volumes 7-12: Heroic Oppai Dragon. Issei’s rise as a celebrity devil, Cao Cao and the Hero Faction. Widely considered peak DxD
- Volumes 13-18: Qlippoth / Evil Dragon crisis. Issei’s death and revival
- Volumes 19-25: Apocalypse / Final arc. Trihexa, ultimate battles, series conclusion
So if your only question is “does the main story have an ending?” the answer is a clear yes. But that’s not the whole picture.
What Happened to Shin High School DxD?
This is where things get frustrating. Ishibumi launched a direct sequel called Shin High School DxD in July 2018, just four months after wrapping the main series. It picks up immediately after volume 25. Issei and his peerage are third-years at Kuoh Academy, facing new threats connected to Qlippoth remnants. Four volumes came out between July 2018 and February 2020.
Then nothing. Over six years of silence as of 2026.
Ishibumi cited health issues as the reason for the hiatus. There’s been no official announcement about resumption, no timeline, no “coming back next year” update. The story in Shin DxD is unresolved. Four volumes in, the plot was still building toward something, and then it just stopped.
I’ll be honest with you. After six-plus years with zero updates, I’m not holding my breath. I’ve been burned by indefinite hiatuses before (No Game No Life readers, you know the pain). Could it come back? Sure. But planning your reading around it feels unwise. The main 25-volume series stands on its own, and that’s the story I’d recommend committing to.
How Far Along Is the English Translation?
Yen Press holds the English license for the main series and has been releasing volumes at a pace of about 3-4 per year. The first English volume dropped in October 2020, and as of 2026, we’re up to volume 15. That puts English readers at roughly 60% of the main story.
The upcoming release schedule looks like this:
- Volume 16: May 20, 2025
- Volume 17: November 11, 2025
- Volume 18: July 14, 2026
- Volumes 19-25: TBA, estimated 2027-2029 at current pace
Haydn Trowell has been the consistent translator throughout, which is great for quality and consistency. If you’re an English-only reader and want the complete main series, you’re looking at roughly 2028 or 2029 before all 25 volumes are available.
One important note: neither the DX side story volumes (7 total) nor Shin High School DxD have an English license. No announcements on that front either. The DX volumes are short story collections published in Dragon Magazine. They’re enrichment material, not essential for the main plot. But it stings not having official access to them.
What About the Junior High DxD Spinoff?
This trips people up, so let me be clear. A spinoff called Junior High School DxD launched in Japan in May 2024, with a manga adaptation starting in April 2025. It features the main cast in a junior high school setting. It is entirely separate continuity from both the main series and Shin DxD.
This is NOT a continuation of the story. It’s not Shin DxD volume 5. It’s a lighthearted alternate-setting spinoff. Don’t conflate the two. The spinoff existing doesn’t tell us anything about whether Shin DxD will resume.
Should You Read the Light Novel If You’ve Only Watched the Anime?
Absolutely yes. And I say that as someone who watched the anime first too.
The anime covers roughly volumes 1-10 across four seasons. That’s less than half the story. Seasons 1 and 2 are solid adaptations of volumes 1-4. Season 4 Hero does a respectable job with volumes 9-10. But Season 3 BorN is a disaster that actively damages the source material.
Here’s what happened with BorN. Studio TNK crammed volumes 5-7 into one season, then wrote an entirely anime-original ending for episodes 10-12 that contradicted Sacred Gear and Devil system mechanics. Ishibumi himself confirmed those episodes are non-canonical. When Passione replaced TNK for Season 4, they literally opened with Episode 0 to retcon BorN’s damage and re-adapt volume 8 events that were skipped. It’s a well-documented canonical retcon with few parallels in modern anime.
Volume 8 by itself is reason enough to pick up the light novels. BorN completely skipped it, and it contains critical development for the Rias/Issei relationship. But the real selling point is volumes 11 through 25. That’s fifteen volumes of unadapted story. The Heroic Oppai Dragon arc climax, the Evil Dragon crisis, the full Apocalypse finale. Over 60% of the main story exists only in the light novel.
Issei’s internal monologue alone makes the LN worthwhile. The anime gives you surface-level perverted comedy. The novels show you his actual motivations, his insecurities, his growth from a shameless kid into someone who genuinely earns every power-up through emotional conviction. Mid-series Issei (volumes 8-12 specifically) is a significantly stronger protagonist than anything the anime portrays.
Will There Be a Season 5 of the Anime?
As of 2026, no Season 5 has been announced. The last season aired in 2018. That’s an eight-year gap.
The franchise hit 7.8 million copies in print worldwide as of May 2024, which triggered a wave of “Season 5 confirmed!” speculation across anime media. But speculation isn’t confirmation. There’s more than enough source material for multiple seasons. Volumes 11-25 would comfortably fill three or four cours of anime. The demand clearly exists. But no studio has been announced and no production has been confirmed.
If Season 5 does happen, it would logically pick up with the Heroic Oppai Dragon arc climax (volumes 11-12) before moving into the Qlippoth arc. Passione would presumably return as the studio. But I’ve been following anime production long enough to know that “it makes sense” and “it will happen” are different sentences. Don’t wait for Season 5 to experience the rest of the story. Read the light novel.
How Does the Ecchi Content Factor Into Whether You Should Read It?
I’m going to be direct here because I think a lot of reviews dance around this. High School DxD is an ecchi series. It was ecchi at volume 1, it’s ecchi at volume 25, and it does not apologize for that at any point. The fanservice is front-loaded in the early volumes and stays present throughout the entire run. Issei’s character motivation is literally tied to it.
What changes is the emotional depth. The ecchi doesn’t go away, but the character writing, the world-building, and the stakes grow substantially alongside it. By volume 10, you’re reading genuinely strong supernatural politics wrapped around a three-faction war while Issei is still being Issei. DxD doesn’t “get serious eventually.” It stays ecchi AND gets serious. Both at the same time.
If ecchi is a dealbreaker for you, this isn’t your series. No amount of excellent world-building (and the three-faction system with Evil Pieces and Sacred Gears is genuinely excellent, pulling from Norse, Hindu, and Greek mythology) will change that. But if you can roll with it or actively enjoy it, the payoff in volumes 7-12 especially is real. The Heroic Oppai Dragon arc earned that reputation for a reason.
What’s the Bottom Line on High School DxD’s Status in 2026?
The main story is done. 25 volumes, complete, satisfying ending. That’s the core answer.
The sequel (Shin DxD) is on indefinite hiatus after 4 volumes. The English translation is at volume 15 of 25 and won’t be fully caught up until around 2028-2029. No Season 5 anime has been announced. A spinoff exists in Japan but it’s separate continuity.
My recommendation? Start reading the main series now. Don’t wait for the English translation to finish if you’re already watching the anime. Jump in at volume 1 for the full experience, or start at volume 5 if you trust the Season 1-2 anime adaptation and want to get past the BorN mess. Either way, you’re picking up a completed story with a proper ending. That’s more than a lot of light novel franchises can say.
DxD earned its 7.8 million copies. The world-building is deep and the power system is elegant. Issei’s growth from volumes 1 to 25 is a rewarding character arc by any standard in the genre. Yes, it’s ecchi the whole way through. Yes, it’s still worth your time.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many volumes of High School DxD are there?
The main series has 25 volumes, all complete. There are also 7 DX side story volumes, 4 Shin DxD sequel volumes (on hiatus), and an ongoing Junior High DxD spinoff in Japan. The main 25-volume series is the core story with a full ending.
Is Shin High School DxD cancelled?
Shin DxD has not been officially cancelled, but it has been on indefinite hiatus since February 2020. Author Ichiei Ishibumi cited health issues. With over six years of no updates and no resumption timeline, the future of the sequel is uncertain.
Where does the High School DxD anime leave off in the light novel?
Season 4 Hero ends at volume 10. That means volumes 11-25 (fifteen volumes and over 60% of the story) are completely unadapted. The Heroic Oppai Dragon climax, Evil Dragon crisis, and entire Apocalypse finale exist only in the light novels.
When will the High School DxD English translation be complete?
At Yen Press’s current pace of 3-4 volumes per year, the full 25-volume English translation should be complete around 2028-2029. Volume 15 is the latest release as of 2026, with volumes 16-18 confirmed through July 2026.
Should I skip Season 3 BorN and read the light novel instead?
The community consensus is to skip BorN episodes 10-12, which are anime-original and confirmed non-canonical by the author. Season 4 Hero opens with Episode 0 to retcon BorN’s ending. Reading volumes 5-8 of the light novel gives you the actual story those episodes butchered.