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Irina Shidou

Irina Shidou (紫藤 イリナ, Shidō Irina) is a prominent female protagonist in High School DxD and is known as the childhood friend of Issei Hyoudou. Currently a third-year student in Class 3-B at Kuoh Academy, Irina is a devout Christian who continues to uphold her faith and teachings even after the revelation of God’s death.

In a significant turn of events, she is later reincarnated as an Angel by the Archangel Michael through one of the Brave Saints, earning the title of “Ace of Spades” within his peerage. Additionally, Irina is one of Issei’s fiancées, adding complexity to their relationship throughout the series.

“
To be an angel isn’t just about wings or powers; it’s about the will to protect those we care about.
 ”
— Irina Shidou

Appearance

Sultan Abdulmejid (left) with Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Emperor Napoleon III of France

Xenovia ’s full appearance.

Irina Shidou is a striking young woman with violet eyes and long chestnut hair, typically styled in twintails secured with blue scrunchies. She occasionally lets her hair down for a more relaxed look. Her body measurements are B87-W59-H89 cm (B34-W23-H35 in), and she stands at a height of 164 cm (5 feet 4 inches) with a weight of 56 kg.

Irina’s attire consists of the standard Church battle outfit, which closely resembles Xenovia’s, though with minor variations. Upon transferring to Kuoh Academy and moving into the Hyoudou Residence, she adopts the school’s girls’ uniform, which includes black shorts worn underneath her skirt and stylish white sneakers with blue accents.

After her transformation into an Angel by Michael, Irina proudly displays a red “A” on her right hand, signifying her rank as Michael’s Ace. She also gains a pair of white Angel wings, and by Volume 17, she has developed a total of four wings.


Personality

Irina Shidou is characterized by her cheerful, carefree, and upbeat nature. She approaches life with enthusiasm and is known for her cooperative and open-minded attitude towards others. For instance, she engages in discussions with Arthur Pendragon about Excalibur Ruler, despite the topic being secretive in nature.

A fiercely devout Christian, Irina’s commitment to her faith surpasses even that of her friend Xenovia. She holds a deep respect for God’s teachings and initially exhibits a harsh demeanor towards those she perceives as opposing her beliefs. This is evident in her treatment of Asia Argento upon their first encounter and her reaction to Xenovia’s transformation into a Devil. The revelation of God’s death profoundly shocks Irina; however, she remains steadfast in her beliefs, transferring her faith to Michael, the current “God.” Over time, she develops close friendships with Asia and the other members of the Occult Research Club, eventually joining their ranks.

As noted by Michael, Irina possesses qualities such as innocence, honesty, respectfulness, and friendliness—traits that he values and that led to her selection as his Ace.

Irina begins to experience “impure thoughts” regarding Issei, which causes her Angel wings to flicker between white and black, signifying the risk of her falling from her status as a true Angel to that of a Fallen Angel if she succumbs to her desires. She is sensitive about being labeled as “self-proclaiming” and often finds it annoying. After sharing a kiss with Issei, Irina becomes bolder in their relationship, showing a willingness to embrace her feelings for him despite her previous concerns about “falling.” This newfound boldness also leads her to become more open about her desires, as she expresses a longing to be intimate with Issei without reservation.

History

Irina Shidou hails from a family deeply rooted in the Church; her father serves as both a pastor and exorcist within the Protestant tradition and possesses a currently unidentified Holy Sword. Growing up, she was a close childhood friend of Issei Hyoudou, initially perceived as a boy due to her tomboyish appearance. The two shared a strong bond and often played together, with one notable moment being when Irina kissed Issei while he was asleep at her home.

Her life took a turn when she moved to England with her family due to her father’s job, where she began training to become an exorcist for the Protestant Church. At the age of 14, Irina was granted the ability to wield Holy Swords through the Holy Element and was assigned Excalibur Mimic, continuing the legacy of her father. Shortly after, she became partnered with Xenovia Quarta, and together they undertook a mission to eliminate a stray vampire from the House of Manthar.

During her journey, Irina also encountered and clashed swords with a knight from Riser Phenex’s Peerage named Karlamine, showcasing her skills as an exorcist and her commitment to her duties.

Powers & Abilities

Sultan Abdulmejid (left) with Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom and Emperor Napoleon III of France

Irina radiates power as she unleashes her light halos.

    • Light Power: As an Angel, Irina possesses the ability to harness Light Powers, enabling her to create a variety of effects that enhance her combat capabilities.

    • Light-Based Weapons: Irina can conjure weapons formed from light, such as Light Swords. In the anime, she demonstrates the ability to create powerful light halos that can ensnare opponents, including formidable foes like one of Fenrir’s sons. In Volume DX.4, she develops a technique that generates rings of light that home in on enemies while radiating intense illumination. Additionally, in Volume 25, she manifests a light whip that resembles Excalibur Mimic.

    • Artificial Holy Sword Wielder: After absorbing the Light Container, Irina gains the ability to wield artificial Holy Swords, including Excalibur Mimic and later Hauteclere.

    • Enhanced Speed: While she may not reach the speed of top-tier fighters like Yuuto Kiba, Irina has trained extensively as an Exorcist, allowing her to dodge attacks with remarkable agility, such as effortlessly evading Jeanne’s strikes.

    • Enhanced Luck: Irina has also received Ophis’ blessing, which enhances her luck. This newfound fortune was highlighted when she placed second in a lottery.

    • Master Swordswoman: Irina is a highly skilled swordswoman, adept at utilizing her speed to perform intricate maneuvers. She has demonstrated her prowess by fighting evenly with Jeanne during their initial confrontation. By Volume 19, her swordsmanship has advanced to the point where she can hold her own against Ewald Cristaldi, who wields a replica of Excalibur. Tomoe Meguri has noted that Irina’s skills are exceptionally high.

    • Skilled Magician: Beyond her physical abilities, Irina is recognized as a proficient magician specializing in Holy Magic as part of her Exorcist training. She is also expanding her magical knowledge by learning from Rossweisse.

    • Defensive Magic: Irina can generate defensive magical circles to protect herself during battles, as demonstrated in her confrontation with Loki.

    • Teleportation Magic: She possesses the ability to use teleportation magic, allowing her to transport herself and others over distances instantly.

    • Flight: As an Angel, Irina has the ability to fly, utilizing her angelic wings.

Equipment

  • Hauteclere: Irina’s primary weapon, a Holy Sword bestowed upon her by her father. Hauteclere is renowned for its purification abilities, capable of cleansing those struck by its blade, even if they are enemies.

Formerly

  • Excalibur Mimic: Irina’s initial weapon, obtained through artificial means. This Holy Sword can transform into any shape according to its wielder’s wishes. Irina eventually relinquished this sword to Xenovia, where it was fused with Durandal.

  • Katana: Irina often wields Excalibur Mimic in the form of a katana, utilizing its versatility in battle.

  • Holy Demonic Sword: A prototype sword Irina received from Heaven in Volume 12, inspired by Yuuto Kiba’s Sword of Betrayer. This weapon allows her to harness various elemental attributes, including fire, ice, and lightning, enhancing her combat strategy.

Trivia

    • Irina’s birthday is on September 29th.
    • The nameIrina(Ирина) is of Ancient Greek origin, derived from Eirene (Εἰρήνη), the goddess of peace.
    • Her last name, Shidou, translates to “Purple Wisteria.”
    • Among all the girls, Irina has known Issei the longest and was the first to kiss him.
    • She is known for calling herself an “Angel,” earning her the title “Self-Proclaiming Angel,” and was mockingly referred to as the “Self-Proclaimed Childhood Friend.”
    • According to Issei, she inherited her father’s tendency to daydream and her mother’s energetic personality.
    • Among the Church Trio (Irina, Xenovia, and Asia), she has the strongest faith in God and fell into a seven-day depression after learning about His death.
    • In Rating Game fighting types, Irina is classified as a Technique-type closer to a Wizard-type.
    • Irina sometimes guest stars in Asia and Xenovia’s expository videos on DeviTube about daily school life, contributing to their popularity.
    • She has a hobby of baking bread and once dreamed of opening a bakery after graduation, but gave up that wish to help rebuild Heaven.
    • Irina was featured in Weekly Brave Angel, a magazine at the church where she works, gaining popularity among male members.
    • She is popular among people aware of Angels.
    • Irina and Xenovia became engaged to Issei at the same time, making her the fifth to ask.
    • She is the first bride of Issei not to be part of his or Rias’ peerage and not to be a Devil.
    • Irina wishes to have her wedding take place in Heaven.
    • Upon her promotion to Ultimate Class Angel, she was awarded her own Suit of Spades.
    • Her name, along with Xenovia’s, was chosen whimsically by the author while spending a Sunday on a riverbank.
    • In the Light Novel and Anime, Irina is described as an artificial Holy Sword wielder, while the Manga states she is a natural-born Holy Sword wielder like Xenovia.
    • The manga “Samurai Vatican” and the protagonist of “Oda Nobuna,” mentioned by Irina in “Stop! Yuuto-kun!,” reference another light novel series called “The Ambition of Oda Nobuna” by Miyama-Zero.