 Sheena McNeil of Sequential Tart also commended the diversity and character designs in the "High School DxD" anime, including Rias.THEM Anime Reviews' Stig Høgset found Rias' personality to be "an even mix of a lot of things", pointing out the relationship between her and Issei to be similar to those of a big sister and little brother, yet, despite this being "endearing", her character is "kind of a badass as well".However, Rias' role as a damsel in distress trope in the last few episodes of the anime was criticized, as well as the "inevitability that Rias ends up falling in love with [Issei]."