Issei Hyoudou is the canonical protagonist of the fictional story light novel series High School DxD, and is the protagonist of the fanfiction story, "High School DxD: Night of the Phantom." He was originally a first-year student at Kuoh Academy, though was expelled after an altercation with a drunk politician. He later transferred to Shujin High School. After certain events, Issei becomes known as the masked vigilante thief known as "Joker (ジョーカー, Jōkā)" otherwise known to the public as The Phantom (ファントム, Fantomu). He is also the leader and founder of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts.