Assassination Classroom

Assassination Classroom is an enjoyable, if overrated, series. It's one that started off merely okay, but it certainly improved as it progressed and I read more and more. First of all, the premise is certainly unique. A super powerful creature threatens to destroy the world, yet he wants to teach a middle school class? It's a concept that will leave you wondering what's going on, and this is something the series uses to keep you going: What are Koro-sensei's secrets, and when will we discover them? And I can say that while you do have to wait quite a while to find out everything, it's certainlyworth it. There's a drip feed of information that we get throughout the story, and I do think this was the correct way to do it, rather than dump a ton of exposition on us all at once. Aside from Koro-sensei's backstory, the series mostly focuses on Koro-sensei helping his students overcome various challenges they face in their lives, which helps to develop both the students and Koro-sensei. We get to see Koro-sensei acting like a real teacher, helping the students deal with real problems. Things do change up occasionally to something a bit more serious, such as an elaborate assassination attempt that the students have planned out, or the students having to deal with something the school principal has planned to sabotage them. Now the story is definitely not perfect. In the beginning, I found myself not enjoying this series as much as I thought I would from the hype it gets. The main problem I feel the series had was consistency -- it would fluctuate between exciting and mundane. In the end, it created the feeling that every time it would start to get really good, it would immediately lose all of its momentum as it drifted back to something much less interesting. This problem is gradually reduced as it goes on, but it was a huge issue that kept me from really getting into the series for a while. And what is the story without characters? And oh boy, does this series have a lot of them. It's extremely challenging for a series to develop a large supporting cast without making pacing drag or getting formulaic (i.e., a pattern of each character getting a story all in a row). The story calls for an entire classroom of children, their teachers, and more. Unfortunately it just wasn't possible to flesh all of these characters out in any sort of reasonable amount of time while also moving the story forward. Instead, most of the attention is placed on just a few characters: Nagisa, Kaede, Karma, Koro-sensei, Karasuma-sensei, Bitch-sensei, and the school principal. While most of the other characters are at least touched upon, they are mostly relegated to the background. What was nice was that even though most of their development was unseen by us, they would continue to appear and have consistent traits, so clearly the author had personalities for all of them. That all being said, the characters who do receive the most attention are all very interesting and well-developed. They each have different motivations in the situations we find them in, and it's never really unclear why a character is acting a certain way (barring when that mystery is a plot point). I found the art to be pretty standard. Certainly not bad, but nothing that made me sit back and truly admire a page or panel. Unfortunately the large supporting cast combined with the limited colors available to a mangaka can sometimes make it difficult to figure out who's who, at least for the background characters. The main characters are all visually distinct and you'll never find yourself mistaking them for anyone else, but I often found myself saying, "Wait, who's that again?" when it came to some of the lesser characters. Overall I think Assassination Classroom is a series that, while flawed, is still an enjoyable ride. The story really gets going toward the end when a lot of things are finally revealed to the reader. It's just that getting there can be a bit tough at first.

NO SPOILERS Assassination Classroom was a manga I didn't really like when I read the first volume. Was it the odd premise? Or the somewhat bland characters? I couldn't tell you, but I decided to come back to it after I heard it would end in five weeks. I'm glad I did, because I found a very well done manga that has a somewhat rough start. STORY ----- Assassination Classroom's premise is very odd to say the least. Class E3, the worst of the worst, have been given a special assignment: Kill their new teacher, punnily named Korosensei by one of the students, before their graduation in March.A somewhat odd plot, I know, but there is so much more as the story begins to expand after the first volume. The story, initially, takes a backseat to another component of the manga(more on that later). The story really does start to get interesting around the 7th volume, and only heightens throughout the story. If there is one problem with the story of the manga, it's that it didn't seem to know when to end. Without going into details, I felt it could have ended earlier than it initially did, but then Matsui decides to make 4 other 'side chapters' that, yes, may not be connected to the story, but honestly left an undesirable taste in my mouth. I didn't read them initially, because I felt that they didn't serve a purpose. Despite that, the story is one that I feel everyone should read. (9/10) ART ----- I have not read Matsui's previous work(namely Neuro), so I can't comment on how Matsui's art has evolved from his previous endeavors, but when the series first started, the art wasn't particularly great. I felt that it had lacked it's own identity, but was passable. However, as the series went on, it seemed to get it's own identity, and this is expressed most through it's character designs. (9/10) Character ----- If this manga did one thing perfectly, it was its characters. We do have a main character, but Matsui takes a route less taken with the initial storytelling: Focusing on the class as a group of characters. Instead of focusing on a only a group of characters, all of the classmates have distinctive characteristics that make them unique. Remember earlier when I said that the story initially takes a backseat in it's first 7 volumes? You rarely notice it because of how wonderful the small stories are that focus on one of the classmates. There aren't any annoying characters in the class. When it comes to antagonists, the series has them covered as well. To a power-mad principal to a master assassin, there are many great antagonists in the series. The great thing about them is that they all have their own justifications for what they are doing. (10/10) ENJOYMENT ----- I enjoyed this manga quite a lot. There are many great small arcs that are not only funny, but help develop our favorite class of underdogs, and some of the arcs that have massive revelations can be exciting and heart-wrenching, sometimes both at the same time. I had a great time reading this manga(9/10) OVERALL ----- I felt this was a great manga. The characters were great, the story was great, and I found myself reading the entire manga in the span of 5 weeks, something I had only done for Jojo's bizarre adventure before. I feel this is a great manga, and I'd recommend this manga. I can't wait for Matsui's next work. (9/10)

Assassination Classroom (affectionately referred to as 'AssClass' by some) is probably one of the more notable shōnen manga of the 2010's, and for good reason. With a strong narrative supported by strong character development and a consistent quality of art, Assassination Classroom has made its mark in the market. [Story - 9] The premise alone is rather unique: A follow-the-class-through-the-school-year story with a covert-operation-to-kill-the-superhuman twist, the 2 concepts surprisingly blend together well and boost each other up when needed. While the beginning is admittedly slow + the presence of some occasional filler in the first half, the pace is rather consistent, with each arc having someform of tension/payoff/consequence that is emotionally satisfying in their own way. The ending arc is /extremely/ fulfilling, yet bittersweet, and was worth the investment of time. The themes are naturally school-related, such as the 'right' way to educate and the bond between classmates, but also have a mix of action themes (the lives of many vs. the lives of one + the impact of a life in violence). There is plenty of shōnen-type comedy (slapstick + ecchi) found in the manga (right up to the end!), but the comedy also serves to frame the melodramatic moments in a fitting light. All, if not almost all, of the questions the reader may have are answered with a satisfying explanation, and have enough foreshadowing to warrant a re-read to see the cleverness. [Art - 8] The art may appear rather simplistic at first, but upon further reading, brings out more enjoyment in the story. The various background details (typically tongue-in-cheek) and shading palettes are appealing enough, but character design reigns here. The design of Korosensei (the protagonist and mascot) alone is enough, but Matsui takes it further by showcasing the various facial expressions, colours, and shapes he can take on (whether for comedy, melodrama, or both). The 3 'star' students (Nagisa, Karma, Kaede), the various other teachers (Karasuma, Irina), the major antagonists, and /some/ of the supporting cast in the classroom all have their own distinctive designs; Unfortunately, the rest do not sport such qualities and are typically adorned in the private school's uniform. The rest of the characters (such as the various assassins) have typically realistic designs, with not much to be said there. [Character - 7] While there is one (but noticeable) flaw in some characters, it can be outweighed by the sheer uniqueness of the rest. Korosensei easily takes the cake here, with an endearing 'cheerily intelligent pervert' (for lack of a stronger description) characterization that hides a lot more depth (which is shown at a crucial point). He is easily likeable, between the various antics he is involved in and the heartwarming amount of love he has for his students. The 3 'star' students each shine in their own way which, to avoid spoilers, can be summed up as this: Nagisa hides a darker self behind a meek-cute mask while searching for purpose, Karma's ambition comes into conflict with his chaotic behaviour, and Kaede's conflict....well, that has to be seen in the manga. Karasuma and Irina contrast each other nicely, and are able to stand alone (though Irina has more of these moments). While they may not be as relevant to the plot as Korosensei and the kids, they are definitely major players and deserve recognition for what they contribute (especially in the 'God of Death/Shinigami' arc). The 4 (initially 5, but you shall see why) antagonists are captivating: Chairman Asano demands the best from everyone possible and can stand his own same ground against Karasuma and Korosensei, Shiro is a man cloaked both physically and contextually but always comes prepared, Takaoka is hellbent on revenge after causing his own downfall, and the 'God of Death/Shinigami' is easily the most physically distinctive (and terrifying) of the 4. The 'lost fifth' antagonist appears rather early on, and while does not have much development devoted to them outside of having the lead role in an arc, is rather intriguing to both see and read. The flaw mentioned at the beginning, however, did hamper some of the experience. It was the extensive cast: with 28 students in the class, 3 full-time teachers, a whole campus of teachers and students, and various other figures, it was natural for some to be underdeveloped. However, when it comes to some of the classmates in Class-E, it is most noticeable. Outside of an occasional 'character-of-the-week' chapter in the first half of the manga, they tend to just fill in panel space or serve as comedic actors. The main campus teachers and students (save for several in Class-A) are typical 'we-hate-them-because-they-suck-despite-actually-being-talented' types. and the various assassins are edgy goons. This flaw, however, is partially remedied by the collective development of the class as a whole group. This is most noticeable after a schism occurs in the class (and is addressed in a fitting all-out battle), and ties back into the theme of 'classmate bonding'. [Enjoyment/Overall - 8] Despite some nitpicking, I found this manga to be rather enjoyable! It had just the right blend of comedy and drama, solid pacing despite a rough beginning, and unique characterization and design to make this a rather fun read. While I wouldn't call this a favourite, it's not because its flaw(s), but rather just a 'personal thing' and I appreciate having fully read it. I highly recommend it if you want a subversive school shōnen with plenty of action and laughs, but with the capacity for rumination and melodrama.

Assassination Classroom is not fot everyone. Its concept is weird and it kind of makes you question whether you should read it or not at first. However, once you get used to the concept, it actually becomes pretty balanced. Story-wise, it's a pretty chill manga that offers you that one bit of relaxation. You don't have to waste brain power to understand what's going on. It's also pretty funny; the humor is simple but effective. There are gags that play many times without getting boring. That's what happens at the beginning. After a certain point, Assassination Classroom becomes way more interesting and you'll find yourself investedin it. Action, deep meanings, great humor, anger, you'll feel it all. You can see that there's a big backstory that just hasn't been revealed yet and that makes it all the more great. Later on, the whole story is finally coming to an end and everything is revealed; from Koro-sensei's backstory to the reason the moon was destroyed. The story finally gets what we call a "deep shit", as everything becomes more serious towards the second half of the season. After a certain point, you get so invested in the story that you cannot stop reading. There are also several good plot twists that do seem to have a certain justification. They are not the typical "let's shake the reader" plot twists. They're pretty well explained later on and they just add to the story. Regarding the characters, they're all exceptionally unique. Yuusei Matsui managed to create ~35 different characters that still feel so different from each other. The students' designs (apart from the protagonists) are not too unique, but they aren't bland either. You can distinguish them all easily and you'll also like them all. Their personalities are loveable and fairly realistic. Korosensei himself is a really interesting character, just like the protagonist students and the rest of class E's teachers. The best part about them is that there's an harmony between them. They all have their own quirks and talents and they blend in so well to the point that they make a great team. The character development is fair, some get more, some do not, but it's always enough to make you like them all. The art is not really exceptional. It's pretty ok, actually. It doesn't stand out, but it doesn't disappoint or disturb you. On the other hand, the way it presents some things, like some comparisons (i.e. comparing a trait or a situation to an animal or something extraordinary), is great and really memorable. The way it represents someone's talent with a snake every time is pretty accurate and beautiful in a sense. The ending is one of the most satisfying ones I've ever read. It really wraps up the story so greatly. It's certainly heartbreaking and touching but you can't think anything else than "that's just how it had to end, no better way to do that". Perhaps I shed one or two tears along the way. Overall, although a long one, it was a great journey with many great morals and awesome characters, plot and ending. Absolutely recommended to those who are not afraid to taste something weird and funny.