Assassination Classroom (Japanese: 暗殺教室, Hepburn: Ansatsu Kyōshitsu) is a Japanese science fiction comedy manga series written and illustrated by Yusei Matsui. The series follows the daily life of an extremely powerful octopus-like being working as a junior high homeroom teacher, and his students dedicated to the task of assassinating him to prevent Earth from being destroyed. The students are considered "misfits" in their school and are taught in a separate building; the class he teaches is called 3-E. It was serialized in Shueisha's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump from July 2012 to March 2016, with its chapters collected in twenty-one tankōbon volumes.
Assassination Classroom | |
![]() First tankōbon volume cover, featuring Koro-sensei's face | |
暗殺教室 (Ansatsu Kyōshitsu) | |
---|---|
Genre | |
Manga | |
Written by | Yusei Matsui |
Published by | Shueisha |
English publisher | |
Imprint | Jump Comics |
Magazine | Weekly Shōnen Jump |
Demographic | Shōnen |
Original run | July 2, 2012 – March 25, 2016 |
Volumes | 21 |
Original animation DVD | |
Directed by | Keiji Gotoh |
Music by | Shinsuke Nakamura |
Studio | Brain's Base |
Released | December 27, 2013 |
Runtime | 23 minutes |
Anime television series | |
Directed by | Seiji Kishi |
Produced by | Noriko Ozaki |
Written by | Makoto Uezu |
Music by | Naoki Satō |
Studio | Lerche |
Licensed by | |
Original network | FNS (Fuji TV) |
English network | |
Original run | January 9, 2015 – June 30, 2016 |
Episodes | 47 + 1 OVA |
Anime film | |
Assassination Classroom the Movie: 365 Days | |
Directed by | Seiji Kishi |
Written by | Makoto Uezu |
Music by | Naoki Satō |
Studio | Lerche |
Licensed by | Crunchyroll[b] |
Released | November 19, 2016 |
Runtime | 92 minutes |
Live-action films | |
| |
Video games | |
| |
Spin-off | |
In North America, the manga has been licensed for English language release by Viz Media. The anime series has been licensed by Crunchyroll, formerly known as Funimation. The series was obtained by Madman Entertainment for digital distribution in Australia and New Zealand. An original video animation (OVA) adaptation produced by Brain's Base was screened at the Jump Super Anime Tour from October to November 2013. This was followed by an anime television adaptation by Lerche, which aired on Fuji TV and its affiliate stations from January 2015 to June 2016. A live action film adaptation was released in March 2015, and a sequel, titled Assassination Classroom: Graduation, was released in March 2016.
By September 2016, the Assassination Classroom manga had over 25 million copies in circulation. Both the anime and manga have been received positively.
Plot
editEarth is left in jeopardy after an enormously powerful tentacled creature suddenly appears and destroys 70% of the Moon, leaving it in the shape of a crescent. The creature claims that within a year, he will destroy the planet next. However, he offers mankind a chance to avert this fate.
In class 3-E, the End Class of Kunugigaoka Junior High School, the creature starts working as a homeroom teacher where he teaches his students regular subjects, as well as the ways of assassination. The Japanese government promises a reward of ¥10 billion to whoever among the students succeeds in killing the creature, whom they have named "Koro-sensei".[Jp. 1] However, this proves to be a virtually impossible task, as not only does he have several superpowers at his disposal including accelerated regeneration, visual cloning, an invincible form, and the ability to move and fly at Mach 20, but he is also the best teacher they could ask for, helping them to improve their grades, individual skills, and prospects for the future.
As time goes on, the situation gets even more complicated as other assassins come after Koro-sensei's life, some coveting the reward, others for personal reasons. The students eventually learn the secrets involving him, the Moon's destruction, his ties with their previous homeroom teacher, and the true reason why he must be killed before the end of the school year.
The series is narrated by Nagisa Shiota, one of the students in the class whose main strategy in killing Koro-sensei is making a list of all his weaknesses over time. At first, Nagisa appears to be one of the weaker members of Class 3-E, but he later emerges as one of the most skillful assassins in the class.
Media
editManga
editAssassination Classroom, written and illustrated by Yusei Matsui, was serialized in Shueisha's shōnen manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump from July 2, 2012,[3][4] to March 16, 2016.[5][6] Shueisha collected its 180 chapters in twenty-one tankōbon volumes, released from November 2, 2012,[7] and July 4, 2016.[8] A VOMIC (voiced comic) version, which added voice clips to the manga pages, was featured on the Sakiyomi Jan Bang! variety show between January and June 2013.[9] In North America, the series was licensed for English release by Viz Media.[10] The twenty-one volumes were released between December 2, 2014,[11] and April 3, 2018.[12]
A spin-off manga, titled Koro Sensei Quest, written and illustrated by Kizuku Watanabe and Jō Aoto, was serialized in Shueisha's Saikyō Jump magazine from October 2, 2015,[13] to October 4, 2019.[14]
Anime
editAn original video animation (OVA) based on the series was produced by Brain's Base for the Jump Super Anime Tour and shown at 5 Japanese cities between October 6 and November 24, 2013. It was bundled with the 7th volume of the manga, which released on December 27, 2013.[15] An anime television series based on the manga began airing on Fuji TV from January 9, 2015 and ran for 22 episodes.[16][17] The anime television series was directed by Seiji Kishi at Lerche, with Kazuki Morita as character designer and Makoto Uezu as the lead scriptwriter.[18] An OVA episode was included on the first BD/DVD volume released on March 27, 2015, following a screening at Jump Special Anime Fest in November 2014.[19] The anime had been licensed by Funimation, who simulcast the series as it aired and began a broadcast dub version from February 18, 2015.[20][21] Following Sony's acquisition of Crunchyroll, the series was moved to Crunchyroll.[22] The first opening theme is "Seishun Satsubatsu-ron",[Jp. 2] while the second opening theme is "Jiriki Hongan Revolution";[Jp. 3] both are performed by 3-nen E-gumi Utatan[Jp. 4], a 5-member group consisting of the characters Nagisa Shiota (Mai Fuchigami), Karma Akabane (Nobuhiko Okamoto), Kaede Kayano (Aya Suzaki), Yūma Isogai (Ryota Osaka), and Hiroto Maehara (Shintaro Asanuma). The two openings were released as singles on February 18 and May 27 respectively. The ending theme is "Hello, shooting star" by Moumoon.
The second season of the anime began airing on January 7, 2016 and ran for 25 episodes.[23] The third opening theme is "Question" and the fourth is "Bye Bye Yesterday"[Jp. 5] by 3-nen E-gumi Utatan,[Jp. 6] with singles released on February 24 and May 25 respectively. The second ending theme is "Kaketa Tsuki"[Jp. 7] and the third is "Mata Kimi ni Aeru hi"[Jp. 8] by Shion Miyawaki. Anime Limited has licensed both seasons in the UK.[24][25]
On June 30, 2016, two anime films were announced: Assassination Classroom the Movie: 365 Days and Koro Sensei Quest!. Both aired on November 19, 2016.[26]
Adult Swim's Toonami programming block began broadcasting Funimation's English dub of the anime starting on August 30, 2020.[27]
Singles
editTitle | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
---|---|---|---|
JPN [28] | |||
"Seishun Satsubatsuron" | 2015 | 26 | Non-album singles |
"Jiriki Hongan Revolution" | 37 | ||
"Question" | 2016 | 46 | |
"Bye Bye Yesterday" | 49 |
Film
editA live-action film was released in Japan on March 21, 2015,[29] with Hey! Say! JUMP's Ryosuke Yamada as the main character, and Arashi's Kazunari Ninomiya voicing the tentacled teacher Koro sensei.[30] It opened at number one on the Japanese box office with $3.42 million and as of April 5, 2015, has grossed over $20 million.[31] It was the tenth highest-grossing Japanese film at the Japanese box office in 2015, with ¥2.77 billion (US$23 million).[32] A second film, titled Assassination Classroom: Graduation, was released on March 25, 2016,[33][34] with most of the cast from the original appearing.[35]
Video games
editA video game based on the series, Assassination Classroom: Grand Siege on Koro-sensei,[Jp. 9] was developed by Bandai Namco Games and released on Nintendo 3DS in Japan on March 12, 2015.[36] In January of the same year, Bandai Namco also announced a mobile game based on the Assassination Classroom series, titled Assassination Classroom: Enclosure Time.[Jp. 10] The mobile game released later the same year.[37] A sequel to the 3DS game, Assassination Classroom: Assassin Raising Project!!,[Jp. 11] was released by Bandai Namco for the Nintendo 3DS on March 24, 2016, exclusively in Japan.[38]
Koro-sensei appears as a playable character in J-Stars Victory VS, originally released in Japan for PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita on March 19, 2014, with an international version, J-Stars Victory VS+, released for PS3, PS Vita, and PlayStation 4 in Summer 2015.[39]
Reception
editManga
editSales
editBy May 2013, over one million copies of the first volume were printed,[40][41] and individual volumes frequently appeared on the lists of best-selling manga in Japan.[42][43][44] Volumes 2, 3, 4, 1, 5, and 6 placed 26th, 32nd, 36th, 37th, 41st, and 50th respectively on the list of the best-selling manga volumes of 2013,[45] making it the seventh best-selling manga series in Japan of 2013 with 4,595,820 copies sold.[46] By September 2016, the manga had over 25 million copies in circulation.[47]
Accolades
editAssassination Classroom ranked first in "Nationwide Bookstore Employees' Recommended Comics" by the Honya Club website in 2013.[48] It was nominated for the 6th Manga Taishō.[49] It placed second in male-oriented comics category on the list of "Book of the Year" by Media Factory and manga news magazine Da Vinci.[50] Nippon Shuppan Hanbai elected it the best work of 2013 in their "Recommended Comic Books Across the Country Clerk's Choice".[51] It ranked first on the 2014 Kono Manga ga Sugoi! Top 20 Manga for Male Readers survey by Takarajimasha.[52] In February 2015, Asahi Shimbun announced that Assassination Classroom was one of nine nominees for the nineteenth annual Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize.[53] It was nominated for the Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia in the 2016 Eisner Award.[54] On TV Asahi's Manga Sōsenkyo 2021 poll, in which 150,000 people voted for their top 100 manga series, Assassination Classroom ranked 51st.[55]
Controversies
editIn 2023, the manga was removed from American school libraries—for example, at Gifford Middle School, Florida, and at the Elmbrook School District, Wisconsin—due to its depiction of violence, especially gun violence and towards teachers. The series was also challenged on the basis of its sexually explicit imagery by the Citizens Defending Freedom organization, politician Tim Anderson, and a parent who expressed their concern about the "sexualization of minors".[56]
Anime
editThis section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (January 2023) |
In November 2019, Polygon named Assassination Classroom as one of the best anime of the 2010s.[57]
Notes
edit- ^ In North America through Crunchyroll (formerly known as Funimation) and in Australia through Madman Anime.
- ^ Formerly known as Funimation.
- ^ 殺せんせー, Korosensē, a pun on korosenai (殺せない, lit. 'unkillable') and sensei (先生, lit. 'teacher')
- ^ 青春サツバツ論, lit. 'Youth Murder Theory'
- ^ 自力本願レボリューション, lit. 'Self-Reliance Original Wish Revolution'
- ^ 3年E組うた担
- ^ バイバイ YESTERDAY
- ^ 3年E組うた担
- ^ 欠けた月, lit. 'Waning Moon'
- ^ また君に会える日, lit. 'Until the day we can see you again'
- ^ 暗殺教室 殺せんせー大包囲網!!, Ansatsu Kyōshitsu: Koro-sensei Dai Hōimō
- ^ 暗殺教室 囲い込みの時間, Ansatsu Kyōshitsu: Kakoikomi no Jikan
- ^ 暗殺教室 アサシン育成計画!!, Ansatsu Kyōshitsu: Assassin Ikusei Keikaku!!
References
edit- ^ Jensen, Paul (August 5, 2016). "Five Lessons I Learned From Assassination Classroom". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on September 3, 2023. Retrieved July 8, 2020.
- ^ "The Official Website for Assassination Classroom Manga". Viz Media. Archived from the original on May 6, 2019. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
- ^ Loo, Egan (June 20, 2012). "Neuro Manga's Matsui to Launch Ansatsu Kyōshitsu Series". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 6, 2019. Retrieved July 2, 2014.
- ^ 「ネウロ」の松井優征がジャンプ新連載&「magico」最終回. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. July 2, 2012. Archived from the original on September 3, 2023. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
- ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (February 18, 2016). "Assassination Classroom Manga to End in 5 Chapters". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on October 8, 2016. Retrieved March 18, 2016.
- ^ 「暗殺教室」殺せんせーからの「卒業テスト」で松井優征サイン色紙ゲット. Comic Natalie (in Japanese). Natasha, Inc. March 25, 2016. Archived from the original on September 3, 2023. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
- ^ 暗殺教室 1 (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on September 3, 2023. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
- ^ 暗殺教室 21 (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on September 3, 2023. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
- ^ 『暗殺教室』 集英社ヴォイスコミックステーション-VOMIC- (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on May 4, 2013. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
- ^ Loveridge, Lynzee (March 4, 2014). "Viz Adds Assassination Classroom, Resident Evil Manga". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on April 10, 2022. Retrieved July 2, 2014.
- ^ "Assassination Classroom, Vol. 1". Viz Media. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
- ^ "Assassination Classroom, Vol. 21". Viz Media. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
- ^ "Assassination Classroom Gets Spinoff Manga Series". Anime News Network. September 27, 2015. Archived from the original on March 28, 2022. Retrieved September 27, 2015.
- ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (October 5, 2019). "Koro Teacher Quest! Spinoff Manga Ends". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on September 3, 2023. Retrieved October 5, 2019.
- ^ "Assassination Classroom Anime's 1st Visual Revealed". Anime News Network. August 7, 2013. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved December 6, 2014.
- ^ "Assassination Classroom Anime to Air Late Friday Nights in January". Anime News Network. July 9, 2014. Archived from the original on June 10, 2017. Retrieved July 9, 2014.
- ^ "Assassination Classroom's Teacher Videos, 22-Episode Length Posted". Anime News Network. January 9, 2014. Archived from the original on December 6, 2018. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
- ^ "Persona 4's Seiji Kishi Helms Assassination Classroom at Lerche". Anime News Network. June 15, 2014. Archived from the original on June 9, 2017. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
- ^ "Assassination Classroom Blu-ray/DVDs to Bundle Event Anime". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 26, 2022. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
- ^ "Funimation to Stream Assassination Classroom Anime". Anime News Network. December 18, 2014. Archived from the original on December 19, 2014. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
- ^ "Funimation Dubs Assassination Classroom, Death Parade, Tokyo Ghoul √A, 7 More Winter Shows". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on June 23, 2017. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
- ^ "UPDATE: Funimation Titles Now Available on Crunchyroll (3/16)". Crunchyroll. March 1, 2022. Archived from the original on March 22, 2022. Retrieved March 21, 2022.
- ^ "2nd Assassination Classroom Season's New Visual Revealed, 25-Episode Count Listed". Anime News Network. December 13, 2015. Archived from the original on September 3, 2023. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
- ^ "Anime Limited Acquires Assasination [sic] Classroom and New K". Anime News Network. September 27, 2015. Archived from the original on September 3, 2023. Retrieved September 27, 2015.
- ^ "Anime Limited Acquisitions". Anime News Network. October 27, 2016. Archived from the original on September 3, 2023. Retrieved October 27, 2016.
- ^ "Assassination Classroom, Koro-sensei Q! Manga Get Theatrical Anime Films in November". Anime News Network. June 30, 2016. Archived from the original on May 8, 2019. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
- ^ Hodgkins, Crystalyn (August 20, 2020). "Assassination Classroom Anime Premieres on Toonami on August 29". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on September 3, 2023. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
Assassination Classroom will join the Saturday night lineup starting on August 29. The show will air at 1:00 a.m. EDT (effectively, August 30)
- ^ 3年E組うた担(渚&茅野&業&磯貝&前原) (in Japanese). Oricon. Archived from the original on December 14, 2021. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
- ^ "Assassination Classroom Manga Gets TV Anime & Live-Action Film". Anime News Network. June 23, 2014. Archived from the original on March 23, 2022. Retrieved August 7, 2014.
- ^ "山田涼介、"ふだんの二宮和也"のモノマネを披露!". Eiga.com (in Japanese). March 28, 2015. Archived from the original on December 4, 2023. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
- ^ Gavin J. Blair (April 13, 2015). "Japan Box Office: 'Birdman' Opens in Sixth Spot in Limited Release". The Hollywood Reporter. (Prometheus Global Media). Archived from the original on March 4, 2021. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
- ^ "Top 10 Grossing Domestic Japanese Films of 2015 Listed". Anime News Network. January 1, 2016. Archived from the original on March 29, 2016. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
- ^ "Assassination Classroom Gets 2nd Anime Season, Sequel Live-Action Film". Anime News Network. April 24, 2015. Archived from the original on June 27, 2017. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
- ^ 暗殺教室 卒業編. Eiga.com (in Japanese). Archived from the original on June 19, 2022. Retrieved March 29, 2016.
- ^ 『暗殺教室~卒業編~』地上波初&本編ノーカット!キャストが豪華すぎ!. Cinema Today (in Japanese). March 30, 2020. Archived from the original on December 4, 2023. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
- ^ "Assassination Classroom 3DS Game's 3rd Promo Video Previews Gameplay". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on May 6, 2021. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
- ^ Loo, Egan (January 13, 2015). "Assassination Classroom 3DS, Smartphone Games Previewed in TV Ads". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on September 3, 2023. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
- ^ Blyden, Jabulani (March 20, 2016). "Assassination Classroom 3DS Game's 1st Gameplay Video Streamed". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on September 3, 2023. Retrieved October 12, 2021.
- ^ Steve Baltimore (December 21, 2014). "J-Stars Victory VS+ Is Coming to North America". oprainfall. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
- ^ "Kuroko's Basketball, Assassination Classroom's 1st Books Each Top 2 Million Copies in Print". Anime News Network. May 14, 2013. Archived from the original on February 23, 2022. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
- ^ 暗殺教室:コミックス1巻が半年で100万部 異例の大台突破- 毎日jp(毎日新聞). Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). May 13, 2013. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
- ^ "Japanese Comic Ranking, April 28–May 4". Anime News Network. May 8, 2013. Archived from the original on August 17, 2022. Retrieved May 15, 2013.
- ^ "Japanese Comic Ranking, July 1–7". Anime News Network. July 10, 2013. Archived from the original on December 17, 2018. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
- ^ "Japanese Comic Ranking, May 6–12". Anime News Network. May 15, 2013. Archived from the original on July 6, 2022. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
- ^ "Top-Selling Manga in Japan by Volume: 2013". Anime News Network. December 1, 2013. Archived from the original on December 2, 2017. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
- ^ "Top-Selling Manga in Japan by Series: 2013". Anime News Network. December 1, 2013. Archived from the original on December 2, 2013. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
- ^ 山本舞香、ワイヤーアクションで華麗に成長!?『暗殺教室~卒業編~』メイキング公開. Cinemacafe (in Japanese). September 27, 2016. Archived from the original on October 18, 2016. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
- ^ "Japanese Bookstores Recommend 15 Top Manga of 2013". Anime News Network. February 4, 2013. Archived from the original on October 8, 2013. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
- ^ "Akimi Yoshida's Umimachi Diary Wins 6th Manga Taisho Award". Anime News Network. March 21, 2013. Archived from the original on October 8, 2013. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
- ^ "Da Vinci Magazine Lists Top Manga in 1st Half of 2013". Anime News Network. June 8, 2013. Archived from the original on July 31, 2017. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
- ^ 日販「全国書店員が選んだおすすめコミック2013」発表 (in Japanese). Nippan. February 4, 2013. Archived from the original on June 19, 2013. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
- ^ "Top Manga Ranked by Kono Manga ga Sugoi 2014 Voters". Anime News Network. December 9, 2013. Archived from the original on May 8, 2014. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
- ^ "19th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize Nominees Announced". Anime News Network. March 23, 2015. Archived from the original on March 22, 2015. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
- ^ Cavna, Michael (April 19, 2016). "2016 Eisner Awards: 'The Oscars of comics' announces record number of nominations for women". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on August 8, 2020. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
- ^ Loveridge, Lynzee (January 5, 2021). "TV Asahi Announces Top 100 Manga Voted on By 150,000 Readers". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
- ^ Cayanan, Joanna; Loo, Egan (April 12, 2023). "Assassination Classroom Manga Removed From Florida, Wisconsin School Libraries". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on September 3, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2023.
- ^ "The best anime of the decade". Polygon. November 6, 2019. Archived from the original on December 20, 2019. Retrieved January 24, 2020.
External links
edit- Official manga website at Weekly Shōnen Jump (in Japanese)
- Official manga website at Viz Media
- Official anime website (in Japanese)
- Assassination Classroom (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia