Alternate Titles
ようこそ実力至上主義の教室へ 2nd Season
Yokoso Jitsuryoku Shijo Shugi no Kyoshitsu e 2nd Season
Synopsis
Set in the near future, Kodo Ikusei Senior High School in Tokyo is a prestigious private school that fosters the next generation of leaders and has a nearly 100% acceptance rate for its graduates going on to university or gaining employment. The school is further set apart by the fact that students are granted the freedom to bring with them whatever personal effects they want and enjoy all the school’s state-of-the-art facilities at their leisure.
Kiyotaka Ayanokoji, a quiet and unassuming boy who has difficulty making friends, is a new student of the school. To him, the school seems like a paradise...at first. However, after doing mediocre on his entrance exams and being placed in Class D along with the rest of the “inferior” students, he soon learns that the school adheres to a strict hierarchy where only the top students are treated well. Before long though, he begins befriending his classmates and helping them with their problems, including Suzune Horikita, whom he agrees to help ascend to Class A.
Background
Classroom of the Elite started as a light novel series written by Shogo Kinugasa and illustrated by Shunsaku Tomose that began being published by Kadokawa in May 2015 under their MF Bunko J imprint. As of February 2022, 11 main volumes and 3 side stories have been published. The light novels have also been licensed for English release in North America by Seven Seas Entertainment, who published volume 11.5 in June 2022 and are also publishing the series digitally. Since 2020, the series has ranked in the top five in the paperback category of Kono Light Novel ga Sugoi! and was voted no. 1 by readers for three consecutive years. In February 2022, the series surpassed 6 million copies in print.
A manga adaptation by Yuyu Ichino began serialization in Media Factory's Monthly Comic Alive magazine in July 2016. As of February 2022, 12 collected tankobon volumes have been published. Similarly to the light novels, the magna is also licensed in English by Seven Seas Entertainment, who will release the third volume in August 2022.
The second season of the TV anime adaptation was announced in February 2022. It is being produced once again by Lerche and features Hiroyuki Hashimoto and Seiji Kishi as chief directors, Yoshihito Nishoji as director, Hayato Kazano as series composer, Kazuaki Morita as character designer, and Kana Hashiguchi and Masaru Yokoyama as music composers. The anime’s opening theme song is "Dance in the Game" by ZAQ, and the ending theme song is "Hito Jibai" by Mai Fuchigami. The anime will premiere in Japan on July 4, 2022 on Tokyo MX, AT-X, and other channels.
Characters
Kiyotaka Ayanokoji (Voiced by: Shoya Chiba)
The series protagonist. He is an inconspicuous student who blends into the background. He is extremely bad at communicating with others and is isolated, unable to make friends in his class even if he wanted to. His grade on the entrance exam is “perfectly mediocre” and he is considered to be an average student both academically and athletically. His is a bit mysterious and difficult to read.
Suzune Horikita (Voiced by: Akari Kito)
A beautiful girl who sits next to Kiyotaka in class. In contrast to Kiyotaka, who wants to make friends but can’t, she rejects friendship as unnecessary and voluntarily cuts herself off from connecting with her classmates. Unsatisfied with her placement in Class D, she aims to be promoted to Class A.
Kikyo Kushida (Voiced by: Yurika Kubo)
The idol of Class D who is extremely popular with both male and female students. She aims to make friends with everyone at school and interacts with students from other classes and grades. She is concerned about Kiyotaka, who has isolated himself and is avoiding others, and she repeatedly approaches him to become friends.
Airi Sakura (Voiced by: M.A.O)
Airi is a timid girl who hates to stand out. Despite her excellent looks and body, she isn’t noticed by anyone, partly due to her hunched over posture and tendency to always look down. She sometimes walks around school with a camera, but it doesn’t seem like she’s taking pictures of the scenery.
Kei Karuizawa (Voiced by: Ayana Taketatsu)
A delinquent girl who is at the top of the hierarchy of Class D. She and Kikyo are the two top girls in class.
Yosuke Hirata (Voiced by: Ryota Ohsaka)
The leader of Class D. He is a picture-perfect gentleman who has excellent academic and athletic abilities, sweet looks, and a strong sense of justice. It’s a mystery why he is assigned to Class D.
Rokusuke Koenji (Voiced by: Toshiki Iwasawa)
Rokusuke comes from a prestigious family and is one of the best in the entire school in terms of academic and athletic ability. Although his potential is extraordinary, he has a self-assertive personality and is uncooperative. Due to being placed in Class D, he is convinced that the school simply failed to accurately measure his abilities.
Alice Sakayanagi (Voiced by: Rina Hidaka)
One of the two top students who lead Class A. Due to a congenital heart disease, she is prohibited from exercising at all. In contrast to Kohei’s prudence, she uses her genius to attack and defeat her opponents. Class A is divided into two groups: the conservative group led by Kohei and the reformist group led by Alice.
Kohei Katsuragi (Voiced by: Satoshi Hino)
One of the two top students who lead Class A. He is a highly intelligent student who has maintained top grades since elementary school and has been a member of the student council for a number of years. As the leader of the conservative group of Class A, he is at odds with Alice, who leads the reformist group.
Honami Ichinose (Voiced by: Nao Toyama)
A cheerful girl with a strong sense of justice and the leader of Class B. Compared to the other classes, the students of Class B are very close and united, which she is largely responsible for. She has head-turning good looks and a nice body but is unaware of her own attractiveness.
Kakeru Ryuen (Voiced by: Masaaki Mizunaka)
The leader of Class C. He is a dictator who leads the class not by trust but by fear. He is a flippant boy who uses all sorts of deceptive tactics to trick his targets and bring them to their knees. His dirty nature makes others view him with disgust, but the students of Class C fear him and follow him faithfully, never doubting his abilities.
Mio Ibuki (Voiced by: Mikako Komatsu)
Mio excels at both academics and athletics among the Class C students. She is especially skilled at hand-to-hand combat and is able to compete on equal footing with those who have fighting experience. She is usually quiet and prefers to work alone, so she is often isolated even within her own class.
Manabu Horikita (Voiced by: Yuichiro Umehara)
The student council president and a student of Class 3-A. He is also Suzune’s older brother. He is respected by his younger sister, but he has a cold attitude toward her. He is said to be the best student council president of all time, and his strict demeanor causes students to view him with awe.
Akane Tachibana (Voiced by: Konomi Kohara)
The student council secretary and a student of Class 3-A. She trusts Manabu more than anyone and has special feelings for him.
Sae Chabashira (Voiced by: Rina Sato)
The homeroom teacher for Class D who is in charge of Japanese history. She has a very cold attitude toward her students. She herself is a former student of the school who used to be in Class D and has known Chie and Mashima, the teachers of Class B and Class A, since that time.
Music
Opening Theme Song: "Dance in the Game" by ZAQ
Ending Theme Song: "Hito Jibai" by Mai Fuchigami
Official Links
- Official Site (Japanese)
- Official Twitter (Japanese)
Staff
- Original Creator: Syougo Kinugasa
- Original Character Design: Shunsaku Tomose
- Chief Director: Hiroyuki Hashimoto, Seiji Kishi
- Director: Yoshihito Nishoji
- Series Composition: Hayato Kazano
- Character Design: Kazuaki Morita
- Sound Director: Satoki Iida
- Music: Kana Hashiguchi, Masaru Yokoyama
- Animation Production: Lerche