Assassination Classroom season 2

Episode 21

It's just about time for Assassination Classroom to go out with a bang, but that doesn't mean there isn't room for some last-minute comedy. With the school year almost over and the students of Class E preparing to move on to their dream high schools, Koro Sensei decides that the class needs its own dedicated yearbook. Everyone gets into the spirit of taking goofy photos and reflecting on past events, but the fun proves to be short-lived. The government launches its final plan to kill Koro Sensei, trapping him in a laser field and releasing bogus information to the public. Just when it seems as if Class E has been robbed of the chance to carry out their own assassination, Karasuma gives Nagisa some clandestine encouragement to keep trying. With the town under government lockdown, Class E's final assassination project is set into motion.

The yearbook sequence at the start of the episode feels very much like the calm before the storm. It's one last chance for Assassination Classroom to sneak in some light humor before things get serious, but even this moment of comedy has an emotional side to it. Apart from the obvious nostalgia angle, the scene carries a kind of urgency, as the characters rush to sneak in one last happy memory before the end of the school year. It's Assassination Classroom in a nutshell: mostly light humor, but with just enough perspective to carry some dramatic weight. This is followed up by a nice little “passing the torch” moment when Nagisa tells Koro Sensei about his dream of becoming a teacher, which offers an assurance that Koro Sensei's lessons will be passed along even if he's no longer around.

With not one, but two massive laser weapons (one of which is in space because why not), the government plot certainly comes across as being over the top. Then again, that's also kind of the point; the show needs to set up a confrontation between Class E and the rest of the world. It makes sense for the government to throw absurd amounts of resources and technology at the problem as the deadline approaches, and it creates a necessary moment of despair by pitting Class E against a seemingly overwhelming enemy. The most effective part of this onslaught is the brief moment where Karasuma appears to be on board with the government's plan; the feeling of betrayal hits harder than the onslaught of soldiers and news reporters. Sure, it's not a huge surprise when Karasuma turns out to still be on Class E's side, but those thirty seconds of doubt go a long way toward making things seem hopeless.

The show needs this moment of despair because it lends Class E's inevitable comeback a little extra emotional power. If the odds weren't stacked so ludicrously against them, it wouldn't matter that the kids are able to calmly band together and work on a plan to end things on their terms. It's the kind of cheesy “all for one” scene that nearly every action series tries to pull off at some point, but it works pretty darn well here. I like that the students' reactions err on the side of being too calm and understated, as it helps show how Koro Sensei's lessons have made them supremely confident in their abilities. This episode is effective enough without an overblown tearful reunion or a lengthy monologue about the power of friendship and teamwork. When you've got a strong cast, it's often best for the script to take a step back and just let them do their thing.

This makes for a strong lead-in to the final confrontation, albeit a very conventional one. You can see the series checking off the narrative boxes in order, from the final carefree moment to the descent into despair to the last-minute comeback against all odds. It's ultimately all right for Assassination Classroom to run this episode by the book, as long as it does it well. For the moment, the show has done its job of building up a critical mass of anticipation. Time to let the characters loose and see what happens.

Rating: B+

Assassination Classroom is currently streaming on Funimation.

Paul Jensen is a freelance writer and editor. You can follow more of his anime-related ramblings on Twitter.