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Classroom Crisis
Episode 4

by Nick Creamer,

How would you rate episode 4 of
Classroom Crisis ?
Community score: 3.5

It was budget crisis time this week, as Kaito Sera and his five remaining student/employees scrounged around to find the five hundred million they needed to stay in business. Kaito's one big idea is to use the Kirishina Corporation union, who seem cooperative as long as Kaito agrees to help with their own plans. But before negotiations can begin, Kaito is swiftly promoted out of union reach, and once again left to find the needed funds with his own hands.

We opened this week with the team at their lowest point, having just lost half their members in the downgrade to the old shed behind the museum. The episode began with a great shot of Kaito stranded in the opening door, pressed in on both sides, before he addressed his class with the glum “only five of you again today, huh?” Kaito's a prodigy engineer, but he's not a leader, and his negative attitude and lack of reliable strategizing hurts everyone who relies on him.

Fortunately, Mizuki lightened the atmosphere with a joke about them getting part-time jobs. Unlike her brother, Mizuki is extremely good at reading and managing people, and she does it all without actually appearing to be doing anything at all. Mizuki's natural characterization has been one of the strongest elements of Classroom Crisis so far, and this episode once again demonstrated how good this show is at show-don't-tell character writing.

From there, this episode entered its long middle stretch, where Kaito negotiated with the union in hopes of putting pressure on Nagisa Kiryu. In spite of Nagisa warning Mizuki that the union had their own goals, Kaito happily volunteered in their plans, letting himself be used as a political pawn in order to gain back their support. I actually liked how the show avoided “judging” the union for their actions here - like with the conflict between Kaito and Nagisa, one of Classroom Crisis' strengths is that it emphasizes a union between idealism and pragmatism. Kaito has goals, and the union has goals, and though each may be “using” the other, that doesn't mean either side is being abused.

Unfortunately, Kaito's union support dried up the moment Nagisa promoted him to executive status. Though this actually did work as a kind of cynical nod to how union negotiations often turn out, it felt like a bit too pat of a conclusion to this episode, making the whole union arc feel somewhat inconsequential. Personally, I'd have preferred a sharper political ending to this whole conflict - but I suppose in the context of a show that feels it's necessary to actually define what a union even is on-screen, I shouldn't be expecting the most complex of business negotiations. Clearly Shirobako has spoiled me on that front.

What did change in this episode pretty much entirely took place within Kaito. Having realized his haphazard approach had actually resulted in their current state, he gritted his teeth and pledged to his students that he would do better. He had gained renown as an engineer, but he hadn't earned their trust as a leader. Now, he was going to try and work for that trust, if they were willing to have him. Kaito is the idealistic heart of Classroom Crisis, but the show is all about how idealism needs tempering to really bring about glory. In this case, that self-reflection brought about some immediate good, as his words prompted the rest of the class to rejoin the group. Together, they figured out a way to more or less legally procure their needed supplies, and (after one more unfortunate age joke with Angelina, whose great expressions really deserve better jokes) even Nagisa was forced to complement their achievements. Even as Kaito scowls at Nagisa, he's being molded by his “rival” into a leader strong enough to challenge the Kirishina dynasty.

Overall, this episode's central arc felt a little underwritten, and not all the jokes landed, but the pieces that pertained to the show's overall story were excellent. With the team back up and running, I'm eager to see where the show goes next we-

Wait, next week is a beach episode?

Alright, I'm eager to see where the show goes two weeks from now.

Rating: B

Classroom Crisis is currently streaming on Crunchyroll and Viewster.

Nick writes about anime, storytelling, and the meaning of life at Wrong Every Time.


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