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Assassination Classroom season 2
Episode 20

by Paul Jensen,

How would you rate episode 20 of
Assassination Classroom (TV 2) ?
Community score: 4.2

Even with all the Koro Sensei-related drama going on around them, the kids of Class E still have to think about what they'll be doing after graduation (assuming the world doesn't end, of course). As the students prepare for high school entrance exams, Nagisa does some personal soul-searching and realizes that he wants to become a teacher. Kayano has ambitions of her own, namely giving Nagisa chocolates for Valentine's Day and confessing her feelings for him. Irina and Karasuma tackle a couple of important topics over a Valentine's dinner, while Koro Sensei has a chat with the principal back at school. It's mostly all fun and games, but there are some sinister schemes brewing in the background.

With the “kill or save” debate finally put to rest, this episode provides Assassination Classroom with an opportunity to slow down and give the characters a moment to breathe. The show draws on some of its core sources of humor here: Koro Sensei doing outlandish things in silly outfits, the quirky energy of Class E, and the charmingly awkward chemistry between Karasuma and Irina. It's kind of nice to see these old standards revisited, even if it means that the comedy doesn't cover an awful lot of new ground. Sticking with known quantities on the comedic front also allows the episode to spend more time and effort on the characters themselves. With a couple of students facing major decisions this week, the show certainly needs the extra screen time.

In hindsight, it seems obvious that Nagisa would want to emulate Koro Sensei by becoming a teacher. It feels like a natural path for him to take as a character, and it makes for a neat arc from present-day student to future mentor. It's certainly a more heartwarming choice than his previous idea of becoming a professional assassin. Even if Kayano's own deliberations don't come to a similarly warm and fuzzy ending, the process does at least provide some entertainment along the way. Ultimately though, I can't help but feel like the show has her keep her feelings bottled up out of a desire to keep things lean and focused heading into the next big story arc. Instead of placing the romance safely on the back burner, it might have been more interesting to embrace the chaotic mix of personal feelings and do-or-die situations. At least the door is still open for a last-minute confession later in the series.

As Nagisa and Kayano sort out their own inner conflicts, we're given some pretty entertaining glimpses at the rest of Class E's activities. Short little asides like Karma's hunger for high school rivalry and everyone's unique approaches to Valentine's Day add a lot of personality to the episode. Koro Sensei's little heart-to-heart with the principal takes a slightly different route, going for an interesting moment of mutual understanding instead of focusing on humor. It's not the most compelling thing in the world, but it makes for a pleasant epilogue to their rivalry. Irina and Karasuma steal the show near the end of the episode, and their not-quite-romance continues to be a strong (if underused) storyline in this second season. Their conversation on the bridge uses their conflicting approaches to relationships to strong effect as it casually drops a romantic bombshell.

A slow-paced episode like this one was never going to have the same kind of dramatic impact as some of Assassination Classroom's more intense outings, but it has its own laid-back charm. As villains plot in the shadows and the heroes prepare for their own final challenges, it's a good time for the series to sneak in a few moments of peace and quiet. By reminding the audience of what it is that we like about these characters, the show encourages us to become emotionally invested in how things will ultimately play out.

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.


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