Assassination Classroom season 2

Episode 3

This episode is counted as #25 on the Funimation website

As the list of anti-Koro Sensei weaponry has grown from BBs and training knives to special sheets and smoke powder, I've started to wonder why someone doesn't just replace all the classroom supplies with lethal items. Why not make all the chalk out of anti-Sensei powder or print everyone's tests and worksheets on anti-Sensei paper? Maybe I'm thinking too hard about it, but that's what happens once you start adding new options to the official list of magic bullets. On the other hand, I suppose it means Assassination Classroom has completely sold me on its premise if I'm engineering my own plans of attack.

Koro Sensei starts this episode off in a literal tight spot as he fends off a surprise attack from Shiro and Itona while trapped inside a cramped enclosure. His inevitable escape doesn't go over well with his opponents, and Shiro essentially disowns Itona on the spot. Abandoned and on a desperate rampage, Itona unwittingly acts as the bait for a second assassination attempt, which is broken up by a timely intervention from Class E. The class is willing to take the powerful troublemaker in, but they first have to convince him to let go of the mutant tentacle cells that are wreaking havoc on his body. It falls to Terasaka and his crew of delinquent friends to convince Itona that it's all right to fail a few times while chasing an ambitious goal.

The brief fight between Koro Sensei and Itona isn't especially memorable, due in part to the lack of any unique tactics or impressive stunts. Koro Sensei simply reads Itona's movements and turns the tables without much difficulty. It fits with the theme of clever ideas overcoming raw power, but it lacks that extra special touch that characterizes stronger action scenes. Shiro continues to be a by-the-book bad guy, using predictably underhanded strategies and offering tired old statements about the ends justifying the means. He serves his purpose as an easy target for the audience's disdain, but some more depth or complexity would certainly be welcome.

The good news is that Assassination Classroom has finally found a way to make Itona into a more compelling character. Filling in some of his backstory makes a big difference in terms of explaining what exactly he is and giving us a reason to care about what happens to him. The emotional appeal is simple but effective: Itona's past gives him a connection with the students in Class E and lets them see shades of their own troubles in his plight. As someone who's seeking power as a means to make up for his outsider status, he fits in easily with the social misfits of Class E. The details of removing his tentacle arms might be a little vague, but there's a solid foundation for welcoming him into the class.

It's that shared feeling of being alone against the world that makes Terasaka and his friends such a good choice for helping Itona see the big picture. As the designated delinquents in a class full of outcasts, they're the kind of group that's expected to fail on a regular basis. Despite that, they all have their own ambitions and are even working towards achieving those goals. In terms of character development, they've come a long way from their role as a generic collection of bullies at the beginning of the first season. That change in presentation ties nicely into the show's theme of seeing the potential in people who don't fit the traditional “honor student” mold, and Terasaka's little speech near the end of the episode feels both genuine and insightful.

Itona's conversion from foe to classmate strikes me as just a little too swift and easy, but it does at least give the series more room to develop him as a character. Of Assassination Classroom's various attempts at depicting a serious conflict, especially in a single-episode format, this is one of the show's better efforts. The writing seems to be at its best when it can humanize an antagonist instead of simply having Koro Sensei and friends win a battle, which helps explain why some of the clear-cut villains haven't been as compelling as their more redeemable counterparts. If Assassination Classroom can continue to find the human emotions that motivate its characters, then there's a convincing case to be made for mixing some more dramatic turns in with the comedy.

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.