Assassination Classroom season 2

Episode 9

I have no idea how common career questionnaires are in real Japanese schools, but it seems like an anime character can't go through middle or high school without filling one out at some point. Just in case navigating a love triangle or learning to pilot a giant robot isn't difficult enough, every teenage protagonist has to sit down and think about what career to pursue after the planet has been saved from imminent danger. Fictional kids have a lot to worry about these days.

This episode starts off with the students of Class E filling out career questionnaires, a task that not all of them are equally prepared for. While some of the kids have clear plans for the future, Nagisa feels caught between his talent for stealthy assassinations and the obvious danger of using those skills professionally. As Nagisa tries to sort through his own ambitions, he ends up running afoul of his mother's plans for his future. When Koro Sensei refuses her request to have Nagisa moved up to Class D, her response isn't exactly calm or reasonable. After being drugged at dinner, Nagisa wakes up to find himself in front of the Class E building with his mother insisting that he burn it down to erase his connection to the lower-ranked class. The sudden appearance of an assassin gives Nagisa a chance to defuse the situation and decide his own future.

While the dreaded career survey has long been a popular plot device in shows with teenage protagonists, Assassination Classroom manages to put its own twist on the old formula. We get to see a handful of one-on-one conversations between Koro Sensei and his students, and their ambitions offer a couple of fresh insights into their personalities. Nagisa's uncertainty is particularly interesting, since it addresses some of the odd conflicts within Koro Sensei's teaching style. It's nice when the challenge of killing the big yellow guy leads some students to discover their hidden talents, but what happens when someone discovers a talent that's uniquely suited to working as an assassin? Admittedly, this episode dodges the question a bit by having Nagisa resolve to find a different outlet for his skills. Nevertheless, I appreciate how Assassination Classroom is at least willing to point out the moral ambiguity of its premise.

The idea of Nagisa pursuing assassination beyond the immediate task of killing Koro Sensei is complex enough to fill an episode on its own, so it doesn't come as a surprise when it struggles to share the spotlight with Nagisa's family troubles. Given more time, the series might have been able to present his obviously dysfunctional relationship with his mother in a nuanced and compelling way. As it stands, however, this portion of the story feels over-simplified and excessive in its intensity. There's far too much to unpack here for everything to reach a satisfying conclusion in just twenty minutes. In trying to rush ahead to a neat and tidy ending, Assassination Classroom runs the risk of treating Nagisa's traumatic background the same as any of the more minor problems that other characters have had to overcome.

The hasty presentation is a bit of a shame, but I do like some of the ideas that the show is working with here. Adding a personal, emotional backstory to Nagisa's ability to mask his presence elevates it from a useful trick to an important part of who he is. This is also the deepest Assassination Classroom has gone into exploring the home lives of the Class E students, and addressing the kids' backgrounds helps make them more than just directionless slackers in need of Koro Sensei's instruction. I like how the series is taking an interest in how these kids got to the bottom of the academic barrel instead of focusing entirely on the process of lifting them up. There's a lot going on here beyond the usual “get stronger, defeat villain” structure, and that helps distinguish this show from other entries in the genre.

I'm a little conflicted when it comes to judging this episode as a whole. It features some meaningful character development and a few fascinating ideas, but there's just not enough time to present everything in a satisfying way. Serious drama ends up sharing space with goofy comedy and understated action, and none of these elements have enough room to breathe. The show's ambition outpaces its execution here, but it's still good to see that the drive to take the story in unexpected directions is alive and well.

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.