Classroom of the Elite II

Episode 10

It's funny: despite being the protagonist, Ayanokoji remains one of the least developed characters in Classroom of the Elite. Each arc so far is mainly centered on developing one of supporting cast—be they hero or villain—as the class overcomes their newest challenge. While Ayanokoji is the key to resolving each of these conflicts, they don't tell us much about him as a person. I mean, it's not even until the final episode of the first season that we learn he is an outright psychopath that has no emotional investment in those around him, that he is just using them for his own benefit.

Up until this point, all we have really known about him is that he was raised in some kind of experimental training facility, one where kids dying was common. This is why Ayanokoji is seemingly a master in every discipline, be it physical or mental. His young life was a literal survival of the fittest—and he was the one to survive.

In this episode, we finally meet the man behind the so-called “White Room”—i.e., Ayanokoji's “father.” But he honestly comes off as a lot less threatening than he should, simply because he doesn't really understand how his "son" thinks despite being responsible for the kind of person Ayanokoji is. He attempts to guilt/threaten Ayanokoji into dropping out by telling him that the butler who helped him get into the school in the first place was fired and then “committed suicide.” But as we've established, Ayanokoji is a psychopath; in his eyes, the butler was just a tool that aided in his escape, and he couldn't care less about his demise.

He then tries to order Ayanokoji to sign the drop-out documents. The problem is that he has no leverage in this situation. Ayanokoji is in a public school where everything, including food and housing, is paid for by the government. Without any kind of emotional or monetary control, Ayanokoji's "father" comes off as a blustering fool rather than someone with any actual power—certainly not something a big, looming villain should look like.

That said, their discussion does end up working well as a way to further develop Ayanokoji, mostly due to the implications that come to light in the aftermath. While Ayanokoji is undoubtedly brilliant and can read others very well, his weakness has always been his ego. The only reason he can be tricked is because he doesn't believe that there is anyone capable of it, and therefore he never suspected that his teacher's attempt to blackmail him into helping his class to rise through the ranks was an empty threat. Now that he knows this, he is throwing a tantrum in his own way.

What we see at the end of the episode is Ayanokoji trying to protect his bruised ego by pretending that nothing he had accomplished at the school so far meant anything to him. This is why he is cutting Karuizawa loose. He's trying to deny the fact that what he's been doing has actually helped with his own personal goal of experiencing a normal life. After all, if not for playing the secret mastermind of the class, he wouldn't have found his study-group-turned-friend-group of normal people to hang out with. Seeing Ayanokoji react emotionally rather than logically adds a lot to his character. It shows that while he doesn't care about others, he does have feelings—and they can be hurt just like anyone else's.

Rating:

Random Thoughts:

• It's important to note that while Ayanokoji is done with being the mastermind for the time being, he makes sure to reaffirm that he will still protect Karuizawa. He may be acting out but he's not willing to permanently burn bridges.

• Karuizawa may have complained about what she was made to do, but it's clear that she feels safest when she is needed. Ayanokoji no longer needing her makes her fear that he's reneged on his promise of protection.

• I think we're supposed to think that Ayanokoji is not a natural psychopath but rather a person who was molded into one due to his upbringing—because if that is the case, it may be possible for him to learn empathy and form true emotional connections over the course of the story.

• So that's two episodes in a row where Shiina is given a brief spotlight. I wonder if she's related to the current arc or if they're just setting up the arcs to come with her.

Classroom of the Elite II is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.

Richard is an anime and video game journalist with over a decade of experience living and working in Japan. For more of his writings, check out his Twitter and blog.