English Dub Review: Assassination Classroom “Grown-Up Time”

I knew, from the opening scene of “Grown-Up Time,” that Irina Jelavić was going to be a problem. No one in any anime is ever that helpless. Even Bleach’s Orihime isn’t the type to just fall helpless to the terrible acts of a mugger. And then what happens? Later on in the episode, Jelavić is supposedly the world’s premiere assassin. She comes to learn very quickly that Koro-Sensei is a different type of beast than she’s used to killing.

What I found a little off-putting is how the first two newcomers to 3-E has done a turn around to the situation, and now embrace it. First, it was Karma with Koro-Sensei, and this week has Jelavić doing an about face with the entire classroom. I get why, because they are the antagonists for the episode. However, with the character that’s supposed to be the antagonist being Koro-Sensei, there needs to be a more pressing antagonist. It makes for a slightly confusing time to figure out who is on what angle.

Let’s go back to Irina Jelavić for a second. You would think,that as a premiere assassin, she would actually take all of the notes that all of the children had and actually use them. However, she just discards it all. I’m not going to lie, I’m glad the writers had Jelavić be a conceited bitch about the children, even if it’s for an episode. With all of the time that Koro-Sensei has had, I wasn’t used to there being an actual bitch in Assassination Classroom.

“Grown-Up Time” does a lot to expand the formula of Assassination Classroom. Even if it’s for an episode, we got to see what an actual antagonist would be to the group of protagonists that the classroom has given us. Part of me was hoping to get the bitch for more than an episode, but it’s a start. I guess I should say that the bitch isn’t completely gone, but Irina Jelavić is doing her best to keep that supressed.

I have to say that I was thoroughly impressed with “Grown-Up Time,” even with Irina Jelavić doing another character flop at the end. I would like to see what plans are going forward, but it seems that I will have to wait until sometime later. Something tells me that we haven’t seen the last of Jelavić.