English Dub Review: Classroom of the Elite “What is evil? Whatever springs from weakness”

Classroom of the Elite opens with a quote about equality, humans changing over time, and eventually concludes with the thought that not everyone is equal. Then it pans to a young girl asking an older bot to give up his seat to an elderly woman since it’s high priority seating.  Of all the bus riders, only one is willing to give up their seat for the elderly woman.

Next, the bus arrives at the at Tokyo Advanced Nurturing Metropolitan High School. It’s a school full of the so-called movers and shakers, those students designated as the leaders of the country. Protagonist Kiyotaka Ayanokoji narrates the episode with internal dialogue. In Class D’s homeroom, teacher Sae Chabashira breaks down the point system. There’s a monthly allowance of 100,000 points available for use as money at local shops. One point is one yen. However, Sae explains they students are further judged on merit. The careful Kiyotaka is caution in his point spending. He later becomes fremds with Kikyo Kushida and tries to get through to Suzune Horikita, a bit of a loner.

The episode ends with a bit of a twist: No allowance. Because students are judged on merit, their allowance depends on multiple factors, and it’s not just a given that they receive it. I enjoyed the animation, especially the eyes. All of the students feature dark red eyes which are almost vampiric. The storytelling is pleasing, though Kiyotaka can be a bit too melodramatic. Music is solid with a range of styles which even border on orchestral. It’s the interpersonal relationships where the series will ultimately thrive or fail. As a slice of life series, success is based on their interactions.

I like the commentary on the educational society hierarchy. It’s a subtle, poignant theme which permeates the series. Unfortunately, there’s a bit of fan service in Kushida, and also a bit of melodrama. Some of the musical numbers don’t seem to quite fit the onscreen action. It feels a bit serious for the goofy scene, and the two don’t pair well. However, maybe it’s a jab at high school students and their perception that high school is the center of the world. Overall, it’s a decent series with potential and a thoughtful commentary.

SCORE
7.5/10