'Assassination Classroom: Graduation' Captures the Fun, but Not the Dramatic Depth of the Anime

Last year’s live-action film adaptation of Assassination Classroom had been a delightful surprise.  It’s pretty difficult for live-action adaptations of anime properties to capture the aesthetics and essence of their source material since many of the things that make them work are inherent in the anime format.  It’s quite rare for live-action adaptations of anime properties to come out solid (e.g. Detective Conan), much more excellent (e.g. Himura Kenshin, Gokusen), but Assassination Classroom managed to be one of those rare instances of being a solid adaptation.

Assassination Classroom: Graduation is the sequel to Assassination Classroom, and covers the second half of the anime series.  It’s a fun adaptation, I guess.  But it’s definitely not quite as good as the first one.  It’s probably because, being the second movie, it relies on many plot elements of the first movie to push its narrative – which is messy on its own – while the first movie, being the first, had the freedom to construct its own plot points and tell a much smoother overarching story.  In other words, Assassination Classroom: Graduation suffers as a stand-alone movie, and should be watched immediately after Assassination Classroom in order to work.

'Assassination Classroom' Is the Ultimate Teacher Anime

When Assassination Classroom debuted last year, my review of it concluded with the words, “I’m definitely along for the long ride.”  I had no idea that it would only have two seasons (I thought the manga was still ongoing).  But that just might as well, since the fast pacing was one of the reasons I got to love this anime.

I also loved its strange, fresh premise – which was what initially intrigued me about it.  When I read a synopsis that states it’s about this class in which the students are being trained and challenged by their weird teacher to kill him, I just got to see it.  And when I did, I immediately find it an extremely great watch.

Centering on the bizarre, ironic teacher-students dynamic between Koro Sensei and Class 3-E, the anime has an endearing story to tell.  The former is sincere in his desire to be a great teacher, to bring the best out of his students, and see them succeed.  However, his methods are beyond unconventional: he threatens to destroy the world at the end of the school year, and the only option to stop this from happening is if the students will be able to kill him before that.  With this goal forcibly given to the students, he proceeds to teach them the art of assassination, which principles he then uses to help them learn their school lessons.  Thus, not only do these students begin improving academically, but also gradually transform into genuine, highly-skilled assassins.  Meanwhile, Class 3-E – who are deemed “losers” by others – get to respect and love this teacher who chooses to see their potentials and does his best to develop them.  And the only way they can honor and repay him?  By succeeding in assassinating him. (It’s truly a quite peculiar setup, even for an anime, and it’s probably impossible to fully make sense out of it without giving major spoilers.)

'Assassination Classroom' Accomplishes Being a Rare Pleasing Live-Action Film Adaptation of an Anime

All live-action adaptations don’t measure up to their anime source materials (I don’t know about the Gokusen and GTO TV series though.  I haven’t followed the anime series thoroughly but I really liked their live-action drama adaptations).  Even the greatest live-action adaptation of an anime, the Ruruoni Kenshi trilogy, was unable to perfectly capture all the awesome things in the anime (I love the movies overall, but I was greatly disappointed that Cho’s Hakujin-no-Tachi sword didn’t make an appearance).  That’s understandable, since many of the elements we loved about an anime will only work through that medium.

Unfortunately, not only are live-action versions lesser than the anime originals, but most of them are objectively awful and dull.

This year, I was massively disappointed by the live-action Lupin III and the atrocious first part of the Attack on Titan live-action feature (I haven’t seen Part 2 yet, and I’m not that enthusiastic to do so).  Thankfully, the live-action Assassination Classroom movie isn’t like them.  It’s definitely one of the better live-action adaptations of anime ever made – a rare feat.  Yes, as to be expected, the live-action Assassination Classroom isn’t as good as the anime (which I extremely liked).  However, it’s genuinely enjoyable, and the aspects that have been weakly translated from anime to live-action aren’t too distracting to derail the movie.

The plot of the movie is basically parallel to the storyline of the anime’s season one (note: the movie is released midway the anime’s season one).  But, understandably, a lot of alteration and condensing had to be done in order to fit the plot in the movie’s run time.  Still, the script succeeds in making a solid, smooth, and satisfying adaptation of the original narrative – which means the pacing, themes, humor, drama, and major character developments of the story are executed so well.

Though they’re not as exciting and appealing as the anime’s, the movie’s visuals, action, and production elements are actually quite good.  I was pleasantly surprised that the CG actually looked great.  The camera work and sets are fine-looking to watch.

If you love Assassination Classroom – like I do – you will be delighted by this movie.  It’s not flawless, but it did a lot of things right in being an adequate and pleasing live-action adaptation of an anime property.

In 'Assassination Classroom', Education and Assassination Go Hand in Hand

What if you have to kill the best teacher you’ve ever had before the school year ends or he’ll destroy the world?

That’s basically what Assassination Classroom is all about.

One day, a huge chunk of the moon is obliterated, making it a permanent crescent shape.  A mysterious octopus-like creature claims credit for the deed, and threatens that within a year, he will also destroy the world.  However, he gives the world leaders a chance to prevent this from happening, he asks that he be made the homeroom teacher of class 3-E of Kunugigaoka Junior High School.  As their teacher, he promises not to hurt anyone, to act accordingly, and to teach the students not only the usual school subjects, but on the ways of assassination as well.  Furthermore, he will also give them the opportunity to attempt assassinating him as much as they can throughout the school year.  Seeing that it’s impossible to kill him by conventional means, the world governments take him on his offer.  And, thus, an unusual school year ensues.

I immediately found this anime series fresh and fascinating right in its first minutes.  At first look, Assassination Classroom being a lot of fun is seemingly guaranteed by its unique and quirky premise – and it’s indeed so.

Koro Sensei – the name that his students have given the creature, a pun of the Japanese words korosenai (unkillable) and sensei (teacher) – is a fascinatingly complex and enigmatic character.  Though he has weaknesses (which the character Nagisa is listing down), he is highly intelligent and durable.  Conventional human weapons don’t work on him, so he issued to his students special rubber knives and pellet airguns that aren’t lethal to humans but can damage his body.  His strange biology gives him several abilities, notable of which is his super-speed which allows him to move at a max speed of Mach 20.  And  though he appears goofy most of the time, it’s implied that he can become the monster that he is if he needs to be.  But above all, he is a sincere and caring teacher to his students.  In fact, if I had seen this anime sooner, he would have been part of my “top ten” list of fictional mentors/teachers.  He’s truly effective in bringing the best out of his students.

Kunugigaoka Junior High School has the reputation of having elite, high-achieving students.  However, those who don’t meet its high standards on academics and discipline are sent to Class 3-E (“E” derogatorily stands for “End Class”) whose classroom is located in a shabby, isolated school building, a mountain away from the main campus.  But under the dedicated tutelage of Koro Sensei – as he painstakingly guides each individual student depending on his particular strengths and personality – the Class 3-E students become competent in both academics and assassination.  The narrative impressively does well in juggling the character arcs of these students; it’s easy to get invested in all of them.

Koro Sensei and Class 3-E have an incredibly peculiar relationship.  Koro Sensei delights in their triumphs – even if that includes getting assassinated by them – and does everything in his power to build them up and protect them.  He genuinely cares for Class 3-E.  And yet, for mysterious reasons, he is firm in his threat that he will destroy the world once their school year ends.  Meanwhile, the Class 3-E students esteem and appreciate their teacher very much, and recognize his impact on their lives, but they are also fervent of assassinating him.  It’s a strange dynamic that Koro Sensei and Class 3-E won’t have any other way.  Thus, this makes Assassination Classroom a distinctive and very enjoyable teacher-and-his-students story.

Assassination Classroom had a wonderful debut season this 2015.  It has proven to be a fast-faced, hilarious, and extremely entertaining must-watch anime.  Moreover, despite its wackiness, it surprisingly has thoughtful insights and morals to tell as well, which I find somewhat inspiring as a teacher myself.

I love everything about Assassination Classroom, and I’m definitely along for the long ride.