Welcome to Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School where we take in the most competent among the elite students for the sake of Japan's future. Or at least that was what the story was supposed to do. Instead, we are left with an incoherent group of students who competes for the title of Edge Lord.
Honestly, I enjoyed Classroom of the Elite. This light novel series intrigued me enough to complete two volumes a day. I don't usually find stories set in school enjoyable, but this was indeed a page-turner. But although engaging, is the story in its
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entirety good? My answer would be no. My enjoyment is, after all, subjective, and not everyone would have the same experience. Enjoyment does not equal being objectively good, and it took me a while before I decided to write a review so I could remove any bias I may have. I don't want it to look like I dislike the story (Which I don't), so I'll say this now; this review is mainly criticizing the flaws of Classroom of the Elite. Spoilers are mentioned further in the review.
The story takes place in a school supported by the Japanese government to raise students to lead the country in the imminent future. Basically, a standard school's vision but put to the extreme. They don't accept students with academic superiority alone but students who are also competent in separate fields like judgment, physical ability, and cooperativeness. So everyone has a chance to enter the school. This sets up the first flaw, which is the students present in the institution. It just seems too easy to be accepted. Each year 160 students from Japan can enter the school, meaning that 160 out of millions of students in Japan are selected to enter the country's top school. This part makes me question why students like Ike, Sakura, and many others got accepted in the first place. With the school's standards, I can understand why Sudou got in and why students like Koenji and Horikita are in class D despite their overwhelming competence. But students with straight C's and even B's in all the fields by logic should not have passed the school's standards. Mediocrity being allowed in the country's best school doesn't make sense. It's the same flaw I find with My Hero Academia, with students like Mineta and Hagakure passing UA High school and in the hero course at that. It may look like I'm nitpicking characters, but it's clear that students incompetent in all fields of ability are present in the institution.
After passing the entrance exams and the interview, these said students are assigned to a class decided by their competence. Many institutions use this method in real life, but what makes this interesting is that this is the part of the narrative where the author associated the question involving equality, but inherently, does that even matter? Are the different classes representative of hierarchy? The higher classes as a representation of those with power and the lower ones as powerless? The first scene of the story shows an exchange of words showing a brief social commentary that explains the topic. However, once the story arrives at the school, it doesn't matter anymore or, at least, fails to bring correspondence. It's just a poor attempt to use the flawed school system and characters as an analogy of society.
Yes, the school is indeed flawed. Firstly, how rich is Japan? The school gives free money to the students each month and supplies the items in each store throughout the school, including an entire mall. Not to mention that the school hired all the employees for all the stores, owns crews ship, and gives extra class points and private points given as awards for tests.
The amount of money used for the school brings up another question; is the result worth it? Using this method to create "Elites," I mean. Half of the graduates would probably just work jobs that ordinary graduates could do. With wasting millions of Yen on students' allowance, billions or even trillions on infrastructure, employment, and miscellaneous. Japan is just going to add more to its debt before any of the students here makes a change for the country's economy. A competitive school environment where students are left to their own devices isn't needed to make these elites. If anything else, the white room seems to be a better place to use that money.
Let's see, what else... A student council that has all power over the school, check; rules left with holes to be bent for the sake of the plot, check; that's about it, I suppose. Tell me if there's anything else I've missed.
Now for the characters. Firstly, Kiyotaka Ayanokouji; Arguably the only character worth criticism, but I'll still tackle the general cast later. Ayanokouji is portrayed as this super-genius, well-hung kid, but he chooses to hide his genius to fit in with the rest of the students and have an ordinary student life. In doing so, he purposely scored a half-perfect score in all subjects of the entrance exams and a few others after that. He should have at least tried to have an arbitrary set of scores for each subject so it wouldn't look painfully obvious. In addition, his scores would have been more believable if he hadn't answered the hard questions correctly while he answered wrong to some of the easy questions. In any ordinary school, his performance wouldn't have been that important. However, in his environment where competence is needed and filled, or supposed to be filled, with other geniuses, wouldn't appearing to be competent be a better way to not stand out?
Ayanokouji's initial motive was to live as an ordinary student, but this was interfered with due to being caught up in other people's business. He got the attention of highly acclaimed students and competition, and Chabashira sensei threatened him to compete for class A. Of course, this could have been avoided if he didn't stand out too much due to his test scores and going overboard on special tests like the race with Manabu. That's all my criticism for our protagonist, everything else about his character is very thought out, especially his development in connotation to his past and initial personality, from a very apathetic person to slowly developing feelings for someone and accepting his friends. However, that does render his infamous monologue in volume three irrelevant.
Now for the general cast. We have the perfect stereotypes to create a generic high school classroom. Sudo, A tuff guy who can't control his temper; Hirata, the class' heart rob and representative; Kurizawa; an annoying girl who is in a "relationship" with the said handsome class representative; Suzune Horikita, the class genius; Kushida, our yandere with big fucking tiddies; girls in the "hot girls" clique, a few introverts, and a bunch of morons who have no significant qualities (As I have already mentioned, these idiots shouldn't even be in the school, to begin with). Also, why do some high school students look like divorced fathers in their forties? While generic, that doesn't mean all of the characters are inherently bad. There are a couple of exemptions; Sudou and Kurizawa.
Sudou's character is great to show the audience of the school's standards (If it wasn't for other idiots, at least). The school's description in the light novel places high emphasis on not accepting students who are only intellectually competent. In Sudou's case, it's his athletism that got him admitted. And his development on slowly improving his grades, whether having his motivation (Suzune) or not, makes him an even better character. I only have a couple of minor problems with his character, that would be that he was too dumb initially, and the other being his sudden affection for Suzune Horikita. I wish there could have been a gradual development to his feelings rather than "If Ayanokouji doesn't like her, then I'll like her instead." Kei is also a decent character, but that was only prominent after being Ayanokouji's tool. Loving someone she hated might seem like an overused cliché, but her relationship with Ayanokouji prior to the confession scene makes it work.
Despite my criticism, I would actually like to recommend this to anyone, unless they absolutely hate edgy characters and pseudo-intellectual dialogue. Yes, it's filled with flaws but, the author was able to make it engaging, especially to those fond of power fiction in the shape of an intellectually prominent setting. If you believe I may be wrong with any of these statements or if I left something out, feel free to discuss it with me as my main objective is not to hate on the story but to give voice to the minority.
Alternative TitlesJapanese: ようこそ実力至上主義の教室へ More titlesInformationType: Light Novel
Volumes: 14
Chapters: 110
Status: Finished
Published: May 25, 2015 to Sep 25, 2019
Genre:
Drama
Serialization:
None Statistics Ranked: #232 2 based on the top manga page. Please note that 'R18+' titles are excluded. Popularity: #173
Members: 84,476
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Your Feelings Categories Feb 4, 2021
Welcome to Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School where we take in the most competent among the elite students for the sake of Japan's future. Or at least that was what the story was supposed to do. Instead, we are left with an incoherent group of students who competes for the title of Edge Lord.
Honestly, I enjoyed Classroom of the Elite. This light novel series intrigued me enough to complete two volumes a day. I don't usually find stories set in school enjoyable, but this was indeed a page-turner. But although engaging, is the story in its ... Feb 11, 2021
Classroom of the Elite peaked at the first chapter. Yep, you’ve read that right, literally the first chapter is the best this novel has to offer, and it only goes downhill afterwards. I'm not being hyperbolic, I'm not writing that as just some clickbait introduction sentence, that is very much my honest opinion.
It offered interesting points about ethics and morality, piquing my interest in the series. Commendably so, as it managed to have meaningful content in a scene that’s just about whether to offer your seat in public transport or not. The problem is that this chapter is set in real world, while ... Oct 7, 2020
You-Zitsu, otherwise known as Classroom of the Elite in english is a novel series that I had heard about for awhile (mainly because of the anime), but didn't read until recently last year. The reason that I even started reading this novel was because I noticed it at Barnes and Noble and decided might as well give it a try. I am so glad that I did because CotE has become easily my favorite light novel of all time and I will try to attempt to tell you and convince you why. (This is my first review so my bad if it is not up
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May 8, 2017
This is honestly amazing, i started reading this after the anime was announced when i read the sinopsis i found it really interesting. the plot is very good and its really, really well written
Very intriguing , keeps you hooked the mystery is great because you always feel like something is missing but its not in your face all the time I have been watching anime for years and still very few things hooked me as well as this. its very enjoyable to read and has great characters. If you want something to read, read this doubt you will find anything better if you do please pm ... Oct 19, 2020
I've always wished for a story that paints school life in a more realistic take. Everything from all the hurdles you'll go through, such as adapting from zero to making friends, forming groups. Experiencing love-life, the sweetness it brings, and the bitterness it might lead to, and the list goes on. You-Zitsu (Classroom of the Elite) is just that. However, there is one big exception: our main protagonist is surrounded by waifus from every corner. That being said, it is not a harem by any means, but it does get a tinge of elements for it. Nevertheless, sweet and sugar is just what sells best
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May 2, 2022
This novel does not really deserve the score that I decided to give. However the amount of people that consider this a masterpiece is unreal so I'm trying to do my thing to make it more balanced. Normally I would give it a 4/10.
I got into this novel because of the pretentious quotes in the anime. Well the anime turned out to be nothing more than a clickbait. However that doesn't make the novel any better. Right in the first volume, our main character has a monologue in which he talks about society and equality. He also mentions a quote from the Japanese author Yukichi ... Aug 8, 2018
Edited on June 25, 2019.
Don't think this is an ordinary school. This word might be a suitable phrase for this. Tension, sadness, romantic moments, and many more are inside. Focused on Kiyotaka Ayanokouji who had just enrolled in high school. But in the school it turned out that it was not like school in general, it meant that this school implemented a point system where these points could buy anything. Now this novel has more than twelve volumes and each volume is very interesting. Character illustrations are equally amazing. Character design is very cute and cool but unfortunately this is just a light ... Jun 7, 2019
Simply one of the best light novels I have ever had the pleasure to read, for those who watched the anime series is very worth going in search of reading the original material.
There are many points that differ from the anime, so I recommend you start reading from the beginning of the story, but if you do not have the patience and desire you can go straight to the end of volume 3 and the beginning of volume 4 which is where the anime ends the adaptation. About the story: It is very well built and we feel light and willing to continue reading to ... Apr 9, 2019
Classroom of the Elite is the first light novel I seriously invested time into. The story and writing are outstanding detailing all the things that are happening, and the psychological mind twists that happen. The character development is amazing! you have your protagonist Ayonokoji ( class 1-D) who just wants to have a simple high school life in Japans best high school run by the government to nurture the minds of the leaders of the next generation. Ayanokoji may appear to be a chill high school boy in the outside, however, what's really going on is not what it seem he is always pulling strings
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Jul 22, 2020
Welcome to the Classroom of the Elite !! I started this novel after finishing the anime, and OMG, it's the best thing I've read in my life. I am very hooked on the plot, the characters and the most beautiful girl that exists Kei Karuizawa (Best female character 2020 of all Japan). Read it, you will not regret that.
If they come from the anime, start with volume 4. Each volume has a different situation to solve by the protagonist Ayanokouji (Best 2020 male character in all of Japan), a cold and calculating being who wants to discover human emotions. It is very epic. Oct 16, 2021
So this is the famous cheap and poorly made copy of oregairu...? Jokes aside, the beginning does seem to have some oddities, but it quickly turns into something completely different, taking on its own shape, its originality.
Honestly, I fell by parachute here...... I expected a work full of moral questions, which played with the status-quo of established ethics and human hypocrisy, but in the end it was something much simpler than I thought. I mean, my opinion is not exactly idealistic or unfounded... Even though volume 1 asks us a completely obvious question, the ... Oct 27, 2022
The Greatest of All Time.
Zenith of the Medium. Hallmark of Media. Gold standard of storytelling. Apogee of Creativity. Vertex of Invention. Crest of Ingenuity. Acme of Imagination. Pinnacle of the Medium. Epic of Epics. ... Jan 4, 2023
This is probably a pretty biased review since this is the first ever LN I've read. I got into this LN because I enjoyed the 1st season of the anime, so I picked up this LN because I got curious. I've always hated reading books and preferred Anime and Manga before because I couldn't understand why a bunch of words and texts could entertain people. But after I finished the 1st-4th volume of this series I can say it is surprisingly enjoyable, even more than the anime itself.
I finished the entire 1-year arc in a few months and they are all really good. I ... Nov 30, 2020
For people that came here from the anime: you are in for a treat. The anime version (while somewhat different at times) has prepared you for only the prologue of this outstanding series. Once you get past volume 3 (where the anime ends) the story really begins! Kinusuga is a very talented author that manages to bring forward so many different and distinct characters while Tomose Shunsaku who is gods gift to man makes the most wonderful and sublime illustrations of all the characters (especially the girls). If you want to know if this series is for you then there are a few things you
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Feb 11, 2021
This series is a masterpiece of Light Novel writing. Nothing is quite like it. Sure, school life Light Novels exist. But those are usually romantic comedies, or simple comedies.
This one is not one of those. It is a story about education. And while it may sound boring at first, the way it is executed further contributes to making it so uniquely interesting. Basically, in an alternate future, Japan pours its resources into the Adcanced Nurturing High School, in order to form the country's future elites. This creates a unique environment for the student, who have to compete, as if they were different teams in a company. The ... Jan 4, 2024
This is the first light novel I ever read. The anime was quite underwhelming in many aspects, but it at least succeeded at being a marketing scheme for the light novel because of that. Not only does it give each character more deserved depth, but it also goes over lots of content that the anime shamelessly skipped. Most of it is minor stuff, but then some of it is whole ass characters, whole ass backstories or even relevant plot points. But anime comparison aside, what does the light novel do so well?
Story: 8/10 There are 2 different storylines that this novel follows, them being Ayanokouji's progress ... Dec 15, 2022
TLDR: This story is very obvious and "unoriginal" in hindsight, however it is the buildup and intricate planning on the author's part that keeps the reader invested and craving more. Despite the cover art of the novels and Season 1 of the anime, this series is not trashy or "fan-servicey" at all. Whatever your perception of this series is, I promise you that you are wrong.
I first came across Classroom of the Elite in its anime form a couple years back, and while I enjoyed the first season it was not anything overwhelmingly special that made me remember it. I passed it off as another ... Jan 20, 2021
I am a guy that gets bored easily and as a result i have dropped quite a significant amount of novels, books, anime etc. However this is not the case with Youkoso Jitsuryoku Shijou Shugi no Kyoushitsu or Classroom of the elite.
I was preety sure that the LN would be quite boring since i am kinda prejudiced against school stuff but the whole story reminds me of a mystery-crime solving book while it also has an amazing character development. 1. Story. The story is about a highschool student Ayanokouji Kiyotaka who enrolls into a meritocratic (On a crass basis) style school in which the people ... Jul 29, 2022
For all the people reading the reviews and seeing the people like "Everyone in this serious is an edge lord🤓" are simply wrong. The only reason I can see this series being "edgy" is the bozo's who pretend to be the main character in real life. The main character has his reasons for why he acts "edgy" And they're good reasons. I think the series takes normal tropes and breaks them, mixes them up. The combination of "death note" and "blue lock" this series brings is genius. Now, don't get me wrong, the fandom is split. There are 3 types of COTE fans.
1. the edgy ... Oct 12, 2022
I am writing this review right after finishing Volume 11.5, the last volume of the first year of "Classroom of the Elite".
Year one feels like a long and extravagant setup for something that is about to happen, but has not happened yet. It seems like a stepping stone. It teaches the readers the basics of the story, shows us how the school works and builds a an impressive cast of characters. But most importantly, it constantly hypes up the main character, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka. Year one is really good, but not amazing. Mainly because the pay-off to the above mentioned setup didn't happen yet, which makes me ... |