Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by mikathereviewer
Classroom of the Elite, Vol. 1 by Syougo Kinugasa
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Me literally waiting for Ayanokouji in volume 4 be like: 🧍‍♂️
(If you know, you know)
Spoiler-free review
This volume was crazy. It was good, but not as I expected. It took 50% of the book for major events to happen which was a bit disappointing honestly, but at the same time I do see the importance of the chapters before chapter 7 started.
If you watched the anime like me you might feel betrayed of his change of personality in the light novel. In general, I watched a YouTube video that explained all 3 versions: Anime, manga and lastly the light novel. Based on the video (but also from many other people) the manga is the worst choice to go as he is acting just like an average highschooler with no personality whatsoever, the anime version makes him look ice cold without any emotions and the light novel version is his actual personality. I don't know why both anime and manga failed with Ayanokouji's personality, but I'm thrilled to see the real Ayanokouji since I started reading the light novel now.
The events in this volume aren't a lot and just one hurdle of many that Ayanokouji and his class will face throughout the 3 years of their school life. But nevertheless it's something that is important for later as many connections are made for the first volume and some secrets are also revealed already.
To put it short: This volume was lots of fun for me, even if I already knew the content of it (I watched the anime). I'm excited to see more differences between the anime and light novel and I have high hopes for the light novel to be even better for me. This book series might haven't started on the strong side as it took definitely some time for something to happen and we still don't know everything yet, but it's after all only the first volume, so let's see where this is leading us.
Spoiler section!
Ayanokouji acted in this volume like an average highschooler, but he is as smart as always and also tries to hide his true potential. What shocked me the most, which can't be seen in anime, are his thoughts. Hebelittled himself , which I didn't expect, but at the same time I can only laugh about it as I know what Ayanokouji is trying to achieve with this.
He also thought more openly about girls and how cute they are than in the anime where he seemed to be interested in no one.
<blockquote>Wow. She was cute. Or rather, she was beautiful. Even though we were in the same grade, I’d have believed it if you told me she was a year or two older.
Such a calm, cool beauty.</blockquote>
In general, he didn't know about social norms and therefore had rather difficulty at the start of his highschool life. This made him very relatable, at least for me.
<blockquote>Someone like me needed to practice, because this environment was so different from what I’d experienced thus far. I was completely isolated. I had ventured alone into a battlefield, and it was do or die.</blockquote>
For example, he didn't know simple things like friendship
<blockquote>What on earth are “friends,” anyway? Where do friends come from? Do people become friends after sharing a meal together? Can you become friends with someone after you walk to the bathroom together for the first time? The more I thought about it, the more I wondered: What is friendship? Is it something deep and meaningful? I tried to piece it together.</blockquote>
But he also didn't understand the value of things like food.
<blockquote></blockquote>I picked up a noodle cup and examined the price tag. It said 156 yen, but I couldn’t tell whether that was expensive or cheap.
Even though he seemed to be rather robotic and unnatural 'cause of this he had also some other moments where he was, for example, nervous and in general showed more emotions than the anime version of him ever did.
<blockquote></blockquote>Okay, stop for a moment. Take a deep breath. All right, here we go!
But Ayanokouji also daydreamed when it was important to show attention, which was hilarious for me, as this is a thing that could have happened to me too
<blockquote></blockquote>I instinctively buried my head in my hands. I hadn’t had time to construct a proper introduction because I’d been too busy daydreaming.
I'm not sure if I remember it incorrectly as it's some time since I watched season one of the anime, but Horikita and Ayanokouji's relationship to eachother is way different here. They act like real kids sometimes, for example Horikita poked Ayanokouji so that he doesn't fall asleep or when Ayanokouji said no and Horikita thanked him for helping her out.
<blockquote>“I refuse,” I said.
“I always knew you’d help, Ayanokouji-kun. I’m grateful.”
“I didn’t say that! I turned you down!”
“No, I heard the voice inside your head. You said you’d help.”</blockquote>
I think it's really funny and is less stiff than the anime. I also noticed that Horikita and Ayanokouji share similarities even if, according to Horikita due to their different motives that wouldn't mean they are 'similar'.
<blockquote>“However, even if you and I share some things in common, I think we took different paths to reach this point. You wanted friends but couldn’t get them. I considered friends unnecessary, so I didn’t make any. Saying we are similar would be incorrect. Am I wrong?” </blockquote>
I also appreciate Chiyabashira-sensei for seeing the potential of then both teaming up, which in the end probably wouldn't have happened if she didn't try to bring them together.
Ayanokouji also seemed to be considerate towards Horikita even though he said he wants to stay neutral.
<blockquote>Honestly, I’d be glad to participate. I’d thought that most of the class would be involved. However, if Horikita was the only one absent, then she might be treated the same as Sudou.
“Ah…I’ll pass. I’m sorry.”</blockquote>
I definitely see lots of potential by them both teaming up and in general trusting eachother, as they are quite similar too and have therefore a better understanding towards eachother that many wouldn't get.
I also appreciate Ayanokouji-kun for being so honest and finally pointing out to Horikita that her flaw is that she thinks she is superior to others and that this thinking pattern would lead her to not succeed in her goals. With this, he immediately changed a certain character trait of her's that could have been an issue for later on. I also felt very frustrated by it and hoped for her to change it and I was relieved when Ayanokouji finally spoke about it to her and made her change it.
The reason I reduced 2 stars:
- A bit slow sometimes
-Ayanokouji-kun being sexually harassed twice. Once made sense for the plot, but the other one was just unnecessary and also made me uncomfortable
-Ayanokouji's different personality (as I said, I wait for Ayanokouji in volume 4)
(If you know, you know)
Spoiler-free review
This volume was crazy. It was good, but not as I expected. It took 50% of the book for major events to happen which was a bit disappointing honestly, but at the same time I do see the importance of the chapters before chapter 7 started.
If you watched the anime like me you might feel betrayed of his change of personality in the light novel. In general, I watched a YouTube video that explained all 3 versions: Anime, manga and lastly the light novel. Based on the video (but also from many other people) the manga is the worst choice to go as he is acting just like an average highschooler with no personality whatsoever, the anime version makes him look ice cold without any emotions and the light novel version is his actual personality. I don't know why both anime and manga failed with Ayanokouji's personality, but I'm thrilled to see the real Ayanokouji since I started reading the light novel now.
The events in this volume aren't a lot and just one hurdle of many that Ayanokouji and his class will face throughout the 3 years of their school life. But nevertheless it's something that is important for later as many connections are made for the first volume and some secrets are also revealed already.
To put it short: This volume was lots of fun for me, even if I already knew the content of it (I watched the anime). I'm excited to see more differences between the anime and light novel and I have high hopes for the light novel to be even better for me. This book series might haven't started on the strong side as it took definitely some time for something to happen and we still don't know everything yet, but it's after all only the first volume, so let's see where this is leading us.
Spoiler section!
Ayanokouji acted in this volume like an average highschooler, but he is as smart as always and also tries to hide his true potential. What shocked me the most, which can't be seen in anime, are his thoughts. He
<blockquote>Wow. She was cute. Or rather, she was beautiful. Even though we were in the same grade, I’d have believed it if you told me she was a year or two older.
Such a calm, cool beauty.</blockquote>
<blockquote>Someone like me needed to practice, because this environment was so different from what I’d experienced thus far. I was completely isolated. I had ventured alone into a battlefield, and it was do or die.</blockquote>
<blockquote>What on earth are “friends,” anyway? Where do friends come from? Do people become friends after sharing a meal together? Can you become friends with someone after you walk to the bathroom together for the first time? The more I thought about it, the more I wondered: What is friendship? Is it something deep and meaningful? I tried to piece it together.</blockquote>
<blockquote></blockquote>I picked up a noodle cup and examined the price tag. It said 156 yen, but I couldn’t tell whether that was expensive or cheap.
<blockquote></blockquote>Okay, stop for a moment. Take a deep breath. All right, here we go!
<blockquote></blockquote>I instinctively buried my head in my hands. I hadn’t had time to construct a proper introduction because I’d been too busy daydreaming.
I'm not sure if I remember it incorrectly as it's some time since I watched season one of the anime, but Horikita and Ayanokouji's relationship to eachother is way different here. They act like real kids sometimes, for example Horikita poked Ayanokouji so that he doesn't fall asleep or when Ayanokouji said no and Horikita thanked him for helping her out.
<blockquote>“I refuse,” I said.
“I always knew you’d help, Ayanokouji-kun. I’m grateful.”
“I didn’t say that! I turned you down!”
“No, I heard the voice inside your head. You said you’d help.”</blockquote>
I think it's really funny and is less stiff than the anime. I also noticed that Horikita and Ayanokouji share similarities even if, according to Horikita due to their different motives that wouldn't mean they are 'similar'.
<blockquote>
Ayanokouji also seemed to be considerate towards Horikita even though he said he wants to stay neutral.
<blockquote>Honestly, I’d be glad to participate. I’d thought that most of the class would be involved. However, if Horikita was the only one absent, then she might be treated the same as Sudou.
“Ah…I’ll pass. I’m sorry.”</blockquote>
I definitely see lots of potential by them both teaming up and in general trusting eachother, as they are quite similar too and have therefore a better understanding towards eachother that many wouldn't get.
The reason I reduced 2 stars:
- A bit slow sometimes
-
-