Note

This review will mostly focus on the third season of Classroom of the Elite, but all of the positives, negatives, and everything in between pertaining to the season is applicable to Seasons 1 and 2 of the series. ***

Classroom of the Elite is one of the most polarizing series that came out recently. On one hand, it's a unique thriller mystery set in a high school setting where the main goal is to outwit each other based on the school’s specific ranking system. Each character gets its place to shine and witness their wit of controlling and evading the crowd unfolding through the viewers eyes. As the series progresses, the wits and deception for each other have increased with a lot more risk but with very high reward, all in the name of an interesting ego boost of adolescence.

On the other hand, the entire premise is incredibly absurd and too convenient, to the point where everything seemed out of reach for a pretty grounded series. Another aspect to look at is how this show treats its characters. You can say on one end that these characters are just pawns of our main character, Ayanokouji. That's why they act the way they do as one-noted, obey-driven characters that can get interesting in certain sequences, but at the same time, the show tries too hard at convincing us that they're well-rounded characters by showing mundane daily things and their personal interests, but it didn't really work as much as the series tries itself to.

The world in the series is rather interesting and makes you wonder how and why it led up to this, but at the same time, it's been a constant ego-driven, selfishly set up, corrupt, and unethical school that keeps telling you something is changing on the inside without any proof to show. 3 seasons in, and the show is basically doing what season 1 started: a repetitive quest of confusion that's concluded by outwits but with no huge consequences. ***

There are a lot of things to like about this show, but it's undeniable that the negatives about it outweigh the positives, and yet, just like you and me, you still watch this series up until its third season and are massively enjoying it despite the fact that the series has gotten too repetitive. What could be the reason for it? Is it because we're unconsciously connected with these characters despite their being mostly one-noted or something else?. The reason for us, the viewers, to be attached to this series way more than we expected is the genre this anime is attached to, and that is mystery thrillers.

These types of anime aren't exactly common, and they're mostly plagued by the same problems Classroom of the Elite has, but the satisfaction you get when the mystery is unfolded is undeniably entertaining. You'll get to forgive the flaws of the series just to get that adrenaline shot of a thrilling moment, the unhidable grin as the opponent team gets to have huge karma over their betrayal sequences, and a silent applause inside your head once the characters let the viewers know how they'd coordinate the entire scheme to an impressive extent, which you find it hard to get tired of. ***

The third season of Classroom of the Elite is no different from the two seasons prior, whether from its strengths and weaknesses, but what carried the show over its three-season run is how entertainingly watchable it is, a feat that's not at grasp with most anime, which this series is holding firmly on to its grasp three seasons in and more strength to hold onto it for at least a couple more potential future seasons. ***