The following contains spoilers for Episode 1 of Classroom Of The Elite Season 2, “Remember to Keep a Clear Head in Difficult Times” now streaming onCrunchyroll.
Opening the Summer 2022 anime season as one of the first titles to air is none other than the second season ofClassroom of the Elite. The show’s first season was an exciting watch, ending at theCruise Ship Special Test arc. However, despite the toughness of the test, it seems the first-year students of Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School still have to go through another nerve-wracking phase of the Cruise Ship test.
The first episode of the season introduced a test that “tests” the trust and teamwork between the students of the different first-year classes. As the school authorities have laid the groundwork for the test, it is left for every student to act in their class’s interest to obtain the “hallowed” points. But will any class go unscathed from the grueling test?
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A Nerve-Wracking Test
Episode 1 of theClassroom of the Elitefirst introduced Horikita Manabu, discussing with his assistant on the winner of the Island test from the first season. Surprisingly, Manabu correctly guessed the winner: Class D. This proves that Manabu is well-aware of Ayanokoji’s potential and how he can alter the academy rankings. After the brief discussion, the scene soon changes to one showing students enjoying their time on the Cruise Ship. However, this doesn’t last for long as the school pulls everyone into another test, where trust and betrayal will be essential to winning.
The first jolting factor of the test is that there are eight discrete groups, and each mixes the different members from each first-year class. In other words, class-oriented teamwork is useless in this instance, creating a brewing problem that each group will need to face. Undoubtedly, a question every group member will need to answer internally is, “How do I work with my group without jeopardizing my class points?” The test involves each member of a group guessing the identity of a VIP and sending their answers to the school through emails. The test is rigged in such a way that almost every movebenefits the VIP candidates. In most scenarios, the VIPs will be getting up to a million points.
The test seems easy, but it’s not. In the test, four likely cases can result from each dealing. Members of a group can either guess the VIP’s identity or wrong, which comes with different consequences, or the VIP hides their identity, and everyone is left to make their guesses. No rule prevents the VIPs from revealing their identities, so depending on a team’s strategy, the test can be a walkover or a hellish one. However, one major dissenting factor rocks the balance of the test. Points are allotted on a class basis, not a group one. Consequently, only members of a class can benefit from an action – a major divisive factor that will trigger the rise of class factions even within groups.The main protagonist, Ayanokoji, and other intelligent students have already figured out how the test will go, setting the groundwork for how the test will turn out.
Team Mars Stand & Ichinose’s Leadership Skills
Before the test started, the episode revealed the brief clash between Ryuen and Horikita Suzune. Ryuen challenged Horikita on how Class D ended up winning the Island test. On the other hand, Ayanokoji, the brain behind Class D’s success, managed to stay obscure in the discussion as Horikita bore the brunt of Ryuen’s questioning. The clash may have ended peacefully, but it also hinted that Class D is subject to further scrutiny from other classes since they managed to outclass every other class in the island test.
Later in the episode, the test begins as Team Mars assembles. In this group, Ayanokoji, Karuizawa, Ichinose, and members of other classes assemble together. As the meeting starts, Ichinose takes the initiative and steps upto the leadership positionin a brilliant manner that prevents others from questioning her leadership. She gets the team to introduce themselves and suggests a practical strategy to clear the teamwork approach to the test. This approach involves the group members discussing the VIP identities before collectively deciding to send their choices via email.
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Despite the plan’s effectiveness, members of Class A in Team Mars objected to the teamwork, stating that abstaining from participation in the test is the best way to achieve a desirable result. This suggestion is also logical as it reduces the chances of wrongly guessing a VIP’s identity. The first discussion of the group then comes to a null, with Team Mars deciding to follow Class A members' suggestions. However, during the break between discussions, a minor discord breaks out as Karuizawa isbullied by members of her group– most likely a cheap ploy to discover whether she is a VIP or not. Luckily, Machida saves Karuizawa from the bunch, and the second group discussion kicks in.
Maintaining the Class A suggestion, the team’s atmosphere becomes gloomy as no one discusses the identity of the VIPs. Eventually, Ichinose broke the ice as she suggested that everyone could chat with each other to put their mind at ease during the test. She manages to get everyone on board with her suggestion, showing just much of a leader she truly is. The first episode of the season then ended with Karuizawa Kei crying in her bathroom for unknown reasons, hinting that there is more to the characterClassroom of the Elitewill reveal. As the test progresses, fans can only wonder how it will turn out andwhether Class D will triumph again this time.
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