Tag Archives: Isogai

Book Review: Assassination Classroom, Vol 17 by Yusei Matsui

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Assassination Classroom, Vol 17     

Author: Ysei Matsui

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: August 1, 2017

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Action Adventure Manga//200 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

 

The students of Class 3E are in a battle – against one another! Divided on the question of whether to assassinate Koro Sensei or try to save him, they have decided this is the best way to reach an agreement, with the understanding that either way, the entire class will support the winning side. The team to save the teacher is led by Isogai while the opposing team is led by Karma, with Karasuma as judge and Ritsu will keep score.

Each member of the class has a decision to make  –  continue with their assignment to assassinate Koro Sensei, or use what time is left to try to save him. The decision they make will decide which team they are on.  Karma’s team becomes the Red Team and Isogai’s the Blue Team. The two teams are just about evenly matched in number, but not necessarily with skills. Unfortunately, the Red Team ended up with most of the specialists – combat, marksmanship, defense, and recon. Each team has a flag, and the object is to capture the flag, knocking out as many opponents as possible along the way (using paintball guns).  Koro Sensei is happy to see his students do their very best work, what they have been training for.

Let the battle begin…

This volume was really good, as we watch the students fight one another in order to see whether they will try to kill or save Koro Sensei. They all care about their teacher, but some of them feel they need to justify their new skills and use them for the purpose for which they were intended. They have all agreed that whatever the outcome, the losing team will wholeheartedly support the winners and the class will then continue to work together toward a common goal. We get to see how much the individual students have developed since their training began, both as assassins and people. It’s not surprising that the end of the battle turns out the way it does.

After the battle, still seeking information, they learn that the data they seek is on the space station, which is in orbit. To request the information would take too much time, time they don’t have. But Koro Sensei has an idea of how they can acquire the info sooner. However,  this solution is not without its risks. Naturally, his students are all in! Can’t wait to see how that works out in the next volume!

Book Review: Assassination Classroom, Vol 11 by Yusei Matsui

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Assassination Classroom, Vol 11     

Author: Yusei Matsui

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date:  August 2, 2016

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Action Adventure Manga/208 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

Reviewer: Julie Lynn Hayes

One of the members of Class 3E has a name he really doesn’t care for. His parents were both police officers and very enthusiastic ones at that. When he was born, in their excitement they named him Justice Kimura.  He prefers to be called Masayoshi. Inspired by Kimura’s story, Koro Sensei proposes that they come up with code names for one another, the way the assassins they dealt with on the tropical island did, and then use them for the entire day. Ready, set, go!

Isogai has been nicknamed “Mr. Handsome”, and everyone loves him, including the customers at the café where he works outside of school hours. The members of his class turn a blind eye to what he is doing, because it’s actually against school rules. But Isogai’s family is very poor and rely on him to bolster their income. The truth is that he was demoted to Class 3E, not because of his grades, but because he was working. When Asano and some of his cronies discover Isogai’s secret, they threaten to out him. But Asano would rather make a wager. Sports Day is coming up. Class 3E has to beat Class A in the pole pull-down or Isogai’s secret will be revealed! But does Asano, like his corrupt father, ever play fair? Can Class 3E defeat the enormously strong ringers that Asano has brought in for the occasion?

Taking advantage of the parkour training they have received, Okajima proposes a shorter route to school utilizing jumping across the tops of buildings. Some of his classmates are skeptical, as Karasuma told them to only use that training on the mountain. But some are enthusiastic and go at it with a will. Until things go suddenly wrong and someone gets hurt. Now they have to pay the price for what they have done.

I really liked the pole pull-down story, watching the students strategize on how to win without relying on brute strength. It kind of reminded me of an episode of Alice in Borderland I saw recently, where the players were up against the King of Hearts, and had to accumulate more points than the opponents but it wasn’t as simple as it sounded and strategy was key. Also, the story with the old man on the bicycle ended up being very heartwarming. We saw Koro Sensei get truly angry with his students for the first time. Even Kamasura was disgusted at their careless behavior.

Looking forward to the next volume!