Assassination Classroom undoubtedly has some great openings, but a change in scenery helped its worst become one of its best ever.
A major change to the hit anime Assassination Classroom actually turned the series’ worst opening into one of its best. Assassination Classroom was a favorite among anime fans during the mid-2010s. The series followed a group of high school students with the ultimate test: kill their teacher before the end of the year or else their planet will be destroyed. However, it’s easier said than done. The students’ teacher is actually a super powered octopus-like creature named Koro Sensei that can move at mach speeds. This means that the class needs to think outside the box to catch Koro Sensei off-guard… while learning major life lessons along the way. The show’s humor was praised by fans for taking an interesting premise and making it into an entertaining comedy, but it’s the show’s openings that were a major highlight.
Over the course of the show’s two seasons, there would be four unique opening credits with songs that were hits. They were all catchy and had fun visuals to match. Every fan has their absolute favorite from Seishun Satsubatsuron to Bye Bye Yesterday, but it’s rare to hear people pick the first version of Assassination Classroom’s second opening. While the song Jiriki Hongan Revolution is a fun one, the visuals don’t match its energy. Instead, the edits are just long shots of the students dancing in a spiral with the same animations they used in Seishun Satsubatsuron. It’s easily the show’s worst opening…that is until a shift in the narrative changed everything.
Beginning with season one’s 17th episode titled Island Time, fans are greeted with an updated version of the second half of the season’s credits. The same song is used as the first, however, it’s loaded with island imagery to mirror the change of scenery. This includes more vibrant and tropical colors used for the roll call of the students and an entirely new dance on the sandy beaches. What makes this immediately better than the first version of the opening though is how it’s edited. The biggest problem with Opening 2’s first take is how it favored multiple long takes. Jiriki Hongan Revolution is an incredibly energetic song. While the first portion of version one is promising, it quickly begins focusing more on showing the students dancing with no cuts, slowing down the pacing to a grinding halt. Version 2, on the other hand, is the complete opposite. It moves fast with quick cuts that keep it in tune with the song while still making it understandable to the viewer.
This Updated Opening Also Foreshadows the Show’s Darker Side
What’s even better about this opening is that the darker elements of Assassination Classroom are foreshadowed during it. This is shown through the muted colors that are present throughout it including a brief moment where the students are highlighted in gray and the villainous antagonists that the students are expected to fight as their island adventure continues. It’s an excellent way to show that underneath all the island fun is a darker interior that will have the classmates taking on exterior and interior threats as they deal with the challenges of growing up. Assassination Classroom is known for being a sad anime, and these hints in the opening are a genius way of preparing fans for what’s coming.
It goes without question that the first version of Assassination Classroom‘s second opening is the show’s worst. It feels slow to watch because of its conflicting tones between the animation and the chosen song, and it also feels like it’s promising more of the same rather than a natural progression for the story. However, the improved island update of the second opening helped it not just be a more entertaining watch but give Assassination Classroom fans a glimpse at the road ahead for Koro Sensei and his students.
Sources: Crunchyroll Dubs, TriaxFx
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