Book Review: Assassination Classroom, Vol 14 by Yusei Matsui

Assassination Classroom, Vol 14      

Author: Yusei Matsui

Publisher: Viz Media

American release date: February 7, 2017

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

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

 

The battle continues at the Kunugigaoka School Festival! A few disgruntled malcontents have it in for Class 3-E after what transpired on the school trip in Kyoto. However, once they make their way up the mountain, their plans fall apart thanks to Koro Sensei and his students.  Even so, Class 3-E is at a disadvantage due to location and also due to the advantages Class 3-A has over them. Asano’s class even has entertainment including a comedian and a music idol! Hard to compete with that.

Some of the strangest people are showing up on the mountain unexpectedly, including the guy with the crush on Nagisa when they were on the island. He’d rather tell this guy the truth, but his classmates urge him to continue the charade because of the money he can bring in. Oh, the things we do for our friends! Another unexpected visitor is Nagisa’s mother! Oh dear, will there be more trouble?

Once the festival is over, it’s time to prepare for the final exam. Principal Asano is determined to do whatever it takes to win, even if that means brainwashing his students and force-feeding them their studies! He is not even pretending that he is above harming the students of Class 3-E! Even his son is beginning to question his methodology.  In a surprising turn of events, after blackmailing the government for another billion yen to keep quiet about the assassination, the principal has taken over teaching duties and sent his son home to study on his own. At last, the final boss has appeared!

Young Asano approaches some of the members of Class 3-E with a proposition – he wants them to assassinate his father! Not literally kill him, of course, just kill his pedagogy. Show him that he’s wrong in his teaching methodology. No one saw this coming! He wants his friends and his father to learn how to fail. Can they believe in his sincerity? The Final Exam begins, and it’s even harder than they ever imagined. In the end, it all comes down to Asano vs Karma – can Karma save the day?

A disgruntled Principal Asano orders Class E’s classroom to be demolished! His plans for them are formidable and rather terrifying. He threatens to fire Koro Sensei and then challenges him to a little wager, involving five tests, four hand grenades, and one anti-me grenade. If he accepts the challenge, Koro Sensei might actually die! Who will be the victor in this bizarre battle of wills?

This was another great volume of Assassination Classroom! I love how ingenious the students are becoming, and not just in the ways of assassination.  They use what their environment has to offer, but without depleting it to the detriment of those who live there. They are growing stronger day by day, thanks to Koro Sensei. Now they are the class to be like, much to Principal Asano’s great chagrin. But only three months remain before the earth is to be destroyed. Will they be able to assassinate their target, Koro Sensei – and will they want to when the time arrives?