While I thought that Volume 15 was fantastic for the level of backstory that it provided, Volume 16 somehow managed to outdo it, to the extent that it has easily been my favourite volume of Assassination Classroom so far. It’s also very different than any that came before, as it is almost exclusively focused on telling us Koro-sensei’s backstory.
Koro-sensei is one of my favourite fictional characters ever and the story in this volume is a big part of the reason why. Something I really enjoy is when a kind of silly, over-the-top character is given a really dark backstory and though I am not going to spoil exactly what is revealed about Koro-sensei’s past in this review, I will say that it fits into that mould perfectly.
It’s a story of someone who has experienced really horrible things and then, rather than allowing it to take them down a dark path, has instead decided to choose the path of kindness. Not only do I think that that’s incredibly beautiful, but it resonates with because many of the people I love the most have had experiences that mirror it. It’s all about choosing to end a cycle of abuse and violence, rather than allowing it to continue.
This volume also properly introduces Yukimura, Koro-sensei’s predecessor as the teacher of Class-E and Kayano’s sister. While she’d been mentioned and even briefly appeared in a number of previous volumes, this is the first time that she’s really had any focus. As it turns out, she’s an incredibly important character to the narrative as a whole. She’s a very endearing character and someone I became very fond of in just this volume alone – and her friendship with Koro-sensei is something that is both beautiful and sad.
Before you read this volume, aspects of the Assassination Classroom narrative might feel rather random or disjointed. This ties everything together in a really clever and moving way. Meanwhile, if you felt any apprehension about the students’ deadline to assassination Koro-sensei, you’re likely to feel very differently after reading this volume, as it completely changes everything. It’s a fantastic piece of writing and something I’ll give a rare perfect score.
Rating: 10/10
