Assassination Classroom provides insight into Japan’s education system

The anime series “Assassination Classroom” may seem like an unlikely source of insight into Japan’s educational system, with its premise of a genetically modified teacher and his assassin pupils. However, despite its over-the-top premise, the show touches on a number of themes and plotlines that provide profound insight into some of the most widespread issues plaguing many of Japan’s educational institutions. In doing so, it not only sympathizes with the plight of its target audience but also prescribes lessons on how this situation can be improved.

The show’s main cast is made up of the children of Kunugigaoka Junior High’s Class 3-E, a class comprised entirely of students ostracized for their poor academic performance. Rather than being placed in courses to help them improve, Class 3-E is pushed away from the rest of the school to serve as a cautionary example of perceived academic failure. As a result, Kunugigaoka’s students live under extreme pressure from both the school and their families, forced to succeed out of fear that they might be cast aside if they let themselves slip.

This sort of formal punitive structure is largely a creation of the series, but it sheds light on a predicament that many Japanese students face. Advancement through the Japanese educational system is typically based on success in entrance exams, much like the ones that the students of Class 3-E agonize over throughout the course of the series. These exams, which are sometimes critically rigorous, are the source of much anxiety, as they can dictate the trajectory of a student’s academic career and determine what high schools or colleges they are able to attend.

According to an article from Nippon.com, students report that scholastic pressures like these, as well as other conformist policies on self-expression, are large factors in anxiety, depression and absenteeism. While numerous establishments throughout Japan aim for a more personalized method that invests in students to meet their individual needs, a large number of institutions base their curriculum on this advancement-focused cookie-cutter approach. This not only leaves struggling students in the dust but fails to adequately challenge students that are ahead of their peers — a situation that led to delinquency for Class 3-E’s Karma Akabane.

Furthermore, just like Class 3-E’s Nagisa Shiota, a high percentage of Japanese students are the victims of bullying in their school life. While some of this bullying takes the form of physical violence, an article in Savvy Tokyo reports that the overwhelming majority of cases consist of verbal antagonism such as threats, insults and hazing. As much of this bullying is difficult to prove, many cases go unreported and unresolved. Problems such as these have become so widespread and destructive that Japan passed a law aimed at early detection and tracking to prevent bullying in 2013.

Sadly, the law was largely influenced by a high degree of child suicides, another problem plaguing school-aged children. Statistically speaking, Japan previously had one of the highest annual suicide counts in the world. While the general figures of suicide cases have gradually decreased over time, the number of child suicides has consistently gone up each year. A previous study undertaken by the Japanese government found that there was a correlation between the start of the school term and the frequency of suicides, indicating that school-related problems may be a large factor.

Assassination Classroom touches on this subject through Rikuto Ikeda, the late student of Kunugigaoka’s headmaster Gakuho Asano. While Ikeda was a bright, friendly and cheerful child, he faced academic hardship and bullying upon entering high school, which ultimately led to him taking his own life. Since Assassination Classroom is aimed at a middle to high school-aged demographic, these struggles are surely ones that resonate with its readers.

Still, there is an abundance of practices in Japan’s schools that help nurture children during their time in education. For instance, many schools in Japan offer after-school programs that focus on extracurricular activities such as sports, music, and art. These activities provide students with opportunities to develop their interests and talents outside of the classroom, while also fostering a sense of community and belonging. Additionally, many schools in Japan have a strong emphasis on discipline and respect, which is instilled in students from a young age.

It’s also worth noting that Japan has a highly regarded education system, and Japanese students consistently rank among the top performers in international assessments of student achievement. The country has a long history of valuing education and investing in its schools, and many Japanese parents place a high priority on their children’s academic success. While there are certainly challenges and areas for improvement, it’s important to recognize that Japan’s educational system has many strengths as well.

Overall, Assassination Classroom provides a thought-provoking commentary on the challenges and complexities of Japan’s educational system. Through its outlandish premise and engaging characters, the series sheds light on issues such as academic pressure, bullying, and the need for personalized approaches to education. By doing so, it offers insights that extend beyond the world of anime and into the real-world experiences of Japanese students.

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