"Assassination Classroom" complete in 21 volumes. A masterpiece of school manga that will make you laugh and cry, and can be finished even on weekdays.

This is the Digital Comic Encyclopedia management team. It's Tuesday, the middle of the weekday. How about a work you can read little by little during your commute or your relaxing time at night?

Today, I would like to introduce "Assassination Classroom" by Yusei Matsui. It is a unique school manga that concluded in 2016 with 21 volumes in total.

■ What is it about?

One day, a mysterious super-creature that destroyed 70% of the moon declares, "If you cannot assassinate me by next March, I will destroy the Earth." However, as a condition, it demands to become the homeroom teacher for Class 3-E of Kunugigaoka Junior High School.

Moving at Mach 20 and dodging every attack, this immortal tentacled creature—which the students name "Koro-sensei"—is to be assassinated by the students of the bottom-tier class. That is the premise of this work.

■ Why does it make you "laugh and cry"?

The first half is pure comedy. The students' bizarre schemes to assassinate Koro-sensei, Koro-sensei dodging them all, and for some reason, him properly teaching them both academics and sports—it's a barrage of gags.

However, in the second half, Koro-sensei's true identity and past are revealed. Why did the man once called the "Grim Reaper" become a teacher for a bottom-tier class? When the truth is revealed, readers who were laughing until then will definitely be sobbing by the final volume. This "gap between comedy and emotion" is the true essence of Yusei Matsui.

■ Major Episodes

・Volumes 1-7: First Semester - Assassination and Lessons Arc
・Volumes 8-14: Second Semester - Final Exams & School Trip Arc
・Volumes 15-18: Koro-sensei's Past Arc
・Volumes 19-21: Graduation - Final Battle Arc (Climax)

The graduation scene in the final volume, in particular, is a famous scene that brought many readers to tears.

■ Anime and Live-Action Movies Too

The anime version (2015-2016, 47 episodes total) is a complete adaptation of the original work. A live-action film (two parts) starring Ryosuke Yamada was also released. Since the original work shines with Yusei Matsui's intricate foreshadowing and sharp gags, those who have seen the video adaptations can still enjoy the original work.

■ Same Author as "The Elusive Samurai"

Yusei Matsui's current serialized work is "The Elusive Samurai" (which also has an anime adaptation). Along with "Assassination Classroom" and "Neuro: Supernatural Detective," it shares the style of bizarre settings, intricate foreshadowing, and passionate human drama.

■ How to Purchase at a Discount

The total for all 21 volumes is approximately 10,000 yen. With the 70% OFF coupon from ebookjapan (usable 6 times), you can save about 3,200 yen. Since the number of volumes is easy to read, it is a work that is easy to pick up even on weekdays.

For details, please refer to the comparison table in the original article.

*This article is reprinted from comichikaku.com
Original article (also introduces cost-effective ways to read the original manga):How many volumes does "Assassination Classroom" have in total? A thorough explanation of the final volume's content and the story of Koro-sensei and Class 3-E - Digital Comic Encyclopedia