Summary
Classroom of the Elitecaught on well as a manga andled to a 3-season anime adaptation.However, it started off as a light novel by Shōgo Kinugasa with art by Shunsaku Tomose. It had a few differences from its comic/cartoon counterparts, like the protagonist Ayanokōji being a less aloof but more of a scheming figure.
But it was still apsychological thrillerwhere its underperforming students had to struggle to climb up the Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing School’s ranks. The original light novel, and its sequel, will keep readers busy. But, once they’ve completed them, they might like to check outthese greatClassroom of the Elite-esque light novelstoo.
8Six Lying College Students
MyAnimeList Score: N/A
Six Lying College Studentshasn’t officially been translated into English yet, but it’s worth tracking down regardless. It’s a psychological thriller with a twist that would suitCotEfans. Particularly ones who’d like something a little more mature, like something with college graduates instead of high schoolers. In this case, the students are competing for a shot at a job with the up-and-coming IT company SpriLinks.
It all starts off normally enough, as the last six applicants are tasked with joining forces and helping each other get a spot at the company. Once they’re in, then their task changes. Now they must choose one person out of their group for the job, which causes them to attack each other. Then, finally, they each receive a single letteraccusing them of murder. One of them is a killer, but which one is it? Readers will have to check it out to learn the answer.
7Is It Tough Being a Friend?
MyAnimeList Score: 7.13
As serious as some of these entries are, it can get to be a bit much. Some readers might want something more tongue-in-cheek to lighten the mood. It can still have drama, heavy consequences, big reveals, etc., but it wouldn’t hurt to nudge and wink at the audience sometimes. In other words, it could be something likeIs It Tough Being a Friend?
Ichirō is the main character, but he’d rather be a side character in life. Someone who supports a bigger, more popular character in the limelight rather than being its sole focus. Luckily, he gets his wish when he befriends Ryūga, a handsome young man who has a mysterious backstory, superpowers, and is popular with the ladies. However, Ichirō soon discovers he’s more significant to his life’s story than he’d like to be.
6Sakurada Reset
MyAnimeList Score: 7.34
CotEmay have exploded in popularity, butSakurada Reset(akaSagrada Reset) caught fire as well. Thus far, it’s been adapted into two manga, two live-action movies, and an anime series. Then again, it is a sci-fi drama set at a high school in a town (the titular Sakurada) where everyone has superpowers. It’s got enough elements in even proportions to appeal to fans of sci-fi, high school drama, and superhero stories.
It’s about Kei, a boy with a photographic memory, joining forces with Misora, who can reset time up to 3 days in the past. Since he can still remember the ‘reset’ time, they can handle tricky tasks effectively. As part of the school’s Service Club, they end up performing duties for the Administration Bureau, the organization that runs the town, which ends up having big consequences for them and Sakurada.
5Heaven’s Memo Pad
MyAnimeList Score: 7.81
It can be funny how English terms catch on in other languages. For example, NEET (‘Not in Education, Employment, or Training’) used to be British Government jargon forcertain unemployed people. Then it reached Japan, where it became a common phrase in manga, anime, and light novels, like inHeaven’s Memo Pad. AKAGod’s Notebook,Notebook of God, andIt’s Only the NEET Thing to Do.
Narumi never really got to settle in one place and make friends because his father’s work always kept his family on the move. However, things change when he comes across Alice. She’s a hacker genius who spends most of her time in her room. From there, she runs a detective agency where her NEET associates help her solve crimes. When Narumi finds out, he ends up a part of her club, and as a result, her wider investigation against a notorious crime syndicate.
4The Dark Maidens
Amazon Score: 4/5 Stars.
The Dark Maidensramps things up more quickly thanCotEby adding murder to the mix. Itsumi, the most popular and pretty student at St Mary’s Academy, was found dead on the premises. Her Literature Club gathers together a week later to commemorate her, only for things to take a turn as they read out short stories relating their memories of her last moments.
It descends into a morass of arguments and accusations, as each recollection paints one student or another in a bad light. Did one of them kill Itsumi? Was it someone else? Why did they do it in the first place? Did she kill herself? Inspired by theclassic samurai movieRashomon, the story pits these recollections against each other until it approaches something resembling the truth of the matter.
3Kokoro Connect
MyAnimeList Score: 8.06
For fans who likeCotE’s complex character drama,Kokoro Connectmay give them more to chew on. At first glance, it seems like an ordinary high school series about a group of friends. Taichi, Iori, Himeko, Yoshifumi, and Yui are quite different from each other, but together they set up the Cultural Research Club to investigate their shared interest: supernatural phenomena.
Things get serious when one phenomenon causes them to swap bodies with each other. At first, it’s played for yuks, but it gradually causes tensions to rise as boundaries get crossed and secrets get revealed. It tests their bonds to their breaking point, on top of the other phenomena that flare up while all this is going on. Even so, they must find out what’s causing the body swaps and how to stop it.
2The Empty Box And Zeroth Maria
MyAnimeList Score: 8.70
If readers want a more surreal take onCotE, they may find it inThe Empty Box and Zeroth Maria. This series starts off simply enough, as Kazuki is an ordinary high school student who likes his perfectly ordinary life. Even when he receives a mysterious wish-granting box from a mysterious figure called ‘O,’ he refuses to open it, because he’s fine with how things are.
So, O starts sending boxes to everyone around him, just to see how Kazuki reacts when his life is turned upside down. Then, a new student called Maria Otonashi joins his class. She’s pretty, but lacks social skills, and for some reason vows to “break” Kazuki even though they’ve never met before. Between O’s schemes and Otonashi’s intentions, Kazuki’s life is going to beanything but ordinary.
1My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, As I Expected
MyAnimeList Score: 8.77
If this one looks familiar, it might be because it was adapted into an anime calledMy Teenage Romantic Comedy SNAFU. Yen Press just went withMy Youth Romantic Comedy is Wrong, As I Expected, a more literal translation of its original Japanese name (Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru,orOreGaIrufor short), for its original light novel and manga adaptations. Either way, it sharesCotE’s school setting, and has a similar trio as leads.
Only here, the series is about the cynical Hachiman and the cold Yukino being brought together by the cheery Yui as part of the Service Club, where they help other students with their problems.Hachiman’s brutal analysisand Yukino’s lack of empathy make them seemingly ill-suited for the job, but they manage to make it work. Even so, they still have their own issues to sort out, and a lot to learn about themselves and each other.
