Classroom of the Elite

Synopsis

"Classroom of the Elite" is a TV anime produced by Lerche and broadcast in 2017, based on the light novels by Shogo Kinugasa. It is set at the Advanced Nurturing High School, a prestigious boarding school that prizes student autonomy, where ability decides everything and each class's evaluation determines its privileges. Kiyotaka Ayanokoji, a seemingly apathetic student assigned to the lowest-ranked class, conceals his true nature as he becomes entangled in the scheming rivalries among his peers. Built on psychological and intellectual battles, it is a suspenseful school drama probing the cruelty of a meritocratic society.

Why visit the real-life locations

The show's near-futuristic campus and facilities can be savored by visiting the real buildings said to inspire them. Chiba City's Utase Elementary School, with its refined, open design, evokes the anime's academy, and strolling it together with the planned townscape of the Makuhari new city center heightens that futuristic feel. In Akita, the Nakajima Memorial Library at Akita International University is a celebrated work of architecture, its warm timber and semicircular tiers of bookshelves unforgettable. This serene, beautiful space carries an intellectual air fit for a battle of wits and perfect for immersing yourself in the story's world.