This article reveals key plot points from the first four episodes of Classroom of the Elite Season 4: Second Year, First Term, so be warned if you haven’t watched them yet!
The fourth season of Classroom of the Elite, titled Second Year, First Term, kicked off this season with a special 90-minute premiere covering the first four episodes. The season got off to a strong start, immediately delivering the suspenseful atmosphere fans expect. As always, Horikita and Ayanokoji were central to the story, but several of the first-year students also made a memorable impression.
Even though Classroom of the Elite isn’t as widely popular as shows like One Piece or JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, it has a dedicated fanbase. The previous season wasn’t well-received by many, but the series appears to be improving now.
The First Test: Horikita Seeking Partners for Class 2-D
Season 4 starts a new school year, and the first four episodes take place before the first big test. This year, the school has introduced a new app called Over All Ability, or OAA. The app tracks every student’s skills in five areas – academics, physical ability, problem-solving, social skills, and overall performance. The overall performance score is actually a combination of the other four. Students who don’t reach a certain, secret score by the end of the year may face serious consequences, potentially even expulsion.
This new app changes how students interact, emphasizing individual achievement and competition instead of teamwork. As a first trial, second-year students will be partnered with first-year students. Those who can’t find a partner on their own will be assigned one randomly, but will lose 5% of their possible score.
This situation puts Class 2-D at an even greater disadvantage, as new students can see their Overall Assessment scores and may choose to avoid partnering with them. The 5% score penalty also affects second-year students more significantly because of the school’s system, leading some first-years to try and get points from second-years in exchange for being their partner. This is particularly true with Hosen, who is essentially forcing Class 1-D to only accept partners who pay him.
Honestly, watching Suzune Horikita navigate all this is just… stressful! As the leader of Class 2-D, she’s really trying to build a solid alliance with Class 1-D, and a big part of that is finding the right match for Sudo – he can be a handful, to say the least. She came to me, Kiyotaka Ayanokoji, for help, and I’m doing what I can. I connected her with Tsubasa Nanase from Class 1-D, who seems keen on an alliance but might struggle with Hosen. On top of that, Ichika Amasawa, a new student, threw me a curveball – she offered to partner with Sudo, but only if I cook her a proper meal first! It’s a lot, but I’m trying to keep everything moving forward.
The “Special Test”: Ayanokoji is the Target
Ayanokoji suspects a first-year student from the White Room is actively trying to get him expelled. Because new students face less penalty for low test scores, if Ayanokoji is paired with this student, they could easily sabotage both their scores and succeed in getting him removed from the school.
Guess the anime from the emojis.
animeji
Guess the anime from the emojis.
Title
Clues
Results
Title
— Clues
—
Kiyotaka Ayanokoji is also investigating his fellow first-year students, trying to identify the one who was trained in the White Room. The story begins with a mysterious student tasked with eliminating Kiyotaka, and it’s later revealed that other new students received a secret assignment: to find a way to get him expelled.
Amasawa and Hosen were collaborating with a specific goal in mind, and Nanase knew about it, though she wasn’t sure if it was the right course of action. Fortunately, Kiyotaka figured it out and was able to intervene. Ultimately, Kiyotaka and Horikita formed an alliance with Class 1-D, and Kiyotaka partnered with Hosen. Hosen’s boisterous personality suggests he likely wasn’t trained in the White Room, making him a trustworthy ally.
But I haven’t yet determined if Ayanokoji-senpai is worthy of being targeted that way.
— Tsubasa Nanase
The show also explores Maya Sato discovering that Kei Karuizawa has fallen for and is now in a relationship with Ayanokoji. After a tense argument that includes a physical altercation, they manage to reconcile and appear to rebuild their friendship.
Is The Series Beginner-Friendly?
Despite being the fourth season, this anime is surprisingly easy for new viewers to jump into. The story subtly revisits important ideas, almost as if it’s the start of a new school year, through conversations that feel natural – not like forced explanations. While newcomers might miss some of the finer points, they’ll still be able to follow the plot and feel the suspense building throughout the episode. It’s a great way to welcome both new and returning fans.
Although starting with the first episode is ideal, you can jump into the new episodes and still enjoy the show, particularly if you’re a fan of psychological thrillers. Many viewers are comparing the new season to a high school version of Game of Thrones.
Are Classroom of the Elite Fans Enjoying the New Season?
Season four got off to a stronger start than season three. The animation is visually appealing, and the music effectively builds suspense. However, some viewers were disappointed with certain decisions made in the writing and directing. The show deviated from the original story in places, notably during Ayanokoji’s confrontation with Hosen in episode four, and some plot details were left out of this adaptation.
Viewers who only watch the anime won’t likely notice any changes from the original story, though the timing might occasionally feel a little rushed. Overall, the animation looks good so far, and the opening sequence is particularly impressive. Many fans are enjoying the new episodes, and it appears Season 4 is shaping up to be better than Season 3.
Classroom of the Elite Season 4 Episode 5 Release Date
New episodes of Classroom of the Elite Season 4 will be released every Wednesday, with Episode 5 scheduled to premiere on April 8, 2026. Please note that this schedule could change, so fans should check official social media for the latest updates.
Where to Watch Classroom of the Elite Season 4
You can now watch Classroom of the Elite Season 4 on Crunchyroll in many countries. Currently, it’s only available with subtitles, but an English dub is being produced and will be released soon. Dubs in other languages are also expected.
Classroom of the Elite original novel series is published in the US by Seven Seas.
Read More
- All Shadow Armor Locations in Crimson Desert
- How to Get the Sunset Reed Armor Set and Hollow Visage Sword in Crimson Desert
- Best Bows in Crimson Desert
- All Skyblazer Armor Locations in Crimson Desert
- All Golden Greed Armor Locations in Crimson Desert
- Marni Laser Helm Location & Upgrade in Crimson Desert
- All Helfryn Armor Locations in Crimson Desert
- Wings of Iron Walkthrough in Crimson Desert
- How to Craft the Elegant Carmine Armor in Crimson Desert
- Keeping Large AI Models Connected Through Network Chaos
2026-04-03 20:36