Dragon Ball has been a mainstay of the anime industry for many years, leaving a legacy that crosses multiple generations. Yet, despite its huge success, fans of Dragon Ball Super have been left behind waiting years and years for the anime to return. Meanwhile, another less impactful and poorly adapted series, Classroom of the Elite, recently announced a fourth season, much to the dismay of many anime fans.
While Classroom of the Elite may have a loyal fanbase, its anime adaptation has been widely criticized for several reasons. On the other hand, Dragon Ball Super manga has just broken its long hiatus and is expected to return soon, but there is no clear indication of the anime following suit. This disparity has led fans to point out that the anime industry prioritizes profit over quality.
The Return of Classroom of the Elite
Based on the popular light novel series written by Shōgo Kinugasa, Classroom of the Elite first premiered in 2017. While the series is compelling for its engaging plot and characters, the readers of the light novel pointed out that the anime adaptation has been done very poorly, to the point that it ruined the essence of its source material.
Season 1 was met with mixed reviews, with fans criticizing the rushed pacing, lack of character development, and subpar animation. Even though the story itself had potential, the anime adaptation failed to do justice to the subtleties of the light novel. The second season, which debuted in 2022, was meant to fix these problems but actually made them worse.
The complaints persisted throughout the seasons of Classroom of the Elite, and the recent announcement of the fourth season has left many fans scratching their heads. How does an anime with such a poor track record continue to get season after season?
Despite its flaws, Classroom of the Elite has managed to maintain a dedicated fanbase, especially among light novel readers who are invested in the story. But the vast majority of anime-only fans feel alienated by the poor adaptation.
The Long, Frustrating Hiatus of Dragon Ball Super
In contrast to the continued returns of Classroom of the Elite, Dragon Ball Super has been on an extended hiatus since its anime halted in 2018. While there are rumors of the manga’s comeback, the anime has been on an indefinite hiatus, with no official word on when it might return.
The prolonged silence has led to speculation that Toei Animation, the studio behind Dragon Ball Super, may have shifted its focus to other projects, leaving one of its most successful franchises on the back burner. This is a particularly bitter pill to swallow when shows like Classroom of the Elite continue to receive new seasons despite their much lower impact in the anime world.
Fans of Dragon Ball Super are clearly frustrated, with many believing that the anime industry is not giving enough priority to its biggest hits. Frustration grows the longer fans wait for Dragon Ball Super to return, particularly when many other, less popular shows are constantly given the go-ahead.
While there are speculations that Toei Animation is waiting for the story of the manga to expand first, the belief isn’t completely invalid that some anime productions are kept alive not because of their artistic merit or fan demand, but because they serve as easy cash grabs for studios, sponsors, and production committees.
Until the day Dragon Ball Super returns, fans will continue to voice their frustration, and the controversies surrounding series like Classroom of the Elite will persist. But one thing is clear: the anime industry needs to do better by its fans, ensuring that the series they love aren’t left to decay while less deserving series continue to flourish.
Dragon Ball Super and Classroom of the Elite is currently available to watch on Crunchyroll.
