New Manga Ban in the U.S. Puts Heat on Assassination Classroom

Sometimes, it feels like the powers at be have it out for manga. In the past few years, book banning has become a major concern in the United States as scores of publications have been targeted. While some of these banned titles don’t belong on shelves, others at libraries and schools are being ostracized with little thought. The manga industry has seen this happen time and again. So really, it was just a matter of time before Assassination Classroom came under fire in South Carolina.

The situation unfolded this week as schools in Horry County, South Carolina were told to remove Assassination Classroom from library shelves. The ordeal was sparked after the mother of a ninth-grader submitted a complaint to the district. And as for the complaint? Well, you can read it below:

“They’re talking about the operative on how they’re going to kill this teacher, and different ways to kill the teacher.”

Does Assassination Classroom Promote School Violence?

Currently, Horry County is reviewing the complaint, so Assassination Classroom is under a temporary ban. The district has 30 days to assess the manga and make a final decision about its inclusion in libraries. As you can imagine, manga fans are a bit perplexed by the situation, but this is not the first time Assassination Classroom has come under fire.

Last year, reports surfaced that Yusei Matsui’s hit manga was being removed from counties in Floria and Wisconsin. Similar critiques were sent to schools and public libraries about the title of Assassination Classroom. Admittedly, the manga’s title is not the most genteel, but its tory is anything but nefarious.

If you have taken the time to read Assassination Classroom, you will find a story of misfits who find a champion in the most unlikely of places. The manga tells the story of Koro-sensei, a homeroom teacher as Kunugigaoka Junior High School who doesn’t seems quite right. The teacher is an alien who has promised to destroy the planet Earth, and the kids of Class 3-E figure out the teacher’s plot. With the class determined to kill Koro-sensei to save their home, things get complicated when they learn the true history behind the alien, and others creep into the school to take Koro-sensei’s bounty themselves.

Yes, the action comedy has a shocking title, but the manga is quite inspiring. Koro-sensei is a superb teacher, and he helps Class 3-E become better students but also people. If you judge the manga by its cover, well – you can see why it would stir debate. But if you actually crack open the book, Assassination Classroom is a fine read for high school students.

The Rise of Book and Manga Bans

Of course, the growing book ban culture has put counties on notice. Manga has found itself targeted a number of times amid the ordeal. Not long ago, Florida made the news for banning a popular LGBTQ+ manga because of its focus on a queer couple. Sasaki and Miyano was banned from school libraries in a Florida county after a parent complained about its LGBTQ+ nature. Hilariously enough, the parent’s critique suggested kids read Chainsaw Man rather than this BL series, so you can take from that what you will.

While manga is becoming more difficult to find in some schools, the industry is easier than ever to tap into online. Viz Media operates the Shonen Jump app which brings hundreds of series to fans, and there is also Manga Plus to consider. From Kodansha to Square Enix, more and more publishers are exploring manga apps to reach stateside fans. So if you want to check out Assassination Classroom, the series is available through Viz Media online.

What do you make of this latest manga ban? Do you think book banning is being taken too far? Give me a shout at @meganwpeters with your take! You can also let us know what you think over on X (Twitter) and Instagram.