Seven Seas (official English translation)

11.75

anime adaptation, harem, secret identity

Students of the prestigious Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School are given remarkable freedom—if they can win, barter, or save enough points to work their way up the ranks! Ayanokoji Kiyotaka has landed at the bottom in the scorned Class D, where he meets Horikita Suzune, who's determined to rise up the ladder to Class A. Can they beat the system in a school where cutthroat competition is the name of the game?

I just finished watching the 2nd season of the anime, and was surprised by the dark horse heroine that emerged!! Wanted to know what happens next so I proceeded to binge read the light novels where the anime left off.

- We get to meet other upperclassmen, and man, they're cutthroat too. There's a special exam - mixed camp wherein students from different classes gets teamed up. Also, more exposure of our MC's bizarre classmate (the blonde guy) plus childish competition bet. boys comparing their "weapons". #spoiler Our MC is crowned King (it's a harem, what do you expect?)

- Candidate harem girl officially joins MC's harem. This arc is for the cheerful leader of Class B, and why she's 'defective', not in Class A. MC manipulates things behind-the-scenes in order to save her.

- Popularity Contest. Classes must vote out one person in their class to be expelled. MC becomes one of the candidates. Nice guy rep Hirata breaks down when one of their classmates (not MC of course) gets voted out.

- Class A vs. Class C. MC becomes the Commander. We find out nice guy rep's 'defect' and why he's so affected when one of their classmates is expelled, joins MC's harem (joke! XD). He also gets "saved" by MC. Meanwhile, adults interfere with the class competition which makes it no fun :(

- 3rd year students graduates and we get #SPOILER short hair Horikita!!! MC also seeks alliance w/ teachers to kickout the dirty adult who interfered in the last competition. #SSSPPPOOIILLLERRRR Our MC finally chooses a main heroine #Sppoiiller it's the anime dark horse. Errr... one more girl also notices MC and his hidden abilities.

- Just some extras, the first phonecall bet. MC & his gf now that they're 'official' + Class B leader's musings for the upcoming sophomore year.

Cliffhanger!! Although I'd probably experience the same thing if I started reading Year 2 so I'll stop for now. I like our MC (the True Eminence in the Shadows. Lol. I'm watching this too.), he's very clever...cunning. And although I understand that there's an ulterior motive but I liked that he saved nice guy rep and Class B Leader.

I like the competition bet. classes, although some tactics are indeed nasty like rumors and sabotage but it's pretty interesting to see the different approach of each class. If anything, it's just that I feel like it can be too wordy sometimes plus there's been more and more two-faced hypocritical characters/enemies. I mean, there's a violence type, a pacifist type and I think it's enough to have one hypocritical enemy but this type became more prevalent later.

Looking forward to when our MC will show more of his true abilities~~