The popular manga series Assassination Classroom by Yusei Matsui has been removed from U.S. school libraries at least 54 times during the 2024-2025 school year, according to a report by PEN America. These widespread removals stem primarily from concerns over depictions of violence, particularly gun violence against teachers, and allegations of sexually explicit content, leading to significant debate among parents, educators, and free speech advocates.
The Rising Tide of Book Bans in U.S. Schools
The removal of Assassination Classroom reflects a broader trend of increased book challenges and bans in American educational institutions. Organized pressure groups and legislative changes have significantly contributed to this surge in censorship across the country. PEN America’s report for the 2024-2025 school year documented 6,870 instances of book bans across 23 states and 87 public school districts, with Yusei Matsui’s 22 Assassination Classroom books being among the most frequently targeted.
Geographic Reach of the Bans
Removals and challenges to Assassination Classroom have been reported in multiple states, highlighting a national discussion on appropriate content for school libraries:
- Florida: Gifford Middle School in East Florida removed volumes in March 2023 following complaints. Brevard Public Schools also saw challenges. A Florida-based organization, Citizens Defending Freedom, specifically targeted the manga for alleged explicit sexual content and promotion of gun violence. In a significant development, a federal judge recently overturned a Florida law that conservative groups had used to ban titles including Assassination Classroom, ruling it violated First Amendment free speech protections.
- Wisconsin: The Elmbrook School District removed the series from its electronic library due to similar concerns regarding gun violence and the sexualization of minors.
- South Carolina: Horry County Schools officially removed copies of the manga from its libraries in November 2024, after a mother complained about the series depicting “handguns, rifles, knives, and potions,” as well as “girls in lingerie hopping on top of men.”
- New York: Markham Intermediate School in Staten Island pulled the series after a parent complained about the title and themes, which were reportedly misunderstood.
- Tennessee: Rutherford County Schools removed eight volumes of Assassination Classroom among over 150 titles in November 2024, citing concerns about sexually explicit content under school board policy and state obscenity laws.
- North Carolina: Pender County has also contested the manga’s presence in its libraries.
Reasons Behind the Challenges and Removals
The objections to Assassination Classroom typically revolve around two main themes: violence and sexual content.
Depictions of Violence and School Safety Concerns
A primary driver for the bans is the manga’s premise, which involves students attempting to assassinate their alien teacher, Koro-sensei. Critics, including parents and advocacy groups, have expressed alarm over images of students with guns and knives, fearing that the series promotes violence against teachers or provides instructions on such acts. These concerns are often linked to the sensitive context of rising instances of school shootings in the U.S. Jennifer Pippin, chair of the Indian River County chapter of Moms for Liberty, stated, “We don’t want students to think it’s OK to kill their teachers.”
Allegations of Sexually Explicit Content
Beyond violence, some complaints cite the inclusion of sexually explicit imagery or the “sexualization of minors.” Specific concerns have included “girls in lingerie hopping on top of men in the book.”
Misinterpretation of the Title and Context
In some instances, objections have reportedly arisen from a misunderstanding of the manga’s title, “Assassination Classroom,” without a full appreciation of its narrative context. The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund and the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) argue that such objections take the book’s title and themes out of context, disregarding its overall value.
The Manga’s Narrative and Critical Reception
Assassination Classroom tells the story of Class 3-E, a group of middle school students tasked with killing their extraterrestrial homeroom teacher, Koro-sensei, who threatens to destroy Earth within a year. Despite this unusual premise, Koro-sensei is portrayed as an exceptional teacher who helps his students improve academically and personally, even as they learn assassination techniques to defeat him. The series has been positively received by critics and fans, with over 27 million copies in circulation by October 2023.
Advocacy for Intellectual Freedom
The widespread removal of Assassination Classroom and other titles has prompted strong reactions from organizations dedicated to intellectual freedom. The American Library Association (ALA) and PEN America actively track and condemn censorship attempts, emphasizing the importance of diverse collections and the right to read. They highlight that many challenges originate from organized movements rather than individual parents, and that common justifications for censorship often include claims of obscenity, LGBTQIA+ themes, or topics of race and social justice. These organizations advocate for following established review procedures that evaluate materials based on their educational value and as a whole, rather than on decontextualized excerpts or titles.
