The third season of the Japanese light novel series "Welcome to the Classroom of the Elite," commonly known as "Youjitsu," is scheduled to air in January of next year. The series follows the protagonists as they compete and sometimes cooperate for their future at a prestigious school where meritocracy is the only way to succeed. One character to watch in the third season is Arisu Sakayanagi. The key visual for the third season shows her standing back to back with the protagonist, Kiyotaka Ayanokoji, raising speculation that she may play a key role in the new series. This time, we'll be introducing Arisu Sakayanagi, a key character in the third season!
Story Summary
The story is set at the prestigious Advanced Nurturing High School. The school boasts a nearly 100% rate of students going on to higher education and finding employment, and is a laissez-faire school where students are paid points worth 100,000 yen per month. Our protagonist, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, is assigned to the school's D class, which is full of problem children. One month after enrolling, it is revealed that the points that are supposed to be deposited into the student's account every month are not being deposited into the D class students' accounts, and that this is due to the students' self-indulgent lifestyles. In fact, the system is set up so that only students with excellent grades receive preferential treatment. This is where school life begins at this ultra-meritocratic school.
What kind of character is Sakayanagi Arisu?
A female student at Advanced Nurturing High School, the setting of the story, she is engaged in a factional battle with her classmate, Kohei Katsuragi. She is also the daughter of the school's chairman, and her influence is immense. Sakayanagi possesses a genius mind, and even describes herself as such. However, she suffers from a congenital condition that renders her unable to walk properly without a cane. This prevents her from engaging in any physical activity. She also knows a lot about Kiyotaka Ayanokoji, including his past. She has only a limited screen time in the anime, so it's exciting to see what she'll do in Season 3.
About the Character
On the surface, she treats everyone kindly and appears to be a gentle person. However, in reality, she is cruel and merciless, and will relentlessly attack anyone who gets in her way. She completely obstructs her rival, Katsuragi, forcing him to step down as leader. She also has a rather sinister personality, spreading information about a certain person's past throughout the school and mentally tormenting him. She exudes a cunning aura in various scenes, and according to the author, she was conscious of creating a "strong character that is different from other female characters."
About Her Early Life
When she was seven years old, she visited an educational institution called the "White Room" with her father, the chairman of the board. The protagonist, Kiyotaka Ayanokoji, is actually a graduate of the White Room, which is why Sakayanagi knows about Ayanokoji's past. She was secretly influenced by seeing Ayanokoji completing various tasks and playing chess in the White Room, and she herself began playing chess. She has a mature personality beyond her years and a very philosophical perspective.
What are Sakayanagi Arisu's abilities?
Using her superior intellect, Sakayanagi excels in psychological warfare and devises a variety of strategies. However, due to a congenital illness, she is prohibited from exercising, which prevents her from participating in physical exams and forces her to accept penalties. That said, her superior intelligence overcomes her handicap, and her charisma, combined with her great influence, make her a character with well-balanced strength. Incidentally, Ayanokoji also acknowledges Sakayanagi's abilities, so it seems she's not entirely opposed to them.
Summary of Sakayanagi Arisu
Sakayanagi Arisu is a beautiful, intelligent, and evil character, combining many different elements. While she may be an antagonist, she also has a penchant for the protagonist, Kiyotaka Ayanokoji, so her relationship with him is intriguing. It looks like things will develop in Season 3, so I'm looking forward to it! That's all for now. Thank you for reading.
