Classroom of the Elite: Manga vs. Light Novel vs. Anime (Differences & Which Is Better)

The anime community has been gifted with tons of incredible titles, many of which have been created using manga and light novels as a base. Classroom of The Elite comes in a variety of forms, but fans still wonder what the difference is between the Classroom of The Elite manga, light novel, and anime, as well as which one is the best.

Classroom of The Elite‘s light novel is considered the source material, but the manga alters the characters and their personalities in a few ways. The Classroom of The Elite anime is by far the most different from the original, with Horikita acting as the main heroine and occasionally swapping scene roles with Kiyotaka, but they all follow the same story.

While all Classroom of The Elite forms is super enjoyable, the versions all offer slightly different experiences. Stick around to find out about the Classroom of The Elite manga, light novel, and anime series, as we discuss their main differences in order to discover which one might be the best option for you.

Classroom of The Elite: Manga vs. Light Novel vs. Anime (Differences)

While all of the Classroom of The Elite forms are definitely worth your time if you’ve become a solid fan, there are some differences that make each version stand out. These differences may not make a massive difference to the overall story, but they can impact the way Classroom of The Elite is perceived and enjoyed.

Below is an overview of the main differences between the Classroom of The Elite manga, light novel, and anime series:

Classroom of The Elite Manga

The Classroom of The Elite manga came out only one year after the release of the original light novel, making its debut in 2016.

Characters & Their Personalities

The Classroom of The Elite manga is known for the way that characters are defined, as the style and overall writing give a much more transparent feel in terms of all the characters’ emotions. Below are some of the differences fans have noticed concerning the characters with contrasting personalities:

• Kiyotaka Ayanokouji: The character is depicted as mostly nervous or anxious throughout the story, often topped with a sweaty or clammy feel. He also delivers his lines in a different way, which can alter the overall feel of quite a few scenes.
• Suzune Horikita: She is depicted as happy in the manga, often flaunting a smiling face.

Artwork & Visuals

In terms of the artwork and illustrations, the manga is not seen as the best out of all Classroom of The Elite forms. But, putting visuals aside, the manga’s artist also altered the way that certain characters are projected in some scenes – which may link to the alterations of characters’ personalities in the manga.

The scene below, thanks to Manga Scout, is an example of such an instance. On the left, we have the light novel, while on the right is the manga version. This is the same moment in the story, but it’s depicted slightly different concerning character emotions:

Comedic Value

The Classroom of The Elite manga does surpass the light novel in terms of humor and tone at times. Since the characters are a bit different in their personalities, emotions, and feelings, many moments simply come out more comedic than they would in the Classroom of The Elite light novel.

Classroom of The Elite Light Novel

The original Classroom of The Elite light novel, which came out back in 2015, served as the source material for all Classroom of The Elite content to follow. Considering that the light novel is used as source material for both the manga and the anime series, the light novel is always the most up-to-date in terms of new releases.

Characters & Their Personalities

When compared to the manga version of Classroom of The Elite, the light novel originally gave the characters different personalities. Below are some of the differences fans have noticed concerning the characters with contrasting personalities:

• Kiyotaka Ayanokouji: The character’s emotions are made clear to the reader, while he always keeps his guard up when he’s around other characters within the story.
• Suzune Horikita: She is seen as aloof and almost cold-hearted in the light novel.

Artwork & Visuals

The light novel version of Classroom of The Elite is actually said to flaunt better artwork when compared to the manga, somewhat common between light novels and manga counterparts. The main difference here is the style, which is ultimately up to preference, but many fans feel the illustrations throughout the light novel end up better.

Comedic Value

Classroom of The Elite isn’t as funny when you’re reading the light novel version, which can be a pro or a con depending on what you prefer. The overall feel typically comes off as more serious and thought-provoking throughout Classroom of The Elite’s storyline.

Classroom of The Elite Anime Series

The anime series version of Classroom of The Elite was the last form to reach fans, being released in 2017 – a year after the manga and about two years after the light novel.

Characters & Their Personalities

Classroom of The Elite’s anime series features characters with personalities that are altered as well – not matching the light novel or the manga versions. Using Kiyotaka as the same example, the anime version of the character appeared stoic and robotic while the manga portrayed him as more human and emotional.

Another difference within the same character is the fact that he seems to be affected and flustered by the presence of girls – thinking of them as attractive or cute. But, in the Classroom of The Elite anime series, Kiyotaka seems almost indifferent to their presence.

Plot & Storyline

The differences extend to other Classroom of The Elite characters, such as Horikita – but, this one is a major difference and actually caused quite a stir within the Classroom of The Elite community. Horkita is portrayed as a main female protagonist, or even a heroine, in the anime series, while there is no female heroine within the Classroom of The Elite manga – even after Kiyotaka gains a main female love interest.

Many scenes that are given to Kiyotaka in the manga are given to Horikita in the Classroom of The Elite anime, such as the infamous pool scene. It even extends to the case of Ken Sudo, where the role is swapped from Honami Ichinose in the mange to Horikita in the anime.

Apparently, a lot of these changes were due to the Classroom of The Elite anime’s director being a massive Horikita fan. But, it also features changes in details like the number of students, material, and events. Either way, the anime’s plot is different from the light novel and the manga.

The Classroom of The Elite manga, light novel, and anime all cover the same storyline with differences in their execution and depictions – but, this may be a massive factor for the experience. Many Classrooms of The Elite fans recommend at least staying up-to-date with the light novel for the true, canon story, topped with reading the manga or watching the Classroom of The Elite anime series purely for enjoyment.