The first episode of the wildly popular anime series, Assassination Classroom, is now available to stream for free online.
Funimation has posted the English dub of "Assassination Time" to its official YouTube channel, allowing viewers to watch the episode without having to sign up for a subscription service. It is currently unclear if the streaming service intends to release the rest of the series on YouTube as well.
The original comedy manga series of the same name by Yusei Matsui was first serialized in Shueisha's Weekly Shōnen Jump from July 2012 to March 2016, producing a total of 21 volumes worth of content. The story follows the misfit students of class 3-E (the End Class) of Kunugigaoka Junior High School as they endeavor to kill their homeroom teacher, an all-powerful octopus-like creature, in order to prevent the complete destruction of the Earth. As of September 2016, over 25 million copies of the Assassination Classroom manga have been sold. The series was nominated for the 19th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize and the 2016 Eisner Award for the Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia.
The first season of the anime adaptation of Assassination Classroom premiered in Japan on Fuji TV on Jan. 9, 2015, and ran for 22 episodes. Its second season was released on Jan. 7, 2016, and ran for 25 episodes. The adaptation was produced by animation studio Lerche (Danganronpa: The Animation, RUMBLE GARANNDOLL) with Seiji Kishi (My Bride is a Mermaid, Persona 4: The Golden Animation) serving as director. Makoto Uezu (Fate/Grand Carnival, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations) oversaw the series composition, Naoki Satō (Eureka Seven, Stand By Me Doraemon) composed the music and Kazuaki Morita (The Slime Diaries, Classroom of the Elite) designed the characters.
Assassination Classroom's English cast includes several popular and experienced voice actors like Lindsay Seidel (My Hero Academia, The Quintessential Quintuplets) as Nagisa Shiota, Sonny Strait (Fire Force, Lupin III: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine) as Koro Sensei, Apphia Yu (Black Clover, Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card Arc) as Rio Nakamura, Austin Tindle (Banished from the Hero's Party, I Decided to Live a Quiet Life in the Countryside) as Karma Akabane, Bryn Apprill (Attack on Titan, Darling in the Franxx) as Ritsu and Felecia Angelle (Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid, Wonder Egg Priority) as Manami Okuda.
Funimation has uploaded free episodes of other fan-favorite anime series, including Ouran High School Host Club, Psycho-Pass, Overlord, Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign, High School DxD, Fairy Tail, Pandora in the Crimson Shell: Ghost Urn and Witchblade.
Seasons 1 and 2 of Assasination Classroom are available to stream in their entireties through Funimation's streaming service and Hulu.
Source: YouTube
