Episode 31

Round Two Time is the thirty-first episode of the Assassination Classroom anime and the ninth episode of Season 2. It premiered in Japan on March 4, 2016.

Summary
Korosensei holds a careers consultation where Nagisa admits that he has the talent to become an assassin. Meanwhile, Nagisa's mother Hiromi plans to transfer him back to the main campus, not taking no for an answer. Will Nagisa be forced to leave the class he has grown so happy to be in forever?

Plot
Four months are left before the deadline to assassinate Korosensei arrives. In the meantime, the class prepares to have individual interviews with their teacher regarding their future paths. Irina walks in with a remarkably different appearance than her usual style, wearing a cheaply bought sweater that oddly makes her sexier than before. Nagisa looks down at his careers sheet, shocked to discover that Rio Nakamura has sneakily filled it with occupations associated with women. Karma asks whether Nagisa wants to go to either Morocco or Thailand for their holiday after graduation, though the latter suspects an ulterior motive.

The class discusses their career choices with Korosensei. Karma wants to be a bureaucrat, much to Korosensei's surprise due to his temperament. He claims that the country should have been paralyzed during an earthquake, but everything kept functioning due to the bureaucrats. He claims that this is true power. Korosensei claims that it is a good fit for him. Walking past Terasaka, Karma advises him not to become a politician, as he would be too easy to control, but Terasaka claims otherwise. Nakamura aims to be a diplomat, with the second choice of an interpreter. Korosensei is brought to tears at her high aims, causing Nakamura to explain that she received high marks as a child and was a genius. She thought it sucked and wanted to be normal. So when she came to this school, she played dumb until it was no longer an act. Seeing her parent's reactions hurt her, she realized what she had lost. She still wanted to be good all around but now noticed that she needed to apply it to herself. She thanks Korosensei for making the class the best of both worlds.

Nagisa is the last one. Before leaving, Karma and Kayano spot that the price tag is still visible on Irina's sweater. As he leaves, Nagisa removes the tag without her noticing, only Karma and Kayano watching on. Meeting with Korosensei in the staff room, Nagisa admits he has the talent to become an assassin despite the high risks and absurdity. Korosensei claims that regardless of the opponent, Nagasia prevails with his thought-out attacks, timing, lack of fear, and courage, making him a potential master assassin. He affirms that while the boy has the ability without a doubt, Nagisa's past actions also prove that he does not care much for his own safety and dignity. His "desperation" makes him think he has nothing to lose. Korosensei decides to continue discussing later to give Nagisa more time to think it over, and will support him to the fullest if he still chooses to become an assassin.

On the way, Nagisa spots two boys playing an arcade-style game. He arrives home to find his mother, Hiromi expecting him. After sitting down, she discusses Nagisa's mid-term scores and her plan to transfer her son to the main campus through bribery. Horrified at the thought of leaving the place he has grown happy to be, Nagisa tries to argue his case to stay but stops as he senses a sudden change in his mother's mood. Sure enough, Hiromi lashes out at him, shouting that Nagisa has no right to oppose her plan for him to follow the path of life she did not have. Nagisa apologizes, privately thinking that this was why his father had left the family. Hiromi calms down and starts showing her complex as she envisions Nagisa to be what she could not be, even having long hair and buying girl clothes for Nagisa. To her, Nagisa is her second round. She then reveals that she will be meeting Nagisa's teacher the next day to authorize Nagisa's transfer. Knowing that Korosensei is a national secret, he tries to dissuade her. But her sudden mood swing forces him to drop his case. Afterward, Nagisa calls Korosensei, sitting atop the Kremlin, about the upcoming parent-teacher interview and states that he does not want to leave Class 3-E. Korosensei's reassurances, however, do not comfort Nagisa.

The next day, the class discussed what to do about Nagisa's predicament. With Karasuma away on a business trip and Irina unable to take his place since, on paper, Karasuma is their teacher, Korosensei appears as a very shoddily disguised Karasuma. The class instantly works to modify his appearance. That afternoon, Hiromi arrives at the classroom, and mother and son meet the disguised Korosensei in the staff room. The interview begins well as Korosensei comments on how beautiful Hiromi is. This, however, triggers her complexity as she goes off essentially grooming Nagisa while discussing the life path she laid out for him. Hence, she wants to transfer her son back to the main campus. When Korosensei asks if this is what Nagisa wants, she silences his son, stating it is what the parent decides. Knowing how Nagisa is the person he is now, Korosensei refuses Hiromi's request.

Consequently, removing his wig in the act, citing it is what Nagisa chooses to do that matters, and also calls out on Hiromi's inferiority complex. She does not take it lightly, lashing out once more. Her shouts are enough to make the window pan crackle, and the eavesdropping students cower in fear and storm out of the room. Korosensei admits that he may have gone overboard but stands by his case that Nagisa should decide how to live his own life and not be someone's shadow.

Nagisa arrives home to find Hiromi in an unusually good mood considering the afternoon's events. Unknown to him, Hiromi drugged his dinner and drove him while he passed out. Waking up in front of the classroom, Hiromi orders him to burn down the building as a last resort to forcibly return to the main campus. Nagisa refuses, sparking more shouting from Hiromi. Their argument is interrupted, however, by a hidden hitman lying in wait with a whip. He states that their presence could alert Korosensei, who is noted to watch his favorite dramas using Ritsu's systems at night.

Seeing how scared Hiromi is, Nagisa walks up to the hitman while calmly asserting that he will live on his own terms. Even if it means graduating from his mother and using the clap stun technique to incapacitate the hitman. Korosensei also arrives as Hiromi falls unconscious, thinking Nagisa will leave her. As Korosensei drives the family back, Nagisa decides not to become a hitman. Instead, he will use his skills to save people, a decision his teacher supports. The mood, however, is killed as Korosensei comically rages at a red light, making Nagisa note another weakness.

The next morning Hiromi finds Nagisa has cooked breakfast, the latter deciding to ease the burden off his mother. He also states that he will take out the trash but on the condition that he be allowed to stay in Class 3-E. To his delight, Hiromi begrudgingly agrees.

Trivia

 * The episode's name, Round Two Time, comes from Nagisa referring to his life as it is currently "round two of the Mom RPG."

Differences between anime and manga

 * During Nagisa's call with Korosensei, the anime shows Korosensei atop the Kremlin and sipping coffee with his winter gear. In the manga, he is perched on the Taj Mahal, already wearing his pajamas as he prepares to sleep on the rooftop.
 * In the anime, Rinka Hayami notes that with Karasuma being their teacher on paper, Irina cannot take his place without drawing suspicion. In the manga, Megu Kataoka conducts a mock session, but Irina's immature responses make the class conclude she cannot replace Karasuma.
 * On a related note, the anime omits Hayami's previous parent-teacher interview, in which Karasuma presided.