The hype around Classroom of the Elite refuses to die down, especially now that 2026 sits right around the corner. Fans got the official green light back in November 2025 during the MF Bunko J Autumn School Festival special stream. Studio Lerche dropped the bombshell: Season 4 kicks off in April 2026. That means spring anime season brings back the cold calculations and brutal mind games everyone craves.
Classroom of the Elite Season 4 Release Date Speculations
Mark the calendar for April 2026. Exact day hasn’t been pinned down yet, but spring anime slots usually roll out in early April. Fans already spot parallels with other big returns like Re:Zero Season 4 landing around the same window, making 2026 feel stacked for psychological thrillers.
The gap stretches longer than some hoped after Season 3 wrapped in 2024, yet the official trailer dropped in November 2025 shows production humming along smoothly. Lerche sticks as the animation studio, which keeps continuity in art style and pacing.
Classroom of the Elite Season 4 Expected Cast
Ayanokōji Kiyotaka stays the untouchable centerpiece, voiced by Shōya Chiba. Horikita Suzune, Kushida Kikyō, Karuizawa Kei, and the rest of the old Class D crew (now whatever rank they clawed to) come back with their familiar voices. The drama wouldn’t hit the same without them.
Biggest shake-up? Brand-new first-years flood the school. These rookies get paired with second-years for special exams, turning every test into a high-risk gamble. Second-years face real expulsion danger if their partner flops—no more gentle safety nets.
New voice actors announced for the incoming class:
- Minako Satō voicing Tsubasa Nanase
- Hiroya Egashira as Kazuomi Hōsen
- Momoko Setō bringing Ichika Amasawa to life
- Shinnosuke Tokudome for Takuya Yagami
- Iori Saeki as Sakurako Tsubaki
- Shōgo Sakata voicing Riku Utsunomiya
Rumors swirl that at least one ties straight back to Ayanokōji’s White Room history. That alone promises explosive reveals and forced confrontations.
Classroom of the Elite Season 4 Potential Plot
Season 4 adapts the opening chunk of the Year 2 light novels (first semester). The school cranks the difficulty dial way up. New first-years pair with second-years, so one weak link can sink both. Trust becomes a weapon—or a fatal flaw.
Expect classic Ayanokōji scheming: reading people like open books, pulling strings from the shadows, dropping those chilling inner thoughts that make every scene feel layered. Class rivalries heat up, alliances crack, betrayals sting harder. The White Room shadow looms larger, forcing the protagonist to play defense while keeping his mask on tight.
The light novels go heavier on backstories, hidden agendas, and school-wide conspiracies here. Fingers crossed the adaptation captures that psychological depth without rushing or cutting corners like some past seasons did.
