Kakeru Ryuuen

Overview

Kakeru Ryuuen is a central character in Classroom of the Elite. Serving as the dictatorial leader of Class C at Advanced Nurturing High School, he governs his peers through fear and brute force rather than mutual trust. Possessing an exceptionally sharp mind, he executes unconventional strategies to undermine rival classes. Aiming to accumulate 800 million private points to elevate his entire class to Class A within three years, he shoulder the majority of his class's strategic operations.

Appearance

Kakeru Ryuuen has a medium build—rendered as notably muscular in the animated adaptation—with black eyes and dark purple-black hair worn short to medium length with parted bangs reaching his neck. He wears the Advanced Nurturing High School uniform in a highly relaxed style, frequently leaving his red blazer and black shirt wide open to expose his torso.

Personality

Ruthless, cunning, and fiercely ambitious, Kakeru Ryuuen operates under the conviction that physical force and victory dictate absolute power. While acting as an arrogant bully who relies on intimidating tactics, he maintains a strict sense of responsibility as a leader, taking personal accountability for failed schemes and protecting his subordinates. He exhibits exceptional mental fortitude, refusing to yield despite setbacks and relentlessly seeking ways to turn defeats into eventual triumphs.

Abilities

Though lacking formal martial arts training, Kakeru Ryuuen relies on street-brawling experience, high physical capabilities, and a resilient constitution. His true strength lies in his top-tier intellect, exceptional strategic creativity, and masterclass negotiation skills. He excels at psychological warfare, cover operations, and misdirection, backed by an overwhelming mental toughness that prevents his spirit from breaking under pressure.

Background

During his elementary school years, Kakeru Ryuuen discovered a thrill in subjugating others through violence after calmly killing a snake while those around him panicked. He developed into a notorious delinquent through constant brawling. Upon entering Advanced Nurturing High School, he instantly seized total control of Class C. After launching various complex plots against rival classes, he orchestrated a physical confrontation to expose the mastermind behind Class D, resulting in his decisive defeat by Kiyotaka Ayanokouji. This encounter instilled genuine fear in him for the first time, prompting a period of reflection before he returned to active class competition.

Relationships

He views Kiyotaka Ayanokouji as his ultimate rival and principal target following his defeat on the rooftop. He maintains a fierce rivalry with Arisu Sakayanagi, taking on her class in strategically complex mind games. Within his own class, he commands the absolute loyalty of Daichi Ishizaki, Albert Yamada, and Mio Ibuki, and later recruits Kouhei Katsuragi as a strategic advisor. He also exploits secret alliances with students like Kikyou Kushida and Masayoshi Hashimoto.

Trivia

Kakeru Ryuuen shares his exact birthdate of October 20 with his primary antagonist, Kiyotaka Ayanokouji. Additionally, his reputation as a formidable middle school delinquent was well known to students from other schools prior to entering high school, including Akito Miyake and Kazuomi Housen.