Classroom of the Elite tells the story of Kiyotaka Ayanokoji, a teenage boy who gets accepted into the Tokyo Metropolitan Advanced Nurturing High School. This is an elite school that encourages the brightest students to succeed. Kiyotaka Ayanokoji discovers that he has been placed in Class D, where the school places the 'lowest' students, despite his exceptional intelligence. The interesting thing about Kiyotaka's school is that it grants students points (that function as currency) once a month. During this time, students are 'allowed' to talk, sleep, and overall disrupt their class. However, the students soon discover the truth about this school, as nothing is what it seems.
One of Kiyotaka's classmates, Kikyou Kushida, is a bubbly girl who makes it her mission to befriend everyone in her class (and the school), particularly Suzune Horikita, who wants nothing to do with her. However, Kiyotaka quickly learns that she is not as innocent as she seems. In reality, Kikyou has a bitter and hostile side to her that she keeps a secret. Viewers of the franchise eventually learn more about Kikyou. Nevertheless, there are a few things about Kikyou that a lot of fans might have missed.
The following article contains spoilers for Classroom of the Elite, which is available to stream on Crunchyroll.
8 She Uses Her Femininity
Kikyou Kushida is aware of her appearance and influence, especially when it comes to high school boys. Knowing this, she frequently puts on a show by acting cute to get what she wants from other guys. For example, Kikyou decides to help Kiyotaka, and, by extension, her class.
She uses her femininity to obtain old quiz answers to help her classmate Sudo pass an exam in order to avoid expulsion. Additionally, Kikyou also uses her femininity to gain popularity and befriend girls at the school. She understands that being cute and feminine would help her become more popular, and it also seems like everyone wants to be friends with a popular girl.
7 She is a Narcissist
Following the revelation that Kikyou has been hiding behind a fake personality, it becomes clear to the audience that Kikyou is a conniving narcissist. In other words, she is obsessed with herself and craves attention like it's the air she breathes.
She comes off as sickly sweet when she turns on her false persona. Kikyou does not seem like she ever feels guilt for the pain she has caused others. As a narcissist, she believes that she is the victim. Unfortunately, with a personality like hers, it doesn't seem like she will succeed in the long run.
6 She Doesn't Care About Her Classmates
As a result of her narcissism, Kikyou does not actually care about her classmates. Instead, she cares about the attention she receives from them. She will betray her class and rat them out if it benefits her agenda. Her traitorous identity makes an appearance during her middle school years and eventually in high school.
The only reason she chooses to help others is to make herself look good and trustworthy. It is really just to develop relationships with people and retain her popularity as the friendliest girl in school. However, Suzune Horikita and Kiyotaka Ayanokoji can see right through her facade.
5 She's Spoiled
It goes without saying that Kikyou is a rather spoiled girl. For example, if she doesn't get what she wants, she is not above throwing a fit. She will even blackmail others to get what she really wants: recognition and popularity.
Very little (if anything) is revealed about her home life, but her behavior at school is a reflection of what must go on in her home. Kikyou is used to getting what she wants and she will target anyone who challenges her, including Kiyotaka and Suzune.
4 She's an Average Student
Interestingly enough, Kikyou is an average student. It appears that she spends more than befriending others and helping them than she does studying. This makes sense because her first priority is to be popular among her peers rather than ranking at the top of her class with her grades.
For example, Kikyou receives a B- in intelligence while acquiring an A in cooperativeness in her first year. She also receives a C+ for decision-making. This is definitely on par with her ditzy act. Perhaps Kikyou is much smarter than she comes off and intentionally slacked off to complete her false portrayal.
3 She's Smart
Kikyou may be an average student, but she is actually quite intelligent when it comes to dealing with people. She knows what people want and the kind of person they gravitate toward. It seems that she studies the people she is with to ensure her popularity.
In addition, Kikyou knows which type of personality to impersonate in order to avoid drawing suspicion, and does her job quite well. Most students will not suspect someone naive and innocently sweet like the character Kikyou plays.
2 She Always Prepares Before Talking to People
Building off of the previous point, Kikyou always prepares a to-do list before meeting with her classmates to ensure she does not reveal her true self. This is a huge indicator of her personality and the kind of person she is. This also shows how dedicated Kikyou can be when she really wants something.
The fact that she makes plans so detailed also indicates her intelligence. Someone who is able to plan conversation topics and potential responses based on the people they are hanging out with must be exceptionally intelligent, even if they are perhaps not at the very top of their class.
1 She Hates Suzune Horikita For A Reason
It's obvious that Kikyou hates Suzune as she blatantly states it. However, her reasoning may come as a surprise. She feels as though Suzune does not have anything to hide. In the beginning, it's unknown why she has targeted Suzune specifically. Perhaps it is due to jealousy, seeing as Kikyou tries her best to befriend others and be likable, whereas people naturally gravitate towards Suzune.
However, Season 2 reveals that Kikyou hates Suzune because the latter knows about her past. Kikyou became quite hated in middle school after she leaked everyone's secrets on an online blog because she was losing her popularity.