In 1999, Koushun Takami gave this world the novel Battle Royale. The story was dark, controversial, and could be interpreted in many different ways. Taking place in an alternate history of Japan, or as it is known here the Republic of Greater East Asia, the book told the story of a class of students who have been chosen to participate in the Program. Mainly focusing on male student #15 and self proclaimed rock star, Shuya Nanahara, as he attempts to find away to escape The Program. A feat never before accomplished.

 

While thinking they are going on a simple study trip they are knocked unconscious and taken to an isolated island. After awakening Shuya discovers a strange collar around his neck and unsure where he or the class are. Once everyone in the class wakes up, it is explained that they have been chosen for the Program and told the rules: Kill or be Killed. They are also told the purpose of the collars around their necks. Not only are they tracking devices but also minibombs, if they were to try to escape or are in an area of the island that has been deemed forbidden: they will die. If everyone is still alive after 24 hours, they will die. Even before the game officially starts two students are killed and one, Noriko Nakagawa, is injured. Then the game begins with everyone grabbing a bag of supplies and random weapon/item and being released into the island one by one.

 

As the children are killing each other Shuya and Noriko are joined with the mysterious student, Shogo Kawada, and after learning about him they all plan to escape. Even with the active students dropping and watching two other students try to bring them all together get taken out, the trio try to remain alive. And along with those three, another student tries to escape as well his own way.

 

This book raises many questions that came into my head that I never really thought of. One of the main questions is: Could you kill your best friend. Not really sure how to answer that question. Not sure I would ever have an answer. I do however enjoy reading this as a source of fiction. It is well written and I can visualize all the action going on as if I were watching it in person. Sometimes this wasn’t a good thing, because some of the action was somewhat graphic in its descriptions.

 

Because the cast of characters is so large, the book tells us how many students are left after each chapter, and we are even put into the mind of the students as they go through the torment of not knowing who to trust. Each of these kids had backgrounds, and were developed to the point that I actually cared that some of these kids crossed that line into insanity after being put into this paranoid environment. Many were quick. And one was justified in that he had been the kind of kid to be picked on by the others as he was growing up.

 

I was truely impressed by the knowlegde Koushun Takami had of weaponry. Alot of the guns used in this story, I’ve never even heard of before. I did enjoy the use of an alternate Japan.

 

ComicsOnline gives Battle Royale 5 out of 5 exploding collars.