Battle Royale: Remastered

I found the Battle Royale film back in 2006 on the internet due to the controvery surrounding it, giving it a legendary status akin to Miike's Audition, and adored it. Criticized as violent exploitation when first published in Japan, where it then proceeded to become a runaway bestseller and a MASSIVE and poignant culturally relevant success. Lots of vividly described gore and carnage throughout. Some detailed explanations include eyeballs popping, decapitations, holes shot in bodies, exposed brains or guts, and more. This book is not for the faint of heart. One of the most amazing things about Battle Royale is how the author manages to give his characters fairly fleshed-out lives, despite how many students there are. Most middle school students in real life have cliques and crushes, and these are no exception. (See the circled labels and dotted lines in the chart.) Despite the danger, they find their friends and their beloved. Readers know middle school love hardly survives, but the characters want to die without regrets. They feel compelled to confess their feelings, lose their virginity, or apologize to their friend before they become the next target. The dialogue is natural and hardly ever preachy. Some of the kids involved in politics wax poetic about the country and its failings. Most of them, though, are content to gossip about their crushes or other students. They talk about their families, hobbies, and pasts. They make plans for a future they may never see. Battle Royale is much more than “the first Hunger Games" or the book it ripped off. Its beautiful characterization of a huge cast is phenomenal. The teens are complex human beings, and both their lives and deaths reflect this. While the book is exceptionally gruesome, those deaths tell a story and give dignity to the young lives that just ended. Its pacing keeps readers on their toes, but never drags out too long and I think Battle Royale is a great "step up" for someone who enjoyed the premise of Hunger Games but wants something heavier and more grounded in reality for adults. Whether it be lessons on working together to forge off seemingly impossible situation, the dangers of being a political ideolog and sycophant or conveying the generational gap between adults and teenagers and how adults treat teenagers like idiot rebels without a cause, I was both surprised and pleased to walk away with a different point of view than I had upon beginning this eye opening work of fiction.

I randomly came across this on a list of top 100 spooky books everyone should read list. And I gotta say this book is very good. I can't recommend it enough. It's somewhere like 600 or 800 pages and when I first got it I was like I will never get through this book. Lol and 3 days later I was on the last page. It's such an interesting and well-paced story. Not being a native Japanese speaker, I thought all of the Japanese characters would be hard to keep track of, but author does a really great job of writing in a way where that's not a problem. The only thing that was weird was one of the last to die seemed to come out of nowhere. She just seemed to have survived somehow by magic until it was her chapter where she was then um made not alive. It most definitely seemed to be very random and sudden. Other than that, I love this book and will be rereading it again several times I'm sure.

First time Amazon has shipped me a book in pristine condition. Thick cover, thick pages, easily readable font. Nice quality.

if you could hit that 'like' button! Your support means the world to me, thanks its an enthralling rollercoaster of emotions that will keep you on the edge of your seat throughout a rainy weekend. The inside covers of the book provide detailed maps that add an immersive element to the story, making the experience even more captivating. One of the unique challenges of the book is keeping track of the myriad of character names, especially for those who have seen the movie adaptation. However, this complexity adds a layer of depth to the narrative, allowing readers to delve into the intricate relationships and dynamics among the characters. The novel's length may seem daunting at first, but fear not – it's a perfect companion for a lazy, rainy weekend. Once you start, you won't be able to put it down. Takami masterfully weaves a tale that not only explores the physical battles in the infamous program but also delves into the intricate mental states of the characters. This provides a rich and nuanced understanding of their motivations, fears, and alliances. For those who enjoyed the movie, "Battle Royale" the book is a must-read. It goes into intricate details about the characters' actions, offering a profound exploration of the nuances that were merely hinted at in the film. Every twist and turn is magnificently laid out, creating an experience that is both thrilling and psychologically profound. In conclusion, "Battle Royale" is a literary gem that transcends the boundaries of its genre. It's a journey into the depths of human nature, filled with suspense, action, and a profound exploration of the human psyche. Dive in, and you won't be disappointed, trust my i bought this book twice

This is a dark book. I mention that in advance because I don't usually read fiction this dark. But this was a referral from someone I knew and liked, so I bought a copy. This English translation, by the way, is excellent. The basic setup of this book is that a 9th grade class has been selected to go to an island and fight until only student is alive. They are given collars that track their every move, and the people in charge can hear everything they're saying. Sections of the island are off limits at different times, and if they happen to be in an off-limit area, the collar will explode, thereby killing them. So they have to constantly be on the move. Three main characters emerge in the story, though we are given pretty much the point of view and background of every character in it. This can slow down some of the reading, even though I will admit it made for some heart wrenching moments and really brought home some of the horror of an entire class being told they must kill each other. This is a violent book. The author goes into detail over the way everyone dies. But that being said, there is a spark of hope in the middle of all the horror that takes place. This emerges best in the three main characters, two boys and a girl, who are desperately trying to find a way to stay alive and escape the island. I won't give the ending away, but it was one of the best endings I've ever read in a book. There was a great twist, and though I can't say this book gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling, it did satisfy me. I'd recommend this to people who are okay with reading darker fiction. I wouldn't recommend it to those who prefer light reading.

I picked up this book to read as a recommendation from a friend. I mentioned that I like the idea of “Hunger Games”, but found the movie to be boring and lost interest of it half way through. “Battle Royal” to me is a combination of “Hunger Games”, “Lord of the Flies”, “Surviving the Game”, and the “Running Man” blended into one epic story. “Battle Royale” starts off with 40-9th grade students who are captured by the government and are taken away to a secluded island. They are instructed to play a game, and are sent out into the island and have to hunt each other down until there is only one survivor left. The winner gets to live a rewarding life. As a fan of horror/thriller books, this book surprisingly satisfied my interest in those genres. Violence is definitely what you get, and a lot of it. Some battles are grotesque and some are simple. It really brings to light what kind of personality changes can happen to someone when they are facing death when given options of survival. At first I was intimidated by the size of this book. It’s a little over 600 pages and double the size of a standard paperback book. The author did a great job of not being overly descriptive in each scene keeping the story a fast paced read. To me, a good chunk of the story could have been shortened. Times when characters reminisce of the past prior to the game did not apply much to the story, and conversations between characters got a little too repetitive. Moments like that could be pace read through in a page or two and you didn’t feel stuck with nonsense rambling-on as senseless filler. Starting the book was a little difficult. As an American, I had difficulties being able to instantly recognize characters by their names, not knowing which names were of male or female context. Sometimes characters are referred to by their last name through the story, and the chart in the first few pages made a great referral. The students drop so fast through the book, that you really don’t have to keep track of whos’ who through the whole story with the exception of a handful of characters. A lot of the book is predictable. I got through 1/4th of the book and was able to foresee the ending. Even the actions/ideas/situations that some of the students carried out were obvious to happen. There weren’t very many twists to the book, but this did not deter me from continuing on reading. The adventure as a whole story kept me enthralled. Action, violence, humor, betrayal, conniving, compassion, strategy and intelligence are riddled throughout the whole book. I absolutely would recommend this book to people who enjoy the horror/thriller genre. I am happy that I have another great book to add to my collection.

Once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. Takami does an amazing job of gripping you quickly with very vibrant explanations of persons, places, and things. It was easy to visualize the scenes in the book. The characters run the gamut from liars, backstabbers, heroes, wildcards etc. and no two characters act exactly the same. If you're a fan of the movie you'll definitely love this book.

This was an epic story. Yes, it's long but it needs to be because there was so much to cover. I took my time with it and never wanted to skim to "just get through it". With a cast of characters being so many it was amazing how so many characters had so much depth. If there any lull, then there will be a chaotic scene to follow. The only complaint was that many of the names were so similar, so I had to really focus on keeping track of what was going on. Literally, there was a scene with characters named Yuko, Yuka, and Yukie all in the same sentences. I loved this book and I highly recommend it! The setup is similar to "hunger games", but BR came out way before.

Such a great book. If you have seen the film then you'll definitely enjoy the book!

After being a big fan of the film for around 15 years I was extremely apprehensive about buying the book. Not that I hadn't heard good things because I've heard nothing but praise. I was worried after being such a big fan of the film that I wouldn't enjoy the differences between the film and the book. I was worried I wouldn't enjoy the story and especially the characters as much, or that in the end I would end up no longer enjoying the film so much. I had nothing to worry about. I was hooked from the first page and blew through the final 400 pages in two days. Beautifully written in an easy to read and uncomplicated and littered with dark humour that appears to break the forth wall on numerous occasions this book made me feel afraid, physically sick and utterly heartbroken. The character development and the insight into their lives in their final hours makes this book deeply tragic and truly heartbreaking and I found I connected with these characters on a deep level that I doubt will ever leave me. Takami weaves a fantastically tragic tale about loyalty, love, survival and murder that centers around the breakdown of relationships during times of war. Of course there is the social and political commentary but at it's heart Battle Royale is about friendships torn apart by violence. Yes, the violence is graphic but that only adds to the tragedy of the tale. This is an outstanding and riveting read that's as compelling and in its own way beautiful as it is tragic and vulgar.

El libro llegó en excelente estado. Es súper bonito y grueso, es de esos libros que son muy flexibles y fácil de pasar página. Cuando lo termine de leer regreso a editar mi opinión sobre la historia.

Looks good

The novel is okay, but the translation is not very good. If you're looking for an entertaining story without literary pretenses, this is it.