And I realized with even more horror that I couldn't stop reading. As the students' uncertainty, fear, and suspicions grew, so did mine. Like the students, I couldn't believe what was happening. When I started reading it, I was in a daze. Ladies and gentlemen, that is Battle Royale. Her left hand clutching the back of Megumi's head, Mitsuko dug the sickle in further. And now its tip was stuck in Megumi's throat. It was a sickle - the kind used to harvest rice. Her hand held a gently curved, banana-shaped blade that reflected dully against the flashlight beam. It took her a few seconds to realize what had occurred. The knife must have been really sharp and the lemon fresh, the way they are on television cooking shows, as in, 'Today, we'll be cooking lemon salmon.' The slashing sound Megumi heard sounded like a lemon being cut. The official reason for the game: Research purposes / it is the country's special conscription system. Also, he or she gets a lifetime pension and an autographed card from the Great Dictator. The prize for the 'winner' of the game: He or she can go home and live. If the players refuse to fight each other, or if they try to escape the island, the metal collars that have been placed around their necks will explode and instantly kill them. But some of the 'weapons' turn out to be things like darts complete with a dart board, a banjo, and. The weapons include different kinds of guns and different kinds of knives. The game really only has one rule: Kill each other until only one survivor is left.Įach player in the game is provided with a limited supply of food and water, a map of the island, a compass, a watch, and a weapon that has been randomly assigned. The class is drugged and brought to an abandoned island where they are forced to play a game. The students of Third Year Class B in Shiroiwa Junior High School think that they are on a study trip, but they have actually been selected to take part in the program. Every year, the government of the Republic of Greater East Asia randomly selects fifty third-year junior high school classes and forces them to participate in a battle simulation program. But their fascist government is not 'normal.' In fact, it is cruel - very, very cruel. They worry about school, they love spending time with their friends, they enjoy sports, and they are crazy about their crushes. The 42 students (21 boys and 21 girls) of Third Year Class B, Shiroiwa Junior High School, in Shiroiwa Town, Kagawa Prefecture, the Republic of Greater East Asia, are normal fifteen-year-olds.

Battle royale by koushun takami