Welcome to my fan-blog! The following "pages" are dedicated to one of the best books in the world: Battle Royale. This blog will explain why this novel is so fantastic and why you must read it. At the end of the site i will also introduce the rest of the fan-club to you.

Good bloging!

NB: I read this book in french and the english version will only come out in may 2007. Therefore, the quotes will be in french. Sorry!

Here is the author, Mr Takami.

Battle royale was written in 1998 by Koushun Takami. Though he might not be well-known to you, Mr Takami is very famous in japan, his native country. He was born near Osaka in 1969. After studying litterature, the author was a journalist from 1991 to 1996. Since then he has made a living out of writing novels.

The best-selling book was first published on the 22nd of april 1999, in the country where the sun rises. The book was such a success that it was adapted on the big screen with Battle Royale (kinji Fukasaku, 2000) and Battle Royale 2: Requiem (Kenta & Kinji Fukasaku, 2003) ; it also inspired a manga Blitz Royale (Soleil manga, 2006).

Battle royale is what one can call a thriller. It is a very complete novel ( contains action, feelings,etc) but the dominant mood is action and suspense.

The story takes place in japan, during the early 21st century. but the world in Battleroyale is not the same that the one we know about. it is a world where the nazis have won the 2nd world war and where 3 empires struggle for power: the republic of greater east asia, the empire of the european lands and the american empire (the only allied country left). As you may have guessed, japan is the republic of greater east asia and for their government, the american empire is "officiellement qualifié de nation hostile." The athmosphere of this book is very tense and frustrating because of the conditions in which the characters are into. This "situation" will be explained in the summary.

 As the new millenium started, the republic of greater east asia crumbled. The unemployment rate got to 15%. More than 800,000 students refused to go to school. The grown-ups started fearing the young and adopted a law that revolutionized the educative system called "battle royale".

 

What is "battle royale"?

litterally, a battle royale is a special kind of catch match. a dozen of fighting champions fight simultaneously on the ring. they're allowed to make teams, to be stronger, but the match finishes when all the champions are K.O except one.

In the book, the government of the fictive japan used the idea of  the battleroyale in order to stop the crisis (see beggining of article). Each year, a class of 3e of the republic of greater east asia would be chosen.

The students are taken to a desert island where Battle royale will take place.

 

Each pupil wears an electronic necklace. This necklace may be used by the Organizators to spy the players with an intern microphone, obtain information on the players thanks to captors on the necklace, and make the necklace explode if the player did not follow the rules (please note that the necklaces are indestructible and water-proof).

At the beginning of the Battle royale, each player receives a back pack containing food and water, a map of the playing area ( in this case it’s an island ), a compass, a flash light and a random weapon to fight.

The island is divided in zones. Each 2 hours, a zone becomes forbidden (if any player goes in it, his necklace explodes). Every six hours, the head teacher tells the remaining players through huge speakers in the island which zone becomes forbidden and who died since the last announce.

 

If there are no death for 24 hours or if there is no winner after three days of game, the Battle royale stops and all the necklaces explode in the same time.

 

This is the situation in which the 3eB of the Shiwoa College gets involved in. Battle royale is about the survival of those adolescents during “the program” as the head teacher likes to call it. But anybody could guess that this Battle royale is going to be a little special. Read the book if you want to know about it!

 

  

  

the battle royale's laws:

Law N°1: Purpose of Battle royale.

 

Battle royale was created in order to create an organized and healthy state.

 

 

Law N°2: Participants to Battle royale.

 

Battle royale happens once a year to a class of 3e chosen within all the classes of 3e of the country. This rule applies to all the population without any distinction of gender, religion or social condition.

 

 

Law N°3: General orientation of Battle royale.

 

All participants must fight happily and must enjoy the game.

 

 

Law N°4: Obligation imposed to the participants.

 

It is forbidden to refuse playing or to try slowing it down.

 

 

Law N°5: Special judiciary measures for the participants.

 

The participants are allowed to kill other players, to start fires on the “playing” area, and to use any kind of weapons, even if they are not the ones given at the beginning of the game.

 

 

Law N°6: Winner of Battle royale.

 

Battle royale finishes with the victory of one unique participant. No modification to this rule is possible.

 

 

Law N°7: Life of the winner.

 

The winner will have the honour of receiving a signature of our grand leader. His life will be entirely paid by the state. He will receive the status of model citizen and will an example to follow to create an organized and healthy state.

 

 

Law N°8: The head teacher.

 

The organizators of Battle royale are placed under the control of the head teacher. He is allowed to modify some rules of the game in order to make Battle royale improve. The state and the organization comity are not responsible of his life.

 

 

Law N°9: Compensation to the losers’ families.

 

The families will receive compensation.

 

 

Law N°10: Supplementary laws.

 

In order to maintain the order of Battle royale, supplementary rules may be added by the head teacher.