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booksthatburn's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
BATTLE ROYALE is the story of forty-two kids pitted against each other in a fight to the death as part of an authoritarian program to see what they do to each other. It's ostensibly data for data's sake, cruelty justified by requiring numbers to crunch.
I generally have a lot of trouble with character names, but by the midpoint I was able to recognize the most important ones. In the interest of avoiding spoilers, I'll discussing my favorite characters based on general descriptions rather than names. There's "murder boy", which I know ought to be a meaningless moniker in this setting, but he's the one who is described as not having emotions, and decides to partake in the violence based on what might as well be a coin flip in his mind. I have some concerns with this as a portrayal of neurodivergence and/or mental illness, I lump those together when discussing this character because part of the problem is that aside from discussing him as an emotionless and then murderous person there isn't much to go off of. He's clever and methodical, with a savvy about the game which is mostly implied by the way other characters can tell he's succeeded in an encounter with someone who is now dead. My favorite character is guy with a best friend (whom he's not dating). I also like the main trio of characters, the narrative tends to flip between one of the guys in that trio and then moves to one of the other characters before coming back to him.
The web of relationships between forty-two teenagers on the government-run murder island is complicated, and tends to revolve around who likes whom, who the bullies are, which one of them has the bulletproof vest, or who is seeking catharsis in unleashing a hail of bullets. The misunderstandings, violence, assumptions, and last-ditch attempts to communicate a crush before impending the end of their lives are woven together expertly in a way that feels plausible given the setup. The fact that most of these kids have know each other for years in various classes before this means that every kill has personal context, no matter how much they might wish it didn't.
The worldbuilding is communicated in a mix of government propaganda, brief explanations of the current political situation and historical context, and off-hand things the characters say. There's a moment when one of the people running the scenario comments on how he's having his third kid to do his part to offset the declining birthrate. It's a small moment that tells so much about the setting. This one comment speaks to the insidiousness of the government's propaganda, the net effect of randomly killing off a set number of kids every year, and the gap between what the government may have wanted and the actual effect on the population. There are a lot of little moments like this, but that one has stuck with me. It tells so much about the mindset of this person helping hold up a horrific system, and it does so quickly, which is important since this is one of just a couple of times where an adult's perspective is shown.
A theme which the basic premise of the novel didn't prepare me for is the toxic combination of misogyny and the threat of rape as a weapon. I think it's handled very deftly, with a surprising amount of nuance. This throughline begins with an early reference to someone being raped at the government's order as part the program. I appreciate the way the novel as a whole engages with the horrors of sexual violence, and how it (in at least one case) can warp a person if they are unable to get help to deal with it. There are no scenes of rape in the book itself, but the fact that it's a tool of violence which is available to the teens on the island shows up several times.
The cadence of the plot provided periods of rest and some really touching scenes amidst the violence. These opportunities to learn more about the characters in turn made the death scenes more tense and emotionally resonant. Sometimes a character's perspective was shown for the first time right as they were about to die, and some characters appeared several times before someone took them out. I appreciated this mix because it kept up the pacing as a thriller and enhanced the dystopian themes all at once. I highly recommend this, and I'm very glad I read it.
A quick note since BATTLE ROYALE was written before THE HUNGER GAMES, but some comparison is warranted: there are a few tropes in common between the books, however the central dynamic in Battle Royale is that of a group of people who have known each for a long time before they are forced to kill each other. That difference alone means that these books feel and play out very differently. It also matters that the only audience in Battle Royale are administrators who have trackers but no cameras. It's not voyeuristic, they're not performing for a crowd, and they know everyone they kill. It's a commentary on authoritarianism instead of a critique of entertainment culture.
I generally have a lot of trouble with character names, but by the midpoint I was able to recognize the most important ones. In the interest of avoiding spoilers, I'll discussing my favorite characters based on general descriptions rather than names. There's "murder boy", which I know ought to be a meaningless moniker in this setting, but he's the one who is described as not having emotions, and decides to partake in the violence based on what might as well be a coin flip in his mind. I have some concerns with this as a portrayal of neurodivergence and/or mental illness, I lump those together when discussing this character because part of the problem is that aside from discussing him as an emotionless and then murderous person there isn't much to go off of. He's clever and methodical, with a savvy about the game which is mostly implied by the way other characters can tell he's succeeded in an encounter with someone who is now dead. My favorite character is guy with a best friend (whom he's not dating). I also like the main trio of characters, the narrative tends to flip between one of the guys in that trio and then moves to one of the other characters before coming back to him.
The web of relationships between forty-two teenagers on the government-run murder island is complicated, and tends to revolve around who likes whom, who the bullies are, which one of them has the bulletproof vest, or who is seeking catharsis in unleashing a hail of bullets. The misunderstandings, violence, assumptions, and last-ditch attempts to communicate a crush before impending the end of their lives are woven together expertly in a way that feels plausible given the setup. The fact that most of these kids have know each other for years in various classes before this means that every kill has personal context, no matter how much they might wish it didn't.
The worldbuilding is communicated in a mix of government propaganda, brief explanations of the current political situation and historical context, and off-hand things the characters say. There's a moment when one of the people running the scenario comments on how he's having his third kid to do his part to offset the declining birthrate. It's a small moment that tells so much about the setting. This one comment speaks to the insidiousness of the government's propaganda, the net effect of randomly killing off a set number of kids every year, and the gap between what the government may have wanted and the actual effect on the population. There are a lot of little moments like this, but that one has stuck with me. It tells so much about the mindset of this person helping hold up a horrific system, and it does so quickly, which is important since this is one of just a couple of times where an adult's perspective is shown.
A theme which the basic premise of the novel didn't prepare me for is the toxic combination of misogyny and the threat of rape as a weapon. I think it's handled very deftly, with a surprising amount of nuance. This throughline begins with an early reference to someone being raped at the government's order as part the program. I appreciate the way the novel as a whole engages with the horrors of sexual violence, and how it (in at least one case) can warp a person if they are unable to get help to deal with it. There are no scenes of rape in the book itself, but the fact that it's a tool of violence which is available to the teens on the island shows up several times.
The cadence of the plot provided periods of rest and some really touching scenes amidst the violence. These opportunities to learn more about the characters in turn made the death scenes more tense and emotionally resonant. Sometimes a character's perspective was shown for the first time right as they were about to die, and some characters appeared several times before someone took them out. I appreciated this mix because it kept up the pacing as a thriller and enhanced the dystopian themes all at once. I highly recommend this, and I'm very glad I read it.
A quick note since BATTLE ROYALE was written before THE HUNGER GAMES, but some comparison is warranted: there are a few tropes in common between the books, however the central dynamic in Battle Royale is that of a group of people who have known each for a long time before they are forced to kill each other. That difference alone means that these books feel and play out very differently. It also matters that the only audience in Battle Royale are administrators who have trackers but no cameras. It's not voyeuristic, they're not performing for a crowd, and they know everyone they kill. It's a commentary on authoritarianism instead of a critique of entertainment culture.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Bullying, Kidnapping, Child abuse, Child death, Sexual harassment, Vomit, Blood, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Medical content, Murder, and Death
Moderate: Sexual content, Ableism, Mental illness, Sexism, Misogyny, Drug use, and Confinement
Minor: Homophobia, Fatphobia, Sexual assault, Rape, and Adult/minor relationship
leftovercarnage's review
adventurous
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
This book lives up to its hype. The short and fast paced chapters pack a punch. It was one of those books that I couldn’t put down. Definitely a classic of the thriller horror genre and makes me want to read the manga.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Death, Sexual assault, Gun violence, Violence, Sexual violence, Torture, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Gore, Car accident, Bullying, Body horror, and Blood
_pandachi's review against another edition
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Such an addicitng read. It's one of those few books I look forward to read every single night. It was so hard to put down.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Gore, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
atalea's review against another edition
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Gun violence, Death, and Confinement
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Rape, Sexual content, Suicide, and Pedophilia
Minor: Child abuse, Bullying, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, and Kidnapping
lilybear3's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.25
One of the first examples of a group of people being forced to fight to the death. Published in 1999, it was a blueprint and inspiration for future media like the Hunger Games (books & movies), Apex Legends (video game), and Squid Game (tv show).
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Gore, and Violence
This book is violent and involves middle school children killing each other until there is one left.akira_outofthegravity's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
An incredible book. I wondered how it would manage to keep me hooked for over 600 pages- but it did! I was hanging onto every sentence. A very dark book though, I did have to put it down at times to calm down, but I loved this book and the ending made me cry a lot.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child death, Death, Murder, Violence, Gun violence, Blood, Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Gore, Grief, and Suicide
Moderate: Bullying and Child abuse
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Drug use, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Rape, and Sexual harassment
_fallinglight_'s review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
Yall what a wild ass ride. The book is insane. Sardonic. Brutal. Gore porn. Chaotic brilliance. The satirical tone with the biting Japanese society social commentary/critique and sarcastic remarks throughout might be weird and seem inappropriate or out of place but that added to the dehumanization of the Program and the regime's “successful fascism”.
I was spooked, heartbroken, amused, disgusted and absolutely glued to this book once I got really into it. Yes, the pacing and the translation were a little clunky and repetitive (how many times can the phrase “That's right.” be written in a book? Read this book to find out lmao) but it also made the experience of reading this like a past citizen of the Republic of Greater East Asia was the one telling the story, you know. Also, even if the end result of the translation is a little wonky, I don't know how much I can fault the translator bc Japanese is a very intricate language and English can be so limiting to expressing the same tone or context. Especially a book heavy in satire and sarcasm as this one, the humor really would be hard to translate.
I think all the little backgrounds were effectively employed and gave the kids varied and dynamic personalities. And the junior high school crushes throughout the book were believable enough. I mean they're exploring their sexualities and hormones are going crazy. As for the inability of some of them to get over the fact they had to kill their classmates they'd known for years, like what do you expect? Even I as an adult would freak tf out if I were in the same situation and would take me a long time to reconcile with the fact I had to kill other people. I don't know I probably even wouldn't man, it's not worth it. So I don't think the kids's reactions were corny or unreasonable and I think the book really conveyed a realistic spirit of mistrust and fear in the mind of 15 years old, imo. Which in turn, reveals the extensiveness and effiency of that distrust in the general population. Contrary to other dystopias where the regimes are established through questionable ways and the existence of such seems unlikely and unachievable, the efficacy of the Program, the murders of the kids parents, and like Shogo says, the given propensity of their culture and society to respect hierarchies, be submissive, and not revolt, makes it chillingly real.
Characters wise, Kazuo Kiriyama is pretty iconic and terrifying af (in both versions). Shogo Kawada and Shinji "The Third Man" Mimura were amazing and sympathetic. I cried buckets reading Shogo's ending even though I knew it was coming and like I had seen the movie. It was definitely more emotional here, though. I think I would have wanted a more conclusive, hopeful ending for Shuya and Noriko (but then it wouldn't be a dystopia, huh). (I watched the movie so long ago I don't remember the ending exactly but I think it was a lot more optimistic??) But also the idea of them always on the run but together is captivating enough. Still the ending brought it down one star.
I was spooked, heartbroken, amused, disgusted and absolutely glued to this book once I got really into it. Yes, the pacing and the translation were a little clunky and repetitive (how many times can the phrase “That's right.” be written in a book? Read this book to find out lmao) but it also made the experience of reading this like a past citizen of the Republic of Greater East Asia was the one telling the story, you know. Also, even if the end result of the translation is a little wonky, I don't know how much I can fault the translator bc Japanese is a very intricate language and English can be so limiting to expressing the same tone or context. Especially a book heavy in satire and sarcasm as this one, the humor really would be hard to translate.
I think all the little backgrounds were effectively employed and gave the kids varied and dynamic personalities. And the junior high school crushes throughout the book were believable enough. I mean they're exploring their sexualities and hormones are going crazy. As for the inability of some of them to get over the fact they had to kill their classmates they'd known for years, like what do you expect? Even I as an adult would freak tf out if I were in the same situation and would take me a long time to reconcile with the fact I had to kill other people. I don't know I probably even wouldn't man, it's not worth it. So I don't think the kids's reactions were corny or unreasonable and I think the book really conveyed a realistic spirit of mistrust and fear in the mind of 15 years old, imo. Which in turn, reveals the extensiveness and effiency of that distrust in the general population. Contrary to other dystopias where the regimes are established through questionable ways and the existence of such seems unlikely and unachievable, the efficacy of the Program, the murders of the kids parents, and like Shogo says, the given propensity of their culture and society to respect hierarchies, be submissive, and not revolt, makes it chillingly real.
Characters wise, Kazuo Kiriyama is pretty iconic and terrifying af (in both versions). Shogo Kawada and Shinji "The Third Man" Mimura were amazing and sympathetic. I cried buckets reading Shogo's ending even though I knew it was coming and like I had seen the movie. It was definitely more emotional here, though. I think I would have wanted a more conclusive, hopeful ending for Shuya and Noriko (but then it wouldn't be a dystopia, huh). (I watched the movie so long ago I don't remember the ending exactly but I think it was a lot more optimistic??) But also the idea of them always on the run but together is captivating enough. Still the ending brought it down one star.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Murder, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, and Violence
Moderate: Mental illness, Rape, and Racism
Minor: Adult/minor relationship and Child abuse
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