In a dystopian future Japan, forty—two junior high school students are outfitted with weapons and bid to kill one another until there is only one left standing.
Koushun Takami's notorious high—octane thriller envisions a nightmare scenario: a class of junior high school students is taken to a deserted island where, as part of a ruthless authoritarian program, they are provided arms and forced to kill until only one survivor is left standing. Criticized as violent exploitation when first published in Japan—where it became a runaway best seller—
Battle Royale
is a
Lord of the Flies
for the 21st century, a potent allegory of what it means to be young and (barely) alive in a dog—eat—dog world.