15 (each student is referred to by their name and by their government assigned number. The novel’s main character is Shuya, otherwise known as Male Student No. The novel explores the absolute limits of the human nature and what happens within the human psyche when one is forced to the limit. The true purpose of the Program is never revealed, however government officials convince students it is done to keep the youth population “in line” and prevent them from rebelling against their elders. Some students get guns and hatchets, others get forks and throwing darts complete with a dart board. Each student is given a bag with bread, water, a map of the island, and a weapon. The collars of every student also explode if there fails to be a death within 24 hours-a cruel way to keep the “game” progressing. Once taken to a remote location, each student is fitted with a metal collar which detonates if they are found in any of the declared “forbidden zones” of the island, which change every day. Each parent is notified by the government that their child has been “chosen” for the Program, essentially informing the parent of their child’s death. When one does the math, this amounts to the senseless murder of over 2000 innocent children each year. The Program is a government run procedure in which, each year, 50 junior high classes consisting of 42 students each are chosen to fight to the death in a remote location selected by the government.

The story centers around the “Program,” which students in the novel learn about in school from a young age. The novel is set in the fictional “Republic of Greater East Asia,” which is run by a Big Brother-like authoritarian government. Battle Royale by Koushun Takami is an action-packed novel which explores the depths of human nature and how far one will go to survive.

Make me sir by cherise sinclair