SECTION INDEX: Movie/Novel Differences • Glossary • Novel Timeline • Maps

the novel

While most BR fans first become familiar with the story through the Kinji Fukasaku film, Battle Royale doesn't begin there: it was first published as a novel in April 1999.

In February 2003 Viz Communications released an English translation of Koushun Takami's novel, adapted by Yuji Oniki. The book is available for purchase at Amazon.com.

Prior to the release of the Viz novel, BR fan "Mink" did her fellow BR fans a great service by translating the first ten chapters of the novel. If you want a taste of how good the BR novel is prior to buying the Viz publication, check it out.

The original Japanese novel (it's also been released in a two-part, pocket-sized format)	The American translation