Masayuki Taguchi Ordre des livres (chronologique)

Dans un pays asiatique imaginaire existe un programme gouvernemental connu sous le nom de Battle Royale. Chaque année, une classe de 3e est choisie au hasard, emmenée sur une île coupée du monde, et les collégiens doivent combattre entre eux jusqu'à ce qu'il ne reste qu'un survivant... Ceci afin de servir d'exemple à la population, à la jeunesse particulièrement, et aussi de recueillir des statistiques sur le temps mis par le champion à éliminer ses camarades. Version contemporaine sur vitaminée de Sa Majesté des Mouches, de William Golding, Battle Royale a défrayé la chronique à sa publication, avant de devenir l'un des plus grands best-sellers de l'édition nippone.

In the future, random Jr. High School classes are chosen to compete in a game called Battle Royale. The rules: only one student can survive after 3 days on an island or else they all perish. Weapons are handed out and each student is sent out into the field alone and unprepared for the horror that awaits them. The classmates turn upon themselves in a battle for survival, treaties are made and broken, and former friends become foes as the relentless countdown continues. Amid the betrayals and rising body count, two classmates confess their love for each other and swear to survive this deadly game together.

La république d'Extrême Orient, une nation totalitaire située en Asie, expérimente un jeu de massacre appelé "le programme". Des classes de 3ème du pays sont choisies arbitrairement pour y participer. Les élèves d'une même classe doivent s'entretuer jusqu'à ce qu'il ne reste plus qu'un seul survivant. Telle en est la cruelle règle. Les 42 élèves de la classes de 3ème du collège de Shiroiwa se retrouvent engagés dans ce véritable "jeu de la mort" sans même savoir pourquoi.

As the violence begins to escalate, Shuuya continues searching for friends who would be willing to join his alliance. However, the search doesn't go as well as he would hope, resulting in the deaths of several more students. Childhood friends Yumiko Kusaka and Yukiko Kitano would be glad to join Shuuya, but will he reach him in time?

Soccer player Kazushi Niida gets a kick out of The Program when he decides to think of it as an exhibition game. How many goals will this all-star player make before his time on the field runs out? When Takako Chigusa's leg is on the receiving end of his bow-gun, Kazushi may experience a permanent time-out from Sugimura. Meanwhile, Kaori Minami wants nothing more out of life than for her acne to clear up so she can make an impression on her favorite pop star, Junya

As Shuuya, Noriko and Shogo figure out their first move, the mysterious transfer student reveals that he is actually the winner of the previous season's Program. Can Shuuya and Noriko still continue to trust him, despite their knowledge of the acts Shogo committed to emerge victorious?