Bookworms: The Battle Royale Slam Book

Battle Royale has been hailed as one of most moving and unique pieces of science fiction literature in modern history. Written by Koushun Takami in 1999, the story follows 42 Japanese junior high school students as they are forced to kill each other on a remote island by their government. Takami’s kill-or-be-killed novel sparked controversy across many nations, both for the violent nature of the book and the implication that children were capable of such violence.

Fifteen years later, Battle Royale continues to be an influential work in modern literature. The Battle Royale Slam Book explores that influence on culture while also providing insight on Takami’s characters. The book collects 16 essays by writers, academics, screenwriters, professors, editors, and historians, each providing a different take on the work. The essays themselves are insightful and well-written, making the perfect companion to the novel, movie, and manga.

Readers do not need to worry about a certain level of proficiency in any particular topic; the Slam Book was written for the Battle Royale fan to enjoy. Concepts relating to the novel are explained with details from the novel, movie, and manga. The topics range from comparing Takami to Ray Bradbury to the use of the Good Wife, Wise Mother trope to Japanese wrestling to the history of Japan around the time of original publication. These essays do a magnificent job in reminding readers the power of the story and what we can learn from it.

It should go without saying that the essay collection contains spoilers for the novel, movie, and manga series. However, because the collection is thorough in exploring the story, it is the perfect addition to any fan’s library. Check out the contents of the book:

Death for Kids by John Skipp

Battle Royale: The Fight the Night Before by Masao Higashi

Happiest Days of Your Life: Battle Royale and School Fiction by Adam Roberts

Innocence Lost and Regained: Bradbury, Takami, and the Cult of the Child by Kathleen Miller

From Dangerous to Desirable: Battle Royale and the Gendering of Youth Culture by Raechel Dumas

Girl Power by Carrie Cuinn

Over the Top, or Over the Top Rope? Battle Royale and Japan’s Love of Professional Wrestling by Jason S. Ridler

Battle Royale Generational Warfare by Kostas Paradis

Killer Kids in Jeopardy: Hollywood’s Horror Taboo by Gregory Lamberson

Seeing the Sequel First: Teenage Memories of Battle Royale II by  Isamu Fukui

Dead Sexy: A Defense of Sexuality in the Violently Visual Battle Royale Manga by Steven R. Stewart

The Postwar Child’s Guide to Survival by Nadia Bulkin

Children Playing with Guns by Brian Keene

List, Combination, Recursion by Tom Enjoe

Bueller, Bueller, Do You Read? Random Notes on Battle Royale and the American Teen Film by Sam Hamm

Whatever You Encounter, Slay It At Once: Battle Royale as Zen Parable by Douglas F. Warrick

The Battle Royale: Slam Book is edited by Nick Mamatas and Masumi Washington and published through Haikasoru, an imprint of VIZ Media.