[hennaz]

The other day I finished reading the novel "Battle Royale" by Koushun Takami. It was incredibly violent and gruesome, but yet exciting with an interesting setting and storyline. The book was even temporarily banned in Japan!
The stroy's set in modern-day Japan, but in an alternate timeline; Japan's a dictatorship, known as the "Republic of Greater East Asia". 42 high-school students are deported to a deserted island and have 24 hours to kill each other until one survivor is left standing. The characters are diverse with a range of skills and personalities; the good-looking, handsome wannabe rockstar Shuya, the polite and harmless Noriko, the wise, strong veteran Shogo, the cunning Shinji, the mean-spirited and seductive Mitsuko, martial artist Hiroki, the ruthless gangster Kazuo, and of course, the cruel-hearted game official Sakamochi.
Have any of read the book? What did you think of it? Would you recommend the movie and/or the manga?