Battle Royale: Enforcers, Vol. 1

Battle Royale: Enforcers #1

by Koushun Takami, Yukai Asada (Illustrator)

Decades ago, the fascist government of the Republic of Greater East Asia seized control of Japan. In order to terrorize its citizens and crush any possibility of rebellion, the government established Program 68—a savage military program where teenage students were sent to a remote island and forced to kill each other—also known as the Battle Royale.

After being banned 20 years ago, Program 68 is back, this time under the direction of a sinister government artificial intelligence. The troubled and misbehaving kids of Daitoa Academy’s Class F have been chosen, divided into squads, given weapons, and commanded to fight to the death. Now friendships and loyalties will be tested, and only the strongest will survive.

Genres: Manga, Horror, Comics, Thriller, Graphic Novels, Science Fiction, Dystopia

200 pages, Paperback

Published July 16, 2024

About the author

Koushun Takami (高見 広春 Takami Kōshun) is the author of the novel Battle Royale, originally published in Japanese, and later translated into English by Yuji Oniki and published by Viz Media and, later, in an expanded edition by Haika Soru, a division of Viz Media.

Takami was born in Amagasaki, Hyōgo Prefecture near Osaka and grew up in the Kagawa Prefecture of Shikoku. After graduating from Osaka University with a degree in literature, he dropped out of Nihon University's liberal arts correspondence course program. From 1991 to 1996, he worked for the news company Shikoku Shimbun, reporting on various fields including politics, police reports, and economics.

The novel Battle Royale was completed after Takami left the news company. It was rejected in the final round of the literary competition for which it was intended, owing to its controversial content. It went on to become a bestseller when finally released in 1999 and, a year later, was made into a manga and a feature film.

He is currently working on a second novel.

Reviews

[Johnee]

A decent intro back into the world where Battle Royale occurs. Although nothing completely groundbreaking, the addition of AI plus a twist that a squad of 5 can survive by the end, I'm certainly excited for the volume.

[Sassy Sarah Reads]

3.25 stars

I love Battle Royale. That hulking tome of a book is something I devoured in mere days. It is some of the most engaging and intense storytelling. I was excited to hear the author is returning to the world with a manga series. This is set 20 years after the disbanding of the law that implemented Battle Royales, but it appears the government has been losing its grip on its citizens, and this appears to be a test pilot to reinstate it.

Interesting idea, but the plot takes some time to get its footing, and the art is not my style. I really struggled with this one, and it took me several weeks to pick it back up after reading the first chapter (not a good sign as far as manga goes for me).

[Ramsey]

New canon Battle Royale content???????? In this year of 2024????????? I’m shitting myself.

[Joshua Jonah]

This one take a trip back to the dystopia that started the death game trend and it doesn’t feel out of touch at all. My biggest worry was that it would feel stagnant or it would feel overdone but with the new additions and plot twists this felt like a fresh story. I’m eager to see where this one goes going forward.

[Taylor]

As someone who loves this genre of manga this one was so disappointing. It was super fast paced and i felt like there should have been more added to the story explaining things. There were a lot of times in this book where i was like "huh 🤨" only part i enjoyed of this book was the art style

[Daniel]

This is just a redo of Blitz Royale. Something about it feels off and isn’t grabbing my attention in the way that the original works did, but I’ll still read as the next volumes release. Maybe it would have benefited from a few more drafts.

[Haleigh Gravgaard]

"Battle Royale: Enforcers, Vol. 1" by Koushun Takami marks a gripping return to the brutal, dystopian world fans of the original series know well. After being banned for two decades, the notorious Program 68 is reinstated, this time overseen by a sinister government artificial intelligence. This new iteration promises to be even more chilling and relentless, setting the stage for a thrilling read.

The narrative follows the troubled and misbehaving students of Daitoa Academy's Class F, who find themselves thrust into this deadly game. Armed and divided into squads, they must now fight each other to the death. Takami masterfully explores the psychological and emotional turmoil of the characters, as friendships and loyalties are severely tested. The stakes are high, and the tension is palpable from start to finish.

The introduction of the government AI adds a fresh and menacing twist to the familiar premise, amplifying the sense of dread and unpredictability. The AI's cold, calculating nature contrasts sharply with the raw, human emotions of the students, creating a compelling dynamic that keeps readers on edge.

Takami's storytelling is as brutal and unflinching as ever, with well-paced action scenes and poignant moments of introspection. The artwork complements the narrative perfectly, capturing the intensity and desperation of the characters' fight for survival.

Overall, "Battle Royale: Enforcers, Vol. 1" is a worthy continuation of the Battle Royale legacy. It successfully combines the gritty, high-stakes action of the original with new, thought-provoking elements, making it a must-read for both longtime fans and newcomers. The only downside is that the story can sometimes feel overwhelmingly bleak, but this is a minor flaw in an otherwise stellar manga.

[Jason M.]

I am a couple of years late to this. This is a review of Volume 1 only; I will review the following volumes as I read them. For now, I have no idea what happens after Chapters 1-5, which this volume compiles. The idea of a a BATTLE ROYALE sequel, from the original author, is a five-star idea. BATTLE ROYALE is the ur-text of the 21st century, even though it came out in 1999. The book is a massive and un-acknowledged influence on "The Hunger Games", and the 2000 movie directly altered Tarantino's films. As 2026 slides closer to dystopia, as red states ditch their child labor laws, and as AI replaces human jobs in all sectors (who is the economy even for, anyway?), BR:Enforcers is an overdue idea.

The setup is similar -- a class of 42 junior high (now middle) school students are lured to an evacuated island and forced to fight to the death. This time the class' AI teacher ("Sister) is in charge, although student government may know more than it's saying. Instead of student vs. student it's squad v. squad -- 8 squads of five or six students apiece (the actually battle commences in Chapter 4). Some characters and scenes are reminiscent of the original, and the author's age is showing (Credence Clearwater Revival is used as an example of forbidden decadent music), but the graphic violence is portrayed in shock reveals and the featured characters act realistically.

There's a lighthouse on the island. I'm hoping that future volumes don't merely copy and repeat the most memorable and disturbing part of the first book/movie, but instead do something original and equally shocking... stay tuned.

[Amri Hakim]

One aspect of Battle Royale that never fails to keep me coming back is its coming-of-age heart and the way it explores friendship and relationships. They're not there just to raise the emotional stakes—they're the soul of the story. Whether it's male friendships shaped by performative masculinity, the tenderness and fractures of girlhood, or the blurred line between platonic and romantic love, it's fascinating how Koushun Takami manages to weave all of that into such a bleak, dystopian, blood-soaked setting.

The flashbacks feel like the spark of Megumi's blitz gun cutting through a pitch-black shed—brief flashes of warmth in the middle of relentless despair. They remind you that these were just kids before the game stripped everything away.

BR Enforcers captures that same spirit. I don't think it's nearly as effective yet, but I'm glad Takami never abandoned what made Battle Royale so unique, even within a death game. The emotional core is still there, and that's what matters most to me.

I'm still not entirely sold on the squad concept, but I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and see how the later volumes develop it.

[Erin Clements]

I'm a sucker for dystopias and battle royales, but I wish there had been more worldbuilding. The lack of worldbuilding is a massive damper on what otherwise appears to be an intriguing story setup -- I get that it's a sequel/spin-off to an existing series, but because it's also marketed as an entry point to the universe in its own right, I would have liked some more context for why the battle royale is occurring, what kind of country/school the students attend (aside from it being a totalitarian one, of course), and why these specific students were selected for it. The fact that I still have those "big picture" questions after reading the first volume is a strike against it, as is the fact that the art is sometimes difficult to figure out, especially in terms of seeing past the blood to actually see what is going on, and some of the early deaths seemed pointless and out of nowhere, but overall I liked it and am intrigued to see where the series goes.

[Ryan]

This is a new spinoff series from battle Royale. It takes place 20 years later. The beginning is a little confusing. All you know is there are students in multiple classes, and class F is the worst. Each class is made up of multiple squads between five and six people. Originally Class is to clean up the island but after an earthquake, they’re all sent to a basement for their lesson. It’s while locked in this basement they find out that their goal is to kill everybody and only the survivor gets to win. What do they win? No idea. The beginning of the books a little shaky but when you get into the action and what’s going on, it moves rather quickly. If you liked battle Royale or Alice in Borderland, or Squid Game you might enjoy this book.

[Yessica]

Koushun Takami is back with a another story of Battle Royale. Taking place after the events of the first story, the BR had been eliminated but returns for some reason (maybe I missed it). The BR was instituted to fight juvenile delinquency, so I'm guessing that's why it's back, this time run by a malicious A.I. system. I personally am a fan of this change. It's very current and removes the human aspect of the deplorable acts, emphasizing the brutality with the program's cold indifference. The first volume sets things up nicely, introducing the characters you will following through the story. We haven't met most of the class yet, but just like the first story, we shouldn't get too attached.

Thank you Netgalley for access to the ARC.

[juning]

I’m a huge fan of the original battle royale manga series and since it’s no longer in print I was definitely quite excited to see that the new series “battle royale: enforcers” had been released by the same author.

However, i’m not quite sure how I feel about this. it was okay. The beginning was a little confusing and I felt like the novel fell flat but it definitely has potential as further volumes release.

I do recommend it for fans of the original, I do think it’s a worthy continuation of the original battle royale series just hopefully there will be more engaging backstories and dialogue.

[Luna]

An extra star because of pure nostalgia value.

I'm interested to see where this story goes- I already plan to buy the next volume. I hope it doesn't mimic the original Battle Royale where two students manage to escape.

I found the art wasn't as wholly fleshed out as the first manga series, and several students look similar enough that I had to keep flicking to the squad guide. Without a full novel to explain the setup and the relationships between each student, I do find it a little difficult to grow attached to any of them.

The premise is unique enough to keep my interest, and while it can absolutely be compared to the film sequel, it's not enough to be a bad thing.

[Mark Pidgeon]

3.5 stars

Set 20 years after the Battle Royale program this shakes things up a bit by having the class split into squads and all given rifles and a handgun instead of the random weapons/items from the original.

This was a good introduction to the new games and technology and real world parallels ( North Korea esq dictatorship).

Looks no forward to seeing how the relationship dynamics progress in the next volume.

[Theresa]

I received a review copy from Viz Media via NetGalley. A worthwhile manga-based modern day follow-up to the noteworthy Battle Royale. It’s always hard in a first volume to introduce 42 characters, but some unique traits in illustration made for remembering the main characters well. Let the dystopian fight to the death commence. I’ll continue the series.

[Bobby Stringini]

Pretty interesting shake up of the Battle Royale formula. Some key changes to the game, as well as a few twists to the world keep things fresh. Only thing that knocked a star off is a few confusing panel layouts, as well as some weird typos. Art is okay, and the designs are all distinct, which is useful with such a large cast. Looking forward to vol. 2.

[Catherine in Space]

So far, there's not a lot that's new about this story. The kids are implanted with a toxin rather than rigged to explode, they're in teams rather than fighting alone and they're aided by / spied on by devices with apps to support them in the program (radar, weapons guides, the map). But enough has changed that I'm going to stick with it.

[Becky]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.

I requested this manga because I loved the Battle Royale book and movie. This is set after the original program is shut down. It was a good start with some good modern updates. I'm curious as to where it is going to go.

Rating: 4/5

[Andy Kramer]

I have read the original and I have purchased the deluxe edition re-relase of the first volume. That being said, this volume is a lot of world building with a few dips in action but I personally want to keep going to see where this is going!

[blake_determined_reader]

i like this book, it’s like the original danganronpa but honestly a bit more twisted since in danganronpa it’s not real people. i did wish the manga explained why each person died tho, in two cases some characters were just randomly killed off without explanation.

[§ïå ☾]

Guess I'm gonna have to reread Battle Royale 🙄😏

[Sheena]

We are back baybeeeeeee

[lee_readsbooks]

Looking forward to volume 2 in January 2025.

[Vivian]

4.5⭐️

[Chip]

Enjoyed, but did notice a few gramatical errors

[Marina]

I can’t believe there’s new Battle Royale media. I’m so excited!!

[Sir Nicho]

It didn't immediately grab me the way the original did. I'll probably keep reading it though. Also, another protagonist obsessed with rock music?

[Dominic Harris]

Seems to be a great series...I can't wait to read the rest. Slow to start, but once the action started, I was impressed.

[Lisa]

A solid continuation of the Battle Royale universe. Unique enough to launch a new series but faithful enough to remind reads of the danger and brutality of the original