Battle Royale Deluxe Edition, Vol. 1

by Masayuki Taguchi, Koushun Takami, Kevin Gifford (Translator)

The hyper-violent classic is back in a new edition! Forty-two middle school students are forced to fight to the death until only one survivor!

Genres: Manga, Horror, Dystopia

Kindle Edition

Published January 27, 2026

About the author

Masayuki Taguchi (田口雅之; Taguchi Masayuki) is a Japanese mangaka.

Reviews

[Ashton]

Alright. Tough decision for me to rate this so low, but at the same time... easiest decision ever. Everything about the Manga is great. Characters, Story, Themes, Translation... sometimes great. The gore, awesome. Art is very well drawn. Pacing is also fantastic.

The whole reason for my low score, is the final, bonus chapter. "Fallen Angel." I have no qualms about sex scenes in Manga, novels etc. As long as it's moving the plot forward, adding something to the story or impacts character development. This chapter did none of those things for Mitsuko.

It taught us nothing new about her character. We already know that she is Manipulative, Cold, won't shy-away from violence, crime etc. This chapter just felt like I was reading Hentai. I'm not here for that. It was graphic, and wasn't done in a way that was meant to illicit a response other than "This is an attractive woman getting ______ and we want you to look at her that way"... but the thing is, she's a child.

The whole part with yo-chan and the other person (forgot their name), and their whole love story, felt like important context into who they are to each other. It provided something to the story. Same with the pimping scene, that added something to the story, and it wasn't nearly as graphic. I can't get over the fact that people aren't discussing this to be honest.

Yes I'm aware that this Manga/Novel pushes a lot of boundaries, which is why I like it! But pushing boundaries should be intentional, with an effect. Shock-value is great when done well. This chapter wasn't "Shock-Factor", it was just smut of a child. It didn't have to be drawn in the way it was. Disgusting.

I highly recommend reading this manga, but please skip the bonus chapter, it's disgusting, and honestly the manga author should be investigated.

[Mark Pidgeon]

Still as relentless and bleak as I remembered. The deluxe edition is a beautifully crated book worth it for the colour pages as well.

[GONZA]

I've known the story for a long time, and in my opinion, this manga captures it perfectly. I can't wait for the other volumes to come out because I've also grown fond of some of the characters.

Conosco da tempo la storia e secondo me, questo manga la rende alla perfezione. Non vedo l'ora che escano le altre raccolte perché mi sono anche affezionata ad alcuni personaggi.

I received from the publisher an advanced digital review copy in exchange for a honest review.

[FrontalNerdaty]

The tome collects the first 24 chapters of the book adaptation of the Battle Royale book by Koushun Takami. It’s a, mostly loyal, take on the book but does offer some expansion as the medium allows for it. The style is similar to titles such as JoJos Bizarre Adventures and this works for the most part. The gore is where the art shines. The soft and pretty looks of all the characters is offset by the level of gore whenever someone is killed or maimed. It works really well. Most chapters function the same - introduce a character then give them some back story and then, for the most part, kill them off. There are about 6 ‘main’ characters whom all have on-going arcs throughout and inevitably going to clash.
This tome is a beaut for sure and I’m glad I waited for it to be released to read it.

All of the positives said, the way in which women, well girls, are presented throughout is either - innocent and extremely feminine or sexual delinquents. There is some nuance to be had, the book pulls it off, but the art here is mostly edging on pornographic. Given the age of the characters it does feel wrong. Though if the gore is presented to the max then an argument could be made for the sexual elements to be given the same level of attention.

3/5

[Daniel Freer]

Absolutely amazing, wish they were all translated to English so I could keep reading!!!

WOW is all I can say. This has to be one of the best stories I've ever read!!! The ART???!? AMAZING!!! Everything about it is so crazy and surreal but also so raw and based in some of the worst parts of human nature and some of the best but again just WOW. Insane amounts of violence and GORE as well as some of the craziest stuff ive seen drawn in manga sex wise. Its super HARDCORE IN ABSOLUTELY EVERY WAY!!! And its not done just for the sake of it or just to do it!! It has its purpose and isnt done as a cheap gimmick!!!! Highly recommend this to anyone that loves manga, or comics. Hell even just amazing story telling and characters. Thats another thing the characters are some of the best AND WORST like evil but still makes you want to keep reading and reading to see what happens next!!! Immediately after only VOLUME 1 is one of my favorite mangas/stories ive ever read. Its that good, IN MY OPINION!!! Just great!!!

[James Zaksek]

WOW! What a ride this was! From the moment I saw the cover and the similarity to the style of the BERSERK volumes, I picked it up thinking, is it another edition? Boy, was I wrong! Then, after seeing the title? I immediately knew what it was and ended up finishing this in one day! SO GOOD! If you're familiar with the cult film from the early 2000's, this is right up your alley! Violence, love, character-building, adventure? This was a nice, quick read for me.

[Nick Dean]

This was dope. I remember watching the film as a teenager and not really liking it. This new translation feels great and flows naturally (did not read any previous translation). Art is excellent. I wish that little bitch Ken Kaneki was on the BR island lmfao. Sucks I have to wait till August for Deluxe 2 (unless I read the old translation).

[Tim McLelland]

Wish I Never Got Rid of The Originals

Tough read, but still amazing. So happy this expanded edition was available digitally. Even better than the movie, and that's saying a lot!

[Sanfedrick]

Wow amazing the art is 10/10 and the story is fucking sick

[Dermot]

I loved the movie and the original book, but this was honestly awful. Why does everyone look either 35 or 10.

[Sara]

Read more graphic novel reviews at The Graphic Library.

This classic story has been the inspiration for so many different manga, books, and games that I jumped at the chance to read it. For those who love classic manga, this will be right up your alley. The art style is a little dated, and the female characters don't get the best treatment. I was a little surprised by how many classmates we go through in this first volume. The mangaka doesn't hold back with any of the violence, and the sexual violence is likewise uncensored. This deluxe edition includes an additional bonus chapter that provides background insight into one of the characters, but it is likewise gratuitous. An important work such as this belongs in larger manga collections serving adult patrons, or with collectors and enthusiasts who enjoy impactful works that have inspired countless creatives across the world.

This review was made possible with a digital reader copy from the publisher through Edelweiss.

Sara's Rating: 8/10
Suitability Level: Adult