<Tr> <Th> Pages </Th> <Td> 666 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> ISBN </Th> <Td> 4 - 87233 - 452 - 3 </Td> </Tr> <P> Battle Royale (Japanese: バトル ・ ロワイアル, Hepburn: Batoru Rowaiaru) is the first novel by the Japanese author Koushun Takami . Originally completed in 1996, it was not published until 1999 . The story tells of junior high school students who are forced to fight each other to the death in a program run by the authoritarian Japanese government, now known as the Republic of Greater East Asia . </P> <P> It was previously entered into the 1997 Japan Horror Fiction Awards but was eventually rejected in the final round due to its content . Upon publication in 1999, the novel became a surprise bestseller . </P>

When did the book battle royale come out