The following is a list of characters that appear in the novel, manga, and film versions of Battle Royale.
Boy #15 Shuya Nanahara (七原 秋也, Nanahara Shūya) has witnessed a good deal of troubling events throughout his life. His father was killed by the government for struggling against the regime, and his mother died while he was in third grade. When the rest of his family rejected him, Shuya was put in an orphanage. He is willing to trust others, not wanting to take part in the Battle Royale program. He tries several times to rally fellow students in an attempt to escape, but fails. Consequently, he narrowly escapes death at the hands of his classmates on several occasions. Shuya is a self-proclaimed "rock star", listening to and playing rock 'n' roll music in spite of the ban on the genre. Shuya's favorite artist is Bruce Springsteen. After the death of his best friend Yoshitoki, he vows to protect Yoshitoki's crush, Noriko, in his stead. Shuya survives the contest and escapes. In the manga version he emigrates to the United States.
Un-spoken words, un-kept promises
This is what a man should do in his life
Un-broken alliance, still on and on and on
We just don't know, time after time
Lost in this world
I'll find a reason why
To live in perfect harmony with you my shining star, side by side
Together we will fight
Together we'll survive
To millions battle just to testify our love
Who will be the next today
To forget the lesson learned in wasted years long long time ago
It's been a shame, it's been so fake
To be prisoners of ourself
We just don't know, time after time
Lost in this world
Story will tell, who will be wise
And who will survive
Caught in this world
Caught through this lies