For the novel, please go to Mitsuru Numai (Novel). For the film, please go to Mitsuru Numai (Film).
Mitsuru Numai (沼井 充, Numai Mitsuru) is a minor character in Battle Royale.
Backstory[]
Mitsuru felt like he was just in the way when he was growing up in his home. Both of his parents were unaccomplished alcoholics and it appeared that his father had little care for him. His mother did care about his grades but she didn't really do anything to help him. Due to this upbringing, Mitsuru became a delinquent whose main mission in life was to prove that he was the toughest kid in school. When he tried to get a haircut to look more "hard", the barber suggested that his parents would disapprove of the style, which annoyed Mitsuru who beat the man until he got his haircut.
When he became a freshman, he set out to prove once again that he was the toughest student and one of the people he set out to prove this was against Ryuhei Sasagawa and although it was clear that Mitsuru won, four older students surrounded him and wanted to fight. Mitsuru accepted their challenge but they were too much for him. Just as Mitsuru was getting his fingers broken, a student by the name of Kazuo Kiriyama walked by and told them that they were making too much noise as he was trying to study. The older students now wanted to fight him, which was their loss as Kazuo easily beat them. After the fight, Mitsuru decided he would follow Kazuo and do anything he asked. He also fought jock Tadakatsu Hatagami at one time during class, traumatizing Yuko Sakaki.
Friends and Enemies[]
Mitsuru was part of the Kiriyama Family with Kazuo Kiriyama, Ryuhei Sasagawa, Hiroshi Kuronaga and Sho Tsukioka.
Of his group, he was the most devoted to Kazuo, he saw him as someone who was perfect in every single way and considered him his best friend. What Kazuo felt towards Mitsuru was the exact opposite, in fact, Kazuo felt nothing towards him.
As for Ryuhei, the two did start off on a rough patch but things between them seemed to calm down due to their similar personalities and friendship with Kazuo.
His relationship with Sho was somewhat rocky. He didn't care for Sho's sexuality and didn't like how Sho would call Kazuo "Kazuo-kun" instead of boss. How exactly did the two interact otherwise is unknown.
Mitsuru's friendship with Hiroshi was unknown but they seemed to be okay with each other.
In the Program[]
While Yonemi Kamon was explaining the rules of the game to the class, Kazuo sent a message to Mitsuru and the rest of his gang to meet him at the southern tip of the island when they were released from the school.
Once he was released from the school, he saw the corpses of Mayumi Tendo and Yoshio Akamatsu but didn't seem affected by their deaths as he doesn't have this in mind as he makes his way towards the meeting spot.
Once he arrived, he was warned by Kazuo to watch his step as he saw the corpses of Hiroshi and then Ryuhei. Mitsuru wanted to know what happened but Kazuo doesn't say much which makes Mitsuru think that his two friends bought into the game and tried to attack Kazuo who had no choice but to fight back. Mitsuru told his boss that they didn't need them anyway and right before he gets closer to Kazuo, he sees yet another corpse. This one is that of a female student who hated the Kiriyama family and it is Izumi Kanai. Her death causes confusion as she wouldn't want anything to do with them and it was highly unlikely that she would try to attack Kazuo.
Kazuo then explains what happened, he left everything up to a coin toss. If it was heads, he would find a way to fight against Yonemi, however if it came up tails, he would play the game and kill every classmate he found. Mitsuru didn't want to believe this but raised his gun at Kazuo who already started firing at him, multiple bullets tearing through his skull.
As he is dying, Mitsuru thinks back briefly on his relationship with Kazuo and how things he thought were bonding experiences were nothing to Kazuo. The very last thing he remembers is that not once did he ever see Kazuo smile.
Etymology[]
- The name Mitsuru means "charge, raise" (充)
- Mitsuru's surname Numai means "marsh, lake" (沼) (numa) and "well, town" (井) (i)
Notes and Trivia[]
- It is implied through the Contestant notes that Mitsuru's infatuation with Kazuo's fighting prowess might also contain an emotional component.
Appearances[]
- The Worst Game in History
- Best Friend
- Shinji Mimura
- Other Side Of The Door (Thoughts)
- Yoshio Akamatsu (Flashback)
- Trust (Flashback)
- Kazuo Kiriyama (Part One)
- Kazuo Kiriyama (Part Two)
- Nightmare (Thoughts)
- Last Man Standing (Flashback)
- Flower Of Courage (Flashback)
- Allure (Flashback)
- Toshinori Oda (Flashback)
- Limits (Flashback)
- The Devil's Tactics (Flashback)
- The Right Path (Thoughts)
- Destiny (Flashback and Thoughts)
- Determination (Thoughts)
- Hope (Thoughts)