For the novel, please go to Toshinori Oda (Novel). For the film, please go to Toshinori Oda (Film).
Toshinori Oda (織田 敏憲, Oda Toshinori) is a minor character in Battle Royale.
Backstory
Toshinori is an unpleasant boy who resembles a frog, hence his nickname, Froggy. He hates all of his classmates, as revealed through an inner monologue where he speaks poorly of everyone. He has a particular hatred for Shuya Nanahara, who can entertain the class with his music far better than Toshinori can. He is resentful towards the girls in the class too, believing they are merely arm candy. As well as his dislike for most other people, he also shows disgust for what he calls "vulgar" activities. Included in these supposed "vulgarities" are rock music, promiscuous sex (including homosexual relationships, it is implied he is sickened by openly gay classmate Sho Tsukioka), sports and pep rallies at school, television, and, most notably, those that possess a lower socioeconomic status than Oda and his family.
Toshinori comes from an extremely wealthy family. He views himself as being far more important than anyone else in his class. This includes other rich students such as top student Kyoichi Motobuchi, who he remarks is a 'wannabe intellectual', and whom he doesn't respect.
He excels at playing the violin, but unbeknownst to Toshinori, his skills were surpassed only by Kazuo Kiriyama, who is uninterested in the instrument despite his skill with it.
In the Program
Toshinori receives a kevlar vest as his designated weapon. He then hides near a house in the residential area. He is later disturbed by Hirono Shimizu, who was looking for water in a nearby well. He sneaks up on Hirono and attempts to strangle her with his belt, only to be shot in the stomach by her. Unaware that he was wearing the kevlar, Hirono turns away from Toshinori, giving him the chance to attack her again. This time, he manages to push her down the well, where she drowns. He takes Hirono's gun and continues hiding. He is briefly seen reacting with disgust to the detonation of Shinji Mimura's bomb later that night.
Later, he has a chance meeting with Hiroki Sugimura, who is reluctant to fight. Hiroki breaks Toshinori's index finger with a kick, ruining any chance he had of pursuing a career as a violinist. He pleads with Hiroki to not kill him. Hiroki isn't sure to trust Toshinori but does spread Shuya's message of hope of escape, and Toshinori plays along until he is about to shoot Hiroki. While Toshinori is concentrating on shooting Hiroki, Kazuo appears and shoots him in the chest, giving Hiroki an opportunity to run away. Toshinori's vest saves him again, but he plays dead, planning to kill Kazuo when the latter goes to check his daypack. His plan backfires; he sits up and takes aim with the gun that he took from Hirono but he leaves his legs open- a weak spot which his Kevlar does not protect. Kazuo moves too quickly for Toshinori to react and he then shoots Toshinori between his legs with his MAC-10. Kazuo shoots until intestines are hit and he is killed.
Etymology[]
- The name Toshinori means "agile, alert" (敏) (toshi), and "basic law" (憲) (nori)
- Toshinori's surname Oda means "fabric, material" (織) (o), and "field, rice paddy" (田) (da)
Trivia[]
- Toshinori Oda is one of four males (the other three being Yoshio Akamatsu, Shogo Kawada, and Kazuo Kiriyama) to kill a female in the Program.