Prison Battleship (known in Japan as Kangoku Senkan) is a dark sci-fi adventure series and visual novel franchise set in the distant future. It follows the rise of Donny Bogan, a villainous protagonist who uses a specialized "prison battleship" to break the wills of his political enemies and eventually conquer the solar system. The Core Premise
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If a modern navy sought a floating prison, it would use a converted container ship (unarmed, non-combatant, marked with red cross-like prison identifiers). To arm it is to announce that one’s own prisoners are legitimate targets—a policy no rational state would adopt. Prison Battleship (known in Japan as Kangoku Senkan
The Washington Naval Treaty (1922): This landmark arms limitation agreement required signatories to scrap many capital ships. However, some nations argued that prison ships were not "warships" and kept them. But the treaty did accelerate the scrapping of old hulls.
Humanitarian Reform: Investigators like John Howard (in earlier centuries) and later the Red Cross documented the horrific conditions. The prison battleship became a symbol of barbaric punishment. Reformers argued that housing men in a rusting, leaking, rat-infested warship was not rehabilitation—it was state-sponsored torture.
Practical Maintenance Costs: While cheap to start, prison battleships were expensive to maintain. Hulls rusted, pumps failed, and ships began to leak or even sink. In 1912, the British prison ship St. Mary (a former frigate) nearly capsized in a storm, leading to a public outcry.
The Rise of Modern Penitentiaries: New construction methods (reinforced concrete) allowed for more sanitary, secure, and controllable land prisons that didn't risk sinking with all hands.