Battle Royale

[Gecko Brothers]

I went to this festival at a Hong Kong Plaza in surprisingly West Covinia. I was looking at some DVD racks (they are all stolen or burned DvDs with a sticker slapped on it. I picked up Battle Royale Special Edition (read:BURNED WITH STICKER) It only cost me 7 bucks and it was a rare movie. Oddly enough there was a copyright mark on it. My brother bought Air Force One. Appearently us Americans can't spell because Airplane is spelled Airplanr. Any ways, now for the real deal.  I came home from the bookstore I was pretty bummed out Barnes and Nobles doesn't have any American Splendor or Love Hina books. I did find Zombie Survival Guide and a Screenwriting guide for idiots. The movie Battle Royale features a bunch of teenagers chosen from the government and put in a game to kill each other off in Three days or their heads go...well think of a jack in the box only the head doesn't stay in place. They have collars on. If they try to smash it or take  it off their  head goes boom. You see it is obviously a bomb. The teenagers are all in the same class that was chosen except 2 that are suppose to be Fixers. Why they are there I don't really know. The truth is explaining it is hard enough. Better yet I'll list the rules.
-Take one 9th grade class of good-looking girls and some boys(but who pays attention to that) with two fixers who want to do this for fun(I thought I had a lot of time on my hands) before you say anything I am only 15 and most of the girls look older than that.
-Knock kids out
-Strap explosives collars on them it is suppose to be hip in style.
-Organize kids in room
-Play educational videos that star some hot girl in short-shorts.
-Make sure the students don't annoy the teacher or he kills them
-Arm the kids with guns(NRA dreams) or a pot lid or binoculars
-kick kids out of your house
-saying math equations while killing people is not smart.
-a fan makes a great weapon
-we get story then bloody death they are just bloody
-every once in a while a zone is called a danger zone and if you walk in your head blows up!
-guess what more meaningless dribbles then violence.
-this is pretty much what happens until some back stabbing moments later we are down to a survivor
notice
-one more thing never ever scar a beautifal girl's face she doesn't make threats she gets stabby in mob ways.
-Japenese-Mexican standoffs are never a happy situation but yet funney as hell.
-Appearently the Japanese aren't just good with TVs there are special bullets that pierce skin and cause bleeding but don't rip through clothes. Seriously there are no bullet holes on most gunshot victims.
-Japanese make little sense. They make a violent reality gladiator style game to reduce kids rebellions against adults, but the kids don't know about it and are picked at random!?
-Japenese movies are usually sick, violent, full of dark humor, and make great weekend or party viewings. So go buy it or I'll put you in  the Battle Royale Program for not believing me

[dean]

Battle Royale is a fun movie, the sequel is either coming out soon or out now.

This has been a public service announcement from your local japanese movie department...

[rich andrini]

battle royale is actually based on a book called battle royale (duh) by koushun takami ive read it and have the dvd as well as the manga by tokyopop. for the second movie called battle royale requiem well ive seen it and it very disspointing the director for the first one kinji fukasaku died and his son took over.  it about how thier trying to kill shuya (the kid who escaped from the first one) when he blows up to skyscrapers in a 9/11 type thing. its really stupid



"Dont be a fool for ur tool"

[Gecko Brothers]

Is the book now released in english. I've seen the comic books for 10 dollars each at an eletctronics shop . They where in baggies and said 18+ on them. Are the books full of violence and naked people? I heard that Battle Royale 2 was an action movie instead of a clasterphobic er.. horror movie. I've also heard the gore was pretty weak too.

[Max Gardner]

The movie is severely unpleasant.  Very powerful, very good, but unpleasant and difficult enough to watch that one viewing will most likely last me the rest of my life.  It's one of the few films I've ever seen that gave me nightmares.  The book has been translated and is available, at least, at Waldenbooks, probably Borders and B&N as well.  The comic is also quite good, with an English translation by Keith Giffen (Lobo, Trencher), and yes, it is full of sex and violence - more than the movie, in fact.

[PoopRetard]

Battle Royale is a masterpiece. I love Battle Royale. The manga is really cool too.

[daveblackeye15]

I think the book is better, but the book and the movie are both classics and so far I've read the first book of the comic books and so far it's also really good.

[dean]

I was recently reading an issue of asian cult movie magazine and they had an article about battle royale 2, saying its going to be really popular but won't get a worldwide distribution, especially in the US, because of large anti-usa sentiments in it.

Interestingly enough they also had an interview with kuriyama, who was in the first one [gogo from kill bill]  It seems she has done alot of really creepy movie roles.  She really kinda seems like the type who would really suit horror; she's really freaky.

anyway, i still want to see battle royale 2 asap!  There's nothing like a bunch of school students killing each other.

[Jim Hepler]

"-Japanese make little sense. They make a violent reality gladiator style game to reduce kids rebellions against adults, but the kids don't know about it and are picked at random!?"

Agreed that it doesn't make sense, and they don't do it enough for it to be population control.  In the book, EVERYONE knows about it.


"-Japenese movies are usually sick, violent, full of dark humor, and make great weekend or party viewings. "

Not really true.  That's just what makes it stateside because Japanese dramas and comedies and what have you wouldn't make money.

[Mr_Vindictive]

I actually have a copy of BR2 in my possesion.  I have yet to watch it  though.  I'm not going to lie about how I got it - it is a bootleg.  I really really really need to get around to watching it.

As for Battle Royale, it is an amazing film.  I got it in a box set with Versus and Ringu that I had imported from Japan.  Beautiful film that goes VERY in depth with the characterizations.  The film also has one of the best bad guys ever.

The Manga is also pretty good.  I had originally read them before checking the film.  Quite a different story line to it, but with the same overall feel.

[Gecko Brothers]

I should have put in horror or actions movies. Like Versus or Suicide Club. Or how about movies that have PG-13/ R rating mix

[Gecko Brothers]

So how was it?

[Shark]

It's a good movie...but compared to the Battle Royale book and manga, the movie leaves much to be desired.

[StatCat]

Battle Royale is a little bit overrated, way more deserving Japanese movies out there but this one always seems to be raved about.

[Evan3]

Guys,
this is the 5th time I have heard of this movie on the site.
I can not WAIT to see it. But I would like the comic. Is anybody willing to sell theirs or know of a good place to get them at?