BATTLE ROYALE... Novel/Manga/Movie Comparison

[DevilMan]

If you're interested in the many differences concerning the GREATEST Japanese movie ever made, BATTLE ROYALE in it's various printed forms (the actual novel and the official manga adaptation), then click the link below (from THE CHOPHOUSE) where I've tried to go into details about it.

Be warned, there are SPOILERS included so read at your own risk!

>>> BATTLE ROYALE! (http://www.fanboy.info/yabbse/index.php?board=23;action=display;threadid=6500) <<<

-Steve

[FillerBunny]

that movie is so wrong on soooo many levels. i loved it! I have a nasty crush on Kirtyama! :wub:

[JohnShaft]

Wrong? Hahah. It's actually what they should do with the next Big Brother. Lock them all in the house with weapons and no-ones leaves until there's one left.
Sure would be a way of ending 'Reality TV' pretty quick, or at least make it more entertaining!

BR actually reminded me of a couple of Steven King stories from the Bachman Books.
THE RUNNING MAN obviously. While it was much more similar to the book than the movie, note the Explosive Neck Collars similarity...
And the superb LONG WALK. Such a great story. A competition between teenagers to the death with only the last survivor, erm, surviving. If you haven't read this you just have to.

I enjoyed BR much more than I thought I would. In fact I had no idea it was that 'Professional' a movie. BR 2 should be pretty interesting...

[DevilMan]

There's been a plethora of comparisons including such films and media as LORD OF THE FLIES, THE MOST DANGEROUS GAME, and even SURVIVING THE GAME and HARD TARGET, as well as the two excellent examples you mentioned, JOHN with THE RUNNING MAN and LONG WALK.

I mean, it's bound to happen and who's to say for sure whether or not Japanese writer KOUSHUN TAKAMI didn't draw inspiration from any or all of these sources since the original BATTLE ROYALE novel postdates all the aforementioned items.

-Steve

[DevilMan]

Oh, I read the other day that the BATTLE ROYALE 2 novelization is on Japan's best sellers list so hopefully we can expect to see it translated in English soon. C'mon VIZ, get on the ball, will ya?!

-Steve

[DevilMan]

Some more info on the various BATTLE ROYALE 2 books...

>>> BATTLE ROYALE 2 BOOKS (http://www.fanboy.info/yabbse/index.php?board=23;action=display;threadid=6482;st art=30) <<<

-Steve

[DevilMan]

The different cover jacket designs of the original Japanese BATTLE ROYALE novel.

http://cinemabizarre.blogspot.com/BR%20Book%2001.jpg

http://cinemabizarre.blogspot.com/BR%20Book%2003.jpg

http://cinemabizarre.blogspot.com/BR%20Book%2002.jpg

Both novels (C'mon VIZ, get offa your butt and translate BR2: REQUIEM for us to read)...

http://cinemabizarre.blogspot.com/BR%20Stuff%2029.jpg

And something called the BATTLE ROYALE INSIDER. Anyone know what this is?

http://cinemabizarre.blogspot.com/BR%20Book%2004.jpg

-Steve

[DevilMan]

Since the English translated BATTLE ROYALE manga has been out for awhile now from the US based TOKYO POP company, has ANYONE been reading it other than me? I'm curious as to what your thoughts are about it.

I mean, the movie is, without a doubt, just simply GREAT but honestly, the novel makes the movie look like a Disney flick. And better still, the manga makes the novel seem like a child's bedtime story. That's just how BAAAAAAAAAAAAD it really is.

Oh, you gotta check it out!

Here's the TOKYO POP link...

>>> TOKYO POP'S BATTLE ROYALE MANGA WEBSITE (http://www.tokyopop.com/dbpage.php?propertycode=BAT&categorycode=BMG) <<<

-Steve

[small_but_deadly]

I love the Battle Royale Manga, several times i have had to put them down though because they were too much in one go.
I've just ordered the fifth book which is suppose to be the sickest so i am quite looking forward to reading it.

Devilman, Which books have you read to and which was your favourite so far?

[DevilMan]

Well, I first saw the movie about two years ago. And it just blew me away. Then I got the English language translated novel when it was finally released and absolutely loved everything about it.

While I was still reading the novel, I started picking up the original Japanese language manga and wow, just wow, they were increadible because they were sooooo over the top as you already mentioned.

It's just too bad the original link I posted at the top of this topic is now gone because I painstakingly compared the movie's scenes to the original novel and then to the manga in great depth. There were alot of differences between the three.

And that's one thing I want to say to those who haven't seen or read anything on BATTLE ROYALE yet. I recommend that you first watch the live action movie. Then read the novel. But while you're reading the novel, after you complete each chapter, read the corresponding manga volume right after. It'll give you a nice visual reference to follow along with.

Originally posted by small_but_deadly@Jan 13 2005, 06:03 PM
Devilman, Which books have you read to and which was your favourite so far?
As for which manga volume I'm up to, let's see, I've made it up to volume 11 of the Japanese versions and volume 10 of the English versions. My favorites, well, there's alot of nifty new scenes in every volume but if I had to really pick, then most definitely volume 7 (Shinji's tragic death), volume 8 (the Mitsuko history and necro-sex episode), and volumes 9 and 10 (the lighthouse massacre).

How about you?

-Steve

[small_but_deadly]

As im only just finished book 4 i don't have much to choose from but my favourites parts were probably the insanity of kaori and the deaths of yuki and yumi because you feel so much for them as they die.

[DevilMan]

Originally posted by small_but_deadly@Jan 19 2005, 08:32 PM
...because you feel so much for them as they die.
Not trying to downplay the deaths of the two characters you mentioned but you're right about the "care factor" of most of the poor souls in Battle Royale. And that's something that quickly comes across more so in the novel and manga than the movie. You really get to know the various characters (as much as possible from reading about them anyway) and then they get offed in some horrible way. You almost want to be able to step in and save them somehow.

I also find it interesting that at one particular moment, you might not like a certain character who's killing off another character but then, right after that, it's their turn to get murdered, and you suddenly feel sorry for them. Strange, huh?

Simply put, Battle Royale rocks in just so many ways. A fantastic piece of work, no doubt about it.

-Steve

[small_but_deadly]

That reminds me alot of Chigusa killing Niida both in the novel and in the film. You're right it is strange, but it makes it alot more realistic. The anger turns the character wild but empathy makes us pity or even sympathise with them, both the writer and director were very skilled in their work with the story line.