DevilMan
10-19-2003, 10:25 PM
This isn't so much of a movie review as it is a straight DVD review. As a fanatical BATTLE ROYALE fan, I just couldn't help myself from buying this puppy off of EBAY even though I can't read or speak the Japanese language (it's all the pretty pictures that I groove on). The KADOKAWA SHOTEN published BR2: SHUYA NANAHARA X SHIKANOTORIDE JR. HIGH CLASS 3-B (which basically translates to Shuya Nanahara versus the Shikanotoride Jr. High Class) import is a softcover book with a blood-splattered, transparent dust-jacket. It consists of 96 pages comprised mostly of full-page color photos and a small black & white photo and interview section. This so-called "Ultimate Visual Bible" also comes packaged with a special region 2 "Making Of" DVD entitled THE STORIES OF 52 PEOPLE.
This niffty DVD (and the main reason I bought the expensive thing in the first place) contains video segments and interviews with each and every character from the BATTLE ROYALE 2: REQUIEM motion picture. And I mean, ALL of the new students get a spotlight on the DVD as well as each member of the WILD SEVEN group and even the teachers, well, better worded, the evil adults behind this whole mess, namely RIKI TAKEUCHI (a TAKASHI MIIKE movie mainstay from such hits as FUDOH, VIOLENT FIRE, and the DEAD OR ALIVE series).
As for what we see, each student gets his or her name displayed along with what appears to be physical and mental stats for their particular character. They pose for the camera (usually performing a full body turn) then they recite a line of dialogue or re-enact a small part from the movie. After which, their individual segment jumps right to a scene straight from the actual film. And depending on how important their character was to the overall story, we get a few sniplets of them, sometimes with the director or camera crew still standing with them in front of the camera. It's pretty neat but it can give away spoilers if you're not careful. I saw how quite a few of the students met their demise or gave up their ghosts during the viewing. However, considering that it'll still be at least five or six months before I get the chance to see the movie myself, I'll hopefully forget what I saw on this DVD.
The book which measures about 8 x 10 also spotlights all the characters from the motion picture with photos and info. This takes up the first four or five pages. There's then about 60 pages devoted to the story told with full color pictures and Japanese text. They're broken up into chapters with such interesting names as THE CHILDREN OF DUSK, THE LINE OF FATE, TO A BATTLEFIELD, and LOST TIME. Again, spoilers abound for those who haven't seen the movie yet because it's covered in some depth, starting from the opening Rugby game to the final, and somewhat controversial Middle East finale.
Next up, we're given about 25 pages of black and white photos with an interview section on the more popular characters and the actors / actresses who portrayed them on the big screen. We've got TATSUYA FUJIWARA who plays the returning BATTLE ROYALE survivor, NANAHARA. We've got AI MEADA who plays SHIORI KITANO. Yes, that's right, that's TEACHER KITANO's daughter from the first film. We've got SYUGO OSHINARI who plays TAKUMA AOI, BR2's new hero. We've got the supra-sexy NATSUKI KATO who plays the "Go-To" sniper girl, SAKI SAKURAI. Then we've got AYANA SAKAI as NAO ASAKURA and HARUKA SUENAGA as HARUKA KUZE, both leading ladies in the movie. We've even got AKI MEADA coming back briefly as NANAHARA's squeeze, NORIKO. And finally, rounding out the more important younger cast interviewed are the bad boy gang tuff trio of KENJI HARADA, YUUKI ITOU, and MUNETAKA AOKI. Oh, but how could we forget the adults of BATTLE ROYALE 2: REQUIEM?! We've got a section devoted to RIKI TAKEUCHI who plays himself, TAKESHI KITANO in a flashback as TEACHER KITANO, and lastly, the legendary SHINICHI "Sonny" CHIBA of the "INTERNATIONAL SEARCH TERRORIST GROUP". The book finishes up with a few pages and an interview with newcomer director KENTA FUKASAKU and real life son of BATTLE ROYALE director, KINJI FUKASAKU.
But that's not it. The BATTLE ROYALE 2: Ultimate Visual Bible just keeps on giving and giving. It even comes with a pull-out poster of the students of SHIKANOTORIDE HIGH CLASS 3-B in their BR2military gear, sporting their weapons in hand. The flipside is also a poster featuring the WILD SEVEN group in full terrorist attire. Both posters are similar to the full size (28 x 40) promotional posters you've probably already seen on the internet or EBAY for sale.
So, what have we learned from all this BATTLE ROYALE 2 rambling?! Not a whole lot but if you've got fifty bucks and you're craving a BATTLE ROYALE fix, then I highly recommend this great collector's item. And I'd be willing to bet that after watching the new movie, I'll certainly have a better appreciation for this book / DVD combo since I'll actually know what went on in it, ya know.
This niffty DVD (and the main reason I bought the expensive thing in the first place) contains video segments and interviews with each and every character from the BATTLE ROYALE 2: REQUIEM motion picture. And I mean, ALL of the new students get a spotlight on the DVD as well as each member of the WILD SEVEN group and even the teachers, well, better worded, the evil adults behind this whole mess, namely RIKI TAKEUCHI (a TAKASHI MIIKE movie mainstay from such hits as FUDOH, VIOLENT FIRE, and the DEAD OR ALIVE series).
As for what we see, each student gets his or her name displayed along with what appears to be physical and mental stats for their particular character. They pose for the camera (usually performing a full body turn) then they recite a line of dialogue or re-enact a small part from the movie. After which, their individual segment jumps right to a scene straight from the actual film. And depending on how important their character was to the overall story, we get a few sniplets of them, sometimes with the director or camera crew still standing with them in front of the camera. It's pretty neat but it can give away spoilers if you're not careful. I saw how quite a few of the students met their demise or gave up their ghosts during the viewing. However, considering that it'll still be at least five or six months before I get the chance to see the movie myself, I'll hopefully forget what I saw on this DVD.
The book which measures about 8 x 10 also spotlights all the characters from the motion picture with photos and info. This takes up the first four or five pages. There's then about 60 pages devoted to the story told with full color pictures and Japanese text. They're broken up into chapters with such interesting names as THE CHILDREN OF DUSK, THE LINE OF FATE, TO A BATTLEFIELD, and LOST TIME. Again, spoilers abound for those who haven't seen the movie yet because it's covered in some depth, starting from the opening Rugby game to the final, and somewhat controversial Middle East finale.
Next up, we're given about 25 pages of black and white photos with an interview section on the more popular characters and the actors / actresses who portrayed them on the big screen. We've got TATSUYA FUJIWARA who plays the returning BATTLE ROYALE survivor, NANAHARA. We've got AI MEADA who plays SHIORI KITANO. Yes, that's right, that's TEACHER KITANO's daughter from the first film. We've got SYUGO OSHINARI who plays TAKUMA AOI, BR2's new hero. We've got the supra-sexy NATSUKI KATO who plays the "Go-To" sniper girl, SAKI SAKURAI. Then we've got AYANA SAKAI as NAO ASAKURA and HARUKA SUENAGA as HARUKA KUZE, both leading ladies in the movie. We've even got AKI MEADA coming back briefly as NANAHARA's squeeze, NORIKO. And finally, rounding out the more important younger cast interviewed are the bad boy gang tuff trio of KENJI HARADA, YUUKI ITOU, and MUNETAKA AOKI. Oh, but how could we forget the adults of BATTLE ROYALE 2: REQUIEM?! We've got a section devoted to RIKI TAKEUCHI who plays himself, TAKESHI KITANO in a flashback as TEACHER KITANO, and lastly, the legendary SHINICHI "Sonny" CHIBA of the "INTERNATIONAL SEARCH TERRORIST GROUP". The book finishes up with a few pages and an interview with newcomer director KENTA FUKASAKU and real life son of BATTLE ROYALE director, KINJI FUKASAKU.
But that's not it. The BATTLE ROYALE 2: Ultimate Visual Bible just keeps on giving and giving. It even comes with a pull-out poster of the students of SHIKANOTORIDE HIGH CLASS 3-B in their BR2military gear, sporting their weapons in hand. The flipside is also a poster featuring the WILD SEVEN group in full terrorist attire. Both posters are similar to the full size (28 x 40) promotional posters you've probably already seen on the internet or EBAY for sale.
So, what have we learned from all this BATTLE ROYALE 2 rambling?! Not a whole lot but if you've got fifty bucks and you're craving a BATTLE ROYALE fix, then I highly recommend this great collector's item. And I'd be willing to bet that after watching the new movie, I'll certainly have a better appreciation for this book / DVD combo since I'll actually know what went on in it, ya know.