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Special Features
The Making of Battle Royale
TV Spot: Tarantino Version
Basketball Scene Rehearsals
Tokyo International Film Festival 2000
Special Edition TV Spot
Original Theatrical Trailer
Battle Royale Documentary
Special Effects Comparison Featurette
Filming On-Set
Behind-The-Scenes Featurette
Audition & Rehearsal Footage
Instructional Video: Birthday Version
Battle Royale Press Conference
TV Spot: Tarantino Version
Basketball Scene Rehearsals
Tokyo International Film Festival 2000
Special Edition TV Spot
Original Theatrical Trailer
Battle Royale Documentary
Special Effects Comparison Featurette
Filming On-Set
Behind-The-Scenes Featurette
Audition & Rehearsal Footage
Instructional Video: Birthday Version
Battle Royale Press Conference
Editorial Reviews
Review
With the Japanese currently leading the way in thought-provoking cinematic violence, it's only fitting that Kinji Fukasaku's Battle Royale is being touted as a Clockwork Orange for the 21st century. Based on the novel by Koshun Takami, the film opens with a series of fleeting images of unruly Japanese schoolchildren, whose bad behavior provides a justification for the "punishments" that will ensue. Once the prequel has been dispensed with, the classmates are drugged and awaken on an island where they find they have been fitted with dog collars that monitor their every move. Instructed by their old teacher ("Beat" Takeshi) with the aid of an upbeat MTV-style video, they are told of their fate: after an impartial lottery they have been chosen to fight each other in a three-day, no-rules contest, the "Battle Royale." Their only chance of survival is through the death of all their classmates. Some pupils embrace their mission with zeal, while others simply give up or try to become peacemakers and revolutionaries. However, the ultimate drive for survival comes from the desire to protect the one you love. Battle Royale works on many different levels, highlighting the authorities' desperation to enforce law and order and the alienation caused by the generation gap. Whether you consider the film an important social commentary or simply watch it for the adrenaline-fueled violence, this is set to become cult viewing for the computer game generation and beyond. --Nikki Disney
Product Description
One Of The Most Controversial Film Series Of All Time
Now Available For The First Time In America
In 2000, director Kinji Fukasaku unleashed BATTLE ROYALE, his violently poetic epic about an innocent group of Junior High students forced by the government to hunt and kill their classmates for sport. It was nominated for 10 Japanese Academy Awards, launched a global phenomenon, and banned from screens by frightened civic groups and distributors across America. Three years later, the equally disturbing sequel -- featuring a new class, new rules, and a brutal terrorist plot by the first film's young survivors -- triggered its own tragic firestorm around the world. Now for the first time ever, you can see it all: Experience the entire BATTLE ROYALE saga on 4 discs -- including more than 3 hours of definitive Special Features -- that forever blasts open one of the most potent, shocking and savagely influential sagas in motion picture history.
''My favorite movie of the last 20 years…I wish I had made this movie.'' - Quentin Tarantino
''If you love The Hunger Games, Battle Royale sets the stage. One of the best - and most violent - genre films ever made. It's also a hell of a lot of fun.'' - Entertainment Weekly
Now Available For The First Time In America
In 2000, director Kinji Fukasaku unleashed BATTLE ROYALE, his violently poetic epic about an innocent group of Junior High students forced by the government to hunt and kill their classmates for sport. It was nominated for 10 Japanese Academy Awards, launched a global phenomenon, and banned from screens by frightened civic groups and distributors across America. Three years later, the equally disturbing sequel -- featuring a new class, new rules, and a brutal terrorist plot by the first film's young survivors -- triggered its own tragic firestorm around the world. Now for the first time ever, you can see it all: Experience the entire BATTLE ROYALE saga on 4 discs -- including more than 3 hours of definitive Special Features -- that forever blasts open one of the most potent, shocking and savagely influential sagas in motion picture history.
''My favorite movie of the last 20 years…I wish I had made this movie.'' - Quentin Tarantino
''If you love The Hunger Games, Battle Royale sets the stage. One of the best - and most violent - genre films ever made. It's also a hell of a lot of fun.'' - Entertainment Weekly
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
170 of 179 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Shocking Japanese Classic Available As A Stand-Alone Or In A Four Disc Set
January 22, 2012
Format:Blu-ray|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
With the emergence of "The Hunger Games" phenomenon of the last few years, the inevitable comparisons between that franchise and the cult novel "Battle Royale" by Koushun Takami have been plentiful. Sure, the two do share strong thematic and narrative similarities, but each has a distinctly unique vibe and explores the back story behind the violence in a different way. The film adaptation of "Battle Royale" by director Kenji Fukasaku garnered almost instant international notoriety in 2000 for its disturbingly bleak portrait of kids set upon one another in a violent death match. Despite being banned and reviled by many, the story's visceral and emotional punch was hard to deny. It was nominated for numerous Japanese Academy Awards including Best Film, Best Actor, Best Director and Best Screenplay and won that country's "Popularity Award." The rumor that Hollywood was flirting with an American remake has been circulating for years, but some seem to think that the film adaptation of "The Hunger Games" might have hurt the likelihood of this occurrence. In any event, I never had high hopes that an American interpretation could rival the original.
"Battle Royale" is being released in two incarnations, a film only DVD/ Blu-ray or "The Complete Collection" DVD/Blu-ray.
Film Only: This includes the Director's Cut of the film. First, the story is about a future Japan whose economy is in collapse and whose crime rate is spiraling out-of-control. In an effort to temper this uptick in violence by the juvenile population, the government has sanctioned an annual contest. In the movie, forty-two middle school aged students are dropped off and left to battle one another for survival. They are armed and coerced into fighting, for there can be only one winner left alive. As often as I've seen this movie, it never fails to shock and disturb me as it is exceptionally intense and powerful. Some complain that it isn't as "good" as the source novel (which is a pretty common argument with most translations from the page to the screen), but I think this is a daring and audacious film that succeeds fully on its own merits. I'm not, however, a huge fan of the Director's Cut. I don't think the extra footage adds appreciable value to the movie and I don't love the extended finale. This version has no special features.
Complete Collection (4 discs): The four discs are (1) Director's Cut of the film (see above), (2) Theatrical Cut, (3) 2003's "Battle Royale II" and (4) Bonus Content Disc. While I would certainly consider the original "Battle Royale" as a classic, its sequel is less so. It carries the same concept over to a new class with some variations on the original theme, but the major difference is that an underground plot by an unexpected terrorist cell plays a large part in this year's action. It's solid enough, I like it. It just lacks the emotional kick of the first film.
Bonus Disc Content included in Complete Collection only. This is on a standard DVD even in the Blu-Ray set (but all three films are on Blu-ray). The Making Of BATTLE ROYALE, BATTLE ROYALE Press Conference, Instructional Video: Birthday Version, Audition & Rehearsal Footage, Special Effects Comparison Featurette, Tokyo International Film Festival 2000, Battle Royale Documentary, Basketball Scene Rehearsals, Behind-The-Scenes Featurette, Filming On-Set, Original Theatrical Trailer, Special Edition TV Spot, TV Spot: Tarantino Version. It's a lot of Bonus Material, but it has been used on Special Edition International versions of the DVD and is not new to this set (although now it is subtitled appropriately). Blu-Ray films have 1080p video and Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtracks. KGHarris, 1/12.
"Battle Royale" is being released in two incarnations, a film only DVD/ Blu-ray or "The Complete Collection" DVD/Blu-ray.
Film Only: This includes the Director's Cut of the film. First, the story is about a future Japan whose economy is in collapse and whose crime rate is spiraling out-of-control. In an effort to temper this uptick in violence by the juvenile population, the government has sanctioned an annual contest. In the movie, forty-two middle school aged students are dropped off and left to battle one another for survival. They are armed and coerced into fighting, for there can be only one winner left alive. As often as I've seen this movie, it never fails to shock and disturb me as it is exceptionally intense and powerful. Some complain that it isn't as "good" as the source novel (which is a pretty common argument with most translations from the page to the screen), but I think this is a daring and audacious film that succeeds fully on its own merits. I'm not, however, a huge fan of the Director's Cut. I don't think the extra footage adds appreciable value to the movie and I don't love the extended finale. This version has no special features.
Complete Collection (4 discs): The four discs are (1) Director's Cut of the film (see above), (2) Theatrical Cut, (3) 2003's "Battle Royale II" and (4) Bonus Content Disc. While I would certainly consider the original "Battle Royale" as a classic, its sequel is less so. It carries the same concept over to a new class with some variations on the original theme, but the major difference is that an underground plot by an unexpected terrorist cell plays a large part in this year's action. It's solid enough, I like it. It just lacks the emotional kick of the first film.
Bonus Disc Content included in Complete Collection only. This is on a standard DVD even in the Blu-Ray set (but all three films are on Blu-ray). The Making Of BATTLE ROYALE, BATTLE ROYALE Press Conference, Instructional Video: Birthday Version, Audition & Rehearsal Footage, Special Effects Comparison Featurette, Tokyo International Film Festival 2000, Battle Royale Documentary, Basketball Scene Rehearsals, Behind-The-Scenes Featurette, Filming On-Set, Original Theatrical Trailer, Special Edition TV Spot, TV Spot: Tarantino Version. It's a lot of Bonus Material, but it has been used on Special Edition International versions of the DVD and is not new to this set (although now it is subtitled appropriately). Blu-Ray films have 1080p video and Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtracks. KGHarris, 1/12.
48 of 54 people found the following review helpful
Format:Blu-ray
So. At long last, the controversial film "Battle Royale" gets an official US release.
I suppose we have The Hunger Games to thank for that, bringing new interest to this film, as well the distance from the 2003 death of director Fukasaku Kinji. Fukasaku, a pacifist and anti-violence activist, is best known in Japan for his series Battles Without Honor & Humanity. He opposed an American release of "Battle Royale" fearing that Americans would not see the deeper message and only be excited by the violence, which was the opposite intention of his film.
Based off of the 1999 novel of the same name by Takami Koshun, Fukasaku also added his personal experience during WWII to "Battle Royale." As a child working in a munitions factory, when the Americans dropped bombs on the factory Fukasaku and the rest of the children would fling themselves into a dogpile. Afterwards the protected ones on the bottom would dig themselves out from the burned corpses on top. This experience taught Fukasaku something about the will to survive even at the cost of the deaths of friends, and lead to his hatred and distrust of government and bureaucracy that would willingly send children to their deaths in such a manner.
"Battle Royale" is often compared to Lord of the Flies, but that is a bit of a misnomer. "Lord of the Flies" was about reverting to primitivism, whereas "Battle Royale" is a futuristic cautionary tale in the tune of 1984 and Brave New World. The caution at work here is the threat of absolute bureaucracy, and the dangers of the loss of the value of life and respect in a rules-dominated society. This is a threat quite apparent in modern Japan.
The actors in "Battle Royale" all deliver excellent performances, including the amazing talent "Beat" Kitano Takeshi playing the appropriately named "Kitano." Because the film was not directed by Kitano, it lacks his beautiful visual style. It does, however, feature one of his riveting paintings. There is a good range of responses from the various actors playing the students, from outright suicide, to panic, to a drive to win to a drive to help. Unfortunately, the character of Kazuo Kiriyama (the machine gun boy) is woefully underdeveloped, and instead of the fierce, cold genius of the book he is a somewhat characterless villain.
While a violent film, I wouldn't characterize "Battle Royale" as an action film, or a horror film. Anyone looking for a Hong Kong-style action film should realize that Japan and China are quite different countries with different approach to movies.. "Battle Royale" retains the quietude and patient pacing that is the hallmark of Japanese cinema, and which leaves some viewers bored, who are used to a quicker pacing. The bloodshed, while in great quantity, is also more cartoony in nature, which is also more typical of Japanese films, which does not favor a naturalistic approach.
Ii is important to remember that "Battle Royal" was not made for US audiences. There is an expectation of familiarity with Japanese history, as well as modern societal issues. Familiarity gives some necessary perspective to this controversial movie, and helps frame it as more than exploitation. It is a political statement, with a subtle message underlying the overt violence. Along with this, knowledge of Japanese culture deepens the understandings of certain scenes, such as when Kitano performs the prescribed exercises, and the training video shown at the beginning. Without understanding, these scenes might come off as merely quaint or odd.
This collection also features the sequel, "Battle Royale II." This was made after Fukasaku Kinji's death, and was directed by his son Fukasaku Kenta. The sequel is vastly inferior, and not even really worth watching. It is nice to have for completeness sake, I suppose, but that is the best that can be said about it.
I suppose we have The Hunger Games to thank for that, bringing new interest to this film, as well the distance from the 2003 death of director Fukasaku Kinji. Fukasaku, a pacifist and anti-violence activist, is best known in Japan for his series Battles Without Honor & Humanity. He opposed an American release of "Battle Royale" fearing that Americans would not see the deeper message and only be excited by the violence, which was the opposite intention of his film.
Based off of the 1999 novel of the same name by Takami Koshun, Fukasaku also added his personal experience during WWII to "Battle Royale." As a child working in a munitions factory, when the Americans dropped bombs on the factory Fukasaku and the rest of the children would fling themselves into a dogpile. Afterwards the protected ones on the bottom would dig themselves out from the burned corpses on top. This experience taught Fukasaku something about the will to survive even at the cost of the deaths of friends, and lead to his hatred and distrust of government and bureaucracy that would willingly send children to their deaths in such a manner.
"Battle Royale" is often compared to Lord of the Flies, but that is a bit of a misnomer. "Lord of the Flies" was about reverting to primitivism, whereas "Battle Royale" is a futuristic cautionary tale in the tune of 1984 and Brave New World. The caution at work here is the threat of absolute bureaucracy, and the dangers of the loss of the value of life and respect in a rules-dominated society. This is a threat quite apparent in modern Japan.
The actors in "Battle Royale" all deliver excellent performances, including the amazing talent "Beat" Kitano Takeshi playing the appropriately named "Kitano." Because the film was not directed by Kitano, it lacks his beautiful visual style. It does, however, feature one of his riveting paintings. There is a good range of responses from the various actors playing the students, from outright suicide, to panic, to a drive to win to a drive to help. Unfortunately, the character of Kazuo Kiriyama (the machine gun boy) is woefully underdeveloped, and instead of the fierce, cold genius of the book he is a somewhat characterless villain.
While a violent film, I wouldn't characterize "Battle Royale" as an action film, or a horror film. Anyone looking for a Hong Kong-style action film should realize that Japan and China are quite different countries with different approach to movies.. "Battle Royale" retains the quietude and patient pacing that is the hallmark of Japanese cinema, and which leaves some viewers bored, who are used to a quicker pacing. The bloodshed, while in great quantity, is also more cartoony in nature, which is also more typical of Japanese films, which does not favor a naturalistic approach.
Ii is important to remember that "Battle Royal" was not made for US audiences. There is an expectation of familiarity with Japanese history, as well as modern societal issues. Familiarity gives some necessary perspective to this controversial movie, and helps frame it as more than exploitation. It is a political statement, with a subtle message underlying the overt violence. Along with this, knowledge of Japanese culture deepens the understandings of certain scenes, such as when Kitano performs the prescribed exercises, and the training video shown at the beginning. Without understanding, these scenes might come off as merely quaint or odd.
This collection also features the sequel, "Battle Royale II." This was made after Fukasaku Kinji's death, and was directed by his son Fukasaku Kenta. The sequel is vastly inferior, and not even really worth watching. It is nice to have for completeness sake, I suppose, but that is the best that can be said about it.
16 of 18 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful Packaging, Crisp Picture, Nice Sound: what a Box Set Should Be
March 22, 2012
Format:Blu-ray|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
This is more of a set review than a movie breakdown because i like knowing what my boxset looks like and how it sounds when getting something I have wanted this long and I have wanted this a long time. I've been holding onto my set of Battle Royale discs from Korea for so long that I had almost given up on the movies having an American release. Its a beautiful thing to have, and on BluRay no less. I could not believe how much better the first movie looked this way and how nice the sound was when ported into after being mixed properly.
As far as the set goes, it comes with Battle Royale theatrical and director's cut, Battle Royale 2, theatrical cut, and a "bonus disc."
Battle Royale. Director's Cut, is in Japanese: TrueHD 7.1, English: Dolby TrueHD:5.1.
The Battle Royale, Theatrical, and Battle Royal 2, Theatrical, are both in Japaense Dolby TrueDd 5:1.
All are in widescreen and all have English subtitles.
The bonus disc is a normal DVD, which doesn't really matter considering what is on it. The material includes:
"The Making Of Battle Royale," "Battle Royale press conference," "Instructional Video: Birthday Version," audition & rehearsal footage, special effects comparison featurette, Tokyo International Film Festival 2000, Battle Royale documentary, basketball scene rehearsals, behind-the-scenes featurette, filming on-set, original theatrical trailer, special edition TV spot, TV spot: Tarantino version.
I'm not normally a fan of packaging for a DVD set, but I really, really, really like the packaging for this as well. Its hard to see it from pictures alone, but the set is designed just like a book and, when closed, it looks the part. Opening it, you get the picture of the complete group on the first divide. The second has a montage of smaller battle pictures with a map of the island on the left side and the main people's faces on the right. The third, left, is an even more detailed breakdown of the island, breaking it into areas. The adjoining right side is a class photograph. The rest is basically more pictures, a line-up of the second movie's people, and the "obsession" picture form the first film. These are nice, actually, and make a nice DVD set look and feel BUT you have to be careful. The packaging can be tight and the DVDs could scratch easily when removed. This just means watching the excitement a little when handling.
For anyone who does not know what Battle Royale is about, skipping the spoilers, Japan passed a self-defense act after riots broke loose. Each year, a class of middle schoolers is selected to participate in an exercise that basically pits everyone in it, friend or foe, against each other. There are complex rules you would enjoy seeing more than reading here and connections the characters have that make the loses personal. The 2nd movie is not as good as the first and, being technical, the director's cut is a bit better than this version. Still, having it in this set is the best way I know of to get them. There has not been an American release before.
These movies are violent and tragic and beautiful in a lot of ways, housing much of what the book brought to life. There are differences, sure, but it still does a lot to bring out just how terrible this could be. Paired with flashbacks of how people know each other and ambitions and wants, sometimes even the worse person can be understood and empathized with. To me, that's beautiful and rare.
I give this a solid 5/5.
As far as the set goes, it comes with Battle Royale theatrical and director's cut, Battle Royale 2, theatrical cut, and a "bonus disc."
Battle Royale. Director's Cut, is in Japanese: TrueHD 7.1, English: Dolby TrueHD:5.1.
The Battle Royale, Theatrical, and Battle Royal 2, Theatrical, are both in Japaense Dolby TrueDd 5:1.
All are in widescreen and all have English subtitles.
The bonus disc is a normal DVD, which doesn't really matter considering what is on it. The material includes:
"The Making Of Battle Royale," "Battle Royale press conference," "Instructional Video: Birthday Version," audition & rehearsal footage, special effects comparison featurette, Tokyo International Film Festival 2000, Battle Royale documentary, basketball scene rehearsals, behind-the-scenes featurette, filming on-set, original theatrical trailer, special edition TV spot, TV spot: Tarantino version.
I'm not normally a fan of packaging for a DVD set, but I really, really, really like the packaging for this as well. Its hard to see it from pictures alone, but the set is designed just like a book and, when closed, it looks the part. Opening it, you get the picture of the complete group on the first divide. The second has a montage of smaller battle pictures with a map of the island on the left side and the main people's faces on the right. The third, left, is an even more detailed breakdown of the island, breaking it into areas. The adjoining right side is a class photograph. The rest is basically more pictures, a line-up of the second movie's people, and the "obsession" picture form the first film. These are nice, actually, and make a nice DVD set look and feel BUT you have to be careful. The packaging can be tight and the DVDs could scratch easily when removed. This just means watching the excitement a little when handling.
For anyone who does not know what Battle Royale is about, skipping the spoilers, Japan passed a self-defense act after riots broke loose. Each year, a class of middle schoolers is selected to participate in an exercise that basically pits everyone in it, friend or foe, against each other. There are complex rules you would enjoy seeing more than reading here and connections the characters have that make the loses personal. The 2nd movie is not as good as the first and, being technical, the director's cut is a bit better than this version. Still, having it in this set is the best way I know of to get them. There has not been an American release before.
These movies are violent and tragic and beautiful in a lot of ways, housing much of what the book brought to life. There are differences, sure, but it still does a lot to bring out just how terrible this could be. Paired with flashbacks of how people know each other and ambitions and wants, sometimes even the worse person can be understood and empathized with. To me, that's beautiful and rare.
I give this a solid 5/5.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
BATTLE ROYALE!!!
Trust me, if you like hunger games type whatever just watch it. I know I should compare this to Hunger Games btw,,,,,but heeeeeeyyyyy
Published 7 days ago by Daniel
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best for this genre
This complete collection is all I expected from this director. I loved it and it had all the action I liked. I would recommend the movie to anyone I meet.
Published 7 days ago by dragonZero
3.0 out of 5 stars
bloody thriller and a bit more if you can wade through the violence
I suppose it is great for its genre but not for viewers who cannot stomach gore and violence. The movie is more than that but I think the violence outweighs the higher purpose... Read more
Published 9 days ago by SillyMoose
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful!
Bought this for my boyfriend for his birthday and he was ecstatic. The package came on time and I couldn't wait to give it to him.
Published 10 days ago by Rebecca
5.0 out of 5 stars
Both Battle Royale movies in 1 set? Yes Please!
Very cool movies and they look great on Blu Ray, they have great special features and lots of options (subtitles, and different language tracks) There was talk about them making a... Read more
Published 22 days ago by Kevin Crook
4.0 out of 5 stars
Check out the original, the rest is fluff
I don't have a ton to add to the other expanded reviews here. The original film is great and it's great to have it finally available domestically as it's been an influential film... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Elliot Knapp
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Japanese more violent version of 'The Hunger Games'
Have you read or seen The Hunger Games Trilogy Boxed Set? Battle Royale was a book that is very similar but set in Japan and a lot more explicit and violent. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Book Lover
5.0 out of 5 stars
the original Hunger Games
above and beyond awesome!!! Hunger Games totally ripped this movie off (and i do mean the book as well as the movie)
Published 1 month ago by Erik Devries
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gritty Japanese Feature Makes the Hunger Games look like wimps!
Makes the Hunger Games look like wimps!
Excellent film quality and special features make this a must have for collectors.
Excellent film quality and special features make this a must have for collectors.
Published 2 months ago by Christopher Derham
5.0 out of 5 stars
epic
This is just as awesome as the first day I saw it. I highly recommend this to anyone who is a fan of live action Japanese movies.
Published 2 months ago by Jimmy R. Anderson
