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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Reminds me of driving past a car wreck . . .you have to look, March 8, 2004
If you know anything about this series, you know it's not for the faint of heart. The story takes place in the not-too-distant future, in Tokyo, Japan. For reasons unexpalined in this volume, a "game show" has been introduced into society as a sick sort of entertainment. 42 teens, 21 girls and 21 boys, are pitted against one another, and the sole survivor (the one who isn't killed by his peers) is the winner.In a world that is now besieged with numerous reality shows, this extreme game doesn't feel as far off as it should. The graphic content doesn not horrify me as much as the probability of this apocalyptic future. The artwork is graphic and disturbing, yet the characters are still beautiful. The main character's, Shuuya's, childhood flashbacks add to the depressing overtones of the "program." We see Shuuya laughing and playing as a child, and we wonder if the next page will spell doom for that said friend. The story is compelling and you read on as if you're passing by a highway accident; you just have to look. This volume is very gory and deptressing (but thought provoking.) Is it something we have to dread in our future?!? As for the previous reviews, this is definitely NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN. But then again, it's written for adults. It comes shrinkwrapped for a reason. Oh, and typing in all caps doesn't validate your opinion. But then again, I'd like to say: THANKS TOKYOPOP!
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Is the death of forty-one kids really that entertaining?, January 20, 2006
Forty-two kids killing each other in the name of survival. That's the basic premise of Koushun Takami's cult-novel Battle Royale that has been adapted into the hit manga series by Masayuki Taguchi. The plot sounds beyond insane, the mere mention of the idea almost offensive, so how on Earth could reading a comic about school children murdering each other be interesting let alone entertaining? But it is interesting, and furthermore, Battle Royale has a way of engrossing the reader into its bloody storyline to a point where it becomes a simple decision to invest in the rest of the series. Ultimately, Battle Royale is a manga series that works on many different levels. It's a gripping story, full of romance, lots and lots of brutal action, some incredibly detailed artwork, and also disturbing portrayal of human nature.
In an alternative universe where Japan has become apart of the Greater East Asia Republic with an oppressive Big-Brother government, a ninth grade high school class is randomly selected to participate in The Program, a nationally televised reality game show where students are released on an uninhabited island, given a random weapon and rations, and then let loose with one objective: to be the only one alive. Each student is equipped with an explosive collar which will detonate if no one dies within twenty-four hours, forcing them to fight if they wish to survive. A young boy, Nanahara Shuya, the class' resident rebel-rocker, finds himself in the middle of it, refusing to kill but also bearing the responsibility of protecting Nakagawa Noriko, a female classmate. His vow not to play the game, however, becomes tested when it becomes apparent that many of his classmates are more than willing to kill in order to win. Among them are the emotionless Kiriyama and the scarred Mitsuko, both natural born killers who will go to any extent to win, along with a host of other students who give in to their unbridled savage nature when forced to.
The characters of Battle Royale are one of the series' strongest points. Great pains are taken to flesh each one out, so that when each one dies, you feel some sort of emotion. It could be satisfaction or glee when a rapist meets his gruesome end or sadness when one of your favorite characters finally meets their match. No character is really invincible, and as a result the story always remains intense. From the charismatic hacker Mimura Shinji to the Kung-Fu master Sugimara to the terrified Noriko, Battle Royale presents a variety of characters that do a good job of reflecting the different personalities found in an average high school. It lends a certain amount of realism is an otherwise borderline ridiculous setting. At times, it is almost painful to watch the story progress as you become attached to more than one character, because despite all the nurtured hopes that the students share of escaping, the rules of the Program are that only one student lives.
The characters are really what bring out the theme of human nature as well. Some go insane at the prospect of a premature death and willingly turn on each other. Some succumb to their inevitable death and commit suicide, choosing to meet death on their own terms instead of those of the government. Others resist the Program, teaming up or plotting an insurrection to break free from the government's iron grip. It's through the characters that we see the true nature of ones' personality when faced in the worst of circumstances. It is a disturbing spectacle to behold, and forces the reader to ponder at one point or another "If you were faced with these circumstances, what would you do?"
But Battle Royale is about more than just the characters. There are several fierce gun battles including an incredible car chase, explosions, and even a few Dragon Ball styled martial arts fights. Unlike the movie and novel, the manga version of Battle Royale's action does not necessarily ground itself in reality. The martial art sequences between Sugimara and Kiriyama are a testament to that, with both leaping through the air and exchanging blows in a dazzling display that would feels reminiscent of Hong Kong kung-fu films.
The artwork in Battle Royale is rather hard to specify. It closely emulates the realistic art style of titles like Fists of the North Star for some characters, while for others; a more comical approach is taken. Either way, the character designs are elaborate and everything in the world of Battle Royale is detailed. And when I say everything, I mean quite literally everything. The violence is incredibly graphic and extreme. Brains are blown out, eye balls ripped out, throats slashed open, limbs amputated -it's almost disgusting to watch and can be a nasty shock to those who aren't ready for it. Also, the sex is more or less pornographic. Very little is censored to say the least and these scenes are not isolated incidents. One character's weapon is her body and sexual encounters followed by gruesome deaths happen several times throughout the series. For those expecting a typical Bleach or Naruto reading, Battle Royale will come as a very unpleasant surprise.
The translation is pretty sound for the most part. Done by Keith Giffen, the story flows very smoothly and the dialogue fits each character nicely. The only flaw in it is his occasional insertion of pop-culturist phrases which allude to either movies or musicians. Some fit such as characterizing Shuya as "Elvis", the original rebel rocker, but in other cases it feels awkward. In one case, Shuya claims that another character has a "Bon Jovi" hair cut. In another, during a gunfight in a car, one character tells Shuya not to go "Marvin from Pulp Fiction" when handing him a loaded gun. It makes sense if you're familiar with films and such, but it still sounds strange.
It is needed to reemphasize the important fact that Battle Royale, while centered on the lives of teens, is not appropriate for young audiences. The parental discretion sticker on the front of the cover is well deserved. The fights are easily as bloody and graphic as any movie (including Asian cinema) and far surpasses pretty much anything in the American manga market. There's plenty of foul language and there's tons of nudity, incredibly explicit sex, allusions to rape, and child molestation just to name a few of the more potentially offensive elements of the series. If you walk into reading the manga expecting just a comic form of the movie (which is also highly recommended) you're in for a shock. The film, while still incredibly violent, can not even begin to compare with the amount of graphic material in the series. This series is not meant for young audiences (18+ I would recommend) or anyone who might be offended by the list above.
So, if the series is so shockingly violent, how can it be good? I admit some of the violence and sex may be gratuitous, but the shocking nature of the artwork is an integral part of the manga series. It aids in reinforcing the disturbing themes that the comic depicts. With an incredible storyline, memorable characters, awesome action, and exceptionally detailed artwork, if you can stomach its explicit artwork, Battle Royale is an insane ride that you won't want to miss.
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17 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Lost in translation, July 3, 2003
Battle Royale is the story of a class's internal and external struggles to survive. The movie and book are masterpieces in their own, rough ways. I expected the manga to follow that tradition.Tokyopop decided to let comic writer Keith Griffin adapt the story. He is quoted as saying - "This is bad, but how can I make it WORSE?" That sums up the adaptation quite nicely. The main character Shuya, is now a rock-star wannabe who lacks the character faults in the movie or novel. Noriko is now the bimbo who follows him along. The other stereotypes include the class ..., crazed psycho, karate star, ect. Griffin takes so many liberties with the script that I feel that I'm reading a different tale entirely. Gone are the 'Kill or be killed' mentality that plagues the primary characters (One line after a kill in the Japanese version reads - "It was either you, or me." Griffin changed it to - "Sorry, but, red isn't your color.") However - this is Battle Royale, and even though Griffin alters many aspects, a bit of what I love is still there. A particulary touching scene occurs when Shuya flashbacks to a time when the 'fat kid' was getting picked on by the class 'bullies'. The character's expressions more than tell the story, and when he met his demise, I actually became saddened at his death. In fact, all of the characters recieve characterization, be it during the course of the book, or right before they die. Unlike the novel, whose main character could care less about what was the truth and what was a lie about his classmates' lives' rumors, the manga embraces them and gives a small peek into who they were. This is Battle Royale's essence - not the gore, not the nudity, not the action - Battle Royale is the story of being forced to kill your friends, lovers, enemies - each who, like you, had a life and parents and siblings and friends and enemies and deserve to live. The adaptation is shoddy (reads like a B-level horror flick) but the small instances of characterization make the book shine and worthy to read. After all, 42 enter the game, and only 1 can survive.
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