From the back cover:
Koushun Takami's notorious high-octane thriller is based on an irresistible premise: a class of junior high school students is taken to a deserted island where, as part of a ruthless authoritarian program, they are provided with weapons and forced to kill one another until only one survivor is left standing.
Criticized as violent exploitation when first published in Japan, where it then proceeded to become a runaway bestseller, Battle Royale is Lord of the Flies for the 21st century, a potent allegory of what it means to be young and (barely) alive in a dog-eat-dog world.
From mangafox.com:
In the future, random Jr. High School classes are chosen to compete in a game called Battle Royale. The rules: only one student can survive after 3 days on an island or else they all perish. Weapons are handed out and each student is sent out into the field alone and unprepared for the horror that awaits them. The classmates turn upon themselves in a battle for survival, treaties are made and broken, and former friends become foes as the relentless countdown continues. Amid the betrayals and rising body count, two classmates confess their love for each other and swear to survive this deadly game together.
(A note: Shuya did not confess her love for Noriko during the game, at least not explicitly. To be fair, I'm certain that he did not harbor any feelings for her prior to the game either, and if he had any sort of romantic inclination for anyone in the class, it would be with Yukie Utsumi [refer to quote at the bottom of the page]).
Basically, it's the ancestor of international bestseller The Hunger Games trilogy. Yey. (Speaking of Hunger Games, anyone read the trilogy and thought that Mockingjay disappoints REALLY bad? I did. Heck, I still do.)
Warning: spoiler alert for those who have not seen or read Battle Royale yet. (And if you haven't, then what the heck are you waiting for?)
For some weird reason, I've been obsessed over Battle Royale for close to six months now (more like a year now, actually). I've seen the movie in YouTube a few years back and immediately recognized Chiaki Kuriyama (Go Go Yubari in Kill Bill) in the cast. She played Takako Chigusa, the track sprinter who killed her classmate by stabbing him in the nuts (oh the horrible mental images) after he threatened to rape her (and accidentally wounded her pretty face). Then I found out that she was one of two girls Hiroki Sugimura were looking for, and I fell in love with their characters there and then (I still think the scene where Hiroki found the dying Takako is one of the best and most heart-wrenching scenes in the movie). Of course, it helped that I found the actor playing Hiroki (Sousuke Takaoka) uber hot (in every sense of the word). (My obsession for Sousuke has not ended, not in the least. I searched high and low for the series Rookies [and the movie, afterwards] because of him. He is also the main reason why I spent hours downloading Blue Spring, and streamed Crows Zero.)
And then two years ago, I tried searching for an online copy of the manga version, and lo and behold, found one in mangafox.com. I was hooked; I finished ten volumes in roughly a week's time (I know, I scare myself sometimes). For weeks after that all I could think of was how kick-ass Takako was, and how sweet and tragic her relationship with Hiroki was (yeah yeah, Hiroki didn't like her that way, he liked Kayoko instead, but it is my strong belief that if their pretty asses weren't dragged off to that island, he would have eventually seen the light of day, or at least, Takako would have made sure he did).
And then I accidentally found a copy of the novel during last year's Manila International Book Fair in SMEX. I almost squealed out loud (or I think I did, but I hope no one heard me) when I saw the book. Not even thinking twice, I purchased the copy (along with four other books, making me bankrupt for the rest of September), excited to finally read the original version and maybe understand better my weird fascination for the gore and kinky that is Battle Royale.
Oh, was I hooked.
If someone would ask me what my favorite version is, I'd answer "the novel" in two seconds flat. Oh, the movie was okay (lots of eye candy, i.e., Chiaki Kuriyama, Takashi Tsukamoto [girlnumber13, a co-BR fangirl, claimed ownership over him already, so...]) but because of time constraints, it wasn't able to really flesh out the students' characteristics and personalities (maybe except for Shuya, Noriko and Shogo, and I don't even like the first two, okay, so maybe I like Shuya a tinsy, winsy bit, but Noriko just about destroyed him for me [Shuya is growing on me recently, but it's mostly Jenipunch's, another co-BR fangirl, fault). The manga was better, and the drawings helped a lot in depicting the emotions and thoughts going on in each student's head. But then there's that annoying volume focusing on Hiroki and Kayoko, and I wanted to throw the laptop against the wall when I read it (bite me, I hate that pair). That, and I've proven that Noriko is the most annoying female character a seinen manga could ever produce (not that I read a lot of those anyway).
So it's only understandable why I love the novel the most. The narrative style usually works best for me anyway. And Koushun Takami (yes, he's the author) succeeded in writing the story in a not-so-melodramatic way, well, compared to the manga. He was able to describe most of the characters (save for two or three who died too early in the game) just enough for the readers to get an idea who they were prior to the game, and maybe let them understand a little bit their reasons for playing or not playing.
Now I want to say a little something about my top 3 favorite characters in Battle Royale, which are as follows:
1. Takako Chigusa. Oh, I already knew she kicked ass ever since I saw her chase Kazushi Niida with her weapon. Then she totally did a whacked job out of him in the manga. The novel version was something else though (words fail me right now, so you will just have to read the chapter for yourself). But more than her fight scene with Kazushi (and her death scene with Hiroki), I think I loved her pre-death interaction with Mitsuko Souma the most. I could retell the whole scene, but I think quoting from the book would be better.
"Say," Mitsuko said. "You never went out of your way to impress me."
Still unable to tell what Mitsuko's intentions were, Takako stared at her. (The two most beautiful girls in Shiroiwa Junior High were staring at each other. Nice jewelry and a boy's corpse. Oh, you're so pretty.) <--- This will always be one of my most favorite lines in the novel's entirety
*jumps a few paragraphs about Takako's flashback about her crush in school (no, not Hiroki)*
"I was always a little envious," Mitsuko continued. "You were so pretty, and you were a better girl than me."
Takako listened quietly. She immediately realized there was something wrong. Why was Mitsuko referring to her in the past tense?
"But," Mitsuko's eyes twinkled playfully. Now she was back to the present tense. "I really like girls like you. Maybe I'm a bit of a dyke. So it's..."
*jumps a few more paragraphs about Mitsuko shooting and Takako running a respectable sprint for the track star that she was, despite the injuries in her right leg*
Mitsuko put down the gun and said, "It's too bad."
This has got to be one of my favorite parts in the entire novel. Two pretty girls pitted against each other in a game of survival, with only one of them emerging victorious. Unfortunately, Mitsuko, with her automatic pistol, won the round. Still, I admire Takako for not giving up until the last second, even when Mitsuko showered her back with bullets. She endured for another half an hour, just to be able to see Hiroki one last time.
And now I am going to quote my all-time favorite part in the novel (and the manga, and the movie too):
She felt like she could say one more thing.
"You have to survive, Hiroki."
Dear God, can I have one more word?
Takako looked into Hiroki's eyes and grinned.
"You've become quite a stud."
Hiroki said, "And you're the most stylin' girl in the world."
Takako smiled faintly. She wanted to thank him, but she was out of breath. She just stared at Hiroki's eyes. She was grateful. At least she wasn't going to die alone. The last person to stay with her ended up being Hiroki. And she was grateful. She really was.
Kahoru, thanks, I heard you.
Takako Chigusa remained in this position as she died approximately two minutes later. Her eyes remained open. Hiroki Sugimura held her limp, lifeless body and wept.
Even after all this time, this scene, whether it be from the novel, the manga or the movie, never fails to tug otherwise unused strings in my heart.
2. Hiroki Sugimura. Yes, yes. He doesn't love Takako that way. Who cares? I still love him, and I most likely will for years to come. And not just because of Takako, but she sure as hell plays a big enough role in it. It's his shy, boyish nature that made him endearing, in a way. He is so open about his concern about his other classmates, especially about the two girls he cared for deeply. And yes, he cared for them equally. It says so in the novel. So die haters, die.
When I think about it, Hiroki's fate is one of the worst in the manga. He spent his entire time on the island looking for Takako and Kayoko Kotohiki, and he found them both, but he couldn't save either girl. Takako died in his arms because he couldn't get to her fast enough to save her from Mitsuko, and Kayoko, well, depending on which version you saw/read, she either shot him because she thought he was going to kill her, or he watched as Kiriyama shot her in the head while he lay there, helpless to protect her. Two girls he loved equally, and he couldn't protect either. It was probably one of the worst tragedies in the entire story, and I'm not even romantic by nature.
I just have to show one of my favorite panels in the entire manga. Like Takako's death scene, this panel never fails to bring tears to my eyes.
Okay, so Manga Hiroki is not really visually appealing. But he was more endearing there, so it's all good. I will just continue to pretend that Manga Hiroki does not exist physically, and it's the Movie Hiroki that matters the most.
3. Shinji Mimura. The Third Man. A Harry Sue of epic proportions, and probably overrated, but I still love him with all my little heart can take. The smartass hacker, basketball ace and playboy who almost beat the game, had not one kickass Kazuo Kiriyama gunned him to death first. He had a plan to escape the island, and unlike his other classmates who either tried to kill each other off or hide in the bushes in fear of death, he actually did something he thought was worthwhile with his remaining hours.
His humor, wit and charm, not to mention street-smarts, won me over the first time I read the manga. I didn't notice him too much the first time I watched the movie (Takashi Tsukamoto played the part) because I was so busy ogling Sousuke Takaoka, but damn, he is one hot Japanese actor. Ehem, anyway.
Shinji's death was painful for me, so painful that even when the novel closed the Second Part with his demise, I still couldn't take my eyes off the page, and kept reading and rereading the last line over and over again in the vain hope that it will change:
And so the boy known as The Third Man, Shinji Mimura, was now dead.
It was stated so matter-of-factly, as if it was as normal as the changing weather or my sister wearing laundry clips in her hair (inside joke, sorry, couldn't resist). "Shinji Mimura was now dead." And it took me a whole day before I could go back to reading the novel again, because his death just about ended everything for me. Thank God for Hiroki and Shogo Kawada.
Then there were the hints of a one-sided love in the making. It was never mentioned explicitly in the manga or novel, but girlnumber 13 and I firmly believe that Shinji had a crush, or had at least noticed, Takako Chigusa before the game even started. He had considered her pretty, even calling her the prettiest girl in the class, according to his tastes, when most of their other classmates consider Mitsuko as the prettiest. He even went out of his way to call her a Grade-A babe in the manga, just to tease Hiroki about his silly crush on Kayoko. But then again, this is the fangirl in me talking. Mind it not, because I can talk about it for hours.
Other characters I liked were Shogo Kawada (the bad boy aura just about did it for me), Yukie Utsumi, and Hirono Shimizu. And maybe cute, clueless Yuichiro Takiguchi. But really, I'm just spouting names here. You need to read the novel or manga to have an idea who these people are. The movie just glazed over Yuichiro, but gave Yukie and Hirono just enough screen time for you to remember them. And well, Shogo is on a different level. You'll just have to see for yourselves.
A word of caution though. The movie is all about gore, so expect ketchup-based blood spurting everywhere. The manga is R-18, so be prepared to see naked Mitsuko every few chapters. The novel? You will just have to use your imagination on that one.
* Hints of ShuyaxYukie in the novel:
1. ...at the time [Shuya]'d said to Yoshitoki, "Then there's Utsumi, who's on the volleyball team. She's pretty cool. That's my type. You know, real outgoing."
2. He thought, how impressive, Representative. You'll be a wonderful wife someday, no, a wonderful woman. No, you might in fact be a wonderful woman now. I've actually thought that for a while.
3. Did that mean that...she also thought there was something special about them ever since that time at the elementary school gym?
4. She wasn't breathing anymore. "Ahh," Shuya cried. He reached out his uninjured right hand to her peaceful face. He felt tears welling up for the first time ever since the game began. Was it because they'd just talked minutes ago? Or was it because of what she'd said: "I just wouldn't know what to do if you died...Do you understand what I'm saying? Do you?"
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