Battle Royale - Worth It?

[gazumped]

I like it, actually did a small project on it for my illustration class a couple of months ago so I've read it recently and it does make me cry, in a few places. The English translation does come off as a bit stagnant at times in the language used but I find the way that the plights of the different characters are handled pretty touching.

I wouldn't say it's super meaty because despite the number of pages it's not actually a very long story (taking place over about three days) so there's not much development in it. But I found it heavy enough that I'd have to put it down and have a break from time to time because it made me too emotional. I am pretty easily affected by distressing themes, though.

 

[Weaver]

IMO, the manga is better than the movie by miles. However, I still didn't really get into it.
Can't say I'd really recommend it.

 

[Fappy]

The movie was fun and stupid. Not sure about the novel, but the manga sounds... horrifying. Reminds me of Gantz. Ew.

 

[Genericjim101]

OP, you spelled both parts of "Barnes and Noble" wrong... but it gave me a great name for a Brony based bookstore.

Battle Royale is fantastic, gore aside, it was a fearful look at the turns Japan's youth may have taken and measures to deal with it. Much akin to Anthony Burgess's "A Clock Work Orange", the gore is there to paint a moral descent.

 

[Deathlyphil]

Hunger Games is not the same as Battle Royale. Hunger Games is a kid-friendly version of The Running Man.

OT: The book is very good, but definitely Japanese in terms of storytelling. Have you seen the film?

 

[aba1]

I thought the manga was solid I enjoyed them. I thought movie was very meh though.

 

[Coppernerves]

Hunger Games is not the same as Battle Royale. Hunger Games is a kid-friendly version of The Running Man.

OT: The book is very good, but definitely Japanese in terms of storytelling. Have you seen the film?

I loved Battle Royale, and thought it had an awesome style of storytelling and structure.

But I'm not familiar with Japanese literature, so could you explain what "definitely Japanese in terms of storytelling" means, maybe give some more examples of the style?

Also in answer to the OP:

Battle Royale switches focus between characters a lot, but said characters are deep, varied, and often ingenious.

The book will keep you guessing about who the "real" protagonist is, and who will just die horribly instead, and builds a lot of tension out of the dynamics of trust, and the attempts at various plans.

The events are pretty darned grim, but the book also has a lot of dark humour, reflecting the ridiculousness of the situation imposed by the totalitarian government.

Despite all the darkness it can also be very touching, in the way that many of these normal high school kids, thrust so suddenly into The Program, often band together, look after each other, and try to figure out alternatives to killing each other.

Personally I loved it, but you really should try and find some reviews to tell whether it'd be your cup of tea.

 

[Deathlyphil]

Hunger Games is not the same as Battle Royale. Hunger Games is a kid-friendly version of The Running Man.

OT: The book is very good, but definitely Japanese in terms of storytelling. Have you seen the film?

I loved Battle Royale, and thought it had an awesome style of storytelling and structure.

But I'm not familiar with Japanese literature, so could you explain what "definitely Japanese in terms of storytelling" means, maybe give some more examples of the style?

Also in answer to the OP:

Battle Royale switches focus between characters a lot, but said characters are deep, varied, and often ingenious.

The book will keep you guessing about who the "real" protagonist is, and who will just die horribly instead, and builds a lot of tension out of the dynamics of trust, and the attempts at various plans.

The events are pretty darned grim, but the book also has a lot of dark humour, reflecting the ridiculousness of the situation imposed by the totalitarian government.

Despite all the darkness it can also be very touching, in the way that many of these normal high school kids, thrust so suddenly into The Program, often band together, look after each other, and try to figure out alternatives to killing each other.

Personally I loved it, but you really should try and find some reviews to tell whether it'd be your cup of tea.

It's kind of how you have already described Battle Royale. Lots of well-fleshed out characters with their own motives and desires. Moral ambiguity over who is "good" and who is "evil"(ie no Disney-esque goodies and baddies). Also, in anime and manga, there are usually a lot of sections with little to no dialogue, which gives the reader/viewer time to pause, reflect, and empathise with what the character is doing/thinking.

Of course, just like Western media, the quality of anime/manga varies greatly. Depending on what you choose to read/watch you can have anything from kids shows to... tentacles. Some of it will be excellent, but the vast majority will not.

 

[Scarim Coral]

I was assuming the film version before I read the edit. I never heard of Barns & Nobel althought I am from the UK. Anyway the answer is yes assuming the book is like the film but alot better.

 

[Fipback]

Think I was a bit young to fully grasp the manga when I first read it, but it was pretty emotive. And graphic. Really did feel for Mimura (sp?) when the elaborate plan to sabotage the teachers went tits-up, although the fact that literally everyone's brains decided to go walkabout got to me.

 

[soren7550]

OP, you spelled both parts of "Barnes and Noble" wrong... but it gave me a great name for a Brony based bookstore.

Well, that's embarrassing. I'm a doof.

Anyway, picked it up a few hours ago, and I'm about a fourth or so through it. Alright so far, some bits though did get to me a bit.

 

[Animyr]

I only read the book, but it basically read like straightforward action thriller. Decent fun. Lots of teenagers die. Not sure what the adaptations are like.

 

[Ftaghn To You Too]

The book is really good, as is the movie. I prefer the book, and unlike some others here I think the political stuff was actually something of an improvement to the basic idea.

The manga is awful and the less said about it and its English translation the better.

 

[Diddy_Mao]

For what it's worth. I didn't really like the book that much.

Maybe it's an issue of localization maybe it's just not a good story I dunno.
The Movie is quite good and I recommend seeing it if you have a chance. The Book just failed to engage me in any substantial way.

 

[Lionsfan]

Battle Royale? Isn't that the stuff that ripped off of Hunger Games? I couldn't tell you much about it, besides it wasn't very original

Ok, you're obviously not a troll, so tell me: Did I miss a meeting where it was decided that pink = sarcasm ??

Is it an Escapist thing, a thing on another forum/community, or what?

I think it started in the R&P forum. I forget the user who used it all the time[footnote]He probably got banned by now[/footnote], but he would always use pink text when going after people he disagreed with.

And I dunno, I just like it better than putting /s at the bottom. Maybe I should have linked [http://www.reactionface.info/sites/default/files/images/1287666826226.png] something instead