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Battle Royale (manga)

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Battle Royale|バトル・ロワイアル|Batoru rowaiaru}} has been adapted into a serialized manga, written by Koushun Takami and Masayuki Taguchi, was published in Japan by Akita Publishing. The manga consists of 15 volumes and is distributed in English by Tokyopop. There is a manga sequel called Battle Royale II: Blitz Royale. At October 2007, a new special edition of the manga will be released.

The manga follows the plot of the novel fairly closely, but also expands on the backstory of each of the students. It is also far more sexually graphic than the novel and film versions, and is also noted for its intense, gory violence.

Also, the English adaptation of manga changes the time that the story is set in by almost 10 years, using the term 'in the near future', but on Shogo Kawada's profile, it references the program 2005 season; he says his last program was a year ago, leading to the assumption that the manga sets the story in 2006. In volume one of the English language version, Shinji Mimura and the news channel reporter mentions the 2007 record of three days, seven hours and twenty-two minutes. In volume 14 Kamon refers to the 2009 season, which is presumably the 2009 one. None of those dates are mentioned in the original Japanese edition. Apparently they were devised by Keith Giffen during the adaptation (see below) along with many other details non-existent in the original.

The manga revolves around seven main characters, including the righteous Shuya Nanahara, the gentle and caring Noriko Nakagawa, the hardened veteran Shogo Kawada, the genius Shinji Mimura, the kind-hearted kung fu master Hiroki Sugimura, the troubled Mitsuko Souma, and the cold, merciless Kazuo Kiriyama. As of January 2006, all 15 volumes have been released in Japan. In the US and UK all 15 of the volumes have been released as of April 2006.

Contents

Characters

BRMangaCharacters
BRManga Characters
Zachdm77Added by Zachdm77
  • Shuya Nanahara|七原 秋也|Nanahara Shūya}} is a fictional Japanese student and one of the three main protagonists. Shuya, who is nicknamed "Shu", lives in the fictional town Shiroiwa in Kagawa Prefecture.
  • Noriko Nakagawa|中川 典子|Nakagawa Noriko}} is the main female protagonist of the series. She is one of the class of third-year students in Shuya's school. Noriko has a crush on Shuya, whom she admired for his music and song-writing.
  • Shogo Kawada|川田 章吾|Kawada Shōgo}} is a transfer student and the winner of the previous Program. At the very beginning he meets Shuya and Noriko and joins up with the two of them.
  • Kazuo Kiriyama|桐山 和雄|Kiriyama Kazuo}} is the main antagonist, who tries to win the Program and kills a lot of students.

History

The manga was serialized in Young Champion Magazine for five years.[1]

Development

Writing style

At first the creators of the original version of the Battle Royale manga kept the story close to the original Japanese novel. As publication increased, Taguchi took increasing liberties with the story. Takami said that he looked forward to new installments of Taguchi's story and Taguchi said that he more strongly "cared" about the characters. Takami liked how Taguchi "distributed" the time among characters; Takami said that in the manga the characters changed and grew as the story progressed, unlike in the original novel. Taguchi said that in the manga version he modeled "most" of Takami's characters after people he personally knew. Takami describes Taguchi's stance as closer to his own than the stance of Kinji Fukasaku, the director of the film. Takami describes the manga as containing the feeling of "a general, nonjudgmental love for humans."[1]

Art style

Taguchi said that many people describe his art style as "reminiscent of "gekiga", or that it's realistic." Taguchi disagrees with the descriptions, instead characterizing faces in his works as "manga faces" since he feels that it is "really easy to put my own emotions into the faces." Taguchi said that when he shows sadness in characters, he locates the characters' eyebrows "down as far as possible." Takami describes Taguchi's art as "directly descended from Osamu Tezuka" and "manga-esque." Takami described the style as "easy to overlook" because the art contains "clean lines." Takami believed that the art style fit the Battle Royale story. In the beginning Taguchi said that he felt that all of the characters had to "look like middle school students." Taguchi said that as the story progressed for many of the characters he began to draw them "more naturally" and add "specific expressions for certain things they would say." Takami describes the newer style as "more grown-up looking." [1]

Differences between Original and Keith Griffin

  • There isn't a reality TV show aspect
  • Sakura doesn't make any bets prior to the program
  • Izumi was at the reef before Kazuo and the rest arrived and Kazuo killed her when he arrived
  • Kazushi makes up excuses for his actions and isn't as psychotic as he is in the K.G manga.

TOKYOPOP Version

An English-language adaptation of the publication, published in the United States, Canada, and United Kingdom in a multi-volume format by TOKYOPOP, was extensively rewritten by Keith Giffen, whose script does not completely follow the original comic.[2]

The major difference between the Japanese and TOKYOPOP version is that Giffen rewrote the BR program as a Reality TV show program, rather than keeping it in tune with the BR Act, which leaves plotholes through the panels of the manga, especially in Volume #15. This can be partially attributed to the fact that when TOKYOPOP had released Volume #1, the Japanese Battle Royale was up to Volume #9 at that point, thereby not giving TOKYOPOP or Giffen ample material to prove that their rewrite would backfire.

According to TOKYOPOP editor Mark Paniccia, in the Newsarama article:

'For adapting the work, Giffen was given a tight Japanese-to-English translation of the story, but his assignment was by no means just to tweak a translation. "I told him to do what he felt he had to do", Paniccia said. "I told him to Giffenize it."'
To which Giffen responds:

'"It's a good story that Takami is telling", Giffen said. "What I do is go in and make bad scenes that much worse. I loved the movie of Battle Royale, and also love the manga. I just wanted to do it right. I wanted to do justice to it, and I knew I couldn't get away with doing a straight translation, because it would be horrifyingly bad."'
In April 2006, Tim Beedle, a former associate editor of Battle Royale, stated on the TOKYOPOP Messageboard the reasoning behind the decision to have a fairly loose adaptation:

'Prior to starting work on the first volume of Battle Royale, its editor (Mark Paniccia, who has since left TOKYOPOP) made a decision to hire Keith Giffen, a well-known American comic book writer, to provide a much looser adaptation than usual. He made this decision for a variety of reasons, but two seemed to be more prominent than the rest. First, due to BR's extreme content and M rating, it was going to be a tough sell. (Some of the large chains refuse to carry M-rated books.) Hiring a known writer could help compensate for this by driving sales. Second, more than any other book we were publishing at the time, BR had the potential to find a crossover audience in the direct market among American comic book readers, who often are adverse to trying manga.'[3]

Brazilian edition

Conrad Editora from Brazil began publishing a Portuguese version of the Manga at the tail end of 2006. From the contents of the first two volumes (it follows the original 15-volume format) it does not seem to adapt the Giffen "Reality Show" version, but instead apparently follows the original premise of the Novel and Manga.

Volumes and Chapters

The following names reflect the English-language version.

Volume 1

BRManga1

Summary: We are introduced to the main characters and how the class got kidnapped and sent to the island. Most of this volume in set in the classroom and Yonemi Kamon's instructions about the program. Mr. Hayashida, the class teacher, is killed before the Program begins for resisting. Kamon shoots and kills Yoshitoki Kuninobu for attacking him after he, Kamon, says that he raped Anna Ryoko, the caretaker of the orphaned Shuya and Yoshitoki. Kamon also kills Fumiyo Fujiyoshi by throwing a knife in her head while she whispers during class. After the event begins, Yoshio Akamatsu kills Mayumi Tendo who is discovered by Shuya. Shuya knocks out Yoshio when he threatens Noriko and runs off and settles in the woods for the night. Yoshio is killed off by Kazushi Niida and finally, the scared Megumi Eto is killed by the pretty, but evil Mitsuko Souma by slicing her neck open.

Volume 2

BRmanga2

Summary: In this volume we are introduced to Kazuo Kiriyama and his gang and when he begins his killing spree, including his entire gang, Izumi Kanai, and Yukiko and Yumiko. Sakura Ogawa and Kazuhiko Yamamoto commit suicide. Tatsumichi Oki attacks Shuya but kills himself by accident; Kyoichi Motobuchi also attacks Shuya but is killed by Shogo. Shuya and Noriko meet Shogo Kawada and team up to find more friends.

Volume 3

BrManga3

Summary: This volume is mainly about Shinji Mimura and when he finds Yutaka and begin their bomb plan, We also meet Yoshimi Yahagi and Yoji Kuramoto, later it introduces Takako Chigusa and Kazushi Niida.

Volume 4

BRManga4

Summary: This volume continues Takako's fight with Niida, Niida is killed but Mitsuko kills Takako, Hiroki finds her dying body and she dies in his arms. it shows some of Shogo's past with Keiko. Until it comes to Kaori Minami and Hirono Shimizu in a gunfight, Kaori shoots Hirono in the arm (she escapes) and Kaori is killed by Shogo.

Volume 5

BRManga5

Summary: The volume introduces Sho Tsukioka and his past and Kazuo's sneaky plan which kills Shou. It also continues Hirono's escapades until she is killed by Toshinori Oda by drowning in a well, Shuya, Noriko and Shogo are staying in a nearby house while Noriko is resting from a wound.

Volume 6

BRManga6

Summary : This volume shows Shuya's fight with Kazuo, Hiroki Sugimura saves Shuya's life by jumping in the ocean with him from the crazed Kazuo. Hiroki then finds Yukie Utsumi and her gang who offer to help the unconscious Shuya (having received bullet wounds from Kazuo). Shogo runs away with Noriko away from the battle

Volume 7

BrManga7

Summary : In this volume, Shinji's plan is about to succeed, but they are distracted by Keita Iijima. Shinji argues with him (and accidentally kills him) Kazuo shows up and kills Yutaka. Shinji then realises he must blow up the shed with Kazuo inside to get rid of the gun shooting menace. However Kazuo hid in a tractor and kills Shinji.

Volume 8

BRManga8

Summary: In this volume, Mitsuko Souma bumps into Tadakatsu Hatagami and Yuichiro Takiguchi who capture her. Later on Yuichiro talks to Mitsuko and she realises that, unlike the other guys she's known, he doesn't want to sleep with her. But when Mitsuko tries to kill Tadakatsu after kissing him, he escapes and tries to shoot her, Yuichiro saves her by taking the bullet, Mitsuko finishes off Tadakatsu and rapes Yuichiro's dying body and kills him. We also get to learn a little about Mitsuko's troubled past.

Volume 9

BrManga9

Summary: In this volume, Hiroki continues his search for Kayoko Kotohiki, until he finds Toshinori, Kazuo shows up and kills Toshinori while Hiroki escapes. Later, Shuya wakes up in the lighthouse in the care of girls (one of them, Yuko Sakaki, witnessed the death of Tatsumichi Oki who was accidentally killed by Shuya). Yuko poisons some stew that is meant for him to get rid of him, but one girl, Yuka Nakagawa eats it and dies, this is when the girls become panicked and Satomi Noda shoots all her friends (except Yuko) but she is finished off by a dying Haruka Tanizawa. Shuya hears the gunshots and runs to the kitchen.

Volume 10

BRManga10

Summary: Shuya finds all the girl's corpses and finds the depressed Yuko. She runs to the top of the Lighthouse and commits suicide by jumping off. Shuya gathers the bodies together and laments their deaths and leaves. While on his way back to Noriko and Shogo, he stumbles across Mizuho Inada (she thinks she's in some kind of Dungeons and Dragons world). Shuya ignores Mizuho's gun shooting and clears off. He finds the bodies of Keita, Yutaka and Shinji and breaks down into tears while clutching Shinji's body, though a vision of his deceased friend raises his spirits. Shuya is then reunited with Noriko and Shogo, Mizuho creates a shrine to speak to her God, but she is killed by Kazuo.

Volume 11

BrManga11

Summary: Most of this volume is focused on Hiroki and Kayoko (he finds her) and we learn about how they first met. They both travel together to get to Shuya until Kazuo arrives and it ends in a battle between Hiroki and Kazuo, Kayoko watched helplessly, some of Hiroki's fingers are chopped off and a blade is thrown in his eye.

Volume 12

BRManga12

Summary: This volume continues the battle between Hiroki and Kazuo, Kazuo is shot with his own Uzi but is wearing Toshinori's bullet proof vest. The injured Hiroki tells Kayoko to save herself but she refuses to leave and stays to die with him. Kazuo shoots both of them and leaves their corpses behind. In chapter 94, Mitsuko makes camp in a house where she showers. Afterwards she masturbates while thinking of Yuichiro.

Volume 13

BRManga13

Summary: Mitsuko finds Kazuo and they both get into a gunfight, However Mitsuko tries to seduce Kazuo but she is shot in the face by Kazuo, Later on we get to find out about Shogo's last nightmare in the program with Keiko and how she got killed.

Volume 14

BrManga14

Summary: Most of this volume is a car chase between Shuya's gang and Kazuo, it ends in a gunfight and Noriko shoots Kazuo in the face (however he isn't dead) and we learn about Kazuo's past and why he is silent and violent all the time.

Volume 15

BRManga15

Summary : In this last volume, Shuya finally kills Kazuo and Shogo plans to escape on the boat and finish off the soldiers (especially Yonemi), But after their plan works, Shogo dies of gunshot by Kazuo and is left with Noriko and Shuya escaping and beginning a new life in New York.

Battle Royale Ultimate Edition

BRUE1-5
Battle Royale Ultimate Editions 1-5
Zachdm77Added by Zachdm77

Koushun Takami and Masayuki Taguchi have agreed to create a special edition of the Battle Royale Manga,

Ultimate Edition 1

Released: October 16, 2007

  • Volumes 1-3
  • Afterword from Koushun Takami
  • Unpublished character sketches
  • Weapon details by Eliot R. Brown
  • "On the Couch" character psychiatric evaluation
  • Shuya Nanahara and Noriko Nakagawa Profiles.


Ultimate Edition 2

Released: February 12, 2008

Ultimate Edition 3

Released: June 17, 2008

Ultimate Edition 4

Released: October 7, 2008

Ultimate Edition 5

Released: February 10, 2009

  • Volumes 13-15
  • New colored cover art from manga-ka Masayuki Taguchi
  • Weapon details by Eliot R. Brown

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Final Chapter Memorial Discussion: Koushun Takami and Masayuki Taguchi." Battle Royale. Volume 15. Tokyopop
  2. ↑ Mile High Comics Presents Newsarama @ view Askew.
  3. ↑ http://messageboard.tokyopop.com/forums/showpost.php?p=69332&postcount=22 Tokyopop Messageboard post on subject of edits made to manga.

External links

Retrieved from "http://battleroyale.wikia.com/wiki/Battle_Royale_(manga)?oldid=6610"
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