Transcript

Speaker: Hi, and welcome to Lifeblood, a podcast all about manga, manhwaite novels and other types of comic books. I'm your host, Crypt, and today we're diving into the intense and thought -provoking scene in manga series Battle Royale.

Speaker: Originally written by Koshin Takami in 1996, it went unpublished until 1999 after being rejected in 1997 by the Japan Horror Fiction Awards. This was because it was too reminiscent of a recent murder in Kobe involving high school students. For the show, we'll be covering the manga adaptation, which was released from, I think, 2000 to 2005 and illustrated by Masayuki Taguchi.

Speaker: Tokyo Pop released the series in English in the following years and in special edition hit store shelves in late 2007. Now, if I haven't scared you away, strap in for a roller coaster ride of survival, betrayal and moral dilemmas. Battle Royale is set in a dystopian version of Japan and follows a class of junior high school students who are forced into a brutal game of survival.

Speaker: Every year the government selects one class from across the country to participate in the battle royale program and this time it is the turn of Shiroiwa junior high school. The class of 42 is transported to a remote island where they are given a limited amount of time to kill each other until only one of them remains.

Speaker: They wake up to their new surroundings with explosive collars around their necks, with failure to comply resulting in instant death. Each student is given a survival bag, each with a random weapon and a map before being sent off on their way. Furthermore, certain areas on the island are marked for bombing, shrinking the area and forcing the students into faster encounters. The story revolves around five characters, giving readers multiple protagonists and antagonists to follow.

Speaker: However, time is still spent developing all the other characters as they all react in different ways to their predicament. Plus or minus. Many of you listening would have noticed the similarities between Battle Royale and several media projects out there. The original novel's success led to not only the release of multiple manga and movies, but the birth of popular genres that have permeated modern day pop culture. The creator of Play Unknown's Battle Ground,

Speaker: Brendan Green has been vocal about the influence Battle Royale had on the video game that created the sensational genre. It's even named after the book. There's also a squid game creator Hoang Dong Hyuk who also cited Battle Royale as one of his inspirations and then many, myself included,

Speaker: have also pointed out the similarities between Batarrel and Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games, who of course the author insists she was unaware of the title at the time she wrote her series. Anyway, one time says that Batarrel has had a huge influence on pop culture and for that reason alone it should garner a lot of respect. The manga is also able to stick to its gripping and controversial origins by maintaining a tense and suspenseful atmosphere.

Speaker: The unpredictable nature of the characters, their actions, and the constant threat of violence will keep you on the edge of your seat. The character development is also quite good. We witness the growth and transformation of the students as they struggle with the ethical implications of killing their classmates. The manga takes us into their psyches, revealing their motivations and fears. Watorl poses the scary question of how far would you go to survive if you were in their situation?

Speaker: It's a thought -provoking social commentary that forces us to question status quo, whatever it may be. On the flip side, battle royale is not fully faint of heart. Filled with scenes of intense gore and brutality, it can be downright disturbing for one to read.

Speaker: gratuitous and excessive at times you can detract from the overall experience. The large cast of characters also makes it a bit of a challenge to keep track of all the names and individual storylines, which can easily lead to confusion, particularly in the early chapters. However, as the story progresses and the death count rises,

Speaker: The key characters are better fleshed out and their unique stories begin to shine. I've heard talk of poor pacing from others but I think the manga did a much better job of it than the first movie. For me the last gripe would be the changes made in the English version of the manga that lacked consistency around the end. I think it was mainly Tokyo Pop turning the program into a reality show instead of a government program.

Speaker: If you aren't familiar with the plethora of Baturail -style survival manga and anime out there, then it could be a hit just as big as it was back then for you. The combination of violence, moral dilemmas and social commentary creates a compelling narrative that will probably have you angry at the mangaka whenever one of your favourite characters dies, but it's not enough to stop you reading. Baturail has its dark and gritty themes, which will haunt you long after its pages are gone.

Speaker: but it doesn't really do much harm to the overall experience.

Speaker: And you could say it's kind of like the ghost of tragedy past. So next time you come across someone that tells you coming books are just for kids, give them a tutorial to read and watch the ignorance flee in fear. Reading List For fans of a tutorial and those that want something similar once they're done reading, pick up Gants by Hiroe Oku. It's a sci -fi story about a secret world that shares themes of survival and moral ambiguity.

Speaker: delving into the psychological effects of life and death situations, very similar to Battle Royale, right? Then another manga with similar dystopian themes would be Attack on Titan by Hajime Isayama. It's set in a post -apocalyptic world filled with mind -killing giants and were treated to lots of action and politics.

Speaker: Now, if you're looking for something lighter in the survival game space, then try Botun, I think I got that right, by Junya Inoue. It plays things simple and safe with no psycho -analyzing moral dilemmas or complex characters. Aoharu X Machine Gun by Naoue is another one, but this time,

Speaker: lives and sanity aren't even at stake. The story takes us into a world of competitive airsoft, so it gives me the same feelings I get from esports and paintball and stuff like that. That brings us to the end of another episode. I hope I've been able to get a new book or two onto your reading list. If I have, please subscribe and review on iTunes or anywhere else you get your podcasts.

Speaker: Join me next time on Lifeblood for more manga, manhwa, light novels and other types of comic books. Until then, keep reading the books you love and support your local comic book scene. See you in the next talk. Bye.