RKMBs Forums .::Robegories::. Comic Books OWN3D! Battle Royale.

I'm sure we all know of my recent/unrecent falling away from a certain comic empire that's name starts with "dc". So as you can imagine, I had to fill in the gap with something else. After perusing a shelf containing a plethora of books belonging to the illustrated story-telling genre, I was left disheartened. Finding nothing but the usual in the vertical alignments of Marvel, Image, DC, etc. I decided to bite the bullet and move into the area of forbidden manga. Over the years, aside from two exceptions, I've found nothing but garbage in this brand of literature, so I had an understandable distaste whilst looking through them. I'd spent fifteen minutes analyzing the titles from behind their plastic rap, unwilling to actually buy any of them to find out if I'd pick a diamond in the Roth. I was about ready to depart when I noticed that one manga's plastic had been torn off. Upon looking at the side I discover that the name is intriguing enough (kind of rare with manga): Battle Royale. I also looked at the cover and found out that it was drawn by accomplished artist Masayuki Taguchi. His cover inspired me to give it a shot. So I sat down, opened the book, and was then taken for a ride. Battle Royale is, quite possibly, the best manga I've ever read--Perhaps even the best creation of its genre, and I'm including comic books in saying that. And this was only after the first volume, and I'm sure that's what's making you skeptical so far, but never fear! I was, unfortunately a few dollars short, thus I could not buy the novel, so I had to go home moping about my loss. After the initial depressive mood had passed, I just decided to download what I could...So I did. I retrieved all nine of the released volumes. Woo boy! This manga is perfect.



I, first, have to denote the merits of Koushun Takami. He wrote the original novelized version of the story, which was apparently also a big success (haven't read it....Yet), as was the movie (great watch! See it). But, thank God, he also headed the manga project, which is something I thank my lucky stars for. His adaptive format to writing is just so excellent. Considering, in the past, that most novelists' who've taken a turn with the comics genre have had sub-par runs due to structural problems with the stories--*cough*Greg Rucka*cough*--I, in no small way, acknowledge that as a tremendously gracious comment. His story-telling ability unveils so many layers with multiple interesting additives for each one. His thorough compensation for each character is an exceptional piece of work all itself along with its harmonious interaction between those very characters with their multiple traits between each other. Not only does he make their actions believable using their pasts as his pillar, but he succeeds in making it interesting. A few seemingly boring characters reacted to different situations very interestingly considering the aforementioned mediocrity of their made up lives. Using the snowball method, he plunged 42 seemingly level-headed individuals into a hell of their own design.



This, of course, is complemented by the incredible art of Masayuki Taguchi. His brutally honest imagery was the proper touch that made this story shine. His environments so well detailed, the atmosphere perfectly captured, his reality aspiring illustration so expertly crafted--It was just fantastic. I did, however, have slight qualms with the ease, honed by every character, to bawl their eyes out. Seriously, they start crying right off the bat and they've shed so many tears it looks like they not only cried for hours, but also drained a large percentage of the Mississippi.

Imagine if you will that Japan was a pathetic country. A country whose unemployment and economy rates were so horrible that they had to redefine the phrase, "Fucked up!" (exclamation point included). Imagine that for the past century, Japan was in such a rut that they had to create something called "The Program". A bi-product of Japan's failings that was conceived in the pursuit of more money. A two prong attack! We lessen the sustenance consumption in the country by a measly fraction of a one 1% AND create a broadcast witnessed worldwide that would largely up the sums of the economy. A definite shot in the arm for Japan's crappy existence. A sure fire way to cure all of its problems: Take 42 kids outta ninth grade once a year, dump them on a deserted island, and pit them against each other with carefully chosen and sorted weapons varying from blunt instruments to gas-powered rifles. Add a teaspoon of reality, a pinch of humanity, a large serving of controlled atmosphere, and you get one of the best stories of all time.



The story starts out honestly enough with a quiet setting. A head of an orphanage oversees two young 'ens who're watching their favorite TV show, which is actually a cheap knock off of Power Rangers. The two kids in question are your typical pure of heart reckless protagonists that are by and large in the manga medium--Of course, at that point, they're barely old enough to read let alone get physical with anyone. Anyway, the setting itself is there to set founding principles for the Japanese protagonists' reactions to the later struggles they get involved with. They have a nice wholesome session of mind-numbing televised violence by way of cartoons, which happens to be interrupted by a special report depicting televised violence by way of real life. The two toddling orphans get a glimpse of dozens of reporters gathering around a singular girl who's being pronounced the winner of this year's "The Program". As the camera zooms in on the girl in question, we see her face grotesquely mangled only by the very willful rise of her own lips, which happen to be blood-spattered. Apparently she's laughing.....I dunno. You tell me:



After this sordid revealing event, we then meet the guardian of our "little warriors" who we find to be a very saintly yet appealing young woman who cares the world for her adopted kids. She furthers the foreshadowing with her concern for that "poor child" (Miss Laughy Daffy up there). She vaguely talks about "The Program" to the boys and expresses her disgust of it while she tucks them into bed, never thinking even for a moment that within the next ten years that they'd be apart of it. Fast-forward almost a decade later, little Shuuya and Yoshitoki have grown into handsome young lads....Well, Shuuya has anyway:



Having firmly established themselves as all around nice guys who like to spread their very contagious (and gut-wrenching) amount of cheer, they and along with forty others who aren't all particularly as nice (or naive) as them set off on a ninth grade school field-trip. The journey starts harmlessly enough with the traveling bus all abuzz with excitement and Yoshitoki and Shuuya flirting with their mutual sweetheart named Noriko. Noriko, early on in the story, showed that she was proficient in making cookies......



Whether or not she's proficient in anything else *wink wink* has yet to be determined within the nine volumes. All I have to say about her so far is: The bitch is fucking useless and they should fucking leave her to die so stop fucking around with her lest you want to go on living without having to worry about a fucking no account slowing you down with a damn SHOT UP LEG!!!! *Ahem* Yeah. As you may have guessed, as with any story, there are a number of frustrating characters within Battle Royale. Noriko is one of them. But still, she's part of the story, and even though her wussiness, that remains mutual with Shuuya and Yoshitoki, is aggravating, she brings out more intrigue from the truly interesting characters. Same goes for Shuuya. Both are relatively ditzy and sappy, but their main function as characters is to define the people around them, and in that rite, their place actually means something. Although, I will say that they're still responsible for one of the book's very few cons as oppose to the many pros. Characters like them, including them, make the numerous sensitive moments in the books drift way too long. Other than that though, that's like, the only problem.

Moving on, the bus-ride remains harmless enough until everyone falls asleep at exactly the same time. Shuuya remains the only one who lasts long enough to witness the KO gas being released within the bus. Eventually he falls asleep himself, and all of the students wake up in a classroom not their own with collars on their necks. Long story short, they get over their daze and are forced to listen to a representative of the government who shows himself to be the epitome of a hated antagonist:




As you can see, this guy's one sick puppy...He's perfect!

So we go on to see him execute two students, one being Shuuya's friend Yoshitoki(second image), and wounding a third, Noriko. Not only that, but he apparently raped the kind and doting orphanage manager after she protested--To put it lightly--The abduction and integration of Shuuya and Yoshitoki into The Program. Not to mention he had her co-manager killed:



After the children get over the initial shock and sit with the trauma, they are forced to listen to the rules. "Rules of what?" you ask? Why, The Program of course!

All 42 students are let off the school grounds in 2 minute intervals, each leaving with their own unique weapon and supplies as well as a map and compass that will inform them of the sections on the island recently labeled as danger zones, which are to be avoided lest the collars on their necks explode. They have three days to hunt down and execute each other or else every collar will detonate. The boy girl ratio is equal with 21 girls and 21 boys.



Probably the most monumental and defining part of the story is its beginning: Yoshio Akamtsu is a regular Robert Paulsen. This gentle giant wouldn't hurt a fly. A seemingly harmless whale of a boy, he means well, but his failings with his size greatly correspond with his failings as a social sentient being. Low self esteem and lack of full understanding in regards to teenage etiquette and lingo has left him a shell of a teenager. Polite, yet closed, very shy. Yoshio's relevance? Well, quite simply, Yoshio is a liability. Yoshio, the gentle giant, the Robert Paulsen strikes first blood:



Yoshio's bio is prolly true of most high school students, and here in lies the satire of it all. The non-cliques who have insecurities that surmount miles up, the ones made fun of for their appearance or whatever extremity is apparent about themselves are perhaps the most dangerous people you can ever encounter. Most people who are nice/caring/non-violent individuals who lack social problems can be assessed to last longer in a situation under mental duress, but people like Yoshio of course...Are a bit less predictable. It's a whole lot easier for them snap and think the world's going to be after them. I think we've all read Lord of the Flies. Anyway, Shuuya learns these things the hard way, which is half the story. The class is filled with these types. But Yoshio's is perhaps the most shocking case.





And of course we have the less gentle and less socially balanced types...



Who pretty much give our protagonists...



A really hard time.

Of course I'm concealing a few of the protagonists and antagonists so as not to give too much away. A huge chunk of the appeal of this book is the unpredictability of the characters you think you know.

Anything after this would be spoiling it, so I'm gonna cut off right here and say that this is an excellent story well worth buying. Each volume is over 200 pages for $10. With an additive being its compact size, it makes this book a must buy.

If you still can't afford it though and wanna buy it later, but are desperate to read the story now, it's well worth the download tediousness from here. If you like it. Buy it.

Great review, Pariah. I saw the movie a few years ago, then read the book. When I heard that Tokyopop was publishing this series, I immediately subscribed to it through my comic book shop. This is a great series and, if you haven't yet, definitely track the book and flick down as well (but avoid the sequel).

Hey, how often do you see me an' Pariah agree on anything?

And Rob said I put in too many pictures.

Considering there are no Batman pictures in your post, does his opinion surprise you?

see pariah, doesn't it feel good to contribute to something, before you rip it to shreds?

Yes. I can honestly say that it does feel good.

So how many of these before I become a mod?

uh... all of'em.

...anywho...

i dig the review.

i've seen the movie, but never the book. i'll havta track it down.

meh.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1...1212207-5429725

Done. Don't say I never did nuthin' for ya!

What'd you think of the movie, Rob? Did'ja know Chiaki Kuriyama (GoGo from Kill Bill) was in it? Did'ja???

I want to have sex with Mitsuko.

Anything that provokes me into straying beyond the safe little world of Vertigo/Wildstorm is extremely welcome. That was a good review.

So are you saying that my manga suggestion was bad, or the way I made the review?

Neither. I'm saying you meh everything I do, so I meh'd you.

Petty, pointless revenge made even more pointless by the fact that I just explained it.

Oh......Oh........

The torrent has updated the issue amount. Link's still there. Have at it.

heh

Yeah

He's a nihilist

bitch.