Battle Royale (manga)

Infobox animanga/Header
name = Battle Royale


caption = Cover of Battle Royale Manga Vol. 1
ja_name = バトル・ロワイアル
ja_name_trans = Batoru rowaiaru
genre = Action, Romance, Thriller, Science Fiction, Horror, SplatterInfobox animanga/Manga
author = Koushun Takami
publisher = flagicon|Japan Akita Publishing
publisher_en = flagicon|Canada flagicon|UK flagicon|USA TOKYOPOP
publisher_other = flagicon|Italy Play Press Publishing
flagicon|France Soleil Productions
flagicon|Brazil Conrad Editora
flagicon|Hungary Ulpius-Ház flagicon|Argentina Editorial Ivrea
demographic = Seinen
magazine = Young Champion Magazine
first = November 2000
last = January 2006
volumes = 15 [Ann manga|id=68. Accessed 2007-02-21.] nihongo|"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 "". 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. The name of the main character is transliterated as Shuuya Nanahara in this version (rather than 'Shuya' as it is spelled in the novel).

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 Shuuya 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.

Characters

*nihongo|Shuuya 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.
*nihongo|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 Shuuya's school. Noriko has a crush on Shuuya, whom she admired for his music and song-writing.
*nihongo|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.
*nihongo|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."Final Chapter Memorial Discussion: Koushun Takami and Masayuki Taguchi." "Battle Royale". Volume 15. "Tokyopop"]

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."

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."

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. [ [http://www.newsarama.com/Battle_Royale.htm Mile High Comics Presents Newsarama @ view Askew.] ]

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.' [ [http://messageboard.tokyopop.com/forums/showpost.php?p=69332&postcount=22 http://messageboard.tokyopop.com/forums/showpost.php?p=69332&postcount=22 Tokyopop Messageboard post on subject of edits made to manga.] ]

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.

Chapters

The following names reflect the English-language version.

Graphic novel list/header
Language = JapaneseGraphic novel list
VolumeNumber = 1
OriginalRelDate =
OriginalISBN =
LicensedRelDate =
LicensedISBN = 1-59182-314-5
ChapterList =
*Chapter 1: The Worst Game in History
*Chapter 2: Best Friend
*Chapter 3: Shinji Mimura
*Chapter 4: The Oath
*Chapter 5: Other Side of the Door
*Chapter 6: Yoshio Akamatsu
*Chapter 7: Trust
*Chapter 8: Mitsuko Souma
VolumeExtras =;Students Killed
* Yoshitoki Kuninobu: shot in the mouth and forehead.
* Fumiyo Fujiyoshi: knife thrown into her forehead.
* Mayumi Tendo: shot in the temple by an arrow.
* Yoshio Akamatsu: shot through the side of his eye by an arrow.
* Megumi Eto: back of throat slit open.
Summary = Here 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 Shuuya 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 Shuuya. Shuuya 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.Graphic novel list
VolumeNumber = 2
OriginalRelDate =
OriginalISBN =
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LicensedISBN =
ChapterList =
*Chapter 9: Kazuo Kiriyama (Part One)
*Chapter 10: Kazuo Kiriyama (Part Two)
*Chapter 11: Treasure
*Chapter 12: Those Who Come Forth
*Chapter 13: Shogo Kawada
*Chapter 14: Nightmare
*Chapter 15: Conditions
*Chapter 16: The Right Thing To Do
*Sidestory: Energy
VolumeExtras =;Students Killed
* Hiroshi Kuronaga: shot in the head, chest, torso, and limbs. Fatal wound, shot to the forehead.
* Izumi Kanai: shot in the back and right side of body multiple times.
* Ryuhei Sasagawa: Multiple shots to the chest and head.
* Mitsuru Numai: Shots to the head and chest.
* Kazuhiko Yamamoto: suicide by jumping off a cliff and drowning in the sea.
* Sakura Ogawa: drowned in the sea.
* Tatsumichi Oki: machete embedded in his face.
* Kyoichi Motobuchi: shot in the stomach.
* Yukiko Kitano: shot in the back of her head.
* Yumiko Kusaka: shot in her forehead.
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 Shuuya but kills himself by accident; Kyoichi Motobuchi also attacks Shuuya but is killed by Shogo. Shuya and Noriko meet Shogo Kawada and team up to find more friends.Graphic novel list
VolumeNumber = 3
OriginalRelDate =
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ChapterList =
*Chapter 17: Past
*Chapter 18: Odds
*Chapter 19: Problem Child
*Chapter 20: Acceptance
*Chapter 21: Forfeiture
*Chapter 22: Battle Plan
*Chapter 23: The Ultimate Team
*Chapter 24: Takako Chigusa
*Side Story: Fallen Angel
VolumeExtras =;Students Killed
* Yoji Kuramoto shot in the cheek.
* Yoshimi Yahagi shot in the eye.
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.Graphic novel list
VolumeNumber = 4
OriginalRelDate =
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ChapterList =
*Chapter 25: Honor
*Chapter 26: Bond
*Chapter 27: Respect and Affection
*Chapter 28: Insanity
*Chapter 29: The Right Answer
*Chapter 30: Persuasion
*Chapter 31: Everybody's Thoughts
*Chapter 32: Secret Weapon
VolumeExtras =;Students Killed
* Kazushi Niida arrow pierced through the back of his mouth.
* Takako Chigusa shot in the back.
* Kaori Minami shot in the left side of her face and stomach with Kawada's shotgun.
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.Graphic novel list
VolumeNumber = 5
OriginalRelDate =
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ChapterList =
*Chapter 33: Rouse
*Chapter 34: Last Man Standing
*Chapter 35: Trap
*Chapter 36: Thirst
*Chapter 37: Existence
*Chapter 38: Set Up
*Chapter 39: Anxiety
*Side Story: Man of Justice
VolumeExtras =;Students Killed
* Sho Tsukioka collar detonated (head blown off).
* Hirono Shimizu drowned in a well.
* Kaori Minami shot in the left side of her face and stomach with Kawada's shotgun.
Summary = The volume introduces Sho Tsukioka and his past and Kazuo's sneaky plan which kills Sho. 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.Graphic novel list
VolumeNumber = 6
OriginalRelDate =
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ChapterList =
*Chapter 40: Sworn Friend
*Chapter 41: Flower of Courage
*Chapter 42: Parting
*Chapter 43: Raid
*Chapter 44: Hard Change
*Chapter 45: Rescue
*Chapter 46: Encounter
*Chapter 47: Departure
VolumeExtras =;Students Killed
* No.
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 battleGraphic novel list
VolumeNumber = 7
OriginalRelDate =
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ChapterList =
*Chapter 48: Bug
*Chapter 49: Firing
*Chapter 50: Demolition
*Chapter 51: Team
*Chapter 52: Versus
*Chapter 53: Explosion
*Chapter 54: Bonds
*Chapter 55: Trajectory
VolumeExtras =;Students Killed
* Keita Iijima shot in face.
* Yutaka Seto shot all over through his head.
* Shinji Mimura shot down throat.
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.Graphic novel list
VolumeNumber = 8
OriginalRelDate =
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ChapterList =
*Chapter 56: Sixth Sense
*Chapter 57: Unfortunate
*Chapter 58: Liars
*Chapter 59: Soap Opera
*Chapter 60: Allure
*Chapter 61: Sorceress and the Bullet
*Chapter 62: Split Personalities
*Chapter 63: Traumatic Games
VolumeExtras =;Students Killed
* Tadakatsu Hatagami hacked to death by a sickle.
* Yuichiro Takiguchi stabbed in the neck by a sickle.
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.Graphic novel list
VolumeNumber = 9
OriginalRelDate =
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ChapterList =
*Chapter 64: The Well
*Chapter 65: Toshinori Oda
*Chapter 66: Surviving
*Chapter 67: From Afar
*Chapter 68: Confession
*Chapter 69: Doubt
*Chapter 70: Crevice
*Chapter 71: Collapse
VolumeExtras =;Students Killed
* Toshinori Oda shot in the groin multiple times.
* Yuka Nakagawa poisoned to death.
* Chisato Matsui shot in the stomach multiple times.
* Yukie Utsumi shot in the stomach and rib cage multiple times.
* Satomi Noda shot through the eye.
* Haruka Tanizawa shot all over the right side of her body.
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, Shuuya 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 Shuuya). 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. Shuuya hears the gunshots and runs to the kitchen.Graphic novel list
VolumeNumber = 10
OriginalRelDate =
OriginalISBN =
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ChapterList =
*Chapter 72: Yuko Sakaki
*Chapter 73: Wish
*Chapter 74: Reparation
*Chapter 75: Funeral
*Chapter 76: Rain
*Chapter 77: Bleak Reunion
*Chapter 78: Message
*Chapter 79: Faith
VolumeExtras =;Students Killed
* Yuko Sakaki suicide by throwing herself from the lighthouse.
* Mizuho Inada shot through the head.
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 sprits. Shuya is then reunited with Noriko and Shogo, Mizuho creates a shrine to speak to her God, but she is killed by Kazuo.Graphic novel list
VolumeNumber = 11
OriginalRelDate =
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ChapterList =
*Chapter 80: Encounter
*Chapter 81: The Tidings of Happiness
*Chapter 82: Limits
*Chapter 83: The Devil's Tactics
*Chapter 84: Truth and Untruth
*Chapter 85: Proposal
*Chapter 86: Violent Fist
*Chapter 87: Devil of Nothingness
VolumeExtras =;Students Killed
* No.
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.Graphic novel list
VolumeNumber = 12
OriginalRelDate =
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ChapterList =
*Chapter 88: Despair
*Chapter 89: Awakening
*Chapter 90: Transcendental
*Chapter 91: Copy
*Chapter 92: Inversion
*Chapter 93: Promise
*Chapter 94: Incubation
*Chapter 95: Reason
VolumeExtras =;Students Killed
* Kayoko Kotohiki shot in the left temple.
* Hiroki Sugimura shot in the cheek.
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.Graphic novel list
VolumeNumber = 13
OriginalRelDate =
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ChapterList =
*Chapter 96: Closed Off Future
*Chapter 97: Natural Born Killers
*Chapter 98: Magic Tool
*Chapter 99: Where The Gun Points
*Chapter 100: The Identity of the Heart
*Chapter 101: Rejection
*Chapter 102: Going Home
*Chapter 103: The Thinking Heart
VolumeExtras =;Students Killed
* Mitsuko Souma shot in the nose.
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.Graphic novel list
VolumeNumber = 14
OriginalRelDate =
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ChapterList =
*Chapter 104: The Right Path
*Chapter 105: The Final Battle
*Chapter 106: Death Race
*Chapter 107: The Pursuit
*Chapter 108: Magician
*Chapter 109: Hit
*Chapter 110: God's Child
*Chapter 111: Wishes
VolumeExtras =;Students Killed
* No.
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.Graphic novel list
VolumeNumber = 15
OriginalRelDate =
OriginalISBN =
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ChapterList =
*Chapter 112: Cause and Effect
*Chapter 113: Destiny
*Chapter 114: Determination
*Chapter 115: One's Last Moment
*Chapter 116: Deception
*Chapter 117: Inference
*Chapter 118: Counterattack
*Chapter 119: Hope
VolumeExtras =;Students Killed
* Kazuo Kiriyama: shot through the chin.
* Shogo Kawada (Winner): shot through the stomach.
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

Koushun Takami and Masayuki Taguchi have agreed to create a special edition of the Battle Royale Manga, it seems the first edition was released on October 16, 2007. The first edition contains the first three volumes of the series. The second edition was released on February 12, 2008. It includes more details on the characters (a discussion called 'On the Couch'), colour pages and new cover art, a new foreword by Koushun Takami, weapon details, and a piece where medical personnel discuss the different injuries of the game. It has 672 pages.

ee also

*List of comics based on fiction

References

http://www.rightstuf.com/1-800-338-6827/catalogmgr/8gDXPz8rt-JLkKnmV=/browse/item/75158/4/0/0

External links

* [http://www.tokyopop.com/S-1132/ The Tokyopop battle royale manga page]