Manga Gantz Bahasa Indonesia Chapter 1

Manga Gantz Bahasa Indonesia Chapter 1 3,9/5 5549 reviews
Gantz
Cover of the first tankōbon, released in Japan by Shueisha.
ガンツ
(Gantsu)
GenreAction,[1]science fiction,[2]horror,[1]thriller[2]
Manga
Written byHiroya Oku
Published byShueisha
English publisher
DemographicSeinen
MagazineWeekly Young Jump
Original runJuly 2000 – August 2013
Volumes37 (List of volumes)
Anime television series
Directed byIchiro Itano
Produced byToshiharu Namiki
Futoshi Nishimura
Yasushi Uchida
Hironori Terashima
Written byMasashi Sogo
Music byNatsuki Sogawa
StudioGonzo
Licensed by
Original networkFuji TV(1-13)
AT-X(14-26)
English network
Original run April 12, 2004 – November 18, 2004
Episodes26 (List of episodes)
Manga
GANTZ:G
Written byHiroya Oku
Illustrated byKeita Iizuka
Published byShueisha
English publisher
Dark Horse Comics
DemographicSeinen
MagazineMiracle Jump
Original runNovember 2015 – March 2017
Volumes3
Films

Gantz (Japanese: ガンツHepburn: Gantsu) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Hiroya Oku. Gantz tells the story of Kei Kurono and Masaru Kato, both of whom died in a train accident and become part of a semi-posthumous 'game' in which they and several other recently deceased people are forced to hunt down and kill aliens armed with a handful of futuristic items, equipment, and weaponry. Both the manga and anime are noted for their heavy violence and sexual content.

The Gantzanime adaptation, directed by Ichiro Itano and animated by Gonzo, contains 26 episodes divided into two seasons. A series of two live action movies based on the manga were produced and released in January and April 2011.[3] A CGI anime film, Gantz: O, was released in 2016.

  • 3Media

Plot[edit]

A pair of high school students, Kei Kurono and Masaru Kato, are hit by a subway train in an attempt to save the life of a drunk homeless man who had fallen onto the tracks. Following their deaths, Kurono and Kato find themselves transported to the interior of an unfurnished Tokyo apartment, where they meet Joichiro Nishi, a Gantz veteran, and other clueless participants. The pair soon realizes that they are not allowed to leave the apartment. At one end of the room there is a large black sphere known as 'Gantz'.

After some time in the room, the Gantz sphere opens up, revealing a bald naked man with a breathing mask and wires attached to his head, and various weapons for them to use. These include the custom fitting black suits which give them super-human strength, speed, stamina and damage resistance, a controller which acts as a radar and stealth unit, X-gun, X-Shotgun, Y-Gun. Later on the series the Gantz sword, Gantz Bike are made available as well as much more powerful weapons are awarded in the 100 point menu.

When the Gantz sphere opens, green text appears on its surface, informing those present that their 'lives have ended and now belong to him'. A picture and brief information is shown of some of the Gantz' targets; Gantz orders them to go and kill them. Except for a single mission, all the targets are aliens living on Earth, which take on a wide variety of forms. During the mission, normal people cannot see the players or the aliens. Gantz transports them to the area of the mission, and they cannot leave or return until all the enemies have been killed, or the time limit has run out. If they survive a successful mission, each individual is awarded points for the aliens they have killed. Once a participant has scored 100 points, a '100 point menu' will appear. The menu offers three options:

  • Option 1: The participant can return to their normal life, never having to be summoned by Gantz again. As a price, their memories of Gantz and the missions will be erased.
  • Option 2: The participant obtains a unique and extremely-powerful weapon.
  • Option 3: The participant can revive someone who has died during a mission from Gantz' memory. This option appeared halfway through the series.

After a mission has been completed, points are tallied up, the participants are allowed to leave and do as they see fit until their next mission, with the exception of talking about Gantz which would lead to their heads exploding. During Kurono and Kato's third mission, all the participants including Kato are killed, however Kato kills the last boss giving Kurono a chance to survive. Kurono survives the third mission bleeding on the floor with his limbs cut apart. After the third mission Kurono starts to change inside adopting a hero, leader complex similar to Kato. As the series continues, Kurono participates with the objective of reviving his deceased friends with the 100 point reward option. A new team of Gantz players is assembled, which Kurono leads, as the most experienced veteran and one of the best fighters. In the Oni mission it is shown that with Kurono's 'will to live' he becomes the most ferocious Gantz hunter in the team. Through his interactions with the other members of the team and his life or death battles, Kurono gradually grows into a responsible leader. After the Oni mission Kato is revived by Kurono, and soon after Kurono meets his demise against the vampires. As the series goes on, the rules of the missions change; they can now be seen by regular people, the aliens they encounter are increasingly more powerful and dangerous, and they participate in a mission with another Gantz team from Osaka. Kato becomes the center of attention in the manga and his quest to revive Kurono. In a desperate attempt to revive his best friend, Kato fights the one hundred point alien Nurarihyon which obliterates both Osaka and Kurono's team. At the end of the mission, similar to the first time Kato died, he defeats arguably the strongest alien in the series and is laid bleeding on the floor. The series depicts both the missions and Kurono's regular life, as well as the daily lives of other Gantz players (to a lesser extent).

After several missions, an old participant named Nishi, who knows more than the others about how Gantz works, shows them a 'catastrophe countdown' on the Gantz sphere which the other players were unaware of. The countdown reveals that there is one week left until some unknown 'catastrophe.' At the end of that week, a massive alien force invades the Earth and begins exterminating the human race, while Kurono and his companions try their best to make use of Gantz' advanced technology and weaponry in defense. At the end, Nishi and Kurono are depicted to be similar, both of whom were despised by their family and were sinister; however, unlike Nishi, Kurono has a reason to live. Nishi, in the chapter 'The Great Escape', is left for dead by Kurono, vowing vengeance against him and crying out for Gantz and mother for help. It is hinted that Nishi died, but his death seems to be unclear. The Japanese also learn of the existence of Gantz teams all around the world. After a long battle, the humans manage to stop the alien invasion and soon after, it is revealed that it was another, highly advanced alien species that provided mankind with the means to defend itself against the invaders, for reasons they refuse to reveal and calls it a whim. In a desperate last effort, the leader of the alien forces, Eeva, challenges the whole human race, promising to exterminate every inhabitant by himself by crashing their mother ship, killing both races if Kurono does not come to their mother ship to fight him. Prior to this announcement Eeva completely dominates all Gantz teams in his vicinity by killing all the hunters, giving the human race a sense of their mortality. The world calls on Kurono, which is broadcast to the entire world, and, with a revived Kato's help, Kurono bets all his chance of winning and saving the human race on himself. Kurono manages to defeat Eeva, thus preventing the alien mothership from destroying Earth. The series ends with Kurono and Kato returning safely to Earth and being greeted as heroes.

Production[edit]

Hiroya Oku first thought of Gantz's story when he was in high school. He was inspired by the Jidaigeki program Hissatsu, and the Robert Sheckley novel Time Murderer. However, he did not decide to make Gantz until after writing the manga Zero One; Zero One had a similar setting, but Oku ended the series, noting it was not very entertaining and that it was too expensive to develop.[4]

When creating the chapters for the manga, Oku starts with a thumbnail of the pages. He then creates 3D models of the characters and backgrounds on his computer. Once done, Oku prints the characters and backgrounds he made in 3D, adds tone and color to the pages, and finishes with sound effects and dialogue.[5] This style was already used in Zero One, but for that title, there was little work in hand drawing; Oku decided to add more hand drawing to give Gantz a more realistic tone as well as reduce the budget. However, he still notes that such a method is time-consuming and that he has to work quickly in order to finish the chapters on time.[4]

Oku tries to incorporate realism into Gantz and adds that some of the events occurring in the story are based on his opinions regarding the world. During violent or erotic scenes, Oku makes sure to not make them very long to avoid reducing the series' realism. However, he has mentioned that he does not autocensor and that all the drawings he has ever illustrated have been published in the manga.[6] Some plot twists are meant to go against common events that happen in several manga such as the deaths of the major characters like Kei Kishimoto and Masaru Kato. Before the series started serialization, Oku told his assistants that with Kurono's exception, all the major characters from the series would die.[4]

Media[edit]

Manga[edit]

Written by Hiroya Oku, the manga chapters have been published in the Japanese magazine Weekly Young Jump since 2000 and is finished on June 20, 2013; the individual chapters of the series were being released approximately every fifteen days. Gantz is divided into three main story arcs referred to as 'phases'. After the completion of Phase 1, the author put the series on hiatus for a short time to work on Phase 2, which is also known as 'Katastrophe'. Phase 1 consists of the first 237 chapters. On November 22, 2006, the first chapter of Phase 2, chapter 238, was released.[7][8] Phase 2 consists of chapters 238 through 303. The third and final phase began on October 1, 2009, after a brief hiatus. As of June 20, 2013, the main manga series is finished at 383 chapters long (not counting specials and spin-offs). The individual chapters are collected by Shueisha in tankōbon format; the first volume was released on December 11, 2000.[9] Currently, 37 volumes have been released by Shueisha.[10]Publishing company Dark Horse Comics acquired the licensing rights for the release of English translations of Gantz on July 1, 2007, during the Anime Expo.[11][12] The first English volume was released on June 25, 2008.[13] While the first three are being published quarterly, the following volumes will be released on a bimonthly basis.[14] The series is published by Glénat in Spain and by Planet Manga in Germany, Italy and Brazil.[15][16][17] It is published by Tonkam in France,[18] by Editorial Vid in Mexico[19] and by Editorial Ivrea in Argentina.[20]

A spin-off, titled GANTZ:G, was serialized in Shueisha's Miracle Jump magazine from November 2015 to March 2017. [21] The manga was written by Oku and illustrated by Keita Iizuka.[22][23] Dark Horse have also licensed the spin-off.[24]

Gantz/Osaka has been published in Japan (showing the stories of the Gantz Osaka team), while Gantz/Nishi has started publication (showing the life of Nishi), and Gantz no Moto has Hiroya Oku telling the story on how he got into the manga business and what films influenced him.

Anime[edit]

An anime adaptation, produced by Gonzo and directed by Ichiro Itano, aired in Japan on Fuji Television and AT-X.[25][26][27] The Gantz anime is divided into two seasons: 'The First Stage' and 'The Second Stage', which is a direct continuation of the first season. The First Stage aired in Japan with several scenes censored due to inappropriate content such as violence or nudity. However, the DVDs from the series contained the scenes uncensored.[28] The Second Stage aired on Japanese network AT-X on August 26, 2004.[29] There are a total of 12 Japanese DVDs, released from August 28, 2004 to June 29, 2005. Additionally, the DVDs were compiled into box sets.[30]

ADV Films announced and licensed the series for release in the United States. The series was released in uncut form, retaining the violence and nudity previously censored in Japan for broadcast.[31] Ten DVDs were released by ADV Films from February 8, 2005 to January 17, 2006.[32][33] They also compiled the series in two DVD box sets in 2006 and in a Perfect Score Collection packaged with a bag in the form of Gantz.[34][35][36]On June 25, 2010, anime distributor Funimation Entertainment announced on their online FuniCon 4.0 panel, that they have acquired the rights to the series, along with 3 other former ADV titles after ADV's collapse in 2009.[37]

The anime follows the plot of the manga up to the end of the temple mission. The last five episodes then branch off into an original story not present in the manga.

Gantz: O, a 3D CGI animated film based on the series, was released in 2016.[23]

Video game[edit]

On March 17, 2005, Konami published a game for the PlayStation 2 in Japan named simply as Gantz: The Game. It features the characters and plot up to the Chibi Alien mission. The game mixes third-person shooter and role-playing game (RPG) elements together. The game also includes extras including Free Play mode, a Mini Mode, Magazine Browser mode, Gantz Rankings, a special preview movie and the scenario completion statistic.[38] The game was never released overseas.

Gantz/Burst and Gantz MobileMission are cellphone games.

Novel[edit]

In July 2009, Weekly Young Jump, the seinen manga magazine, began publishing a novel from the series named Gantz/Minus. It is written by Masatoshi Kusakabe and illustrated by Yusuke Kozaki. The stories take place before the start of the manga, with the focus being on the characters Shion Izumi and Joichiro Nishi, who participate in Gantz's missions. On the cover of each Gantz/Minus issue, it describes itself as a 'hyper solid action novel'.

Gantz/EXA is the second Gantz novel published. It was first serialized in Jump magazine, then printed as a complete collection in January 2011.

Live action films[edit]

On November 24, 2009, it was announced that two live-action Gantz films were in production. The films star Kazunari Ninomiya and Kenichi Matsuyama in the roles of Kurono and Kato respectively, and were directed by Shinsuke Sato. The films were released in January and April 2011.[39]

The first film, titled simply as Gantz, was released in Japan on January 29, 2011. A special North American screening took place on January 20, 2011, during which the film was simulcast in theaters across 46 states.[40] At the end of this special Los Angeles showing, which took place at the Mann's Chinese 6 theatre, there was a discussion and live interview with both the male leads,[41] as well as a teaser trailer for the second installment, Gantz: Perfect Answer, which is released in Japan on April 23, 2011. Gantz and Gantz 2: Perfect Answer were screened in San Diego, California as part of Comic-Con International at the Gaslamp 15 Theater on July 22 & 23.[42]

Other[edit]

A companion book titled Gantz/Manual was published by Shueisha on December 17, 2004. The book features episode summaries, character overviews, and additional background details on the Gantz universe.[43] A revised edition, Gantz/Manual Remix, was published in 2011 as a supplement for Gantz manga and live action movie featuring story act summaries, manga story arc summaries, character overviews, and additional background details on the Gantz universe.

Reception[edit]

Japanese sales from the Gantz manga have led several of the volumes to be featured in lists of best seller volumes from Japan.[44][45] As of November 2010, the Gantz manga had sold over ten million units in Japan,[46] while during January 2011 the sales increased to over fifteen million volumes.[47] During 2008, Dark Horse Comics informed that the Gantz' sold 175,000 copies in America.[13] Volume 4 of the manga has appeared in The New York Times's 'Manga Best Seller List' ranking at 8th.[48]About.com's Deb Aoki listed Gantz as the best new seinen of 2008 along with Black Lagoon.[49] On June 24 2013 it had reportedly sold 20 million copies. [50]

DVD sales of Gantz have been particularly strong. According to Anime News Network, Gantz volume three surpassed DVD sales of its predecessor, volume one, by a significant margin. Owing to strong DVD sales, ADV films has continuously released successive volumes and it was one of the most successful anime franchises of 2005.[51]

The Gantz anime has been described as being extremely 'violent', 'gory' and 'sadistic' and yet is also very 'addictive', even when it was censored during broadcast.[51]

References[edit]

  1. ^ abLujano, Mona Rose. ''Gantz' a Japanese horror action landed on Hollywood'. Entertainment Today. Archived from the original on 8 August 2011.
  2. ^ abRothing, Hilary. 'Japanese Sci-Fi Thriller 'Gantz' Hoping to Capture American Fans with Theatrical Release'. MTV Geek News. Archived from the original on 8 August 2011.
  3. ^'Gantz, Maria-sama, Mori no Asagao Promos Streamed'. Anime News Network. October 2, 2010. Retrieved October 3, 2010.
  4. ^ abcOku, Hiroya (2004). Gantz Manual. Shueisha. pp. 227–247. ISBN4-08-876735-7.
  5. ^Oku, Hiroya (2008). Gantz, Volume 1. Dark Horse Comics. pp. 216–219. ISBN978-1-59307-949-9.
  6. ^Migoya, Hernan (June 17, 2009). 'Hiroya vs. Migoya' (in Spanish). Glénat. Archived from the original on 21 June 2010. Retrieved August 5, 2009.
  7. ^'Gantz Returns! Gantz: 2nd Phase'. comipress.com. 2006-11-22. Archived from the original on 8 August 2011. Retrieved 2008-10-24.
  8. ^'Gantz 2nd Phase to Begin Serialization This November'. comipress.com. 2006-07-19. Archived from the original on 8 August 2011. Retrieved 2008-10-24.
  9. ^'Gantz 1' (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on 8 August 2011. Retrieved 2008-07-18.
  10. ^'Gantz 29' (in Japanese). Shueisha. Archived from the original on 8 August 2011. Retrieved September 14, 2010.
  11. ^'Dark Horse Licenses Gantz, Blood+, More'. Anime News Network. 2007-07-01. Archived from the original on 7 May 2009. Retrieved 2008-10-21.
  12. ^'Dark Horse Nabs 'Gantz' Manga'. ICv2. 2007-07-05. Archived from the original on 8 August 2011. Retrieved 2008-11-20.
  13. ^ ab'Gantz Volume 1'. Dark Horse Comics. Archived from the original on 8 August 2011. Retrieved 2008-07-18.
  14. ^'Michael Gombos on Gantz'. Dark Horse Comics. 2008-05-22. Archived from the original on 8 August 2011. Retrieved 2008-11-20.
  15. ^'Gantz vol 1' (in Spanish). Glénat. Archived from the original on 27 February 2009. Retrieved 2008-11-20.
  16. ^'Gantz 1 Ristampa In fumetteria e online Planet Manga' (in Italian). Panini Comics. Archived from the original on 22 July 2011. Retrieved 2008-11-20.
  17. ^'Hantz vol 3' (in German). Panini Comics. Archived from the original on 8 August 2011. Retrieved 2008-11-20.
  18. ^'Tous les Volumes de la Seri Gantz'. Editions Tonkam (in French). Archived from the original on 30 April 2009.
  19. ^'Resultados de Gantz'. Mundo Vid (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 13 April 2009.
  20. ^'Gantz'. Editorial Ivrea (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 3 January 2010.
  21. ^'Miracle Jump Magazine Goes on Hiatus, Prepares for Renewal'. Anime News Network. March 1, 2017. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
  22. ^'Hiroya Oku, Keita Iizuka Launch Gantz Spinoff Manga in November'. Anime News Network. October 16, 2015. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
  23. ^ ab'Gantz Manga Gets 'Full 3DCG' Anime Film in 2016'. Anime News Network. November 14, 2015. Retrieved November 14, 2015.
  24. ^Pressler, Karen (March 22, 2018). 'Dark Horse to Publish Gantz G Manga'. Anime News Network. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
  25. ^'Gantz Official Site'. Gantz.net. Archived from the original on 18 March 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-22.
  26. ^'Gantz (Fuji TV)'. Fuji Television. Archived from the original on 28 March 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-22.
  27. ^'Gantz Season 1 Boxset'. Amazon.com. Retrieved 2009-03-23.
  28. ^'Gantz DVDs Unedited'. Anime News Network. 2004-07-13. Archived from the original on 8 August 2011. Retrieved 2009-04-12.
  29. ^'Second Gantz TV series Announced'. Anime News Network. 2004-07-15. Retrieved 2009-04-12.
  30. ^'全話見るなら「GANTZ BOX 1&2」がお得です!' (in Japanese). Official Gantz website. Archived from the original on 2009-04-14. Retrieved 2009-04-14.
  31. ^'ADV Releases Gantz Details'. Anime News Network. 2004-12-14. Retrieved 2009-04-12.
  32. ^'Gantz - Game of Death (Vol. 1)'. Amazon.com. Retrieved 2009-04-14.
  33. ^'Gantz, Vol. 10 - Endgame (2006)'. Amazon.com. Retrieved 2009-04-14.
  34. ^'Gantz Season 1 Box Set (2006)'. Amazon.com. Retrieved 2009-04-14.
  35. ^'Gantz Season 2 Box Set'. Amazon.com. Retrieved 2009-04-14.
  36. ^'Gantz: Perfect Score Collection'. Amazon.com. Retrieved 2009-04-14.
  37. ^'Funimation Adds Chrono Crusade, Gantz, Kaleido Star, Peacemaker'. Anime News Network. 2010-06-25.
  38. ^Anoop Gantayat (2005-02-22). 'New From Konami: Gantz'. IGN. Retrieved 2008-12-22.
  39. ^'Gantz Sci-Fi Manga To Be Adapted in Two Live-Action Films'. Anime News Network. 2009-10-07.
  40. ^'Info dump: list of US theaters to screen Gantz in 2011'. Japanator. 2010-12-16.
  41. ^'World Premiere of Gantz on January 20'. Asia Pacific Arts. 2001-01-19.
  42. ^New People Entertainment (July 12, 2011). 'New People Announces Theatrical Comic-Con Screening of Sci-fi Thriller Gantz II: Perfect Answer' (Press release). Retrieved 28 April 2015 – via Anime News Network.
  43. ^'GANTZ/MANUAL' (in Japanese). Shueisha. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  44. ^'Japanese Comic Ranking, June 22–28'. Anime News Network. 2009-07-01. Retrieved 2009-08-20.
  45. ^'Japanese Comic Ranking, October 21–27'. Anime News Network. 2008-10-29. Retrieved 2009-08-20.
  46. ^'Gantz U.S. Showings to Add Live Interview with 2 Stars'. Anime News Network. November 29, 2010. Retrieved November 29, 2010.
  47. ^'Manga Movie GANTZ Brings Out the Stars at Hollywood Premiere'. About.com. January 24, 2011. Archived from the original on 31 January 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2011.
  48. ^'New York Times Manga Best Seller List, April 5–11'. Anime News Network. 2009-04-17. Retrieved 2009-08-20.
  49. ^Aoki, Deb. '2008 Best New Manga'. About.com. Archived from the original on 2013-01-23. Retrieved 2009-08-20.
  50. ^'GANTZ:13年にわたる壮大なストーリーに終止符　意味深メッセージも'. Mainichi Shimbun (in Japanese). 2013-06-20. Archived from the original on 2013-06-24. Retrieved 2013-11-28.
  51. ^ ab'New ADV Announces 2nd Season of GANTZ'. Anime News Network. July 8, 2005. Retrieved September 9, 2009.

External links[edit]

  • Official Gantz: The Game website(in Japanese)
  • Gantz (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia
  • Gantz on IMDb
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gantz&oldid=897683384'

Alternative Titles

Japanese: バトル・ロワイアル

Information

Volumes: 15
Status: Finished
Genres:Action, Drama, Horror, Psychological, Seinen
Authors:Taguchi, Masayuki (Art), Takami, Koushun (Story)

Statistics

1 indicates a weighted score. Please note that 'Not yet published' titles are excluded.
Ranked: #8042
2 based on the top manga page. Please note that 'R18+' titles are excluded.
Members: 47,441
Ranked #804Popularity #128Members 47,441
Add to List
Chapters: /119
* Your list is public by default.

Synopsis

Every year, a class is randomly chosen to be placed in a deserted area where they are forced to kill each other in order to survive. Initially believing to be on a graduation trip, Shuuya Nanahara and the rest of Shiroiwa Junior High's Class B find that they have been chosen to participate in this game of life and death known as 'The Program.'
Waking up to the realization that they have been quarantined on an island, the 42 students discover they have been fitted with metal collars which will detonate if certain conditions are not met. In order to obtain freedom, they must slaughter everyone else by whatever means necessary, and the last one standing is deemed the winner. As each member of the class heads down their own path, Shuuya makes it his goal to get off the island without playing the game in order to put an end to this madness once and for all.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Background

Battle Royale is an adaptation of Koushun Takami's novel of the same name which was published in April 1999 (and later published in English by VIZ Media). The novel was adapted into a live-action film the following year and became one of Japan's highest grossing films, though it was condemned by the National Diet.
The series was published in English by Tokyopop from May 13, 2003 to April 11, 2006. The Tokyopop version was extensively rewritten by Keith Giffen which eventually led to contradictions and plot holes in the later volumes. Tokyopop rereleased the series in 5 omnibus volumes under the name Battle Royale: Ultimate Edition from October 16, 2007 to February 10, 2009. It was also published in Brazilian Portuguese by Conrad from November 2006 to November 2011 and in Polish by Waneko since March 2012 to March 4, 2015.

Related Manga

Sequel:Battle Royale II: Blitz Royale
Spin-off:Battle Royale: Tenshi-tachi no Kokkyou
Alternative version:Battle Royale

Characters

Kiriyama, Kazuo
Main
Mimura, Shinji
Main
Kawada, Shougo
Main
Souma, Mitsuko
Main
Sugimura, Hiroki
Main
Nanahara, Shuuya
Main
Nakagawa, Noriko
Main
Chigusa, Takako
Supporting
Shimizu, Hirono
Supporting
Kuronaga, Hiroshi
Supporting

More reviewsReviews

119 of 119 chapters read
Master10K(All reviews)
117 people found this review helpful
A Psychological, Action, Thriller that will take you on the most extreme thrill ride you can imagine. But be warned, you must be 18.
Battle Royale is basically about survival of the fittest, where kids have to duke it out with each other in a sort of 'last man standing game'. This interesting plot brings forth a great deal intensity and emotional turmoil, of which you have never seen. It’s also surprising how long and in-depth the story is, even though it only covers a short time-frame. The problem with this set-up is that it almost completely removes the thought of getting attached to any characters because they usually end up the same way. However at least some of them are developed so well that you cannot help but get attached to them.
The artwork is perfect in depicting a disturbing amount of gore and violence that you'll feel sick to the stomach, because the one thing this manga is famous for is going over the top. A lot of readers may have a problem with the extreme level of gore but one thing I personally had a problem with was how old the students looked, when they were supposed to be 15-16.
Battle Royale is an excitingly, gut-wrenching manga that will keep you on edge. It is really interesting how this manga was put together, in 15 Volumes, without the story feeling dragged. However the TokyoPop version did mess it up a bit with their poor translations. BR is also one of the few manga out there that allow readers to express so many emotions; from sadness, to frustration. Unlike the similar manga 'Gantz' BR has this lingering feeling of hopelessness that makes the story very depressing. With this really depressing story it can make Battle Royale less enjoyable to read but there are plenty of shocking moments and cliff-hangers to keep you going.
^_^
119 of 119 chapters read
Noir(All reviews)
113 people found this review helpful
A few years ago I saw a god-awful movie called Battle Royale, I discussed the movie with a friend and he said: Well if you hate the movie that much but liked the concept why don’t you read the original source material. This came as a shock to me at that time, I had no idea that the movie was based on a novel. I never got my hands on the novel so I decided to buy the manga.
I was astonished with the artwork in Volume 1, I kept staring at certain panels trying to figure out how much work they put into this. I was determined to add the complete series to my collection.
Volume 1 starts of with introducing the main characters and a little of their background. Unlike most series the main characters are not the only ones with a well thought out background. Every student in Battle Royale is a character so well developed that it could breath and walk right of the panels. I could even sympathize with the most evil of characters.
The artwork is extremely detailed, and not always for the faint of heart. One of the few flaws of Battle Royale in my opinion may be hidden within the beautiful artwork. Sometimes panels are so extremely detailed that it may be nauseating to stare at it too long.
If you like a little gore, some sexy antagonists, a flinch of love and an air of despair, then there is not another manga I could recommend as much as Battle Royale.
119 of 119 chapters read
StellarAbyss(All reviews)
63 people found this review helpful
'Kill or be killed. This is how this fucking game works'.
It's more violent than your Tokyo Ghoul and much more emotional than Attack on Titan. This, ladies and gentlemen is 'Battle Royale' - an original story featuring a very gruesome gladiator fight imposed by the government act, between innocent teenagers on a deserted island. One thing is for sure - Battle Royale encapsulates trust, betrayal, love, insanity, gore, fear, anxiety, despair for survival and most importantly, hope into this incredible 15 volume manga that is just incomparable with the movie.
For most of you out there, who've seen the Battle Royale movie and are bitching how it's better than its 'successor' The Hunger Games… You haven't read the manga or the novel that was used to make, what is in my eyes now, poor of an excuse movie. Battle Royale is so surreal and down to Earth gory and explicit, yet somehow it feels frighteningly real and close to our own universe.
A group of 9th grade students are chosen to participate in The Programme called the Battle Royale. It is part of the law, that each year, a 'randomly' chosen 9th grade class, will be participating in this battle to death game, broadcasted all over Japan. A similar story, isn't it? Yet this is the original 'Hunger Games' and I'll go against my own opinion to say - 'Hunger Games' is nothing compare to Battle Royal in every single sense, be it books or the film (I'm being highly subjective here, but hey, this is my review and my own humble opinion)
STORY: 10/10
The story is following the original novel written by Koushun Takami, but expands greatly into a backstory of each single character. The story in this manga is very high paced, yet it doesn't feel too rushed at all, neither is it complicated to comprehend what's going on. It feels very natural and easy to read and the flow is never interrupted with unnecessary scenes. 'Battle Royale' has quality what most present day mainstream 'kawaii' manga lack. It is as if the majority of todays mangakas are aiming at readers who would prefer something 'light' and 'fluffy', but nothing that would seriously shake their already soft brains and challenge them to think deeply about the world they're living in.
'Battle Royale' makes you open your eyes to the reality that we are living in, but do not bear to admit - the brutality of everyday life, be it abused or neglected children, homeless and damaged people, prostitution and mental insanity. It questions the stability and the governments ability to control a nation. It's constantly in motion to question, break and push the limits of morals, such as the value of human life, the value of your own life and the value of friendship and love. One thing you'll be taught after reading 'Battle Royale' is how fragile and easily altered human nature is. How one can crack quickly under pressure when told 'Kill or Be Killed', and what was once a 'friend' is your ticket out of this hell. It makes you realise that there are more things one should treasure and more things one should be willing to sacrifice. It also explores how to show compassion and love towards those that would least expect to receive it, how to forgive those damaged by life people (ref. to Kiriyama).
Every single character in this story gets a chance to shine, and I'm serious - every fucking 42 students get's an opportunity to expose their inner personalities and backstories, that makes it seems like they're real people. It gives us, the readers, a chance to explore the reasons behind their actions, the reasons behind who they are. It is so down to Earth in terms of honesty and in terms of portraying the mentality of the majority of teenagers out there, that I doubt any other manga can do that.
ART: 10/10
'Battle Royale' aims at very realistic approach towards manga illustrations. The eyes are all aiming towards natural shape, the faces of most children are oddly shaped, which brings a great sense of reality. There are no sparkles, neither there are any neglected characters - each and every one of them has features that reflect their own personality. There is NO fan service, and this is what I love about it.
The quality. Oh don't get me started on how detailed and impeccable, Masayuki Taguchi's art in this manga is. I think if it wasn't for his art, this manga wouldn't be that meaningful or that popular. He breathes life into the characters and makes them all seem so ordinary, yet so unique in their own sense. If you think Attack on Titan had extreme expressions, you haven't seen what facial expressions did Kazushi Niida did whilst trying to rape and murder his class mate Takako Chigusa. Taguchi makes the characters to express a lot of pain, anger, desperation, sadness with a little grain of happiness and hope. Because of how extremely violent this manga is, those moments when characters are seen happy, like Nanahara's and Noriko's reunion, makes you believe that even in the most darkest moments, there's always hope.
And yes, this manga is most known for it's brutal, violent and highly sexual depiction. Now I must say, I've seen a lot of gore in manga such as Deadman Wonderland, yet not as EXPLICIT and OVERWHELMINGLY bloody as 'Battle Royale'. It makes Deadman Wonderland look like child's play. The shooting scenes and the way the bullets are portrayed protruding from the persons head with all the brains splashing, might make some of you gag as it's so realistic, it seems like you can hear the blood trickle and smell that sickening metallic smell that it brings. The anatomy can be sometimes exaggerated and the reason why I gave it a 9, is because most teens look like they'd be in their early 20's, when they should be 14/15. Well I guess none manga is flawless
CHARACTER: 10/10
However, the shining coin is the way the manga is divided into small arcs that are each dedicated to a different characters story line. The stories are all individual, meaning they're told from each characters perspective, making the plot very variable and not dragged on AT ALL (emphasis on this).
You have your protagonist, Shuuya Nanahara - a typical wannabe teenager who has big dreams to reach the top in the music industry and become the next 'Elvis'. He's way too loud (often scoulded to 'keep it down' by Kawada) and too quick to trust, but he has a good heart. A heart wanting to save everyone from the hell they're in. The story does revolve about Nanahara's struggles to come to amends with the reality of the game and it can be sometimes annoying, since he's usually turning on the waterworks, but he has a strong character.
Noriko and Kawada are two characters who keep Nanahara together. You could say they are his rock. Kawada must be my favourite. He is a previous winner of the game and his realistic approach usually throws Nanahara off balance, but at the end of the day, if it wasn't for Kawada's strong and sharp mentality, Nanahara wouldn't be Nanahara. Kawada made him to question his own morals, to question his priorities and most importantly, to value Noriko and protect her with his might.
Shinji Mimura was one of my favourite characters. A popular basketball prodigy, Mimura was a ladies man, a heartthrob, but also an extremely intelligent and caring man. His plan to go against the game was my favourite scheme in the series and I deeply miss him. Hiroki Sugimura was another major character, a friend of Mimura and Nanahara, he was the odd one out. Being socially awkward yet disciplined in the martial arts, Sugimura's caring nature was what made him so unique.
You have your main antagonist, Kazuo Kiriyama - a cold blooded killer who's dead on on wining this game. Kiriyama never speaks in the manga, but his personality is shown through actions. In the movie, he was a 'transfer' student, but in the manga, he was a gang leader and a genius who could learn anything he set his eyes on. His past is revealed in the last chapters.
Mitsuko 'Harcore' Souma is your another 'hot' antagonist, and myGod, does she like to flash her body. Abused since childhood, Souma developed a complex character that made her very manipulative and aggressive. In the manga, the chapters about her are the most sexually explicit.
ENJOYMENT & OVERALL: 10/10
Nothing more to add. This was one hell of a manga that took me through a roller coaster of emotional turmoil. It holds a lot of virtues discussing and touching upon so many loopholes in today's society and social background. What it is to truly love? To truly trust? To truly believe in another human being? Is hope really the mother of idiots? Or is it a grain of victory in the middle of
war? Are those who scarify themselves for the sake of others are heroes or idiots?
If you want to find out the answer to these questions, 'Battle Royale' is the answer, After all, this is something that will change you as a person after you read it.
119 of 119 chapters read
LordSoth(All reviews)
42 people found this review helpful
I have to say that I started this series with a recommendation. I was talking with a friend that how I loved 'Berserk' and 'Gantz' (manga of course). Then he said that there is manga called 'battle royale' that I should check it out. After reading the summary of it I was very enthusiastic. However nothing goes as smooth as it begins.
Story starts very promising but then it lose its pace. It always interrupted by pathetic flash backs. There is always a struggle between naive goodness and realistic evil. They tried to create an athmosphere that our good and sweet students are killed by evil ones. There is always a flashback and then a murder. So they think we will be sad:S Its very cliche nothing new to genre.
Characters are so badly arranged. Main character is so naive and always shouting while talking like a hyperactive. Also crying to every dead person. So we have a Pollyanna as a main character. And main evil character is like a robot or you can say inhuman. I dont say that as meaning a stone cold crazy person. Its inhuman in every aspect; reflexes,talents, martial arts. That takes away all that gloomy and realistic athmosphere they tried to create. Other characters has no personality (only their flash back memories which are so typical like revenge issues or promises). No character has charisma to attach you to series. And think that there are 42 characters comprtessed in to 119 chapters.
Art work is not even near the work of gantz or berserk so if you expect sth like that; back off! Art is so discouraging . It does not attach you, ıt can not create a desperate or gloomy atmosphere. Its like they draw it just from necessity. But they draw the close-up's better.
Enjoyment?! Its depression. The depression from finishing the manga u started:S Feelings of hatred against characters because they are so weak or naive and dumb. Pathetic romance trials. Every one going crazy after shooting a cat or sth!!! but everything look so artifical.
One word. ARTIFICAL. This series starts so promising but right after losing everything. Which age group they aimed is still a question. Because if you take gore out there is nothing left for some one 18 and older. No deep thoughts no plot no realistic affairs. Only naiveness remains. Naive and irritating characters with the same cliche 'HOPE'. So I have to say that if you consider to read this manga after liking gantz or berserk; just pass this amnga and continue your search.

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Poll: Battle Royale Chapter 119 Discussion
psygol - Feb 16, 2009		45 replies11 replies