Battle Royale

[Retro]

WOW. Okay, I was bored, tired of re-playing KH, and tired of playing DJ Hero 2 and CoD, so I chose to watch a movie. I didn't feel like watching a comedy or anything, because I was too tired to laugh, lol. Anyways, I thought watching a dark movie, both in content and actual scenery, would help me fall asleep. I chose Battle Royale, and man, it was one of the craziest movies ever. Apparently it 'inspired' the Hunger Games, which I'm iffy on, because I don't see how that movie could have even been half as kupoed up as Battle Royale.
Check it out (if you don't mind reading subtitles :/) Netflix: Battle Royale

[Space Cowboy]

Children sent to fight each other on an island on the whim of the Government.

How did it not inspire The Hunger Games?

[Retro]

Children sent to fight each other on an island on the whim of the Government.

How did it not inspire The Hunger Games?

I just didn't know about it, but Battle Royale was extreme. Like, the type of stuff that would start riots in America. At least I think it would. I didn't mind it much, but I know people take entertainment too seriously sometimes, and the kids in these movies where supposed to be around 15-16 years old I think

[quiteMAD]

Funny, I've read the manga and love it, and I have Netflix on my PS3, but I never watched the movie.

Anybody know how the movie compares to the manga?

[XIII Heartless]

Children sent to fight each other on an island on the whim of the Government.

How did it not inspire The Hunger Games?

Regardless of the similarities, I believe the author when she says that she'd never heard of Battle Royale when she wrote the books. ninjas act like they've never heard the saying "there are no new stories" before. The idea of people being forced to fight to the death isn't a groundbreaking new tale, it's been around since the beginning of storytelling.

Now excuse me while I go catch up on Deadman Wonderland.

[Master Spockanort]

I've read the novel and watched both movies. Despite all of the blood and death, it is still one of my fav things to chill with on the weekend xD

[quiteMAD]

Regardless of the similarities, I believe the author when she says that she'd never heard of Battle Royale when she wrote the books. ninjas act like they've never heard the saying "there are no new stories" before. The idea of people being forced to fight to the death isn't a groundbreaking new tale, it's been around since the beginning of storytelling.

Now excuse me while I go catch up on Deadman Wonderland.

It's not just that. It's kids being forced to fight to the death in a totalitarian dictatorship for the entertainment of the masses, and the main characters creating an alliance amidst the bloodshed in order take down the institution so they can all live. The major difference is that Battle Royale ends on a much more bleak and realistic note.

Her saying she'd never heard of Battle Royale before is as believable as if George R. R. Martin were to say he never read Lord of the Rings. It's not even like she would lose fans if she admitted BR inspired her, anyway, because the second and third book go in completely different directions from where BR went.

[Nyangoro]

It's not like it's a bad thing to be inspired by something else. Hell, if that inspiration churned out a better product (which, according to The Hunger Games's fanbase, it did), then it's a good thing.

By better, I mean relative to the same product without that inspiration, not better than the material that inspired it, lol

[XIII Heartless]

I don't know why it's so hard to believe. Hell, I'd never heard of it before the Hunger Games. I started seeing "this is a ripoff of Battle Royale" everywhere I went for news on the movie while I was readin the book and was like "the diddly is Battle Royale?" So no, I honestly believe the woman. It's not that hard to believe, especially considering Battle Royale is more a cult classic anyways.

[Love Machine]

I read the book last year and it was just amazing. Tried to get my friends to read it because all they would talk about literature-wise was the Hunger Games (which I'm rather tired of.) They didn't want to because they thought the names would be too difficult to remember, which disappointed me.

I still need to see the movie. I'll probably get it on Blu-Ray next time I go to a convention.

[quiteMAD]

I don't know why it's so hard to believe. Hell, I'd never heard of it before the Hunger Games. I started seeing "this is a ripoff of Battle Royale" everywhere I went for news on the movie while I was readin the book and was like "the kupo is Battle Royale?" So no, I honestly believe the woman. It's not that hard to believe, especially considering Battle Royale is more a cult classic anyways.

You're not a writer, though. It's not as surprising that you've never heard of it.

Even if she didn't know about it before she started writing it, she couldn't have pitched it without at least SOMEONE making the comparison to her. And, speaking from experience, finding out you unknowingly just told a story someone else has done is kinda heart breaking. So I can see why she'd want to deny it. But it's just not believable.

[XIII Heartless]

You're not a writer, though. It's not as surprising that you've never heard of it.

Even if she didn't know about it before she started writing it, she couldn't have pitched it without at least SOMEONE making the comparison to her. And, speaking from experience, finding out you unknowingly just told a story someone else has done is kinda heart breaking. So I can see why she'd want to deny it. But it's just not believable.

Incorrect. I am a writer. As well as an extremely avid reader. You ever hear that statement about what happens when you assume things? :I

And if she got the idea and started writing it before ever hearing of Battle Royale…she wasn't inspired by it bruh, even if it was brought to her attention mid-writing. So no, yeah it's believable.

[Nyangoro]

Eh, it's still so similar that I find it difficult to believe that she hadn't heard of it at all.

I mean, I get that people sometimes don't want to admit when they've been influenced by something for PR's sake, but I don't think it's necessary most of the time.

[Delsan]

Ugh. I knew someone was going to mention the Hunger Games controversy. How about we actually discuss Battle Royale like this thread intended us to?

[XIII Heartless]

No one's arguing that admitting you were influenced by something is bad. I just genuinely believe she'd never heard of it prior to writing the first Hunger Games.