Gservo
9th January 2003, 02:55 AM
Under the heading of comics-to-film-to-comics, Comics2Film has learned that TOKYOPOP is working to bring the controversial manga title Battle Royale to the U.S.
TOKYOPOP has lined up Veteran scribe Keith Giffen (Dominion) to write the English-language adaptation of the book. Giffen is a fan of the film, which has attained a large following in the United States in spite of never having had a legitimate release here.
"Keith is a perfect match with this project. He knows how to handle the sensitive material and bring out the social commentary from within this very dark, disturbing and violent project," Marc Paniccia of TOKYOPOP told C2F.
Takami Koushun wrote the original Battle Royale novel. He went on to pen the script for the manga which is illustrated by Taguchi Masayuki. The film was directed by Kinji Fukasaku who Quentin Tarantino (Kill Bill) and John Woo (Windtalkers) frequently cite as an influence.
The ultra-violent movie is largely viewed as unsuitable for mainstream, American, post-Columbine audiences.
The premise involves a near-future Japan, plagued by economic and social decay, and an increasingly violent youth underclass. To remedy the situation, the government enacts the Battle Royale Act, creating a to-the-death tournament for under-achieving junior high-school age children. The students are isolated on an island, given guns and other weapons, and forced to engage in the bloody, last-man-standing contest.
As with all TOKYOPOP translations, Battle Royale will be presented in authentic manga format. The format presents the artwork as originally intended, reading right-to-left (not a left-to-right mirror image as is often presented). The original Japanese-lettered sound effects are also left intact.
TOKYOPOP will publish the English-language edition of the eight-volume Battle Royale in May.
TOKYOPOP has lined up Veteran scribe Keith Giffen (Dominion) to write the English-language adaptation of the book. Giffen is a fan of the film, which has attained a large following in the United States in spite of never having had a legitimate release here.
"Keith is a perfect match with this project. He knows how to handle the sensitive material and bring out the social commentary from within this very dark, disturbing and violent project," Marc Paniccia of TOKYOPOP told C2F.
Takami Koushun wrote the original Battle Royale novel. He went on to pen the script for the manga which is illustrated by Taguchi Masayuki. The film was directed by Kinji Fukasaku who Quentin Tarantino (Kill Bill) and John Woo (Windtalkers) frequently cite as an influence.
The ultra-violent movie is largely viewed as unsuitable for mainstream, American, post-Columbine audiences.
The premise involves a near-future Japan, plagued by economic and social decay, and an increasingly violent youth underclass. To remedy the situation, the government enacts the Battle Royale Act, creating a to-the-death tournament for under-achieving junior high-school age children. The students are isolated on an island, given guns and other weapons, and forced to engage in the bloody, last-man-standing contest.
As with all TOKYOPOP translations, Battle Royale will be presented in authentic manga format. The format presents the artwork as originally intended, reading right-to-left (not a left-to-right mirror image as is often presented). The original Japanese-lettered sound effects are also left intact.
TOKYOPOP will publish the English-language edition of the eight-volume Battle Royale in May.