Ep. 336: Battle Royale (2000)

Claire and Gavia look back at the influential Japanese survival thriller Battle Royale, a violent dystopian tale about a class of teenagers who are forced to fight to the death by their authoritarian government. Often compared to The Hunger Games, this film has a fascinating (and controversial) backstory, with director Kinji Fukasaku drawing inspiration from his own traumatic experiences as a teenager during World War II.

Links:

Kinji Fukasaku’s directorial statement

"Children Have No Hope for the Future," Time Magazine

“The Kid Killers,” The Guardian

Previously: The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes