Comparing The Hunger Games to Battle Royale and why they aren't the same
Don’t do it Seriously though. Just don’t. I realize the basis of collecting a bunch of kids and sending them off to kill each other is the same, but that’s about all there is to it.
I read Battle Royale in my sophemore year of high school (that’s almost 7 years ago) and it quickly became one of my favourite books. Because of this, when THG first came out, I was a bit skeptical to read. The synopsis did sound rather copycat, but it doesn’t take long to see the differences.
BR is for a more adult orientated audience, with brutal violence and the story in general is kept very dark. THG is written more for the YA audience and as such it focuses more on the relationships between its central characters (an aspect of the trilogy that can become tedious for older readers.)
There is much more character development in THG vs BR. Katniss Everdeen isn’t just some vapid heroine. She’s not perfect; her flaws are obvious and real. THG is more adventure with a political statement and romantic values. BR is much more an exploration of the human psyche. Unlike HG, it is very dark, very brutal, very emotional, and very disturbing.
Battle Royale has much more detail (gore everywher! weee!), more sub-plot, and and much more action which in turn, make it an incredibly;engaging book.
However, when Battle Royale ends (spoilers!) with Shuya and Noriko escaping, that’s it. That’s the end of the book. With the exception of a plan to get to the USA, we don’t really know what happens to our protagonists after that. We don’t get any behind the scenes of the game. It’s the one game and that’s the end.
Whereas when THG ends, the revolution begins. THG doesn’t just surround itself on the idea of kids killing kids like BR does. Instead, the main plot point happens to be the political elements. This is completely different from BR.
THG is much more focused on how horrible the Panem government is — Katniss, for example, never finds herself drawn into the horrors of the games the way the characters of BR do. If BR illuminates the darkness at the heart of humanity, then THG illuminates the evils of totalitarianism.
Both are brilliant books geared to different audiences and I highly suggest you read both.
Battle Royale > The Hunger Games
I’ve been reading Battle Royale by Koushun Takami for almost two weeks now (thanks to Kharen, she gave it to me as a birthday gift). I’m halfway finished with the book, what caused the delay? I’m currently working right now and the only time that I get to read books is after my work which is six in the morning everyday.
Realization after reading 347/620 pages of Battle Royale: please refer to the title of this post. Why?
- I think The Hunger Games was completely ripped off from the former. Plot: battle to the death, survival of the fittest, adolescents forced to kill each other until only one survives, a loathsome government. Connect the dots, I can only find a few difference.
- The former is more detailed when it comes to all of the characters, to be specific: 42 Junior High Students of Shiroiwa Prefecture. All 42 students has a page or two story in the book.
- The Hunger Games is designed for all ages while I will not recommend the former to be read by the younger population. Battle Royale, like what I said above, is very detailed in a sense that you’ll know the color of what will come out of your skull once it was shot by your, supposedly, friend.
I’m hoping that I could finish reading the former so that I will be able to lengthen the list above. I’m currently balancing my need to get an enough amount of sleep and my longing to finish the book.
My work is very stressful and before I finish this, I would like to ask you this question: What if one day you find yourself inside the pages of a book and you discovered that it was The Hunger Games, or worse, Battle Royale? What would you do?
Will you realize that your bigger than a book and you cannot cram yourself between its pages? I’m joking. Till next time.
