Konban wa, listeners! This week, Ele from Our Fair City and Wildclaw Theatre joins us to talk the Japanese cult film Battle Royale – the tale of a group of kids forced to participate in a punitive government program to punish bad students by making them fight to the death on a deserted island with random weapons. Of course, since the students have apparently not heard of this at all, what’s the point of Battle Royale if it doesn’t sufficiently scare people into doing better at school? Still, we have a lot of fun with it, involving discussions about Beat Takeshi’s sweet tooth, the importance of basketball, and so much more. Don’t forget to check out our custom cocktail and drinking game below!
(This episode is sponsored by Cards Against Humanity as part of the Chicago Podcast Cooperative.)
LISTEN HERE OR DOWNLOAD:
THIS EPISODE’S DRINK: Keiko-Cola
It’s a Japanese film, so naturally, we put sake in there (sue us). We also made this cocktail appropriately bubbly and fruity befitting the tongue-in-cheek dark comedy of the film, not to mention including fruits that a random Battle Royale participant might conceivably find on an island like this.
2 parts Gekkeikan sake
1 part Meyer Lemon-infused vodka
1 part blackberry puree
4 parts mandarin-key lime soda
1) To make the blackberry puree, simply pulverize or blend a handful of blackberries together until smooth.
2) Combine sake, vodka and puree in a shaker with ice, and shake vigorously to break up that puree and mix everything together. Pour in a Collins glass over ice, then top with the soda. Garnish with lime wedge.
DRINKING RULES FOR BATTLE ROYALE:
- Whenever the death games are interrupted by talk about teen drama
- Any time you see intertitles (e.g. the death count, narratively important repetition of thematic dialogue)
- Every time you hear a piece of classical music in the score
FINISH YOU DRINK WHEN:
Noriko says, “It’s beautiful….even though that’s where everyone died.”
Strap in, Marty, ‘cause next week we’re going Back to the Future!
Really enjoyed this episode and loved all the Banana Man songs you sang. I don’t agree that this movie sexualizes, violence in anyway. The girls are not wearing the standard fetish school girl uniforms that you see in other things. I don’t think the adults flat out say they can keep their personal belonings. But some of the girls do figure out that you can use sex as a weapon. And in Junior high with bunch of horny teenagers. This aint gonna be tough.
Ooops I meant Bandana Man songs. My bad