Sudden Images of a Beautiful Past

There are days when it is easy to get depressed especially on rainy days when every patter of rain seems like  a batch of daggers aiming for a stab at one's heart.

But then something strange happened today. I suddenly thought of people who I haven't seen in years who have shown me goodness.

For instance, a highschool friend who used to drop me and my sisters at home after school despite the many times I was terribly unkind to her.

Or aunts who used to be buy children's books for me and my siblings.

Or a student younger than me who brings out her hanky to wipe the sweat on my forehead after seeing me run around the school

Or that boy in my elementary class who gave me a sheet of paper when I suddenly realized I had forgotten to bring mine, and despite the fact that I was hated for being too active in class.

Or that sweet girl friend of mine who used to treat me to hotdogs during recess.

Or the funny guy whose name I cannot even recall who danced the "Johnny Bravo Dance" with me when we were in grade school.

Or those people who sincerely wished me good luck everytime I enter a contest.

And I always thought that the past is not so good, that it is full of tragic moments. In my mind, these memories of wonderful people and the seemingly little things which have brought me joy are and will be preserved well.

金陵十三钗 (2011)

金陵十三钗 (The Flowers of War) is a 2011 historical film directed by Zhang Yimou, about the horrors of one of the most brutal events in the history of man, the Rape of Nanking. The movie shows the sufferings of the Chinese in the hands of Japanese soldiers who occupied Nanking in December 1937 and juxtaposed these with the valiant and heroic sacrifices people made.

The movie stars Christian Bale as an American mortician who pretended to be a priest in order to protect the teenage girls at a convent school since it is said that the Japanese wouldn't dare touch a Westerner. John Miller refuses at first, seeing he wouldn't benefit from such a role but seeing the danger the girls are in following an intrusion wherein the girls were almost raped by the Japanese soldiers, he stepped up to become their guardian and protector.

A group of prostitutes forced their way into the convent. At first, this group always bickered with the convent girls, but in the end, it is they who saved the girls. As the prostitutes' leader Yu Mo says, prostitutes have always been seen in a bad light and what better way than to redeem themselves and changing the way society perceives prostitutes by doing one final act of greatness in the form of sacrifice.

The scene where the prostitutes sang and danced against iridescent light is my favorite scene in the film. In it, the prostitutes, so small and materialistic in the eyes of the society, suddenly becomes great beings capable of love and sacrifice in eyes of the girls, especially of Shu, the seeming leader of the convent girls.

The movie may be violent in most parts and it does have disturbing scenes not for the fainthearted but it does effectively show great human attributes in times of war. Compassion, sacrifice, love, forgiveness, loyalty, and above all, the indomitable human spirit are all expressed in this movie.

白蛇傳說之法海 (2011)

白蛇傳說之法海 (The Sorcerer and the White Snake) is a 2011 action fantasy film based on the legend of the white snake popular in Chinese mythology. The film stars Jet Li as the abbot Fahai who journeys around to vanquish demons together with his disciple-turned-monster Nengren. At the onset, it seemed like a film about Buddhism and the fight versus good and evil, though there is romance involved as the film also explores the love affair between a mortal and a snake demon in the persons of Xuxian and Susu respectively.

Susu the snake demon falls in love with the physician Xuxian and the two marry each other without Xuxian knowing about his wife's true nature. Susu, though a snake demon, has a good heart and helps her husband create medicine where she breathes magic into. When Fahai detected demon magic in the medicine, he gave Xuxian a spirit blade meant to protect him. When Susu took on her snake form and couldn't revert to human form, she was stabbed by Xuxian who was unaware that the snake and his wife are one. When Xuxian learned the truth, was advised to get a special root to help Susu recover and he did though when the root was taken, other captured demons were freed which possessed Xuxian.


Then the more important fight scenes begin as Susu and her sister Qingqing fight Fahai to "save" Xuxian who was under the care of the monks in the process of banishing the demons. Fahai fights the two sisters to prevent any interference but the snakes were successful in destroying the temple.


It is in this scene where we see the dedication of the praying monks as they remain indifferent to what is happening around them even to the point when they were already submerged in the water. This is a  beautiful metaphor for the Buddhist message not to worry about the tribulations in life and still strive to do what is right or what is expected of a person.


It is also in this scene where Fahai is seen contemplating about his actions and questioning if he is doing the right thing. As a monk, it is his duty to capture demons and have them meditate to attain enlightenment. At this point though, seeing the love between Susu and Xuxian, he begins to entertain doubts but nevertheless achieves enlightenment.


He then was able to trap Susu but also granted her final wish to see Xuxian one last time. The ending of the two lovers' romance was tragic as Susu was sucked to the temple to spend her days on meditation.


I think that the type of Buddhism adhered to by Fahai is one that believes even demons have the capacity to attain enlightenment through constant meditation. As such, Nirvana is not limited to the religious but extends to all beings as a manifestation of mercy from the Heavens. One important Buddhist precept is the nature of a thing regardless of physical manifestation, as embodied by the young monk Nengren who, despite having been transformed into demon form after being bitten by a bat demon, retains his humane characteristics as he helped fish other monks from the waters and deliver them to safety.

Why Learn a Foreign Language

Languages play an important role in our daily life as it serves as a communicative tool that facilitates interaction with other people. We acquire language skills since infancy and as we grow older these language skills are developed in such a way that it allows us to express complex ideas and to convey abstract ideas.

Knowing a language allows us to engage with people who speak the same language. Knowing a language allows us to access information written in that same language. Knowing a language allows us to appreciate more the culture to which that language is part of.

Imagine knowing more than one language. Imagine then overcoming language barriers to read poetry in its original language, to have access to information in other languages! Indeed, at present when information is almost everywhere and linguistic differences are the only things that keep you from getting that much needed information, there is a need for multilinguals. Nowadays, knowing one's mother tongue is not enough, and even fluency in English is not enough. Learning another foreign language is always a plus as it widens your horizons and opens more career opportunities.

I have been fortunate to have been exposed to Fookien, Tagalog, English, and Mandarin since childhood. Since I love reading, I discovered one of the advantages of knowing Chinese as this allowed me to read manga translated into Chinese, like Ranma 1/2, Dragonball, Mojacko, and Doraemon. As a young adolescent infatuated with anything Japanese due to the anime boom in the '90s, I started picking up simple Japanese phrases and words until I decided to study the language by myself. In college I took up European Languages with the main goal of being able to read untranslated Spanish and French literature. I would have loved to learn Russian, Italian, Portuguese, and German, but there's always the problem of time constraint. Instead now I'm back to studying Japanese seeing how useful it will be in the near future.


Autodidactic's Tips on Learning a Foreign Language: Learning a Foreign Language by Self-Study

Autodidactic's Tips on Learning a Foreign Language: Learning a Foreign Language by Self-Study

Studying a foreign language does not mean you have to enroll in a language school in order to learn. While interacting with other fellow learners would be an advantage of language-learning in the classroom, there are also disadvantages. One disadvantage of enrolling in a language course is that one has to adjust to the class schedule which means that you have to sacrifice other activities (i.e. work) just to learn. Another is the costly fees usually associated with language schools.

I have just recently resumed my self-study of Nihonggo. I started to study Japanese in 2003, after buying two books: "Japanese for Today" and "Everyday Japanese". My goals then were just to be able to read Japanese and to make myself familiar with Japanese words, thus my studies were done in a highly undisciplined manner, opening the books only when I felt like it. I went on hiatus in 2006 when I entered college and by that time, I knew how to read and write hiragana, had little knowledge of katakana, was already familiar with a lot of Kanji, and could already understand simple sentences. 

Now, I have resolved to continue my self-study of the Japanese language. I still use the same books, but the difference is that now I include online materials.

Here are some tips to help you learn a foreign language all by yourself:

Image:  http://learnworldlanguages.com/

1. Before anything else, ask yourself why you want to study a particular language.

This will be your motivation for studying a foreign language. Are you planning to work, live, or stay in a country where that language is spoken? Or do you want to gain a thorough understanding of a culture through its language? In my case, I want to study Japanese to achieve fluency in order to be able to translate texts. Keep in mind that there is no right nor wrong answer to this question but that knowing your motivations will keep you more focused and will help you design your own curriculum.

2. Set goals.

Have a realistic goal in mind. What do you want to achieve? In my case, I want to be able to translate simple stories and to watch movies without subtitles after two months of self-study.

3. Use a main reference material but prepare supplements.

Buy a book which suits your level. To be on the safe side, choose one that is appropriate for beginners and which contains conversations, grammar explanations, and exercise drills. Make this your main reference material, but do not limit yourself to this one particular book. Supplement this songs, videos, dictionaries, and other grammar books. In my case, I watch anime and listen to Japanese songs.

4. Read children's books.

Reading children's books in the language you are studying helps, too, since sentence structures are fairly simple and you will not be overwhelmed and discouraged. Besides, it is a good way to build your vocabulary. Oh, and when you read, READ ALOUD!

5. Make studying a habit.

I know this is hard especially when it gets frustrating, but a lack of discipline would get you nowhere. Sometimes it's just in how you manage your time. Twenty minutes of study everyday is sure to bring much improvement.

In my case, I study almost everyday but without a definite schedule. Sometimes I study for three hours and sometimes just half an hour. 

6. When stumped or uncertain, RESEARCH!

Suddenly having difficulty with a topic? Research online! Or research on ways to cope with that difficulty. Chances are other learners also experience what you're going through.

To share some of my experiences, I found verb conjugations in Japanese difficult since the book I use does not explain in depth how to conjugate verbs. So I did a research on the internet and found useful information.

7. Take notes.

Notes are not just taken in class, they are also helpful when doing a self-study. Taking down notes not only increases chances of remembering words or grammar formulas, it also lets you practice writing non-romanized languages. Also, you may bring your notes with you everywhere so you may review what you have learned while in the bus or waiting for someone.

In my case, I create lists of kanji and foreign words (in katakana) as I encounter them. 

8. Immersion!

There is no quicker way than travelling to the country where your target language is spoken. Once there, interact with locals. Speak no English. Speak the language no matter how awkward or stupid you may sound. 

No budget? Search for online language communities or online forums and befriend a native speaker with whom you can practice your target language.

9. Face the mirror and talk to yourself.

This may make you look like a crazy idiot but it does work as it helps in making your tongue accustomed to producing sounds in the target language which may not be found in your own language. It also helps you come up with what to say faster.

With these tips, I'm sure you would be learning any foreign language in no time! 

三國演義

This year, a Chinese cable channel has started to air 三國 (Three Kingdoms), a TV series adaptation of the Chinese classic 三國演義 (Romance of the Three Kingdoms). The series, directed by Gao Xixi, was first released in May 2010.

I was awed at the first few episodes of the series. It seems like this is one of those lucky enough to have been allotted a huge sum what with beautiful graphics. It was a truly remarkable work, not to mention the choice of actors and actresses who took on their respective roles with such believable portrayal.

So lately I have been following this series. The benefits are numerous, not only do I get to know more about Chinese history, I also get to brush up on my Chinese. Mind though that the language used in 三國 is not the same as modern Chinese and there are a lot of things I do not comprehend, or am slow to grasp. But at least, getting exposed to Old Chinese make me understand more the Japanese language since the latter borrowed much from the former.

In line with my occupation with 三國, I have researched on other media adaptations of 三國演義. The only ones I have watched prior to my interest in the Chinese classic is Koutetsu Sangokushi and Ikki Tousen, both anime series which wove their own respective plots from the classic. And yes, 三國演義 is very popular even in Japan, so I guess I will be expecting myself to watch anime and read manga related to it.

And then there's this wonderful song used in the Japanese anime 三國誌 based on 三國演義 and which I found on Youtube:

And here is a more mellow and sadder version (or maybe it's because the video's old) which was actually used in the anime.

Japanese Online Vocabulary Test

I took this test to see how familiar I am with Japanese words. Then again, this test fails in that a user who knows Chinese will rely on his/ her knowledge of Chinese rather than of Japanese and thus defeats the purpose. On a positive side, it helps in acquiring new vocabulary as one sees the range of Chinese-inspired words. I for one, increase my vocabulary by means of association with known words from different languages.

One suggestion though is that futagana be used so that those who need to brush up on their kanji may learn how to pronounce the words while taking the test.

Oh, and I stopped because it's already late and I don't know what time I will finish with an almost 5,000 item test. I guess I'll just have to look for other quizzes available online.

Pag-aaral sa Labas ng Akademia

Kakatapos ko lang ng kursong Arkiyolohiya sa graduadong nibel noong Abril. Pagkatapos noon, nangako ako sa sarili ko na huwag munang mag-enroll nang basta basta, bagkus ay magsimula nang maghanap ng trabaho. Alam kong hindi madali ang pasyang ito sapagkat labis na akong napamahal sa UP at tila doon lang ako makakatagpo ng purong kaligayahan kapiling ang mga libro sa iba't ibang silid aklatang nagkalat sa unibersidad. Pero minsan ay kailangang maging praktikal. Ni hindi ko alam kung bakit ako sinasabihan ng mga tao dati na napakapraktikal ko, e sa aking palagay ay napakaromantiko't idealista ako.

Ngayong semestre ay hindi ako nag-enrol sa kahit na anong kurso. Sabi ko sa sarili ko, tama lang din iyon upang mabalikan ko rin ang mga bagay na inaaral ko nang mag-isa lang. Halimbawa na lamang ang Nihonggo na sinimulan kong aralin nang malaman kong mas madali iyon para sa akin gayong magaling ako sa wikang Tsino. At nakita ko sa sarili ko na mabilis ako matuto ng mga wika. Siguro isang faktor na rin doon ang pagiging mahilig ko sa anime at dahil na rin doon, sa mga kantang hapon. Sinimulan kong mag-aral ng Nihonggo sa bahay noong hayskul pa lang ako. Nang umapak na ako sa kolehiyo ay unti-unting nawalan ako ng oras para dito.

At ngayon na mas may libreng oras ako habang wala pang trabaho ay binuksan ko muli ang mga librong binili ko dati at nag-aaral muli ng Nihonggo. Medyo mahirap pero kakayanin. Ako naman yung tipo ng tao na hindi mabilis sumuko. At kahit na minsan ay parang sasabog na ang ulo ko, tuloy pa rin. Alam ko namang makukuha iyan sa tiyaga at determinasyon.

Bukod pa rito ay kinuha ko ang ilang libro ng mga kapatid ko upang magbasa-basa tungkol sa iba't ibang bagay. Medyo maswerte ako dahil nagkalat sa bahay ang mga libro sa fisika, matematika, at negosyo. Sayang lang wala ni isa sa amin ang kumuha ng IT o computer science. Sa ngayon ay inaaral ko ang mga may kinalaman sa negosyo, lalo na sa accounting. Sa aking palagay, magagamit ko iyon panigurado sa aking pagpasok sa corporate world.

Bakit nga ba ako nag-aaral nang kung anu-ano? Iyan ang madalas na tanong sa akin ng mga tao. Isa lang ang masasabi ko, hindi natin alam kung kailan natin kakailanganin ang mga bagay na tila walang halaga. Mabuti nang maging handa kaysa magsisi sa huli. Kung kaya't para sa akin, bawat segundo ay mahalaga, at ito'y inilalaan ko sa pag-aaral ng kung anu-ano. Maaaring galing sa libro ang impormasyon, maaaring aktwal na pagppraktis nito. Ang mahalaga ay alam ko kung paano ko gamitin ang mga bagay na natutunan ko.

Chicken Liver Adobo

Yesterday I accompanied my mom to the wet market, acting as her PA and also as adviser on what to buy. While buying chicken breast, I saw chicken liver and asked her to buy some and she did. So upon arriving home, when she asked me what we'll be having for dinner, I promptly replied, "Chicken liver adobo!"

Now to be honest, I never liked chicken liver in my younger days and it used to be included in my list of disgusting foods. That is, until one day I tried it out just for the sake of seeing if maybe I can give it a chance. And well, I liked the texture and the taste and the rest is history.

How to cook chicken liver adobo (or adobong atay ng manok)? Basically I sauteed a few thin ginger slices and one whole garlic bulb (pounded of course) in a cooking pan. When golden brown, I put in half a kilo of chicken liver. When the liver was slightly cooked, I added soy sauce, cane vinegar, some laurel leaves, and slightly pounded peppercorns for that wonderful aroma. Now I don't use any measuring tools, I am the kind of cook who uses her taste buds to adjust the amount of condiments.

Put in a little water, approximately 2 cups. Cover the pan. You have to check once in a while if the sauce is already at an acceptable level. I turned off the stove once I see that some liver melted into the sauce and personally, I like this a lot since it gives an extra flavor to the sauce.

Chicken liver is actually healthy. In fact, animal livers are healthy because they are rich in Iron and it's good for people who are anemic. Other nutritional benefits that one may get from chicken liver include Vitamins A, B2, B6, B9, B12, Niacin, and essential amino acids. The only downside is that chicken liver is high in cholesterol content and people at risk for heart diseases should control the amount of chicken liver they eat.

References:

10 Health Benefits of Chicken Liver

Nutrition of Chicken Liver

On Cooking and TOMATO SOUP

I started to cook at home last month. Before that, it's very rare that I cook meals for the simple reason that twice I was traumatized at seeing the flames rise from the pans while I am in charge of the kitchen. One was when I attempted to fry something. The other was when I tried to make buttered popcorn. I do admit that I am a disaster in the kitchen so I told myself, okay this could be the one thing I will never excel at.

Boy, was I wrong. The first day was like an initiation of some sorts and learned how to properly saute garlic, ginger, and onions. It wasn't that easy for me because I don't like using cooking oil. Tell me to cook rice or make a soup and I will willingly oblige, but NEVER EVER ask me to fry... PLEASE. Unfortunately, one can never escape fried foods... And I am one of those who like eating fatty greasy food (unhealthy I know and so I am controlling what I eat now). And sooner or later I will have to learn how to face those damn frighteningly popping oil which occasionally explodes. (No wonder I always have my shield, the trusted wok cover, to somehow protect me from the evil oily projectiles.)

So now they do trust me to cook vegetables. But really, soup is my specialty since I like mixing ingredients that I fancy and throwing them into a pot of boiling water and then I call it SOUP already. Yesterday while raiding the refrigerator, I happened to see several packs of tomatoes and one basket of really red tomatoes, the kind that makes you think of pasta and salsa... YUM! Seeing that some of the tomatoes are already rotten, I went on a rotten tomato hunt and collected all the still good ones. I told my mom about it and proposed to make TOMATO SOUP (what else?).

So I did a quick research on the Internet but since most of the recipes involve microwave oven to roast the tomatoes for that extra flavor (they said and I do believe them though as of the moment we still haven't found a place for the microwave oven and can therefore not use it yet.) So I relied on what we have--- that is, saute lots of garlic, onions, the add the halved tomatoes. Really nice smell though I could imagine in my mind the smell and flavor of roast tomatoes (DOUBLY YUM!!!)

After that, I shot everything into the blender and made a puree. Then off to the pot again to boil. For added texture (and to make MY tomato soup less boring) I added small carrot cubes and malunggay leaves. Of course, the usual salt and pepper which I have learned, are indispensable in cooking. It's a good thing that my mother reminded me to use herbs and I opted for oregano and basil, which made the soup taste a little like pasta sauce but which I LOVE, so there.

Today for breakfast I had leftover tomato soup with sotanghon. Really nice combination. I suddenly had this idea of putting sardine flakes the next time I get to cook tomato soup. Texture plus a fishy taste... can't wait!!!

(Leftover tomato soup needs to be kept in the freezer since tomatoes easily spoil.)

Now there are a few tomatoes left and they have this beautiful red color so I'm thinking of making salsa since people here were surprised last April when I made my first ever salsa as dip for nachos. They loved it and they couldn't believe I could create something like that. Well, I'm rather good at knowing what goes well with which. All I needed was to look at the ingredients of ready made salsa at the grocery store and the ratio's already up to my taste buds.

日本語の勉強

言語とアニメが好きだから、　私わ日本語を勉強する。今日"Japanese for Today" の第八課の短い対話を読む。日本語わ難しいだ。　漢字わ難しくない、中国語を知ってるから。　漢字の意味わのほとんどを知っている。　でも　文法が　とても難しく　複雑だ。　動詞の形成わ　非常に紛らわしい。

今　頭が痛い、心も痛い。　試験に失敗の事を考えるから。でも　まだあきらめない。　いつか　きっと日本語を習得する。

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This is my first attempt to write a short essay in Japanese. Since I have been studying the language all by myself and since I have had no formal schooling on this, I am not sure if my grammar is correct. And I know I have a long long way to go before I can master the language.

But for now I am happy to find  that I read and write faster now. Yay!!!

頑張って, ミル!!!

Batman Movies

Lately I have been watching Batman movies, starting with those directed by Tim Burton. Those are just well, Burtonesque, with dangerously playful madness pervading the atmosphere. Christopher Nolan's on the other hand, are more serious and darker in a different sense.

A notable difference is the sudden lack of witty lines. The previous Batman films which saw Batman battling Joker, Riddler, Posion Ivy, Bane, Mr. Freeze, and Two Face had more pun-intended quotes which would certainly delight those who find wordplay amusing.

Today I watched Batman Begins (2005) which was directed by Nolan. It looks more like a psychological thriller than an action flick. But well, Batman is deeply psychological. Bruce Wayne has always been managing his fears. Bats used to frighten him, but then later on,, he turned that fear into something positive: by becoming one with his fear and become Batman, the costumed hero feared by the bad guys in Gotham City.

There are lots of flashbacks to Bruce Wayne's childhood, which are of course, necessary because the film is about the beginnings of Batman. We see in this movie why Bruce Wayne chose to be Batman instead of any other animal-inspired hero. It also gives a glimpse of what his parents were like. Altruism must run in the family blood! Moreover, the movie emphasizes the importance of using one's powers for the good of mankind and of standing up to evil especially when one has the means to do so.

As usual, Alfred Pennyworth is there to give sound advice to his young master. In particular I like his inspiring line:

"Why do we fall, sir? So that we might learn to pick ourselves up."

This was also what Bruce Wayne's father told his son when the latter fell into a deep hole and was traumatized by bats. And this is what I should tell myself whenever I fail in something: that it's meant to happen to teach me a lesson or two about determination and the human will.

I'll be watching The Dark Knight next. And I hope to watch The Dark Knight Rises on the big screen.

Battle Royale (2000)

It must have been one of those days when I had nothing to do and then I surf the internet on the latest trending things the youth of today are attracted to. A few months ago, there was the movie Hunger Games which was based on Suzanne Collins' book of the same title. I haven't seen the movie yet but I guess I will have to one of these days just to see for myself the similarities and differences of that movie to the Japanese Battle Royale.

Battle Royale itself was based on a manga by Koushun Takami which tempted me to read it, too, especially after watching the film. The story revolves around 42 students who were gassed while inside a bus on a fieldtrip. They woke up finding an electronic collar around each student's neck and were briefed on the Battle Royale, a result of the Millennium Educational Reform Act meant to "reform" the students who were becoming more and more uncontrollable in the eyes of the adults. The rule is simple: the students kill each other until only one survives. If more than one survives after three days, everyone dies.

The 42 students were comprised of different personalities. Most opted not to participate in the game and they form small bands trying to find a way out of the grim situation they were in. Still, others like Kazuo Kiriyama and Mitsuko Souma were more than eager to win as they unhesitatingly killed anyone that crosses their respective paths. The movie explores the different reactions of people under a situation when only one can emerge as winner: paranoia, manipulation, deception, and mistrust. On a more positive side, it also considers cooperation and overcoming trust issues as a way to get out of the game.

One group of girls were found to be working together until one of them puts poison in the food supposed to be given to Nanahara, the main protagonist of the story. Paranoia had crept into the girl as she had seen Nanahara "kill" one of their classmates. The food was eaten by another girl who died in front of the other girls and which immediately triggered mistrust among the group that they ended up gunning down each other. This is one of my favorite scenes, seeing these girls suddenly becoming experts in ducking and aiming guns at each other like trained soldiers.

If there are two characters I would have liked to win, it would be Hiroki Sugimura and Shinji Mimura. Armed with just a GPS tracking device, Sugimura goes off alone to warn his best friend Takako Chigusa and his crush Kayoko Kotohiki. But he met a tragic death in the hands of Kotohiki who thought he was dangerous and fired at him nonstop. Still as he lay dying, Sugimura warns her of the coming of Kiriyama who soon afterward kills Kotohiki.

Shinji Mimura on the other hand is a computer genius who infiltrated the system's computers thus making it impossible to track the students in the game. Before he was killed by Kiriyama, he managed to detonate the bomb he and his friends made which gravely injured Kiriyama. Mimura is quite bossy but being also quite resourceful as to find a computer and a generator in a remote island, not to mention being able to hack into the military's computer system make me admire his character. It is such a pity that he would die.

In the end, it is the kindhearted couple Nanahara and Noriko who survived everything. They were just lucky though to be able to trust each other and to demonstrate that trust so effectively throughout the film. And they were doubly lucky to be aided by the experienced BR participant Kawada who wanted to seek revenge for the death of his love interest when the two participated in the program sometime before the present storyline.

Grim, violent, and full of suspense, Battle Royale is not for the fainthearted. While thrillers and horror movies are not my cup of tea, I find myself liking this film for shallow reasons. I like Shibasaki Kou and Kuriyama Chiaki's performance. Both are pretty.. and well, deadly. The movie lacks more background info on each character though. For instance, I would have loved to know why Kiriyama and Mitsuko were like that. Also, why pass the BR Act? Why not any other act? Or is it just another instrument to propel a plot in which students are made to kill each other to feed the consumer's desire for action and strategy?

I would have loved to see an anime version of Battle Royale...