--The Spain DVD version of Battle Royale---

I will be posting this review caps at my site along with soundclips
and screencaps. Yes, I'm trying to be special.

Extras:

Short Castlist of the Main Characters (No BGM)
List of the BR Staff and Crew (No BGM)
Filmographies (No BGM)

Previously Unreleased Footage (Audition & Rehersals
Running Time: 7min 10sec
4:3 Fullscreen

Previously Unreleased Footage (Behind the Scenes)
Running Time: 10min 7sec
4:3 Fullscreen

Video No Oneesan - Birthday Version
Running Time: 3min 2sec
4:3 Fullscreen

How to Make Composite Shots
Running Time: 4min 16sec
Various formats/ Non-Anamorphic

Theatrical Trailer (In Spanish)
1.85:1 Widescreen

Quentin Tarantino TV Spot
1.85:1 Widescreen

All extras (except the Theatrical Trailer) are in Japanese with
Spanish subtitles. Almost ALL the subtitles differ in font and size.
Some are actually a bit off in timing which kinda frustrated me. But
this is the first time I see these extras so I'm very happee. What's
up with Tarantino's spot..? 10/10

-Also, the text that says who's died and how many are left are
translated and written in spanish. Same goes for on-screen thoughts,
and update times, only this time, theyre on the bottom. Kawada's last
thoughts arent written out in the end. At one point, though, after
lovers-suicide scene at the cliff, the japanese text is scene for
half a second. Odd since it seems they had a clean textless print.
Another odd point is that unlike the French version, the opening with
the Japanese prologue "At the dawn of the millennium..." the words
arent written out in Spanish, instead, the original Japanese text
appears as a man reads them out in Spanish (of course).

Sound Quality:

I listened to both and the v/a's are pretty good. Some people (namely
Sugimura's) voices are too old. Nanahara's fit very well though, and
Noriko's grows on you. The translation was pretty decent. I refuse to
understand why, when Satomi is supposed to say "Take this!" when
she's about to jump on the table she yells "A LA MIERDA!" or "TO
SHIT"/"FUCK IT!" My problem is one SOLE pronounciation... Mitsuko's
name... Mit-soo-ko. It's ok but... no. The sound is good, both 5.1.
Still the Japanese seems to have come without the sound-effects.
Kicking sounds, and some guns, etc are missing or replaced by cheap
replacements. Odd... Also! Nanahara's final word "Run!" is missing
from the Japanese track - why? An odd mix, but still, I bought it for
the Spanish (which somehow has the original sound-effects) so it's
pretty decent. 7/10 for Sound Quality. (9/10 is it's the Spanish
track only. Why not 10? Because on the bus, at one scene, the music
is just as loud as the audio so it's a little hard to hear.)

Image Quality:

The movie starts off with the TOEI video logo (flying crystals? even
in Sailormoon subs, i dont know what they are...), stretched out to
widescreen. Weird... Then, a Japanese message appears on-screen with
the BR symbol on the back. I suppose is says "This movie is rated R-
15" because all I could make out was the 15...

As for picture quality, as I said, there is that small split-second
thing which just bugs me, but still it's a good picture quality,
similar to my other R0 UK picture. There are, at some points, speed-
ups that dont go along with the soundtrack - most notably when Kitano
removes the knife from Fujiyoshi's head, the sound is about a second
too fast so when he does in fact remove it, there's no sound-effect.
Another thing is at one of the reports, the bottom of the screen has
some white lines, like an old VHS video. This doesnt change the
picture but it's odd. Still, it's good. 8/10 (not too shabby).

Subtitles:

Read the same as the UK R0, but this time in Spanish. Even I'll kick
your ass" was there... Only difference was instead of "You were
pimping Yoshimi" this time it's "You decieved Yoshimi." Spaghetti is
still here, even in the dub... 9.9/10 (Spaghetti?)

Menus:

The menu starts off by having a flying BR come to the center of the
screen an spin as "Requiem" plays on the BG. On both sides are the
options and behind are scenes from the movie that move too fast to
work as real spoilers of the plot. The cool things is that the scenes
moves along with the music so as the music intensifies, you get quick
shots of stuff happening. After Requiem ends, Dragon Ash's "Shizukana
Hibi no Kaidan Wo" begins. This music then serves as the default
main. menu theme. The menu's switch with what seems to be a gunshot.
The menu transition is the BR symbol flying at you as the other menu
grows behind it. As if the BR has been shot at you.

Extras Menu
A picture of Kiriyama just before he dies with a light BR symbol
above it. The last 30 seconds of "The Third Man" play along with the
sound-effects of the gunfight. Cool stuff.

Languages Menu
A standing Fujiyoshi with the knife in her forehead with a similar
light BR symbol above. Same BGM but still cool.

Scene Selection
There are two scene selection pages, both with 6 chapters and the
same music (Shizukana Hibi no Kaidan Wo) and a picture of an
exploding Nobu in the back. The chapter buttons are animated withing
the BR leaf-circle and in the middle is a transparent chapter number.

Also on DVD Menu
Satomi shooting down from the table. Again, BR symbol, but "Shizukana
Hibi no Kaidan Wo" plays. The two trailers are "Donnie Darko"
and "2000 Maniacs" and each poster is within the BR leaf circle...
thing.

-I love these menus MUCH better than the UK menu. 10/10

All in all, great dvd. 9/10.




\\Aside:

Meh. I finally recorded the little soundbite of music I wanted from
the "Video no Oneesan" i wanted. Now I'm searching everywhere for an
mpeg or avi or whatever of the original video. Anyone wanna donate?

Also: Nothing to do with the dvd, but can someone give me a
translation of the special version trailer. the one that starts
all "aaahhh" then Fujiyoshi gets a knife in the forehead?