A cult classic that is beloved by film fans and has inspired copycats, Battle Royale was the subject of controversy and outrage when it was first released, criticised by the government as a bad influence on youth. The film is set in a dystopic future where the Japanese government combats juvenile delinquency by annually selecting a class of secondary school students to fight to the death on a remote island until one victor emerges. Director Kinji Fukasaku was inspired by his childhood wartime experience to create a film about how adults in power cannot be trusted. Fukasaku, who is best known for his postwar yakuza film series Battles Without Honour and Humanity, took his anti-establishment sentiments to a whole new level in Battle Royale, depicting the violent and ruthless massacre of teenagers in school uniform. Despite (or because of) its brutality, Battle Royale’s message resonated with filmgoers beyond Japan, creating a global cultural phenomenon.

Kinji Fukasaku (1930–2003, Japan) was only 15 when he worked in a munitions factory during World War II. The deaths and horror he witnessed made a lasting impact on him for the rest of his life. Beginning his career as a director in 1961, Fukasaku established himself as a specialist in action and yakuza cinema. In the 1970s, he participated in the making of the war epic Tora! Tora! Tora! and directed his own WWII film, Under the Flag of the Rising Sun. From 1973 to 1974, he directed the five-part film series Battles Without Honour and Humanity. After the success of Battle Royale (2000), he intended to direct Battle Royale II: Requiem (2003) but succumbed to cancer early in the production. His son Kenta directed and completed the sequel in his stead.