[hmcq6]

Same, Battle Royale always seemed anti-government to me where Squid Games is very explicitly anti-capitalist.

I know there was a reward for winning and the fundamental reason for the Battle Royale was economic, but I always got the vibe the government was the problem.

Like, the kids in Battle Royale weren't exempt if they were rich, right? It was a lottery. Squid Game only appeals to people struggling under capitalism.

[hibikir]

Kaiji and Squid Games could be happening last week, in some warehouse complex, or a missile silo, and we'd never know. The contestants choose to be there, even if the choice isn't exactly free. Meanwhile the point of Battle Royale and Hunger Games is to have the entire world watching. Pure amusement for the rich vs political propaganda trying to remind the masses how little they are worth. A Battle Royale participant is semi-worthless, because every teenager, possibly every person, is seen as worthless. In Kaiji they are setting up situations to show how stupid and immoral the dregs of society are.

[JKCalhoun]

There's "Death Race 2000" then from 1975 (from a short story from 1956) where the killing is televised.

Love that film.

[ajmurmann]

Yes! Squid Game is voluntary and motivation is economic pressure or greed whereas Battle Royale is a randomly selected school class which is explicitly a punishment for young people.

[mejutoco]

I wanted to add in BR the schools selected are the ones with the worst academic scores, IIRC.

[hmcq6]

I don't think this is correct. I remember it being a lottery

Maybe in Battle Royale 2 it was revealed this was the case

[Propelloni]

Battle Royale was about curbing juvenile delinquency, no overt or fundamental economic reasons. So, same boat, Battle Royale is anti-authoritarian thus in the same line as Hunger Games. Squid Games is anti-capitalist thus in the Running Man (the novel, 1982) line.