Just got an e-mail from CDJAPAN & it looks interesting:

"This version contains additionally shot footage not included in the previous version. Drected by Kinji Fukasaku known for the big hit series 'Jingi Naki Tatakai'. Fukasaku is known as a big influence on Directors like Quentin Tarantino and John Woo, and has once again proved his original and energetic directing style with this film. The one and only Takeshi Kitano stars as the brutal ex-teacher who watches over the 42 junior high students as they kill each other.
Special Features : Making-of featurette & more"

I cant tell @ this point if it's sub'd in english & looks like it's STILL
not Anamorphic & has lost the DTS track.

Anyone have some more info. ?

http://www.cdjapan.co.jp/detailview.html?KEY=DSTD-2055

I doubt this'll be an SE in the "lots of extras" sense of the word. Battle Royale Special Edition is just the name for the recut version that was released in Japanese theaters. It has some extra scenes and is slightly less gory so as to get a lower rating. If the DVD has much else besides the featurette I'd be surprised.

From BattleRoyaleOnline.com

Released: 8th February 2002 (Rental Release)
21st May 2002 (Retail Release)
Where: Japan
Rated: R-15
Price: ¥ 5,460 (Retail Version)

Picture: 1.85:1 (Anamorphic)
Sound: Japanese 5.1/2.0 Dolby Digital
Subtitles: NO SUBTITLES
Special Features: Prologue (from WOWWOW's special TV program on BR)
Previously unreleased footage: (at auditon)
Previously unreleased footage: (at shooting)
Previously unreleased footage: (at shooting of special version)
Oneesan's instruction tape for Kinji Fukasaku's birthday
Memorial photo album
How to make composite scenes
Recording at Warsaw (part 2)
Stage greeting at 13th Tokyo International Movie Festival
About the Battle with Politicians (on violence in the movie)
Art gallery
Theatrical Trailer
TV spot
TV spot on WOWWOW, with a message from Quentin Tarantino
Ad images of video, DVD
Ad images of "Movie Shooting is a War" (two volume video
tapes on making of BR)


France will be releasing the SE as well..don't know yet if their version will have English subtitles.

You can also read about the differences in the movie versions at the above site.

Wow, guess I was wrong, it will be a "lots of extras" special edition. Does it have both versions of the film or just the special edition cut?

this makes me glad that i waited and haven't bought this yet.

This version is still showing here in Korean theaters...This means there will be a Korean DVd of this special edition pretty soon..The only doubt is English subs coz although 90% of korena releases have English subs it seems on the odd occasion they don't have subs it is on Jpanese releases (ie Ring, Hanako, Uzumaki etc..)..Keep those fingers crossed as the Korean releases are far cheaper and usually similar quality.....

I'm now wondering why no N. American studios have picked this up for DVD realease. From what I understand Lions Gate had some negotiations for the film, but blaked at the cost.
I would think somebody like Don May over at Synapse would put out this film, but again it may boil down to money & "subject matter".
RE: the possible Korean/French releases let's just keep our eyes peeled.

The answer seems clear to me - that the US studios have no sack! In this PC-ified, wussie nation of touchie-feelie, cant take a stand on anything lest someone get offended nation of ours, you think that someone will have the balls to release a hard edged movie about kids killing each other?

Not in a million years.

Actually, "funkydjmcescher" was right -- it's largely a money thing. Several distributors expressed interest in releasing it stateside but were turned off by the strict conditions the Japanese rights holders demanded for any U.S. release (they wanted to be paid a larger-than-average amount of money for the rights and wanted it to be shown in an impossibly high number of theaters). I thought I'd heard somewhere on this board that some small distributor had picked it up for a DVD release, but I think I misread it.

Dan, I too remeber something about that (BR being picked up ) but I think it was pre-9/11. This looks up Don May's alley & I might send him an e-mail about it.
If he can deal with the "fall-out" from Triumph of the Will, he can put up w/ BR!

Were there people giving them grief over that movie?

WOW!
I've got my fingers crossed on the French/Korean release having subs, but I'd buy it anyway.