How did Suzanne Collins not get sued for blatantly copying Battle Royale?

Question

How did Suzanne Collins not get sued for blatantly copying Battle Royale?

Answer 1

Hunger Games is no different to Battle Royale, all she has done is take the story of Battle Royale and then just go through it systematically changing every element, i.e the Japanese future to post apoplectic society, 40 Jap Kids to 24 kids for the districts, change in aesthetics, environment/world, from third person to first person, add in/take out characters, tweak characters, edit/make changes here and there, etc,etc. The main story is essentially the same, it uncanny and the underlying similarities with Battle Royale shows this method was used. You just don't get a story follow that closely to another story by chance. The tosh about it being similar to Gladiator, The Running Man, Greek mythology, etc is all just a smoke screen to distract from the real source Battle Royale. Its an often successful formula to follow, take a book that had a certain success level systematically create a version, edit out stuff that didnt work well, make it as relevant to today's society/age group that can relate and your book then stands a good chance of being at least successful if not more so, as if the original had a certain success level then your insuring yours will as well. Both to me are good stories/films so this is not an argument that one is the real deal, the Hunger Games though has been more successful as it was given a wider audience appeal than just Japanese society. I would say though that by using this method is plagiarism, some may dispute that but as far as the UK is concerned under copyright it doesnt matter how many changes you make from the original, the original source is still the legal owner, proving it though is probably a more difficult matter even when the underlying story is so similar as it is with the Hunger Games.

Answer 2

It's the makers of The Running Man that should sue Suzanne Collins.

Answer 3

not going by the movie going by the book. Battle Royale is a decade older and at least was well written especially in the original and quite good even in the translatoin. Hunger Games is a version that is trying to make fun of America to make up for lack of skill. if you think the movie was amazing then you probably like the crap hollywood turns out these days.

Answer 4

In agreement on your point regarding the political rationale behind the organization of the Games. But another way to examine The Hunger Games is



1 From the selection of tributes to the execution of the games, the inhabitants of the districts are put at the mercy of the regime as everything plays out as the regime dictates. On the other hand, tributes are well treated by the organizers and presented in a glamorous manner to the districts (making it seem an honor to be selected for the Games). They are punished when they flout the rules (Katniss hounded by the fiery forest when she attempts to avoid the fight), rewarded when they please the sponsors (with favorable rankings and in the case of Katniss - air drops of supplies) and put on a pedestal should they emerge victorious in the Games.

In a single maneuver, the regime is demonstrating their power and encouraging compliance to their rule.



2 Having the districts competing against one another creates a rivalry between the districts and cause them to redirect their hostilities towards the regime onto one another. (Notice that there are districts that even go as far as selecting and training tributes from young for the very purpose of participating in and winning the games.) Sort of a divide and conquer strategy I think.



To be fair, I would attribute the plot weakness to the lack of attention towards the background story in the film version. Omission of essential plot details and lack of character depth as a result of condensation is a common problem with novel to screen adaptations and that appears to be the case with The Hunger Games.





The author could be accused of plagiarizing the premise put forward by Battle Royale (alternate future ruled by a totalitarian government where youths are forced into survival games to promote civil obedience as a backdrop for social commentary).

But fortunately for her, ideas per se cannot be copyrighted.





I have not read the original material for The Hunger Games so I am unable to comment beyond that.

Answer 5

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1) you can't copyright an idea, and 2) battle royal isn't the first book to come up with that concept. I mean, really, the roman empire used to have these games in real life. Are the plots and characters the same? No? then no, it's not copyright infringement. Really, i'm sure you read a lot and if you do, you'll notice MANY books that carry the same concepts and ideas. This is a mere concept that anyone can use, including yourself, if you're a writer. No one owns the right to have people killing each other in government sanctioned 'games.' no one owns the right to separate their cities into 'districts'. these are all concepts and ideas that not only have been done before, but can't be copyrighted. ADDING: Publishing date has nothing to do with this. you simply cannot copyright an idea or concept. If it can't be copyrighted then you can't sue for copyright infringement over it... And the author of battle royal does not own concepts that existed before it was published. And, btw, concepts and ideas can't be copyrighted becasue they're so general that anyone can come up with them on their own. Collins says she got the idea from watching a reality tv show and a news program showing war (or something like that), and I have no idea that she's telling the truth because this is the type of concept that many people can come up with without ever reading battle royal or watching the many sci-fi movies that have this same concept.

Answer 6

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Answer 7

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RE:

How did Suzanne Collins not get sued for blatantly copying Battle Royale?

So I just saw the film adaptation of The Hunger Games last night, and I'm curious as to how this book got so much recognition even though it's essentially a copy of a Book/Movie that (in my opinion) was much better done, 12 years ago.



I'm not making a question to bash the book/movie,...

Answer 8

It's just inspiration. You can't get sued for making a similar movie.

As for the two kids from each district thing, it's for a love triangle.

I thought you were mute, Dr. Freeman?

Answer 9

I think you need to look up the definitions of plagiarism and copyright infringement.

Answer 10

I haven't seen the movie, but I've read the novel and seen Battle Royale.



The plot and idea of forcing people to kill each other for entertainment is in no way original at all. Gladiator was released the same year Battle Royale was released. The concept is the same. Forcing someone to kill as entertainment. It could be said that the 1987 film The Running Man had some similarities also. Also, there are differences between the two. In Battle Royale, the teenagers play the game more as an act of punishment, whereas in The Hunger Games, it is for entertainment purposes. Also, there are very obvious differences. Battle Royale uses a very dark tone of humour, Hunger Games does not, as well as other stylish differences. So, there is really no point for the makers of Battle Royale to sue Collins, due to the basic and simple plot. The situation was the same with Avatar in 2009.



About the submissive point: You do highlight a good point. I suppose the nature of the characters is just as unrealistic as the plot itself.

Answer 11

Because Battle Royale sucks and you can't sue someone for making a different, better, story with a similar premise.

Answer 12

Suzanne had many inspirations while writing the story. In the end she created her own version of everything.

Answer 13

Read the book, if you haven't already. It's so much different and deeper than Battle Royal although they're both about a dystopian totalitarian society in the future and blahblah. The Hunger Games gives you a life lesson, Battle Royal is mostly gore

Answer 14

I hate it when people say that...-__-

She didn't copy it. She created her own version of it. The movie was AMAZING, I loved it! :D



"I'm not making a question to bash the book/movie, I'm just curious if anyone else thought about this?

Also I'm confused as to why taking 2 kids from each district makes the districts submissive. Wouldn't that actually cause people to get even more furious and rebellious? I don't understand it the rationalization of it."



See, that's what Snow didn't realize. That's why, if you already read the last book...(SPOILER WARNING)...the capitol's grasp on everything begins to crumble, because of the fury and spark of rebellion in the districts.