Real Bout High School

Publisher
Tokyopop
Writer
Reiji Saiga
Artist
Sora Inoue
Country of origin
Japan
Year
2000

Real Bout High School

By David Rasmussen
13th Oct 04

Publisher - TOKYOPOP
Age - T for Teen (13+)
Published in Japan (2000)
Story by Reiji Saiga
Artwork by Sora Inoue
TOKYOPOP Staff
Translator - Lucan Duran
Editors - Stephanie Donnelly and Robert Coyner
Senior Editor - Jake Forbes

How did a series like this end up being possible material for a live action movie?
The action takes place in a school where martial arts mayhem and fighting takes place on a regular basis (fully encouraged by the school higher ups)!
Into this chaos comes newcomer Suizuma Kusanagi, which is nice and all though the book is NOT about him! Moreso it's about the "samurai girl" Ryoko, her friend (sidekick?) Hitomi, and the battles... isn't it?
I guess I have to review past book 1 but this is the start of it all.
Meet and greet the important people, see how things are, and sit in on a few fights.
Next time I review this hopefully there'll be more going on.
But for now there is more going on... in reality.

The first word on "Real Bout High School the Movie"
Movie? What movie?
Here's a press release I got recently from TOKYOPOP on the subject.

(TOKYOPOP Press Release) "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MANGA GOES HOLLYWOOD: TOKYOPOP ATTACHES TOP STAR AND SCRIBE TO FEATURE FILM PROJECT
Melissa Joan Hart to Star, Dan Gordon to Script Live-Action Version of Hit Manga
Los Angeles, CA (September 29, 2004)."

"TOKYOPOP Inc. has made good on its pledge to "take manga to the big screen and beyond." The leading North American graphic novel publisher has inked actress Melissa Joan Hart (Sabrina, the Teenage Witch) and screenwriter Dan Gordon (Wyatt Earp, The Hurricane) for a live-action feature film development project inspired by Samurai Girl: Real Bout High School (SG: RBHS), one of its top manga and anime properties. "

""The storyboard aspect of manga is already custom-built for film," said Steve Galloway, TOKYOPOP's Executive Director of Film/Television. "And with Hart and Gordon attached to this story's fast-moving adventures, we have all the makings of a terrific cinematic package for teens." "

"The project materialized after TOKYOPOP was introduced to Hartbreak Films, the producers of Sabrina, the Teenage Witch and other quality family series and movies. Seeking out fun, new starring vehicles for Melissa Joan Hart, Executive Producer Paula Hart reviewed several anime/manga properties before one in particular caught her eye. The SG: RBHS manga called for a strong, dynamic female lead with the same qualities for which Melissa Joan Hart is famous. They immediately began looking for a writer who could do justice to "Ryoko," the manga's protagonist. "
""Our journey led us to Dan Gordon," Paula Hart recalled. "Dan took a few weeks reading the material and then delivered a story that had us sitting on the edges of our seats. It is smart, funny and terribly exciting."
Dan Gordon describes the script as "a delicious action/comedy mix of Clueless meets Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." It's the story of an ancient Samurai warrior reincarnated as a twenty-something-year-old sushi bar hostess. Ryoko discovers she is mankind's only hope in destroying a coven of murderous wolverines who are hatched every 5,000 years and-if left unchecked-will destroy all humanity.
TOKYOPOP and Hartbreak Films are now in conversations with potential studio partners for the project."

Okay. Let's break this down one point at a time.
Point #1 - So this is part of TOKYOPOP's pledge to bring "manga to the big screen and beyond"? While they're at it they should have vowed to take themselves to everyone other than print/TV media... they locked out most everyone in the online media side of things from interview requests.
Didn't anyone ever teach you about playing nice with everyone?

(Okay. Seriously? While TOKYOPOP will not speak to online media sources about their movie that is pretty much their choice and there's nothing that can be done about it. It's not fair, but it's their right and they have the right to do as they see fit. Have to respect their decisions and abide by them.)

Point #2 - I don't know about you... but what was TOKYOPOP thinking when they threw Real Bout High School to Melissa Joan Hart anyway?!? While it is true that RBHS has a strong dynamic lead female... last time I checked Ryoko was also a dynamic lead JAPANESE female. Melissa Joan Hart seems to suffer from a lack of asian-ness... and speaking of oddness.

Point #3 - From this book I'd take it Ryoko is a student in a high school that has lots of butt kicking fight tournaments take place on school grounds... but according to this movie it'll be about how Ryoko, a sushi bar hostess, discovers she's the heir of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer audience attractin' plot when she has to face murderous wolverines... no, no, not Hugh Jackman, that's a completely different Wolverine... to save humanity.

Point #4 - Maybe this might just be me and all but... is this how Real Bout High School is?
I guess I better read more but from what I read... then again I haven't read enough to say yet.
Guess I need to dedicate a few more reviews to this title after all.
Quick breakdown.

Real Bout High School Breakdown the 1st
What's Hot?
I don't know. It is kind of good, and interesting read at that... and some of it is cool...

What's Not?
Yet I somehow didn't get into it when I first read it. I liked it, but didn't really get into it to a great depth.
Maybe that'll change as I review it in further depth.

Moments to Remember?
The fights are cool, but Ryoko is the main star and she is the focus of all the memorable stuff.

What to Ignore?
...can't think of anything yet...

Overall?
This is an open ended review. I'll be looking into this deeper and adding more news on this upcoming "movie" project as I get the info.

-- David Rasmussen 13th Oct 04