Kazuo Kiriyama
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Kazuo Kiriyama is a character in the best-selling Battle Royale novel and mangas by Koushun Takami. He is also a character in the movie with the same name, played by Masanobu Ando.
Major Differences in the Novel, Film, and Manga
Personality
In the movie, Kiriyama is an enigmatic character introduced as the sociopathic transfer student, who signed up as a volunteer for the Battle Royale program. In the movie, his only apparent motive is given by Shogo Kawada, who says he signed up "for fun". Not much else is known, as the wild-haired Kiriyama says nothing and only smiles with glee as he murders his classmates with assorted weapons such as a sub-machinegun, sword, and grenades.
In the novel, a sharp contrast is given, as well a a more debatable motivation in Kiriyama's actions. Having suffered from a brain injury during a car accident while in utero, he lost the ability to process basic human emotions such as remorse and fear, which made him indifferent to the suffering of others. This also makes him an efficient, Terminator-esque killer, with no morals to keep him from callously murdering his classmates, even the members of the local street gang he is in charge of.
The Kiriyama character in the manga is similar to that in the novel, but more in depth. He is characterized as being brilliant as a child, and able to learn at a fascinating rate. In the first volumes of the novel, he can be found studying books on human anatomy, as well as martial arts, which offers a glimpse into his intrinsic and mysterious personality before the events of "The Program".
The Street Gang
In the novel, Kiriyama's designated weapon was a knife, and he most likely killed the other members of his street gang by deception, then stealthy physical force, before acquiring his signature weapon, a MAC-10 sub-machinegun. On the other hand, in the movie, Kiriyama is not a leader or member of the street gang, and is forced to dispatch them, led instead by classmate Mitsuru Numai (Boy #17), in an extremely violent manner, all the while spitting gum into the face of one student, then mowing down another girl with gunfire as she begs for her life.
Pre-Battle Royale
In the novel, Kiriyama's brain-damaging accident occurs while he is in his mother's womb. In volume 14, of the manga, however, it is revealed the car accident took place at a young age, when he was around six or seven years old. Included in the upcoming volume (estimated release date November 2005) is a flashback of his early (and happier) years, the events of the accident, and the immediate and tragic results of his medical treatment and prognosis.
Classmates Murdered
Regardless of whichever adaptation of Battle Royale, Kiriyama is responsible for many deaths on the island during the events of "The Program".
In the Novel Adaptation
Boy #9: Hiroshi Kuronaga, fellow gang member- slit throat
Boy #10: Ryuhei Sasagawa, fellow gang member - slit throat
Girl #5: Izumi Kanai, kidnapped and brought to Kiriyama by Kuronaga and Sasagawa, presumably to be raped - slit throat
Boy #17: Mitsuru Numai, fellow gang member - shot
Girl #6: Yukiko Kitano, shot
Girl #7: Yumiko Kusaka, shot
Boy #14: Sho Tsukioka, fellow gang member; his neck collar explodes after Kiriyama tricks him into staying inside a danger zone
Boy #12: Yutaka Sato, shot
Boy #19: Shinji Mimura, shot
Boy #4: Toshinori Oda, shot
Girl #11: Mitsuko Souma, shot
Girl #1: Mizuho Inada, shot
Boy #5: Shogo Kawada, shot; dies from mortal wounds post-game
In the Manga Adaptation
Same as the novel adaptation, with the following revisions:
Kiriyama also kills Hiroki Sugimura (Boy #11) and his love interest Kayoko Kotohiki (Girl #8) after a fierce hand-to-hand battle; most of Kiriyama's victims are shot execution-style.
In the Film Adaptation
Same as the Novel version, with the following adaptations:
He is not responsible for killing Mizuho Inada (Girl #1). Kiriyama also kills Keita Iijima (Boy #2).
Death
In the novel, Kiriyama is killed by fellow classmate Noriko Nakagawa (Girl #15). This event, however, is highly debateable. Shogo Kawada shoots Kiriyama in the head after Nakagawa does, and some readers state that he in fact killed Kiriyama. It is generally believed, however, that Kawada did this post-mortem to mislead Noriko into believing that she was not responsible for his death.
In the film adaptation, Kawada (Boy #5) is responsible for killing Kiriyama, shooting him in the leg while Kiriyama is blinded due to the explosion set off by Mimura. (His face is shown, and his eyes appear to be completely white, as if they somehow melted). He collapses to the floor glaring at Kawada, who fires again, hitting the collar around his neck, detonating it. His throat is blown apart, putting an end to the psychotic Kiriyama once and for all.
In the manga adaptation, Kiriyama is finally killed in the last volume (15) by protagonist Shuya Nanahara (Boy #15), when he is stabbed in one eye with a throwing knife, shot in the head and chest, then finally shot in the neck.
Official Class Designation
Kazuo Kiriyama, Shiro Iwa Junior High School, 9th Grade, Class B; BOY #6.