Character Study:
 
Name: Yukie Utsumi
Number: GIRLS # 02
Weapon: Smith & Wessen 357 Handgun
Friends: Satomi Noda, Haruka Tanizawa, Yuko Sakaki,
Yuka Nakagawa, Chisato Matsui
Enemies: Satomi Noda, Chisato Matsui
Kills: (1) Satomi Noda


Utsumi is part of a tight group of friends. This friendship is established early in the movie as we see all 6 with Mr.Hayashida on the bus, or compforting each other after they awaken on the island. Utsumi is the second person to speak up when Kitano enters the room."Whats going on here?". She later adds to her puzzlement by asking "I don't understand what you're saying. This can't possibly...".

The establishment of Utsumi as a confused character who speaks up, certainly sets up her character for the rest of the movie. Afterall, when she gets called into the game, we won't see her again for another 45mins or so.


By this stage in the movie, Utsumi's leadership has evolved. She has taken refuge with her friends in the lighthouse. Sugimura brings an unconscious Nanahara to her to which she plays nurse and dresses his wounds. Her leadership is both joked about (Harukas "Roger that!" reply when she tells her to get Yuka from her watch) and disputed (Chisato in a fit of anger shouting "Cut the leadership crap!").

She takes control over the group well and could have lead them all to safety, but it is the distrust between her friends that breaks them apart. As Utsumi lies on the kitchen floor of the lighthouse, her dying words reflect her standpoint in the group "You idiots...we could have all survived. Stupid. STUPID!" Some of the group have naturally followed Utsumi as a leader, yet their distrust has literally destroyed them...


From Utsumi's brief scenes in Battle Royale, it is clear that she has feelings for Nanahara. This is not directly established but her playful if often childlike flirting with Nanahara tells so much. The over-zealous bandaging of Nanahara coupled with the line "I never really touched a guy before" show her chastity and lack of any real confrontation of her feelings for Nanahara pre-Battle Royale.

"You know what that means?..."

One of Utsumi's last sentences she speaks to Shuya. Its funny how naive Nanahara is that he doesn't immediatley pick up on Utsumi's flirts. She tells him she knows everything about him and couples this statement by asking "You know what that means?". She never tells him exactly what that means but its pretty obvious whats shes getting at. The tragedy is is that she never gets to tell him her true feelings...

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