Alice in Borderland (今際の国のアリス) is among the most watched series on Netflix, with a 95% approval rating. The series is based on a 2014 Japanese suspense manga, which was officially completed in 2016. The manga has 18 tankōbon volumes and 87 chapters, illustrated by Haro Aso. At the end of 2020, the series directed by Shinsuke Satō premiered on Netflix.
The series currently has 1 season with 8 episodes. The main cast includes: Kento Yamazaki, Tao Tsuchiya, and Nijiro Murakami. Alice in Borderland tells the story of a group of friends living in a parallel reality where they are forced to participate in various games; those who lose the game lose their lives.
Table of Contents
Plot
A gamer and two friends are transported to a parallel version of Tokyo, where they must participate in various deadly games if they want to survive. The gamer is Arisu, who is considered a failure and a bum by his parents. He spends most of his time playing either on the video game console or on his phone. Arisu has two friends who are not very different from him. While being chased by the police, they run to hide in a bathroom, but when they come out, they realize that everything has disappeared. Only they remain.
The trio is transported to a parallel world, where they and their friends receive a mission to complete. Unfortunately, he ends up losing one of his friends in the first game. The games are based on logical reasoning. They receive the mission and the time they have to execute it on their phones; a person dies if they lose the game or fail to finish on time; giving up is not an option. No information is given on how the game should proceed, so it is more about deduction.
As Arisu is quite accustomed to the gaming world, he manages to solve most of the puzzles. In each phase of the game, new players appear, some with more experience than others, and sometimes they participate to help in some way with the execution. As they progress through the phases, the games become increasingly difficult and the deaths more painful, with the number of players also increasing and dying simultaneously.
More survivors are found in a place called “Beach,” where there is a society of other players, and they wear beach attire all the time. But the fight for survival takes precedence, and at a certain point, they start killing each other. At no point in the series is a justification provided for the existence of the game.
Not much is known about the backstory of each character in Alice in Borderland, but as the story develops, some moments from their past appear. Each game takes place in a different setting, allowing them to feel immersed in the game itself. The players also have a style of clothing and hair that is quite similar to when we choose avatars in games.
5 Curiosities about Alice in Borderland
1 – The reference of Alice in Borderland is to Alice in Wonderland. During the games, it is common to use cards to determine the difficulty level of the game;
2 – The term “border” in Borderland, which means frontier in English, refers to the games taking place, apparently, only in Tokyo, and their goal is to get out of there;
3 – Before becoming a series, Alice in Borderland became an anime;
4 – Three OVAs (Original Video Animation) were produced that present the story and characters;
5 – The protagonist’s name is Ryouhei Arisu, and the surname is a translation for Alice;
Can we expect a 2nd season?
Alice in Borderland premiered on Netflix at the end of 2020, and since then, nothing has been mentioned about a continuation. However, an update for the 2nd season was released during the Netflix Festival Japan 2021.
A preview was shown with an interview with the protagonists about what to expect from the series in 2022, still without a release date. Actors Kento Yamazaki and Tao Tsuchiya, who play Arisu and Usagi, respectively, spoke about their characters and the long-awaited escape. They claim to be working hard to maintain the standard of the series. The video showcases all the releases of Japanese series on Netflix. Alice in Borderland starts at the 8 minute 15 second mark. Watch:
Protagonists
Kento Yamazaki
He is a Japanese actor and model, 27 years old, originally from Itabashi in Tokyo. His career began in 2010. He has participated in 13 dramas, including Death Note, and 17 films. Kento is represented by Stardust Promotion.
Tao Tsuchiya
She is an actress and model, 26 years old, originally from Tokyo. Her career began when she was cast in the lead role of the asadora Mare, aired by NHK, on March 30, 2015, after an audition with over 2,020 women. She has already accumulated 16 film appearances and 17 on television. Tao has two awards, both for the newcomer of the year category, from the Japan Academy Prize and Elan d’or Awards. The actress has also appeared in the music video for singer Sia, Alive (2016).
What did you think of the series? Have you managed to deduce the reason for the existence of the game?
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