Alice in Borderland, 2020-Present
✫ 8/10
Favorite Character: Hikari Kuina
“There’s a limit to our lives. I’ve lived my life so far without thinking about that.”
Adapted by Netflix based on a manga series by Haro Aso, Alice in Borderland is a sci-fi thriller television series. Inspired by Lewis Caroll’s Alice in Wonderland, Ryohei Arisu enters an alternate reality of Borderland in his home of Tokyo, Japan, filled with an array of characters and unsettling twists.
The series begins with Arisu feeling as though he has no purpose in life, struggling to be as successful as his father and brother following the death of his mother. Arisu leaves home to meet up with his best friends, Karube and Chota. After wrecking havoc at Shibuya Crossing and running into a restroom, the friends exit their hiding spot, realizing they have been left deserted in the city.
Let the games begin!
As the story progresses, the characters’ quickly learn they must participate in games of life or death. Not playing the game, not playing by the rules, or losing the game will result in death, while winning allows you to survive. For each game won, players are awarded time to their visas for recovery days. The days are indicated by the number on the playing card. Numbers are also used to rate the level of difficulty, and suits are used to dictate the type of game to be played.
Club games require teamwork, forcing players to communicate with each other and build trust; an extremely difficult task for a group of confused strangers. Heart games (my personal favorite) are tests of the players emotional and psychological strengths. These games often require participants to betray the people they trust. Diamond cards represent games of intelligence and logic. Players will have to use critical thinking and analytical strategies to survive while under pressure. Spade games focus on physical abilities like strength and stamina, with rules that can only be followed by combat.
Season 1 focuses on the different number card games, each game getting more intense as the number increases. The players start off easy with games like three of clubs, where they have to choose the right door to exit from before the room is set on fire. The difficulty is raised in games like seven of hearts, where three players are “sheep” and one player is the “wolf” playing hide and seek. The sheep can take the wolf title by looking in the opponents eyes, but in the end, only the wolf can survive. Realizing this, Chota, Karube, and Shibuki hide from Arisu when he becomes the wolf, ultimately sacrificing themselves, leaving Arisu to survive the rest of the games.
With the number cards being completed, season 2 shifts focus to the second stage: face cards. Face card games are horrifically more gorey, with scenes involving a sulfuric acid bath that made me close my eyes. These games have an increased level of difficulty as players must now compete against and kill Borderland citizens, who were very cleverly used to represent the face card in the physical game. The second season spends a lot of time discussing the origins of the games. Realizing there's a way to win all games and escape Borderland, Arisu and his team push through till the very end. Making it to the last game, Arisu and his love interest Usagi, are met by the Queen of Hearts.
During a surprisingly easy game in the season finale, Mira, the Queen of Hearts, who is thought to be the game's creator, explains how all these players actually ended up in Borderland. We learn what really happened on the day Arisu and his friends were left deserted. I think this show has one of the best visual expositions to give audiences a detailed conclusion about the games. Most questions can be answered through the final scene, but the writers also do a good job at setting up for a third season. We see a blimp carrying a “joker” card, indicating there will be a new stage of games that has followed the players after they safely made it back to the real world.
As we watch the games steadily become dangerous, we also learn just how ruthless they can be to characters who are easy to love instantly. One thing that stands out in this show is its ability to kill off numerous main characters almost as quickly as they are introduced. However, in the short time these characters are on screen, they are given extensive backstories and unique traits to help them survive the games.
Arisu, our main character, makes empathy his biggest strength, while also making it his weakness. Many games are designed to force Arisu into creating intricate strategies in order to save himself and everyone else on his team. Cat-like Chishiya stays away from most of the action, using observation and intelligence to cross out options before proceeding with the games. Usagi uses her athletic abilities to help lead Arisu through puzzles. One moment in the series that made my jaw drop would be the reveal of Kuina.
Initially believing she excels at club games, a flashback into Kuina’s life makes her realize she is a spades player. This flashback also reveals that Kuina is a transwoman! I think it’s very rare to see members of the trans community written in such a real way; something Borderland did very well. While her identity is a major part of her story, Kuina is also able to stand on her own in the present, learning to use her new abilities to survive instead of dwelling in the past.
I would definitely recommend this show to anyone interested in the sci-fi world, action series, and even dramas. Everyone will be able to find a favorite character and the battles will have you on the edge of your seat.
