Alice in Borderland: Triple Threat

For all my sci-fi/thriller/drama fans out there, this one is a doozy. Originally a manga written in 2010 by Haro Aso, Alice in Borderland was adapted into a live-action series by Netflix and released in December of 2020. The Netflix adaptation was written by Yoshiki Watabe, Yasuko Kuramitsu, and Shinsuke Sato, who also directed the series. Filming started the summer before, in locations such as the busy ward of Shibuya, Tokyo as well as Yokohama, and Kobe.

Alice in Borderland is a sci-fi/thriller following the main character, Arisu and his friends. The three men find themselves in an alternate reality where they must compete in “games” in order to survive. That's really it... There are new characters along the way but until the later episodes, its a pure game of survival.

There are many major characters, given that they are reoccurring, however there are two characters that I would say are the main.

Ryōhei Arisu: a “couch potato,” he is an outcast who enjoys playing video games, intelligent

Yuzuha Usagi: an experienced mountain climber, she is highly motivated to survive and meticulous about the choices she makes

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Just for fun here's my favorite characters other than the main.

Shuntarō Chishiya (right): though his wig is atrocious, his quiet and mysterious demeanor pulled me in, and his casual reaction in response to mayhem kept me

Hikari Kuina (left): a casual personality but a highly skilled fighter, she is a friend of Chishiya’s

Takatora Samura: I mean...just look at him, he also carries around a katana everywhere which is pretty cool

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Sadly, the downfall of this series comes in its lack of character development. That is not to say that the characters are poorly written, there is simply not much character development that occurs throughout the eight episodes. The characters themselves are excellently written, each have a unique backstory and role in the show. There is even some pretty good transgender representation! This is another series in which a lot of the characters are likeable and even if they aren’t likeable, you can at the very least understand their actions (although I would take one character off this list). There is a second season likely coming this year, so maybe we will see more character development there.

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The games are really what make this series shine. If you enjoy the thrilling feeling of watching people attempt to survive with a constant timer running in the background, then this should satisfy your needs. Each game is a twisted version of something fun. Each game also corresponds to a suit and number on a playing card, determining the game’s level of difficulty and the category or strategy needed. There is death after death, and if you think a character is going to die, they probably will. The later episodes are particularly action-packed. There is quite literally something happening every minute, in one scene you get a run through of several different games within a few minutes. The very last game is particularly intense, it was like seeing a car accident and not being able to look away. The insanity of the games mixed with the stellar performance of every actor/actress (even the extras) really brings this series to life.

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This is probably the only show that uses a large amount of CGI that I actually enjoy. The use of special effects and green screens does not take you out of the show but rather immerses you into it. Particular scenes shot in Tokyo were primarily done using green screens. The assistant director would physically run into the crowded intersection of Shibuya Crossing and film the city to figure out what they needed to CGI and what they needed to build a set for. The final product is phenomenal, especially the very first episode, considering the busy station they filmed at. It also helps that most of the animals don't look totally fake (though of course you have to suspend some belief for fun).

Fun Fact: The creation of this tiger was supervised by Erik-Jan De Boer, who created the tiger in Life of Pi, winning him an Academy Award. The visual effects crew visited zoos to study the movements of animals and their fur to perfect their animations.

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This show is really one of a kind, despite its much more popular South Korean cousin Squid Game. The late-night Tokyo setting really brings a certain vibe to the watching experience. Even the lighting of the different scenes makes it feel less artificial. The experience of watching Alice in Borderland is one I wish I could go back and experience again for the first time. Some content warnings I would give this show include, general violence, transphobia, and attempted sexual assault.

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Alice in Borderland earns a 4 out of 5 zombie heads: Knocked one head off for lack of character development but if this isn't something you mind it's not too noticeable. Nonetheless, I was still so engrossed in this series that I would not have noticed a zombie apocalypse happening right outside my house, I just couldn't look away.

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“Alice in Borderland (TV Series).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 4 Apr. 2022, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_in_Borderland_(TV_series).

Writer, Staff. “10 Exciting Facts about Alice in Borderland from Netflix.” SNAP TASTE, 28 Dec. 2020, https://www.snaptaste.com/alice-in-borderland/.