Alice in Borderland (2020– ) User Reviews

Probably the best anime/manga live adaptation I've seen

[tachiiderp · 9/10 · 28 December 2022]

To be fair, it's not that big of a feat, especially considering Netflix produced Death Note and Cowboy Bebop, iconic stories in their own right, and failed miserably with them.

But boy, they hit a home run with Alice in Borderland. The post-apocalyptic landscape of Japan looks incredible, the design and stage of each games are fantastic, and for the most part, the characters aren't all weirdos, *cough*, well a lot of them are but that's the charm, right?

Now you can probably find a ton of plot holes with how some of the games went, and you will totally see this in many other reviews. But, just the sheer volume of so many types of survival games to be adapted was a delight to see.

Not all games are equal in quality, but some really stands out, like most games that involves Chishiya and most of the games in season 1. All the games are absolutely brutal, whether it is a physical challenge, a mental challenge, or both. I was very surprised to see how some of the action scenes are done so well, like Usagi's parkour scenes, and probably the most memorable one that involves a katana.

As far as the story goes, you're watching this and reading this review because you have some interest at least with the survival games genre like Saw and Battle Royale. Alice in Borderland mixes Battle Royale with a decent amount of wit and a bit more set of relatable characters. I even thought some character progression to be delightfully done even if they're simple and straight-forward.

Alice in Borderland has gotten a lot of things right, and is probably the best anime/manga live adaptation right now. It certainly makes someone like me who has seen way too many terrible live adaptations of anime/manga interested to see if Netflix can hit another home run next time.

* I would love to talk about the ending but this will not be a spoiler review. But I do appreciate the adaptation for faithfully adapting the ending (which I enjoyed, but it's certainly not everyone's cup of tea). *

Great Season 2, Best Graphic and Faithful Ending

[sisubalan · 8/10 · 26 December 2022]

A manga or comic book adapted live action series. 2 seasons of 50 minutes to 1+hr series. Falls in action, adventure, horror, thriller, fantasy, scifi and family categories. Despite the family category, its not much of a family friendly series as it full with horrofic scenes for adults. Its about several groups of people stuck in limbo (a world between life and death), surviving every day in that world by participating in a death match to extend their stay until beating the leaders so that they can escape to the real world without knowing the reasons behind all the misery & losses.

Season 1 was okay for me and not much of a fan since the storyline was not fully followed the manga/comic book. Meanwhile, season 2 was the best as it was faithful to the comic till the end. Although i felt it was rushed but the graphics and acting skills of the casts were tremendously improved since the previous season. Great audio and action scenes. New amazing line of casts and huge improvements on the previous main casts. Some parts were tearjerking, some games were exciting to be watched on bigger screen. Exceed my expectations, hence its one of my favorite show of the year 2022. Highly recommended.

Surprisingly Great!

[secret_arash · 9/10 · 29 December 2022]

This show is definitely among my 20 favorite shows, ever. It is exciting, it is fun, it is amusing, and it is full of emotions. The thing that I find stranger than the fact that so few people have watched it, is how low its ratings are. Honestly, people what more do you want?! The episodes ratings are so unfair. Each and everyone of them deserve much higher than this; especially the ending (if that is in fact the ending). Season 2 Finale was the best ending possible for the show. However, I do hope that they renew it for a third one because it has a lot of potential.

Anyway, if you're looking for a 16-hour worth of time roller coaster that makes you stay awake for two days, Alice in Borderland is your answer.

Japanese Gut Punching

[gazzalodi · 8/10 · 12 January 2021]

If you get tired of OP characters in non-existent peril with Netflix's US productions, this one will fix that for you. After we watched several episodes my son walked away shaking his head and said, "I'm going to go read All Quiet on the Western Front" to cheer myself up.

It's pretty darn good. A couple of the games had some holes in them, and some of the character behaviors didn't make sense outside of it's what the writers wanted them to do at that moment. But really watching this is more about feeling like the last year wasn't so bad compared to what these characters are going through. Hoping Season 2 can keep pace.

Much better than Squid Game

[gyutaxx · 10/10 · 27 October 2021]

It is a little long-drawn, like an anime, but thats the japanese production. It is much more exciting and entertainment than the Squid Game.

It is undervalued compared to squid game.

Loved it!

[amsterdamien · 10/10 · 10 December 2020]

Beautifully crafted series. Never read the manga, so I can't comment on how faithful it is. But it has good acting and character development. The cinematography and set designs are beautiful. Good plot that kept me goed al the way through. If you like movies such as Battle Royale, you'll love this show.

Interesting adaptation

[joyjzhou · 7/10 · 11 December 2020]

As someone who's a big fan of the manga, I think the Netflix adaptation does a decent job for anyone trying to find more Alice in Borderland content. However, the devil is in the details, and except for the main story arcs, it's quite different from the original story.

Many characters are introduced earlier than expected, and some games have changed concepts entirely. Certain story beats are shuffled around or erased. In addition, Arisu participates in several games that he wasn't part of originally. I would have to say to avid fans of the manga to watch this series pretending you have no prior knowledge unless you like to be disappointed. But by itself, it was spectacular to watch this interpretation of Alice in Borderland.

I'm shocked and paralyzed by this tv show! SUPER ENORMOUSLY RECOMMENDED!

[thekhpro · 10/10 · 14 January 2023]

I wasn't waiting for this at all! Japan has always been known for 'inventing' technologies and others are just for 'plagiarising'. I do think that the same thing happened with this masterpiece. It didn't get the fame 'Squid Game' got which actually had reasonable motive to copy the fragments from the movie. After all, it's all about the power of the marketing. Simple excuse: 'the genre didn't appeal to all the audiences' But still, that's the best fantasy, mystery and thriller genre tv series I've ever watched so far. How hard the other competitors try to do better, It's the least likely that it will cease to be my bestie series of all time...

Fun, but has many issues...

[amaniam-34203 · 7/10 · 11 December 2020]

This show has a fun premise with great production. Some episodes are very strong and worth watching, but otherwise, the show is littered with poorly written characters that at times are acted out very stiffly. You can feel the actors going overboard or are poorly acting out a few too many scenes. The plot manages to hold interest but messes up small details that would often leave you face-palming or shaking your head.

Overall, the show is a far cry from the 10/10 rating many reviews seem to be giving it... Think of it like a good way to mindlessly pass the time.

Excellent concept

[ClockworkEye · 9/10 · 8 February 2023]

I loved this show so much that I binged the whole thing in just a few days.

The concept is excellent and is almost like a show within a show as you are wondering who will die in the games, they do kill main characters you know, which really keeps you on your toes.

Both seasons were as good as each other thought there is a lull at the beginning of season 2 but it's worth sticking with.

The conclusion I thought was excellent and I was slightly worried how they going to explain everything and would come up with some far fetched reason for them being there but they did well with that.

All in all very good and rounded up nicely which is something that Netflix fails to do most of the time.

Season two is watchable but not as good as the first

[bscale · 7/10 · 23 December 2022]

The first season of Alice in Borderland is one of the most gruesome and exciting pieces of TV show. For me it is better than Squidgame even it has its flaws.

I highly expected to see the sequel but after binge watching, it is still entertaining with higher budget for CG, more blockbuster actions, but it the end the story failed flat. It has nothing exciting anymore, the games seem easier than the first season.

The ending is alright but along the way it becomes normal action TV show with very high budget. Anyway I recommended only the first season if you don't have much time.

First 8/10 Second 6/10.

Starts well, but goes steadily downhill

[jbstjohn · 3/10 · 6 February 2021]

I liked the glimpses into normal Japanese life it gives, and somehow the regular scenes of empty Tokyo were also cool. However, the acting (please close your mouth Asugi?), and the complete lack of consistency later on (once at the 'Beach') just get annoying, ruining any sense of mystery.

Such as -- why doesn't anyone use the resources of an abandoned city? Canned food, comfortable houses, generators. Or weapons, which might occasionally come in handy. There's one 'game' where they manage to beat someone with a gun -- but they don't take the gun after they beat them, which might simplify things for the next fight.

They also seem to have painted themselves into too much of a corner with power of the gamemasters. Lasers from the sky, phones in the lobby, essentially god-like abilities with no apparent limits or explanation. At the start it's okay as part of the mystery, but later it becomes too much. (Did someone take that tiger out of a cage? Bring it to that place, and then carefully let it go, after goading it to be hungry enough to attack? And then come collect it later).

And it tries to be gritty and real, but then mixes in people punching out tigers and bopping about in bikinis in an apocalypse. Nice to look at, but made no sense. If you don't feel there's actually an interesting solution to the mystery, you lose interest in resolving it.

I would have liked a bit more of an exploration. How can you maintain any power structure when you need to go randomly fight for your life every few days? Can those laser punch into the earth? If I'm in the basement underneath you, do you just get killed too? Instead you just get a bunch of over-dramatized yelling at each other. I guess it's supposed to be anime/manga, but it didn't work for me.

A great manga adaption

[Mesina02 · 8/10 · 2 March 2023]

I'm quite impressed with how this show was able to instantly hook me from the first episode all the way to its last. This was such an entertaining watch and it kept on actively pulling something new out of the bag that I didn't see coming. The concept behind this show was what intrigued me and I was a bit curious to see how they were going to pull it off. Obviously the games they played were crucial to the story but what carries the series are its characters. These characters are what elevates this story and throughout the episodes, their journeys are as important as the plot itself.

With the plot, it was exciting to see how the environment slowly began to affect the characters. In season one, the whole goal was to find out what this place was and who was behind all of it but then in the second season that's where they expand on that. It focuses more on the harsh reality they are confronted with and whether or not they choose to live with it.

To me, this was a show I knew I was going to like and thank goodness I was right about that.

Pretty entertaining!

[Aggmarin · 13 December 2020]

Just finished the series in one sitting and can say that it's a solid binge watch. The way you get used to the friendship in the first episodes and then suddenly lose them was a very unexpected turn, for some reason it felt like it was too soon and then the influx of new faces felt a little over the top for me. But overall the series kept the interest and would watch the season 2, if renewed. The ending definitely assumes the continuation and sort of the most exciting part of the games. Really liked the final scene with huge cards

Impressive 'trapped-in-a-deadly-game' action

[Tweekums · 8/10 · 25 December 2020]

Arisu Ryohei is unemployed and spends most of his time playing video games. One day he meets up with two friends in the middle of Tokyo. After some mild hijinks they hide in a cubicle in a public lavatory... suddenly the lights go out and they can no longer hear the general hubbub of the busy city. They emerge to find the city empty. Not long afterwards signs lead them to a building, where they are joined by two girls. Here they are forced to play a deadly game, after which they are awarded a playing card. It emerges that they will be forced to take place in such games on a regular basis. Later we are introduced to Usagi, a skilled climber, who later joins up with Usagi. They gradually learn more about the games and what the cards signify while trying to discover if there is a way back to their previous lives.

I really enjoyed this series; little time is wasted with set-up; the viewers are thrown into the action along with our protagonists. We know as little about the world they are in as they do and only learn more as they do. Early games make it clear just how dangerous this world is; just because a character is introduced early does not guarantee their survival. The scenes within the games are very tense, and frequently quite gory; there is also a fair amount of fan-service as characters wear beachwear in later episodes for reasons explained in the series. The way the dynamic between the characters changes is interesting; especially after our surviving protagonists find a location with many more players. The cast, both main and secondary does a solid job making the fantastical situation believable. The effects are mostly good but a couple of times the CGI is a bit obvious. As the final episode ends many questions are answered but more are raised; these people's problems clearly aren't over... hopefully there will be at least one more season.

These comments are based on watching the series in Japanese with English subtitles.

Extremely Better Than Squid Game!

[joshfrench-98871 · 10/10 · 1 January 2023]

This show deserves all the attention it can get. It is incredibly creative and gory and a great deal of love and drama thrown in there too. I've been a fan of Asian Survival Thriller Drama stuff since Battle Royal and in my opinion this is the best. Second season deserves awards. Perfect cliff hanger! Characters are incredibly good. Story is like if the Jigsaw killer from Saw was able to quarantine an entire city. I don't understand how Squid Game got more clout than this show. Alice in Borderland is almost a year older than Squid Game which is so much less creative than this show. I'm recommending to every.

It is Unrealistic: Could not stop watching it

[javiergarcon · 8/10 · 19 January 2021]

At first you would think it is cheesy but then you would look deep into your own soul and say... yep that is me, that is my neighbors, that is my colleagues, that is just like my boss that is just like my veteran friend, the characters really do a good job portraying its weaknesses and that is a sigh of relief, way too many make believe movies out there and this one helps to bring it home where reality meets fantasy. Now the fantasy part.... I do not know where to F&^cking start... good luck in figuring it all out because it is a complete mystery! Good for them because that is the golden calf of this show!

Interesting start usual flat finish

[harvmt · 6/10 · 24 December 2020]

As always with Japanese inspired manga and anime it's high concept that is sort of out the box or interesting which then gets worse as the series goes on . Much like Japan sinks 2020 they have a good start that inspires curiosity. As it gets further in the dialogue and decisions fall off to the ridiculous. E.g and office worker who will stop at nothing to survive but despite knowing what she must do opts to wear heels for games she might have to run in.. ok . But back to the rest the strange cult idea could be plausible but would people really act how they are or have the food to do it. Just odd decision making as usual. Much like the way sword art online goes from thriller esk scenario to odd plot lines that shouldn't have been there . Sadly I know they just keep producing this stuff

SEASON 1.

[andrewchristianjr · 8/10 · 26 December 2022]

Deserves the hype that Squid Game later received. Unorthodox and unprepareable, often cruel, situations brought on by some god's sick sense of humour contrast with the good and bad of humanity which bring this series to life. Recommended.

Synopsis: An aimless gamer and his two friends find themselves in a parallel Tokyo, where they're forced to compete in a series of sadistic games to survive. It covers the Borderland Games' first phase with the arrival of the players and the completion of the Spot Card Games.

An aimless gamer and his two friends find themselves in a parallel Tokyo, where they're forced to compete in a series of sadistic games to survive. It covers the Borderland Games' first phase with the arrival of the players and the completion of the Spot Card Games.

It is good but it does not make sense.

[thiagorbessa · 6/10 · 22 December 2020]

The show in itself is good. It has good acting, scenario and all else but the story between the games does not make sense. They are in middle of Tokyo with a ton of canned food in every convenience store , there is empty houses all alround them and yet they are camping and hunt for food? Else for minor characters no one bother to bring a weapon when going to game, they make little to no preparation.

Really, this is underrated web series.

[tazulmasud · 10/10 · 24 February 2023]

Alice in Borderland is an underrated web series that offers a refreshing take on the survival game genre. The show is based on the Japanese manga of the same name and follows the story of a group of friends who find themselves transported to a parallel world where they must compete in deadly games to survive.

One of the most impressive aspects of the show is its production quality. The cinematography is stunning, with each scene carefully crafted to create an immersive and thrilling experience for the audience. The use of lighting and sound is particularly effective in building tension and suspense throughout the series.

The acting in Alice in Borderland is also noteworthy. The cast delivers compelling performances that bring depth and nuance to their characters, making them more than just mere archetypes in a survival game. Kento Yamazaki, in particular, shines in the lead role of Arisu, bringing a vulnerability and relatability to a character who could easily have become a one-dimensional action hero.

The pacing of the series is also well-balanced, with each episode delivering new twists and turns that keep the audience engaged and invested in the story. The show manages to avoid falling into predictable patterns, constantly subverting expectations and keeping viewers on the edge of their seats.

Despite its many strengths, Alice in Borderland remains an underrated gem that deserves more attention than it has received. The series offers a fresh and exciting take on a well-worn genre, with strong performances, stunning visuals, and a gripping storyline that will keep you hooked from beginning to end.

Overall, Alice in Borderland is a must-watch for anyone who enjoys survival games or dystopian fiction. Its combination of high-quality production, strong acting, and thrilling storyline make it one of the most underrated web series out there.

Fun drama great for binge watching but overall average.

[Zebra7 · 6/10 · 12 December 2020]

The first few episodes felt fresh and exciting, but dipped in the middle and I kept hoping for the latter episodes to reach a climax and in parts it seemed like it was on the way there, but then kind of fell flat in the end.

The plot itself isn't bad at all and definitely binge worthy, but can't rate higher than 6 because of terrible acting. Cringey and awkward all round. I've seen some of the actors in other films/dramas and I know they can do much better, so I assume the fault lies with the director himself.

Painfully cringy acting

[joao_ryder · 4/10 · 19 December 2020]

The people in this show act like manga characters, it doesn't work with real people. Too many clichés, one example is games being solved at the last possible second. A guy punches a tiger and somehow is the winner in that exchange.

It's such a good show, criminally underrated

[paulcrawford-88471 · 10/10 · 25 January 2024]

This show does not get the love it deserves. The negative reviews are mostly the voice over doesn't line up with the mouths. Heres why japanese "watashi wa Arisu desu' english 'I'm Alice' Alice in Borderland is probably one of the best shows on netflix or anywhere else. Great cast, interesting characters, very clever games and great variety. The king of spades episode is crazy good.

Each to their own bit I've watched it 3 times and I'm probably going to watch it again soon.

Do yourself a favor give it a watch, you might hate it but theres always Grey's Anatomy if you don't really like TV but can't work the internet.

What a series , old concept unique and new digital presentation

[qqwd-92301 · 8/10 · 12 April 2023]

Better Than Squid Game Because It Came First And Has Better Action , Twists , Plot , Interest After Watching Each Episoded It Has Very Unique Concept . What a series , old concept unique and new digital presentation Better Than Squid Game Because It Came First And Has Better Action , Twists , Plot , Interest After Watching Each Episoded It Has Very Unique Concept . What a series , old concept unique and new digital presentation Better Than Squid Game Because It Came First And Has Better Action , Twists , Plot , Interest After Watching Each Episoded It Has Very Unique Concept . What a series , old concept unique and new digital presentation Better Than Squid Game Because It Came First And Has Better Action , Twists , Plot , Interest After Watching Each Episoded It Has Very Unique Concept . What a series , old concept unique and new digital presentation.