Sunday, 23 March 2025
Sunday, 23 March 2025
Netflix has dropped first-look stills from the third season of Japanese survival thriller series Alice in Borderland, slated to hit the streamer in September this year. Here’s a look.
Based on the manga by Hara Aso, Alice in Borderland follows Kingdom star Kento Yamazaki’s Arisu, a hardcore gamer who finds himself transported to a mysterious, deserted version of Tokyo with his friends. After being trapped in the parallel world with no hope of escaping, the trio are forced to participate in survival games.
In the final game against the Queen of Hearts in Season 2, Mira, Arisu (Kento Yamazaki) and Usagi (Tao Tsuchiya) were forced to take part in a croquet match, where Mira attempted to manipulate Arisu by making him doubt reality. With Usagi by his side, Arisu was pulled back to his senses and the duo finally confessed their feelings.
After defeating Mira, the remaining players were given the choice to return to the real world or stay in Borderland. Consequently, most of them chose to leave. When they woke up in a hospital, Arisu found out that a meteor had destroyed Tokyo, which was the cause behind them being drawn into Borderland.
The finale of season two showed Arisu and Usagi, who have lost their memories, still harbouring feelings for each other. It ended with a shot of a Joker card, which hints at the characters navigating deadlier games and attempting to put an end to the madness once and for all.
Alice in Borderland is directed by Shinsuke Sato and written by Yasuko Kuramitsu.
At the Next on Netflix 2025 Japan event held recently, the streamer confirmed the return of the series for a third season. “The Joker card has now appeared, marking the triumphant return of Alice in Borderland. Fans can expect an adrenaline-fueled rollercoaster ride as the series continues to explore profound themes of humanity, sacrifice and the pursuit of a meaningful existence,” they said in a statement.
When Season 1 of Alice in Borderland premiered on Netflix in December 2020, it rose to the Top 10 list in more than 70 countries, quickly emerging as a global sensation. After boasting an impressive audience score of 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, the show returned for a second season, which claimed the No. 1 spot in over 17 countries on the Top 10 list. In Japan, it held the top position for 14 consecutive days.
Also starring Nijirō Murakami, Aya Asahina, Ayame Misaki, Dori Sakurada, Ayaka Miyoshi, Tomohisa Yamashita and Keita Machida, the survival thriller series is produced by Akira Morii.
All episodes of Alice in Borderland Seasons 1 and 2 are available to stream on Netflix.
