Alice in Borderland

Synopsis

Arisu Ryohei is an unemployed and aimless young man who spends his days playing video games with his two best friends, Karube and Chota. One evening, after taking shelter in a public restroom during a fireworks display, the three friends emerge into a completely deserted Tokyo. The buildings are intact but there is not a single human being. They quickly discover they are trapped in a parallel world where they must participate in 'games' to earn survival visas.

Each game is represented by a playing card: spades test physical strength, diamonds test intelligence, clubs test teamwork, and hearts test psychology and betrayal. The card number indicates difficulty. Players who fail or whose visa expires die. Arisu discovers that his gamer skills — strategic analysis, quick thinking, knowledge of game mechanics — are valuable assets in this ludic hell.

Through the games, Arisu meets Usagi, a solitary and determined climber, and together they try to understand the nature of this world and the identity of its creators. Season 2 raises the stakes with face card games (Jack, Queen, King), each card representing a 'citizen' of this world who imposes their own sadistic rules.

Themes and Influence

Alice in Borderland explores the value of life in the face of death, coming of age, and the search for meaning in an absurd world. References to Lewis Carroll's Wonderland are omnipresent (Arisu = Alice, Usagi = rabbit). The series critiques a Japanese society that leaves its youth without prospects. The Netflix adaptation, with its spectacular special effects of a deserted Tokyo, demonstrated that Japan could rival South Korea in the survival genre. Season 1 was watched by over 18 million households in its first four weeks.