Hold onto your hats, players, because the deadly game of Borderland is back! Three years after its thrilling two-season run, Netflix’s Alice in Borderland makes a surprising return, plunging its beloved characters into a fresh series of brutal, mind-bending challenges, interwoven with heightened emotional stakes. Yet, this unexpected comeback struggles to recapture the confident magic of its predecessors. From the outset, it’s clear this isn’t quite the Alice in Borderland we knew, grappling to justify its continued existence, even if it’s not entirely without merit.
We find Arisu (Kento Yamazaki) and Usagi (Tao Tsuchiya) now married and living a seemingly peaceful life in a recovering Tokyo, which was devastated by what the real world believes was a meteor strike. Recall that at the close of the last season, Borderland was subtly depicted as a Purgatorial Olympics, a brutal trial determining whether survivors returned to life or perished permanently.
Arisu and Usagi, with scant memories of their perilous past, have their quiet lives disrupted by Ryuji Matsuyama (Kento Kaku), a researcher consumed by the afterlife and determined to experience it firsthand. His opportunity arrives through Sunato Banda (Hayato Isomura), who, having chosen to remain in Borderland last season, now reappears as a mysterious gamemaster—though often seen peddling the ‘Borderland experience’ to the desperate. Usagi, still reeling from her father’s disappearance, is persuaded by Matsuyama to return, with Arisu soon following. This descent back into the chaos is marked by the enigmatic Joker card, which now governs the style of games. Expect electrifying card battles, deadly flaming arrows, a perilous poisonous train journey, and a host of other inventive traps awaiting a fresh batch of players.
The first and second seasons of Alice in Borderland faithfully adapted Haro Aso’s manga, mirroring its definitive conclusion. This season, therefore, boldly (and perhaps unwisely) ventures into uncharted territory. While some elements, like Arisu and Usagi’s marriage, nod to spin-off stories, the overarching narrative for these six new episodes had to be entirely conceived. The earlier seasons thrived on a masterful ambiguity: the mystery of Tokyo’s depopulation, the purpose of the elaborate games, and the true reward for winning – these questions tantalizingly simmered beneath the surface, driving both character and audience anxiety. Now, the weight of imagining a future beyond those answers shifts from the in-show survivors to the writers themselves, and it shows.
Previously, Borderland’s inexplicable nature was its terrifying strength. This season, however, feels compelled to provide more concrete explanations, striving for a definitive closure that dilutes its enigmatic appeal. The plot awkwardly pivots around ‘near-death experiences,’ accessible through Matsuyama’s new invention, offering a surprisingly mundane, almost commercialized gateway to the afterlife. This ‘curated sheen’ strips away much of the existential horror that made the earlier seasons so gripping.
The narrative pacing this season is noticeably inconsistent, lacking the confident stride of its predecessors. Arisu’s primary quest to find Usagi leads him to reluctantly mentor a group of Borderland newcomers through the games. Similarly, Usagi joins a new ensemble, expanding the supporting cast. But unlike earlier seasons, where even minor characters were expertly developed and left a lasting impact, this new batch feels largely underdeveloped, serving merely as disposable cannon fodder until a perfunctory spotlight in the final episode.
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Technically, Alice in Borderland remains impressive, delivering strong production values and commendable performances from its lead actors, who navigate the escalating absurdity with dedication. As a standalone season, there are moments to appreciate. However, when measured against the high bar set by its own legacy, this season undeniably falls short of the brilliance that once defined it.
Ultimately, while Alice in Borderland Season 3 maintains an elaborate premise, its storytelling feels simpler and more direct. While not inherently a flaw, this approach deviates significantly from the unique, ambiguous narrative that first captivated audiences. In its pursuit of tidy answers and perhaps wider appeal, the show sacrifices much of its distinct identity.
You can stream Alice in Borderland Season 3 exclusively on Netflix.