I often find myself bored and just perusing Netflix these days; similar to many others I'm sure. Sometimes it takes me a bit of browsing and sifting through the titles to find something to try to watch. The tedious process of trying out the first few episodes to see whether or not I like it happens often, but it's necessary. Although sometimes I'm lucky enough to stumble upon a show that catches my attention right away.
That happened with Alice in Borderland.
I must admit that I didn't have to do much browsing to find the show, as Netflix had been advertising it pretty heavily both on and off the site. Seeing the big flashing banner at the top of my feed did work like a charm and intrigued me to start it. I was hooked as soon as it started. Based on the Japanese manga series, Alice in Borderland pulls the viewer into a dystopian alternate universe governed by a cruel set of game-like principles, chaos, and human lawlessness.
The alternate universe is almost identical to modern day Tokyo, the Shibuya area specifically, yet nearly all of the population has disappeared mysteriously. One day, the main character Arisu and his 2 best friends Karube and Chota are transported into this universe after running away from the police and hiding in a subway bathroom. They walk out from the subway station to find that the Shibuya Station area has been completely abandoned. They are soon guided to a nearby area to a place marked as the "Start" of the game.
After crossing an invisible barrier, they soon find out that they have now officially enrolled in the game and cannot escape except by winning or by dying. In order to extend their life in the universe, they must win the games to acquire visa points: the number of days they are given to live until they must enter another game or be killed by the universe. The number of days they are given to live depends on the game they play. Each game has been designed around a deck of cards; ranked in difficulty by a number, from 2 to King, and the type of game determined by the suit (Spades, Diamonds, Hearts, and Clubs).
The group is introduced to these rules through a jarring first game. The game difficulty: 3 of Clubs. The 3 friends plus 2 other players are pushed into a room with 2 doors: one labelled "life" with a picture of an angelic anime girl and the other labelled "death" with skulls and images of death. The group is given incrementally shorter periods of time in each room to chose which door to go through before the room is set ablaze by flame throwers. Due to Arisu's love and obsession with video games, he is able to successfully guide the group out of the rooms (mostly) unharmed.
Throughout the series, Arisu's skills are continuously tested as he goes through more and more levels getting increasingly more difficult, complex, and strenuous in nature. Eventually, Arisu meets the second main character Usagi, a mountain climber who ends up in the game after the death of her father. The two team up in order to take down the levels and figure out how to escape the world.
The series is extremely fast paced and thrilling; leaving the audience at the edge of their seats throughout each episode. The series is only 8 episodes long, which while slightly disappointing once you get to the end of it, eliminates most filler from the series and leaves exciting, plot-building action. The content within the episodes plays a crucial part in explaining the world and push the story forward.
Each episode has an unexpected twist and impels the viewer to keep watching. As the members of this world attempt to overtake the game, they show how human morality will descend into chaos as they are pushed to self-preserve. The raw emotion and talent of the actors makes the characters' actions believable; each character showing some facet of vice and the ugliness humans are capable of. Greed, lust, desperation, betrayal, wrath, arrogance, and other flaws are displayed as the game continues and days in the universe stack up.
The main point: humans, deep down, can be truly evil.
Vice is best seen festering within the unit of players that have come together to beat the game at a place called "The Beach." Led by a man called "Hatter" and his partners, "The Beach" has a symbiotic relationship with those who join the unit. Players get a place to party, drink, do drugs, have sex, and, most importantly, team up with others to better their chances of winning the game. Meanwhile, players agree to give up the cards they win from each game to contribute to the collection held by the Hatter. Once every card has been collected, the Hatter says, in theory, he will be the one to leave the universe and in turn, someone else will take his place and repeat the cycle again.
But while the universe and game-makers try to tear humans apart, Arisu and Usagi manage to stick together and make sense of the disorder surrounding them. They show how cooperation is possible, even in the worst of times. Both deal with loss together and use their skills to complete the levels together.
The series builds and builds until it comes to a head in the final episode when it seems the game may be over soon. But in true fashion, the universe starts to generate face cards, which have never been seen in the game before. This signals that a second season will presumably come (which has been confirmed for release in 2022, but may be delayed due to COVID-19).
Overall, Alice in Borderland is an extremely thrilling, seat-gripping, and anxiety-driven 8 episodes that leave the viewer wanting more by the end of the season. Easily binged within 1 day but I recommend savoring it as long as you can. Once you finish it, you'll be hungry for more.
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