Emotional rollercoaster, philosophical reflections, and games where anyone can die—the second season of the show 'Alice in Borderland' raised the bar for stories where only one survives, but it won't appeal to everyone.
The success of the Korean series spurred viewer interest in projects where characters are drawn into deadly competitions and human vices emerge in the most unexpected forms. But even before this international hit debuted on Netflix in 2020, 'Alice in Borderland' appeared, showing the same death games but in a far more spectacular and engaging way. And now, a couple of years later, the second season of the Japanese show, based on the manga by Asa Haro, has been released on the platform, continuing to force characters to use all their knowledge and skills to survive and find out who is behind the games.
Brief Recap of Previous Events
In the series 'Alice in Borderland', we met the young slacker Arisu (an allegory for Carroll's Alice) and his friends, who suddenly found themselves in an empty Tokyo and were then forced to participate in games of intelligence, physical fitness, and betrayal along with other unwilling contestants. If you turn out weak or stupid, you die. Refuse to play, you die. Winning a game gives you a visa—a temporary reprieve from risking your life.
If you miss dynamic and spectacular series, 'Alice in Borderland' is your salvation.
Open materialHaving passed all the trials marked with numbered cards, the heroes realize that next will be trials under the heading of jacks, kings, and queens (we remember who is in charge in the world of 'Alice'). The second season of the show is dedicated to them.
Diving into the Depths of the Human Soul
'Alice in Borderland' spoiled us with a quality plot even in the first season, successfully mixing dynamic games of intelligence and physical fitness with deeply psychological episodes where characters often had to compromise their principles to survive.
The second season has slowed down in terms of dynamics. Some games here are stretched over 2 episodes, and their mechanics are somewhat similar to each other and to what we have seen before. This may put off part of the audience accustomed to spectacular and varied, albeit not always realistic, action.
At the same time, the questions raised by the authors ventured into previously unexplored territories. Here they reflect on who determines the value of life, argue about the meaning of freedom of choice, and debate the nature of trust between people.
The move towards more philosophical themes on the part of the authors seems justified. After the first season, we are already superficially familiar with the characters, roughly understand who is who and what principles they adhere to. Therefore, it is logical to put them in a position where they have to dig deep into themselves and not just fight for survival, but for the attempt to remain true to themselves, to remain worthy people. For some characters, this may mean death; for others, an awareness of their own self.
In terms of direction and character colorfulness, 'Alice in Borderland' also took a step forward in the second season. The graphics no longer hurt the eyes, there is less action, but it is staged almost at the level of feature-length action films, and the addition to the cast was a pleasant bonus to the already beloved characters, like the resourceful Arisu or the combative Kuina. The unkillable King of Spades, the charismatic and fearless Kuima, and the slippery Yaba made the world of 'Alice' richer and more diverse.
Is This the End?
The second season of the show 'Alice in Borderland' put a logical (given all the conventions) end to the narrative, perfectly closing the arcs of the central characters. But the creators still left a small loophole for a continuation—the jokers haven't been canceled yet!
However, if the story ends with the current version, no one will be upset. It was an amazing adventure that turned out to be both deeper and more spectacular than the more hyped 'Squid Game', and the second season was further confirmation of that.
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