If you've been missing dynamic and spectacular series, then 'Alice in Borderland' is your salvation.

At the end of December, the Japanese series 'Alice in Borderland' (Imawa no Kuni no Arisu), based on the manga of the same name by Haro Aso, debuted on the streaming service Netflix. This project combines familiar elements from 'Alice in Wonderland' as well as films like 'Battle Royale' and 'The Hunger Games'. But let's take it step by step.

How Friends Ended Up in an Empty Tokyo

At the center of the plot is the reclusive gamer Arisu (Kento Yamazaki), who quarrels with his family and leaves home. He meets up with his best friends: the bully Karube (Keita Machida) and the shy guy Chota (Yuki Morinaga). Together they fool around until they suddenly notice that all the people around them have disappeared. At first, the guys enthusiastically embrace this unexpected turn, but their joy is short-lived, as a huge billboard invites them to participate in a game. And as they soon find out, refusing to participate or losing leads to death.

How Intelligence, Strength, and the Will to Live Helped in the Games

Arisu and his friends, along with the presence of deadly games, also learn that there are still plenty of people left in Tokyo who, like them, have to participate in these 'amusements.' The games are divided by difficulty levels and categories (intelligence, physical fitness, betrayal), and winning them grants 'visas' — a few days of freedom from the need to risk their lives.

The creators of the series 'Alice in Borderland' approached the design of the games very inventively. Trials requiring intellectual solutions keep you on edge from start to finish, physical challenges add dynamism and action to the series, and episodes with betrayal games are the most emotional. Thanks to this variety, the show keeps you glued to the screen right up to the final credits, which unequivocally hint at a forthcoming continuation.

How Netflix Created Another Gem

The series 'Alice in Borderland' is far from perfect: at times there is frankly poor graphics, some story arcs feel like a fifth wheel, and the motivations behind certain characters' actions raise questions. Yet despite all this, this show can be considered another success for Netflix:

• It's a cool, dynamic, and tense series, simultaneously reminiscent of 'Cube,' 'Saw,' 'Battle Royale,' and 'The Hunger Games.' Every decision the characters make affects not only their own fate but also the lives of other participants, and the desire to survive reveals new facets of their personalities;
• It's a concentration of vivid and interesting characters — there's even its own Mad Hatter!
• It's absolute unpredictability. Even 'Game of Thrones' would envy some of the plot twists.

If you have no prejudices against Asian cinema and you love gripping stories that entertain you in every possible way, we recommend watching the series 'Alice in Borderland.' It will be able to surprise you.

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