Netflix’s Japanese sci-fi thriller Alice in Borderland, adapted from Haro Aso’s manga, returned last week with its much-anticipated third season. The series, which began with gamer Ryōhei Arisu trapped in a deserted Tokyo where survival meant playing deadly card-based games, has steadily built a reputation for stylish spectacle and nail-biting tension. Season 3 picks up after the events of the meteor strike and ventures into new territory with the looming spectre of the Joker card. Themes of memory, identity, and the choice between reality and the Borderland itself fuel the narrative, raising the stakes beyond physical survival.
The show still shines where it always has: elaborate, high-concept games that balance brains, brutality, and raw suspense. Production values remain top-tier, with cinematic set-pieces and a strong emotional anchor in the bond between Arisu and Usagi. There’s ambition in how the season toys with existential questions, giving the drama a philosophical edge.
But it’s also the series’ most uneven outing yet. A compressed episode count means new characters lack depth, and some plot turns feel forced, undermining the emotional groundwork laid in earlier seasons. Pacing suffers in quieter stretches, and at times the season slips into familiar survival-drama territory, losing the sharp originality that once set it apart.
While early reviews point to mixed reception — with Season 3 scoring the lowest of the trilogy on Rotten Tomatoes — long-time fans will still find enough here to justify the ride. It’s tense, stylish, and occasionally brilliant, though it doesn’t match the narrative consistency of its predecessors.
Verdict: Alice in Borderland Season 3 is a flawed but gripping conclusion — best appreciated by returning fans, less inviting for newcomers. Watch it for the spectacle, the central duo’s journey, and the thrill of the games, but temper expectations.
