Decent show, but falters badly after episode 3
This show is compared to Squid Game a lot, and as a fan of SG, I gave it a shot only to realize the comparisons make no sense whatsoever. The two shows have nothing in common other than having death games as a major plot point.Overall AIB is entertaining with lots of fantastical elements. It starts off strong, and some early episodes hit me in the gut, mainly due to excellent acting. But the story takes a weird turn around halfway through the season, and, in my opinion, loses its appeal. Plot twists are cheapened and unnecessarily confusing, and the character development is shallow and uninteresting.
It's a good show for a weekend binge, but not one that left a deep impression on me. That being said, I'll still be watching season 2 :)
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This review may contain spoilers
Don't watch Squid Game first.
Ok, i liked the series it was really good but there's just something missing.I know there's a manga about it but i never read it and i don't plan to honestly.
I came in here with really high expectations because people in my entourage and people on the internet said that Squid Game was over hyped and that Alice in borderland was in fact better. I watched SG when it came out and really, no death game, no series of that genre was better than this... STILL.
Maybe if SG never came out AIB would've been the best series of that genre out there no discussion, but SG ate AIB up sorry not sorry.
First off, how the story takes off makes no sense. Literally no sense. Arisu doesn't even really go at it with his brother or father to leave, he just finds an excuse to get off the game and leave. And then he says that he got "kicked out"... What ? No, your spoiled ass didn't get kicked out, you ran away like an ungrateful kid.
Then you got Karube kissing his boss wife, seems like it's not the first time but oh my oh my, he suddenly gets beat up and fired THAT day. At least with Arisu we somehow got a hint of his background but with Karube it was like "ok, he has a job but we need to make him leave the job and show that the 3 bestfriends are all losers in some way"???? A whole bunch of nonsense put together.
Talking about their friendship, it was boring. Really boring. None of them are funny or interesting. The only one that was at the very least charismatic was Karube and I think he made the whole friendship.
It took half of the first episode to really get into it and i don't mind taking time to really set the story up. But now stories were boring, briefly cut to let place to 3 boring guys struggling to find something to do (pretty sure the director did that just so he can gain more minutes because he didn't know what to do). Then the story starts with electrical power just cutting off, phones too, people disappearing. To me that was really unrealistic and it's an overused method to start a death game story. It's always either you see people but they don't see you or people disappear. Always that "isolating" start.
Arisu is the character that pissed me the most off, especially during the 7 Hearts game in the botanical garden. He ran away with the wolf "mask/title" and then hid and acted like he was sorry and then when only 3 minutes were remaining, he suddenly "changed" his mind. But at the same time i was glad he was there during certain games. And also can we talk about Shibuki? She was so useless omg. Can somebody just tell me what did she do for the story? Except explaining some of the rules they could've figured out themselves ? If the story went without her, it would've made absolutely no difference.
In my opinion, the series got interesting only from episode 7... meaning the end since there's 8 episodes. I just feel like the rest was so passive, nothing was really happening. Chota was a really passive character, if the friendship was just Arisu and Karube, it would've made no difference as well.
Japan really has a thing for sects. Chota's story was about that, and "The Beach" was definitely a sect or just had a sect-ish vibe.
The way you would see every other girl in bikinis, being victims of attempted rape really made me uncomfortable.
This series felt like there was no story whatsoever, especially for the main characters. I don't even like any of them. Like i said it got interesting from episode 7 to 8 and the male lead wasn't there for most of it. That tells a lot.
The set up was good, i can't really say anything on that. It's just Tokyo streets, they are really cool. Fortunately we got to see other players because if it was the 3 guys from the beginning all along... i don't know.
The actors did really bad acting in my opinion. They succeeded to carry the show but I wasn't really sold about it.
I'm definitely going to compare this with Squid Game because almost every AIB fans i talked to literally DRAGGED it.
I think Squid Game was better. First of all, in AIB, Arisu is from a rich family, he can stay home and not do anything, it won't affect anything, so i don't feel bad or any type of way for him. In SG, the game was made for the players to naturally reveal their true self, while in AIB it felt like they had no choice but act evil. The story of each character in SG was meaningful and left a memory on you, while in AIB you could get stories about a girl that loves her father??? Ok? Or a bullied boy that grew into a villain... Ok?? Still want you dead tho. Unnecessary moments like that made me mad. Or you could get sex/nudity scenes that absolutely nobody needed to see. Like wtf does it add to the story? I'm talking about you Shibuki.
The series (AIB) lacked action and suspense in my opinion. During most of the games i wasn't really impressed. I had a little tension because the games were difficult to clear but that's it. I didn't sweat, I wasn't stressed out, I didn't feel any pressure. It was just like watching white wall, not impressed. And it's really sad because i LOVE feeling stressed out and pressured because this indicates that the show is really good to me.
On the overall, I'll leave a 7.5/10. The show is definitely good but if I recommend this to someone that seen Squid Game first, they're definitely going to be disappointed. So i suggest watching this first and then SG.
Oh and if in season 2 it happens to be all a virtual game imagined or being played by Arisu or anothe person it would be the most boring series i've ever seen hands down.
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Disappointing
Being very honest, as a manga reader, I didn't enjoy this drama that much.They failed in a lot o aspects in compariso to the source material.
I couldn't bring myself to care for any of the characters. On episode 3 (which in the manga is the part that absolutly destroyed me) the only feling I had towords the characters was desapointmant, it wasn't nearly as emotional as it should have been.
Not to mention the rest of the games and how they changed them, making them simpler and less interesting. Also putting the main characters in games they didn't participate in the manga, basically ignoring Arisu's traumatic experience in the hide and seek game and the ways it affected him psychologically.
Though I liked some especific changes, like the addition of celphones and the aged up main character(witch are teenagers in the manga).
But in the end it wasn't enough to make me enjoy the story.
I will give it someo extra credits for the production, which was quit impressive for a J-drama.
In conclusion: Wouldn't waste my time re-watching and don't know if I would watch a second season.
*Just want to end apologising for any gramatical mistakes*
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This review may contain spoilers
This is me mostly talking about s2 lolThis goes in the same category as squid game for me. It really is well done and i enjoyed every episode that aired. I cant help but think there will be another season even if the show was technically concluded but also that joker card at the end... if it actually ended then why would they show that and leave the ending so open? Its not a solid ending, even though i actually love the plot that this was all just borderland between life and death, its so clever and i loved that so much. People fighting for their lives for 1 minute...while it felt like an enternity for them. Wow. Jaw dropping.
Hope there will be another season just to solidfy everything again!
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Welcome to Tokyo’s deadliest escape room. Bring brains. Leave hope.
A Brutal, Brilliant Mind-Game Bloodbath That Somehow Makes Nihilism Addictive✨ THE GOOD:
Top-tier suspense – Every game is like Squid Game’s smarter, meaner cousin who studied math and plays poker for souls.
Arisu’s glow-up – From depressed gamer to calculating survivor, dude evolves faster than the show kills off fan favorites.
Visuals = chef’s kiss – Apocalyptic Tokyo never looked so stylish or emotionally scarring.
Characters who bleed development – Yes, even the ones that don’t survive past episode 2.
💀 THE “SOMEONE’S GONNA DIE” MOMENTS:
Emotional whiplash – Don’t get attached. Seriously. Stop it.
Psychology over action – You’re here for survival games, but it’s the moral decay that’ll haunt you.
Pacing dips slightly mid-season – But the end? Worth every second.
🧠 THE “BIG BRAIN” FACTOR:
The games aren’t just deadly—they’re brilliantly crafted.
Plot twists hit like a bullet you almost saw coming.
It’ll make you paranoid about cards forever.
🎯 VERDICT:
"Like Saw met Inception, ran through Tokyo, and left you emotionally wrecked but oddly satisfied."
Watch if: You love survival dramas with actual brains, emotional carnage, and zero plot armor.
Skip if: You can’t handle high stakes, hard losses, or psychological trauma wrapped in neon lights.
Best paired with: 🎮 A controller you can throw, two Red Bulls, and no emotional attachments.
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Gritty & Violent AIW Retelling
While I have never been an Alice in Wonderland fan (not of the book or any of the retellings), I decided to give this show a shot because it reminded me of The Hunger Games and Battle Royal. The gritty setting and horror elements were truly the best part of the series. The further Arisu descended into the rabbit hole, the more explicit the violence become. I never felt the violence was gratuitous for shock value, but served as an immersive experience for both the characters and audience alike. While the show certainly put its characters into interesting survival and moral quandaries, I felt rather ambivalent about the character's fates. I'm not sure if my detachment stemmed from the genre itself (don't get too connected to the characters because they could all die at any moment) or if it was from a storytelling perspective. I'm not sure I would rewatch this series, but I certainly will give the second season a try.Was this review helpful to you?
Hollow plot premise with hope of redemption in Season 2 *fingers crossed*
Compared to Squid Game, this drama comes across as just a senseless survival game drama. The players appear to be merely transported to the games arena and forced to participate in bizarre games to survive. Weakening the already hollow plot premise (for gamers to play and survive) is the beach utopia. There appears suggestion of inner desire of the players (esp for the FL) to escape the current world that they live in. I hope Season 2 provides a compelling motive for the players, or a premise for the existence of the games arena. The games played in Alice are comparatively smarter and need not result in casualties. And perhaps, the simpler sadistic games in Squid Game provides a wake up call to the brutal and blatant reality of life at extreme ends of society, that is sorely missing in Alice in Wonderland. It is otherwise an entertaining watch.Was this review helpful to you?
The game will commence in 3... 2... 1...
The story itself is interesting. I can't help but find myself wanting to see the next episode to see what happens next. I rarely watch Japanese drama but I'm glad that whenever I watch one I am satisfied with the story overall. It's obvious that there's a second season and I'll definitely watch it to see what will happen to the characters.This series very well reminded me of Squid Game where you lose means you die. And I honestly don't like graphic deaths and blood so I usually skip those part but if you like bloody scenes, this one's definitely for you.
Overall, I enjoyed watching this series and I think you will too. There were pretty good twists here and there that will keep you on the edge of your seats so look forward to it.
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A imperfect but enjoyable surprise !
Alice in Borderlands was a bit of a surprise to all of us because it was such a new concept. When you look at the comment section you will easily spot words like “odd” “strange” “different” and most of us, especially if we are drunk in asian contents, are drowned to that kinda of stuff.This original series is even more likable as we get a beautiful scenery, intriguing story, mostly great performances and there is no time for boredom. If you watched similar “themes” (suspensful atmosphere, games, life or death games, new world fictionnary or made by some entity…) like Squid Game or 19th floor… they take time to set the plot even tho they leave you a part of mystery to it. Alice in Borderlands doesn’t. It goes fast and right to this “imaginary or made by someone” setting.
All of this is a good recipe to keep things addicting and interesting. At least for most of us.
S1 is more about the games. We get full episodes on some games. To me I prefered this one as I found it entertaining and new and not boring. But there is a little place for characters’ development. So we don’t get much emotionally engaged when something bad happens to them. not just the male lead but to anyone.
S2 focuses more on characters’ development and we get almost zero games fully played on screen. Maybe one and a half in the last episodes. On S2 we get attached to a lot of people. Maybe everyone in a way. The second season also tries to be a satire of our society but not really about humans’ behaviors but what people go through in their minds. It is different directing approach but likable too. But is it for the same audience ?
The cons now. Personally, I regret that season 2 didn’t develop the ending of season 1 which I think was very interesting. If you have watched a ton of dramas you might have seen the end of season 2 coming which was a bit disappointing even tho we can also have another idea of how it will develop again as season 3 seem to be on its way. If season 3 catches up with season 1 ending which is still possible it can be amazing. The last episode on season 2 is a no to me in the directing process. To be fair once the games were sort of done and they were trying to convey the “main story” there were a lot of flaws in the directing process. Maybe were they pressured or not creatively free enough from netflix ? Who knows ! I regret also on season 2 the lack of depth in all games. To me people were confusing the characters’s charisma and the actual games that were not even closed to the development they had in season 1. In season 1 you can have things to say about performances about pretty much everyone even the male lead at some points. When we get to this environment with a lot of folks it shows even more and is a bit off.
Last con to me is the main vilain or the character they pictured as the vilain is not innovative nor funny nor interesting, it is seen over and over, this character lacks a lot of originality and is as irritating as most vilains we see. The lack of depth about this person is also disturbing as in season 2 they develope everyone but that person. And it is to me a flaw cause even for “basic vilain” we have a motive which can be very simple. It is lacking here.
On the question should you watch it ? Of course it is one of the most innovative drama we have ever seen and beautifully shot from japanese industry which has their signature and which is very enjoyable. That being said I think the audience from S1 can be different from S2 and also some characterizations can be a drawback to the full engagement of the viewer.
People like to compare squid game and alice in borderlands especially since they came out at the same time. Besides that squid game is set in a reality while we question the reality of alice in borderlands and that, the latter is bloodier I have a hinch of why alice is rated higher, it’s the rewatchable value. A very good drama nowadays is rewatchable and still enjoyable. Alice is more rewatchable than Squid game. It is my personal opinion but if you look at people’s reviews you will find out that tthe majority thinks the same.
I am sorry I haven’t check the series background like if it was made out of some specific inspirations (book, video game) so I only reviewed the series.
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A Good One time Watch
It has all the elements Except maybe Comedy, a good entertaining option if you want to watch a good thriller Series the characters are well developed throughout the Series and you can connect with them while the series is ongoing the only downside is that you can easily guess who are going to survive and win the ordeal it has a good ending as well so u dont have to worry about another season , overall if you are interested in a thriller or suspense stories this one is for you highly Recommended .Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
lost its charm at some point but still enjoyable
when I first started this drama I was SO HOOKED, I couldn't wait to watch the next episode. Survival shows are really my thing and aib's concept is very intriguing and gets you on board immediately, also all the characters I'd seen so far (up until ep3-4) were likeable and had something to offer to the story and to their team.The thing that made me lose my initial excitement though was *SPOILERS* the death of 3/4 of our main characters in only the THIRD EPISODE. Those 4 were the characters we've been following from the beginning as we were still only getting introduced to others ( like usagi & chishiya) so , naturally, I was shocked to see almost all of them get killed off so early and all at the same time.
Despite my disappointment I kept watching and even though I never truly got my initial excitement back, I was able to enjoy the drama for what it was. The games are really fun to watch and I think they should be the focus of the show instead of all the beach drama.(which was still okay because of some new interesting characters)
Overall I would recommend this show to action/dystopia lovers because it's still entertaining and it's universe and concept are extremely intriguing. If they had went a different direction after ep3 this would have been easily in my top 5. Will be tuning in for season 2!!
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Well worth the watch
I didn't see this when it first came out even though i was planning on it, and then the time went by and it just got down prioritized. Until season 2 came out where i got interested again. Then i got sick, so i thought i light as well watch it.And i am happy with my choice. It did not dissapoint. It really keeps you on the edge of your seat for the first episodes making you watch more. And then after a few episodes the story takes a bit of a turn, but by them you already very invested. That's not to say it takes a bad turn, i just think it slows down slightly.
By the end it does feel like quite a different show from when it started, but a show i enjoyed none the less. It has the typical japanese drama that you either enjoy or don't. (If you don't, i'm not sure why you are on this app)
If you heard about this maybe because someone called it similair to squidgame, and you liked squidgame, i would watch it. It's not exactly the same, but there are certainly similarities.
The rewatchability is low because i don!t have much desire to rewatch it, but i could see getting something out of doing so.
Basically i would recommend it.
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