A great adventure
Let me tell you something. This series is not for everyone and that's why it doesn't surprise me that many people didn't actually like it. It has blood, violence, murder and sex which I can understand that many will not enjoy. To me though, this is a Netflix gem and you should really watch itThe story is really interesting and cool and the acting was spot on. I was really hanging at the edge of my seat, feeling emotional, angry and satisfied all at the same time. Also another thing that really catches your eye is the cinematography and the production.
For me, it was a great adventure. It was different from what I've watched up until now and that's why I've binged to that series in one day. I have to admit, although I know that many will disagree, that I enjoyed this one more than the squid game and I really can't wait for season 2 to be out.
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This review may contain spoilers
..A CARD DECK OF LIFE AND DEATH..
..the players whose just got isolated that time and a power interruption happened. . .then *boom*...
..a desert-like city welcome them..
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..well, as same as the game genre, it measures the body, mind, teamwork, heart - the trust..
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..a betrayal and friendship, to live and to die, the lose and win - that's how the life is for all the players..
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..almost the games ended just a second of time and nothing to expect, the longer the time to end the more extreme scenes can be added..
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..punch and kick, blood and sweat, bond and sex. . .nothing to be surprise yet a good scenes can be watch..
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..some of the games are well explained and easy to understand and follow, some are not - every minute is something to focus on and to go with the flow of the game..
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..in the end, only a few cards left and the second season is coming. . .are those the last games left?..
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..the casts are amazing, the acting are superb, the story is so cool, a mixed emotion, mind blowing - this is an art..
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..so better watch this guys and join the game..
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This review may contain spoilers
Well, that was quite brutal. But it gave me a similar vibe to The Maze Runner which is always a plus, so there's that ¯\_(ツ)_/¯My favorite games were those where Arisu got to show his smarts. Brutality doesn't really do it for me, I don't play any of those shooting games, whatever they might be called. But give me a game based on puzzle solving and I'm there with my bells on. So those games where the players had to actually use their heads as something more than a battering ram, those I loved.
But because of how brutal this drama was, I didn't actually feel sorry for any of the dead characters - besides Arisu's friends because that was at the beginning, when it was all fresh and new. But the longer it went, all the killing and murders, the more desensitized I was? Well, I mean, when there's too much of something - be it death or, I don't know, bad language - it stops hitting true. By the end, I was more shocked that any of them actually survived.
Overall, an interesting "dystopian" story. But I really had to be in the mood for it. The music, though, the music was absolutely amazing. I didn't skip the credits once!
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This review may contain spoilers
Overall, this was a pretty entertaining watch. I thought it would be just another Squid Game or Battle Royal knock off, but it wasn't. What I found interesting was that even if there were many similarities between these shows, Alice in Borderland was definitely its own thing. I loved the puzzle games and the variety of challenges; I am not a gamer and I don’t play cards but they explained the rules in a way that could be understood by anyone. The show also used different areas of an abandoned cityscape very effectively for its background. It was refreshing how the game backgrounds would switch from an abandoned building to a hotel to even a beach resort.
The male lead was pretty smart and capable; it was a lot of fun watching him come up with last minute solutions when it seemed that he would lose. Despite being a very good and pure character, he also knew how to trick people, which came as a surprise but very handy for survival. At first, I didn’t like how he seemed to be the only smart character but it turned out that there were other characters (like the mysterious Chisaya) who were just as intelligent and could come up with their own ways to win.
I heard somewhere that the female characters were shallow in comparison but I didn’t think so. All FLs here were very strong, likable and had different capabilities. The parallels between the main FL Usagi and the rabbit from Alice in Wonderland was represented well, in that they made her a mountain climber who was very good at parkour; she also provided a very good motivation for the ML. Kuina, who gave the initial impression of being a beach bum, turned out to be a very capable fighter while Ann was not just the Mad Hatter's henchman but an intelligent forensic researcher.
One of the things I didn’t like is how the characters would sometimes have these overly long, philosophical discussions which really didn’t serve any purpose, It made some of the episodes (and the game that was ongoing) boring. I liked the challenge with the King of Clubs for example, but it could have been more exciting if they trimmed down these overly long conversations between ML Arisu and the king. I am not sure why they did it, it was as if they were trying to make the plot deeper than it had to be and I felt it was unnecessary.
Another thing is that, while I don’t mind the violence, the level of injuries the characters got (particularly in the last episode) was too much that I really could not understand how they survived. While I am happy that they did make it, it seemed impossible, given how brutal the fight scene was.
I am also not sure about the final challenge with the Queen of Hearts and how she was able to make the ML lose hope at first. Even at the very end, I wasn’t sure what the whole point of Borderland was…was it created to punish people who did wrong things in the real world? Two seasons have already passed but many important points weren't cleared yet. I heard there was going to be a third season but to be honest, I kind of worry that they will stretch the plot out too much and ruin it. It was exciting to see the joker card at the very end but there is a danger of ruining a good thing when it takes too long to come up with a proper conclusion.
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Entertaining
I enjoyed Imawa no Kuni no Alice aka Alice in Borderland and looking forward to the next seasons. This really kept my attention throughout as I was intrigued to see what sort of games they would come up with. I’m more interesting to know more about the games and why things are happening this way.What I don’t like is some of the characters aren’t memorable and there are so many people that they just become fillers. I wish it would focus more on just a couple of main characters and I also wish it was a little longer to give more character development.
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“We are still alive! We’re all in this together… and we have to fight to end it all!”
the BEST death game drama ever. if you can handle gore/death/blood/all the fucked up shit that comes with these types of shows, i strongly recommend this to you. every character is so carefully crafted and despite the little time we spend on their backstories and motivations, their personalities shine through with every second of screen time they have. from chishiya’s nonchalant demeanor to aguni’s stone face you can tell what kinds of people they are and yet they’ll still manage to surprise you with the depth they hold as we learn what kind of people they truly are in a series of life or death games that determine their fate. every character (save for niragi…) is very near and dear to my heart and i truly believe there’s somebody for everyone in this show because they have such a wide range of personalities that make them really stand out, and as we watch their development we learn to love them. seeing how these characters change from the beginning of the show to the end is honestly essay worthy, especially with how intertwined our cast is.the very first game will have you invested in the world that’s slowly introduced as we follow arisu and those who reside in the mysterious borderlands through their new daily lives as they struggle to find purpose. each card suit offers a new and unique challenge that they must overcome in order to see another day and each game will leave you at the edge of your seat up until the very last moment. in particular the final game of the season always leaves me impressed no matter how many times i watch it and i cry over different parts each time. each scenario is so well written and it keeps you locked in from the very beginning, with the music amplifying the experience tenfold as it works to try and push you over the edge in terms of stress and immersion. while i personally prefer the games in the second season this doesn't mean i think the games in this season are boring, on the contrary i think they work perfectly as introductory games that are still very high-stakes as we're still easing into the world this show has to offer. the actors also work their asses off to deliver believable performances as the lines between the seemingly sci-fi world of the borderlands and the harsh reality of the real world blend into one. its nearly impossible to predict what the truth of the game is and what will happen next because before you know it there’s a panther trying to attack our main characters.
all in all i think this show is definitely worthwhile, especially with s3 right around the corner and god knows what in store for the returning characters!
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I binged watched this until 4:59 am
I just finished watching 'Alice in Borderland', and I'm still reeling from the intense ride that it took me on. This drama is like a dark, twisted wonderland that sucks you in and refuses to let go. The cast, led by Kento Yamazaki and Tao Tsuchiya, deliver performances that are both haunting and mesmerizing. Yamazaki's portrayal of Arisu is particularly impressive, as he brings depth and nuance to a character that could have easily been one-dimensional.The story is a complex web of mystery and suspense, with plot twists that will keep you guessing until the very end. Just when you think you have a handle on what's going on, the drama throws in another curveball that will leave you reeling. It's a true thrill ride that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
The cinematography is stunning, with a blend of eerie and beautiful visuals that perfectly capture the drama's surreal atmosphere. The use of lighting, color, and camera angles creates a dreamlike quality that immerses you in the world of Borderland. And the OST? Absolutely chilling and addictive! The music perfectly complements the drama's tone, adding an extra layer of tension and emotion to each scene.
'Alice in Borderland' is not for the faint of heart, but if you're ready for a mind-bending, emotional rollercoaster, then buckle up and get ready to enter the rabbit hole. Highly recommended for fans of psychological thrillers and dark fantasy, this drama will leave you breathless and eager for more.
IF I GOT ANYTHING WRONG PLS TELL ME I DONT WANT TO MISLEAD YOU GUYS
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one of the only live adaptations of an anime/manga that i’ve really loved
definitely had moments that made me annoyed because someone did something stupid or was blind to the obvious or because of plot holes that didn’t really seem to have any explanation but besides that i really enjoyed this show :) i loved the FL and ML i think the casting was great for them, and i 1000% fell for Chishiya (i really do hope they get him a less fried wig for season 3 though). didn’t read the manga/watch the anime before watching this, but took a quick look after watching both seasons of the live action and in all honesty i prefer the live action more which is something i never thought i’d say about a live action anime (i normally find that the wigs/costumes/backgrounds just look a little too extra which makes sense because it’s difficult to replicate certain manga/anime exactly because they aren’t as easy to film as they are to draw but i normally cant get past it so i don’t really watch live actions of sci fi/action/fantasy anime/manga at all) i actually finished both seasons in less than a week because i was so invested in this series ! really love arisu’s character yamazaki did a great job with making him feel human and not just a character on the screen. i always love a genius character who figures things out just in time or happens to get lucky occasionally (not tooo much). the concept of the whole borderlands thing is really interesting and i’m excited to see what netflix is going to do with the third season! definitely recommend this show if you like smart characters, action, dystopian, survival games, thriller, mystery, a teeny bit of romance, high stakes, and trauma bonding ?Was this review helpful to you?
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Funnily kinda agreed with 3GGG: "Interesting but Unmemorable". Interesting choice of title to summarize the drama. Haha... Yeah I also feel, compared to other reviewers, my mark gonna be a little bit lower. So for you fans of the drama or anime or manga, don't be mad at us. Haha...
This part or season of the drama is starting to give introduction to everyone about who is who and sometimes also their part in the whole 'game'. The character getting to know each other but also lose someone, know the game, find partner & companion & finally found a purpose, aka how to finish the game & get out to the real world.
But even with many thing that happen in this season, I still kinda feel this lack of something that I don't know what was it..... No, I'm not say they lack of good acting or just simply bad performance. But yeah maybe also like 3GGG, J-drama sometime not fly in same wave length with me too... Haha... And if you compare this to the hunger game. I still feel the character development better in hunger game than in here,
Overall this just another drama to watch. We need to watch the other season to get the whole picture...
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First Japanese drama I've ever watched. and......
This is the first-ever Japanese drama I've watched. The survival plot got my attention that's why I spent my leisure time watching this drama. I could label myself as an anime lover/watcher as I've watched a ton of anime since childhood but I never got interested in watching a drama from Japan as I found their acting sometimes exaggerated (I watched clips from TikTok) which is not for my taste when it comes to dramas unless its an anime you can be hysteric all you want cause it's cute. However, this one is different, I was amused by how it was directed and acted.First of all, let's talk about the cinematography, EXQUISITE. It is so well done, I wasn't expecting it would that superb. I thought it would have some naive special effects. ambiance. camera transitions etc but I was amused. Second is the plot, I've seen a lot of kinds of dramas/movies like this and I always find myself immersed in the situations they got into and try to guess or find the answers for myself if my observations/suspicions are correct. This drama got my intuitive self wrong, there are just those scenes where you thought your guess was right but it wasn't, so good job on making it unexpected answers from the wrong guesses the viewers made. The third is the acting, the acting was superb I'm not going to lie. I thought sometimes they are just going to act hysterically but they did not. Lastly, I've found some scenes that look like anime scenes. For instance, random flashbacks from characters, the way they sound sometimes reminds me of anime, and some transitions when there are many scenes that are going on simultaneously.
In conclusion, It is a great drama that is worth your time. I wouldn't say I would watch it again because it's too violent for me and I already know the mystery the drama has so the thrill would be gone if I rewatch this.
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