This is better than Squid game. Squid game is too mainstream and dramatic. Japanese are better doing this kind…
I do not think you even tried to understand my comments. Just the act of “having” a motivation does not mean it’s realistic. I said the actions of the characters and the way they think or act or what they say feel more anime-like and ridiculous. The first female characters they introduce are so one dimensional and cliche. Reread my comment for the example. I actually did not think the acting was bad, but rather the script writing of the characters is what is bad.
Funny how I felt the same for SG instead, cliche and predictable since first episode except it had characters…
@Lily Lac has said a lot of what I think too in an amazing way, but just wanted to add to this comment because I feel like you misunderstood me. Also I respect your opinion, this will just sound ranty on my behalf because it’s how I felt about the show.
“Alice in borderland was never meant to be realistic given the parallel universe.” Whenever I use the term realistic I am not sure why people keep using this as an argument. I think all of us here know that neither show’s plot is “realistic” it’s in the thriller/fantasy genre. I mostly refer to character writing. In both shows the characters are supposed to be normal humans even if in a supernatural setting. Yet, all of their motivations and character qualities feel cookie cutter for me (on the basis of the first 3 episodes, but it was more than enough to know)
Unpredictability in games is not always good when they feel outlandish or for plot convenience. Alice’s door game — yes it was unpredictable that the main character would solve it in the way he did, but it is also ridiculous. Seriously, he has some photogenic memory and is some genius who thought of a quick plan within a minute under intense pressure? How convenient. Second game was just random laser tag. Third game. Of course our two labeled side characters will die for the main character out of the goodness of their heart. He is the main character after all. In real life no one sees themself as a side character, so I despise in shows when side characters ACT like side characters. The best friends have their own lives too. One wanted to marry the girl he loved and the other wanted to stop being a coward for his friends. Yet at the last minute, they decide Arisu’s life is more important than either of theirs even though they had a will to want to live. Why? Why didn’t they fight for their survival? It gives me “intentional anime emotional scene where characters sacrifice themselves to help the main character develop plot device.” It’s corny. And it erases the emotional aspect and depth of their friendship (I actually adored their friendship) because it reduces is it to main character and his side character best friends. And in SG the only character who sacrificed their life was the girl who sacrificed herself for Sae Byeok. She had no aim or motivation going for her and decides to join the game on a whim after getting out of jail. Her death doesn’t develop Sae Byeok’s character, but has to do with her own arc. She’s grateful to have made an emotional connection with someone and that she finds a sense of purpose (going to jeju island with Sae Byeok). The fact that this relationship was more emotional for me than Arisu and his LIFETIME best friends says a lot in character and dialogue writing.
This is better than Squid game. Squid game is too mainstream and dramatic. Japanese are better doing this kind…
(Yes, I respect everyone’s opinions here so if people enjoyed this show I’m glad for them.)
I think you’re misunderstanding what I’m saying. When I say manga/anime aspect I am mostly I mean that in anime and manga often times a characters can do/say lot of outlandish things and it fits in the context of animation, but translating it to real people acting this out it feels ridiculous.
Compare the door game (Alice) and the glass game (SG). Both of them are games of chance — no way for the characters to know which to choose. How do they go about solving it? The door game the main character is revealed to be some genius with photographic memory. He goes on some ramble about how he solves the puzzle of the house with car and feet length. (What?) This feels very anime to me where normal human characters will revealed to have insane abilities and be “special” hence they are the main character. Squid Game isn’t perfect, but I much preferred how the glass game stayed a game of chance and selfishness the entire way through. The contestants had to choose their order and the main character was not some special guy who figured out how to solve the glass game. That’s my interpretation. Obviously neither show is realistic in terms of plot — it’s thriller/fantasy. But it’s much more digestible for the audience when you can understand motivations and actions of characters (who are supposed to be normal humans in the show)
Honestly it’s not Alice was the worst show ever; it’s just that I went into it after Squid Game with high expectations and it just felt like a cookie cutter show. And people are saying it gets better after three episodes. If I have to invest three hours into a show before it gets good, that’s already not sounding too appealing.
Have you watched more than three episodes by now? I very much disagree with you about it being cliche and predictable…
I haven’t had time to watch, but I’m willing to give it a chance again because people are telling me to and I do love thriller genre. (My issue is that my favorite thing about any show is character writing over plot. No amount of “cool plot twists” will overlook poor character writing in my opinion.)
This is better than Squid game. Squid game is too mainstream and dramatic. Japanese are better doing this kind…
I said in a comment somewhere that personally I feel like the manga/anime aspect here didn’t translate well in a live action. Some things that work in an anime or manga feel corny in a live adaptations. I just feel like I can see a bunch of anime character archetypes here and it makes me roll my eyes.
So you liked squid game more .. I don't understand what you liked that much in squid game .. it's all child's…
Since I watched 3 episodes—The door game was stupid as hell. The main character was suddenly revealed to be a genius with photographic memory after being introduced as some unmotivated game addict. How is that a mind game? The main character just conveniently was insanely smart. Second game...mindless shooting tag. Third game the wolf game and of course the side characters decide to give up their life for the main character...in survival games people become selfish. But this is just stupid.
Even though I liked squid game more too, I found it much more predictable that Alice.
I found some aspects predictable too as can be expected in mind/death games genre, but the storytelling and character development is what stood out to me
Alice in borderland in the same theme of death game, though Alice is way better imo
yes I heard it differs from the webtoon, but that might make it more exciting and unpredictable for me :) also adore song kang. thank you again for the rec <3
“Alice in borderland was never meant to be realistic given the parallel universe.” Whenever I use the term realistic I am not sure why people keep using this as an argument. I think all of us here know that neither show’s plot is “realistic” it’s in the thriller/fantasy genre. I mostly refer to character writing. In both shows the characters are supposed to be normal humans even if in a supernatural setting. Yet, all of their motivations and character qualities feel cookie cutter for me (on the basis of the first 3 episodes, but it was more than enough to know)
Unpredictability in games is not always good when they feel outlandish or for plot convenience. Alice’s door game — yes it was unpredictable that the main character would solve it in the way he did, but it is also ridiculous. Seriously, he has some photogenic memory and is some genius who thought of a quick plan within a minute under intense pressure? How convenient. Second game was just random laser tag. Third game. Of course our two labeled side characters will die for the main character out of the goodness of their heart. He is the main character after all. In real life no one sees themself as a side character, so I despise in shows when side characters ACT like side characters. The best friends have their own lives too. One wanted to marry the girl he loved and the other wanted to stop being a coward for his friends. Yet at the last minute, they decide Arisu’s life is more important than either of theirs even though they had a will to want to live. Why? Why didn’t they fight for their survival? It gives me “intentional anime emotional scene where characters sacrifice themselves to help the main character develop plot device.” It’s corny. And it erases the emotional aspect and depth of their friendship (I actually adored their friendship) because it reduces is it to main character and his side character best friends. And in SG the only character who sacrificed their life was the girl who sacrificed herself for Sae Byeok. She had no aim or motivation going for her and decides to join the game on a whim after getting out of jail. Her death doesn’t develop Sae Byeok’s character, but has to do with her own arc. She’s grateful to have made an emotional connection with someone and that she finds a sense of purpose (going to jeju island with Sae Byeok). The fact that this relationship was more emotional for me than Arisu and his LIFETIME best friends says a lot in character and dialogue writing.
I think you’re misunderstanding what I’m saying. When I say manga/anime aspect I am mostly I mean that in anime and manga often times a characters can do/say lot of outlandish things and it fits in the context of animation, but translating it to real people acting this out it feels ridiculous.
Compare the door game (Alice) and the glass game (SG). Both of them are games of chance — no way for the characters to know which to choose. How do they go about solving it? The door game the main character is revealed to be some genius with photographic memory. He goes on some ramble about how he solves the puzzle of the house with car and feet length. (What?) This feels very anime to me where normal human characters will revealed to have insane abilities and be “special” hence they are the main character. Squid Game isn’t perfect, but I much preferred how the glass game stayed a game of chance and selfishness the entire way through. The contestants had to choose their order and the main character was not some special guy who figured out how to solve the glass game. That’s my interpretation. Obviously neither show is realistic in terms of plot — it’s thriller/fantasy. But it’s much more digestible for the audience when you can understand motivations and actions of characters (who are supposed to be normal humans in the show)
Honestly it’s not Alice was the worst show ever; it’s just that I went into it after Squid Game with high expectations and it just felt like a cookie cutter show. And people are saying it gets better after three episodes. If I have to invest three hours into a show before it gets good, that’s already not sounding too appealing.