ALICE IN BORDERLAND Rate & Review (Episodes 5-8)
Since my earlier review of Episodes 1-4, I have concluded all 8 episodes of ALICE IN BORDERLAND, with all 8 x 1 hour episodes of Season One currently streaming here on Netflix.
"Alice in Borderland" is based in the manga series "Imawa no Kuni no Arisu" by Haro Aso (published from 2010-2016) and was adapted into an animated series in 2014. The genre labeled for this series is "Death Game", with similar shows including "GANTZ" ("games") and "DEATH NOTE" ("Death Game"). The series is rated "R21", and features sexually compromising situations & partial nudity, and gore.
First, I'll rate the show, and then I'll head into SPOILER territory.
Is it worth applying to Netflix just to watch this?
My first instinctive reply was "NO". I first wrote this; "But if ever Season 2 of Alice in Borderland ever becomes a reality, then I'd heartily say YES, just so you can binge both seasons at a go LOL" ... Then THIS teaser announcement for SEASON 2 of ALICE IN BORDERLAND dropped, so the answer is a "CAN"! Make of it what you may, cheers :)
Is it worth your investment of time to follow this series? Once I started, I was intrigued to find out more, and as the episodes gone by, my attention was invested, and I think I came out satisfied to a degree, with a decent ending (not so much a "full resolution" tho) ... so the answer is a hearty YES for me :)
Did I waste my watch-time? NO. This was a more than decent production, visually satisfying, and story-wise a reasonable approach to current day sensibilities, and/while catering to the genre, with no hyperbole (IMHO, anyways), and even for myself personally, it "transcended" entertainment, with me asking if I myself would be able to survive such a game if it happened to me (versus the voyeuristic entertainment value of "reality show(s)" ... the answer is "no" - as in, I'd not be able to survive - either physically or stamina, and mentally I am weak willed, alas...
That said...
*SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS AHEAD*:
QUICK SUMMARY OF EPISODES ONE to FOUR (Previously Featured here) As mentioned in my earlier review (of Episodes 1-4), we are introduced to the protagonists and a basic mechanics of the Death Game in the earlier episodes. We learn the rules of the game(s) as we go along, and we discover the urgency of the game with characters we thought would continue forth when they start, and new characters being introduced along the way.
As of Episode 4, the games were physically played throughout the region, and were largely concentrated within the protagonists and primaries' development, or at least for the viewer's better understanding of where they came from - which frankly is pretty surface level without too deep an investment of braincells needed.
By Episode 5, Arisu (Sounds like "Alice", hence the title) and Usagi has partnered up (not "paired up" nor specific romantic feelings exchanged, and had not for the entirety of this season, as much as it is boiling forth in subsequent episodes lol), and together they discovered and uncovered "THE BEACH".
From Episode 5 onwards though, things take a certain focused direction, versus the ala carte styled game-play in previous episodes, with the storyline progressed to a specific locale, which was mentioned in earlier episodes: "The Beach".
"The Beach" is essentially a "resort"-styled enclave, with a mixed bag of folks - all dressed in uber-casual chill-by-the-poolside-wear and rave parties - and not necessarily what you might deem as "winners" in a Death Game (not that they needed to be, but...). It certain gives a twist to what I expected to be a "Mad Max"-styled survival mode direction where folks would have needed to gear up to "win" games and fight back the perpetrators (as seen in Ep2)... but no - we get floral-patterned beach shorts and assorted bikinis (not that I am complaining, thanks).
Also, the usage of "playing cards" as a connective motif is somewhat expanded here and even "explained" to a degree, which proved to be possibly faux. Decently used visual gimmick that proved to be its visual representation, and I certainly hope a deeper meaning or a resolution could be explained... Or maybe its a wild goose chase that I frankly do not need to know beyond this LOL
If I had not stumbled into these indiviual promotional poster images on @netflixjp, I'd not recognised the visual iconology to the cards attached to this show.
All the way to the finale in Episode 8, we are confined to a singular location, with characterisation expanded across characters introduced in Ep5, and I mean a whole lot of flashbacks to their lives BEFORE the games, and how they have changed AFTER the games - which is all fascinating and all, which actually diverts our collective attention away from the main protagonist(s).
There was the bullied who became a bully, the conspiracy live-in introverted theorist who thrived in being a killer during the games, and the trans-sexual character, the tortured best friend, to even the former male-host turned retailer (which explained the character's nick too).
Do we find out WHO was the "Game Master" by the finale? Yes we actually do, but "finding out" does not mean "questions resolved", as activities are teased for a "Season Two", that maybe be as fantastic to behold and navigate, than the pretty grounded in somewhat-reality Season One which we have witnessed thus far in 8 Episodes - besides the lasers shooting down from the skies ...
So in essence, given my own investment of time and attention to this Season, I would be decently satisfied with what I had watched, and not need a second season to cling unto for further clarification, because at the end of the day, as much as folks might feel the need to solve the question to find a (definite) answer, sometimes you might also need to ponder what the question should be.
There is a distinct double(edged) meaning to situations and scripted morals presented, and hardly any "fun" when the word "game(s)" are evoked. Once you get used to the "life" being presented on screen, you would quickly begin to enjoy the show for what it is, and not need to have to continue wondering "WHY?" and "WHO?", because you will be somewhat disappointed when the reveal happens. Do not expect any rhyme or reason to the proceedings, and you'll have a more than decent watch experience, IMHO.
Visually, this series is stunning, in a very subtle and low-key way, especially in the beginning episodes, but somehow fell a bit flat from Ep.5 onwards, predominantly because the landscape / locale remained the same (as opposed to the different locations in Ep1-4), but they are highly serviceable (I am not a lighting person, so will not attempt to make a fool of myself commenting such :p) but mundane. It felt like it was focused giving folks a more "real" and "practical"-feel, so we (the viewers) could concentrate on the "human interaction/reactions" more? Than gawking at the surroundings? If that were the case, then they succeeded.
Props goes to the special fx for this series, subtly understated by exceedingly effective, IMHO. I am reposting this Japanese-language BTS-video (I'm still waiting for the English subbed version), and some stills snatched off the net.
I'd like to end this blog-feature with this video of the actors - in their real life personas - which to me are the real true reasons we, or at least I were able to devour the show, without wondering beyond the characters' circumstance, and feel apart of the show thru their performances! A "gimmick" is a "gimmick", in whatever genre, in whatever FX folks can or cannot see with their own eyes, but good decent acting is what makes it all believable, IMHO. And with "Alice in Borderland", the principal ensemble is splendid. Bravo.
Tao Tsuchiya - Yuzuha Usagi
Nijiro Murakami - Chishiya
Yuki Morinaga - Chota
Keita Machida - Karube
Ayaka Miyoshi - An
Dori Sakurada - Niragi
Aya Asahina - Kuina
Shuntaro Yanagi - Rasubosu
Yutaro Watanabe - Tatta
Ayame Misaki - Shibuki
Mizuki Yoshida - Asahi
Tsuyoshi Abe - Ryu
Nobuaki Kaneko - Boshiya
Sho Aoyagi - Aguni
Riisa Naka - Mira
Shigemitsu Ogi - Ryohei's father
Reiko Kataoka - Chota's mother
Shuichiro Masuda - Kazudo
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