Alice in Borderland (TV series) explained

Native Name:
Director:Shinsuke Sato
Country:Japan
Language:Japanese
Num Seasons:2
Num Episodes:16
List Episodes:Alice in Borderland (TV series)#Episodes
Executive Producer:Kaata Sakamoto
Producer:Akira Morii
Cinematography:Taro Kawazu
Camera:Multi-camera
Runtime:41–80 minutes
Company:Robot Communications Inc.
Network:Netflix

is a Japanese science fiction thriller drama television series based on the manga by Haro Aso. The series was directed by Shinsuke Sato. It stars Kento Yamazaki and Tao Tsuchiya as allies trapped in an abandoned Tokyo forced to compete in dangerous games, the type and difficulty represented by playing cards, to extend "visas" that, if expired, result in the player's execution by lasers being shot from the sky.

The series' first season was announced in July 2019 and filmed from August to December 2019. Set locations included Shibuya districts and a green screen studio replica of Shibuya Crossing. The show's visual effects were produced in an international collaboration between Japan's Digital Frontier and teams from Singapore, the United States, and India. The musical score was composed by Yutaka Yamada, who had collaborated with Sato.

The first season premiered on the Netflix streaming service on December 10, 2020, and received positive reviews from critics, who praised the action sequences, direction, and acting. They compared the show to many entries in the survival genre, including the films Battle Royale (2000) and Cube (1997). The first season's strong performance and high viewership in many countries resulted in Netflix renewing the series two weeks after its premiere; the second season was released on December 22, 2022. On September 27, 2023, the series was renewed for a third season.

Cast and characters

Main

Recurring

Season 1

Season 2

Production

Development

On July 16, 2019, Netflix announced that they were creating a live-action adaptation of the manga Alice in Borderland, with Yoshiki Watabe, Yasuko Kuramitsu, and Shinsuke Sato writing the scripts for each episode, and Sato directing in an attempt to make the show appear as "one very, very long film".[4] A few months later, on August 4, Kento Yamazaki and Tao Tsuchiya were cast as the main characters of the series, with the pair appearing as Ryōhei Arisu and Yuzuha Usagi, respectively.[5]

Filming

Filming for the series began as early as August 2019, when Yamazaki was spotted during filming in Dōgenzaka, a district of Shibuya on August 8. The following day, crew members were spotted near a store in Fukutomi-cho, located in the city of Yokohama. From September 17 to 20, Yamazaki and Tsuchiya were seen filming in an apartment complex in front of Kita-Suzurandai Station, on the Shintetsu Arima Line, in the city of Kobe. According to the production company Robot Communications, the show's script was revised to "match the building layout".[6] A scene from the first episode featuring Yamazaki's character, Arisu, meeting his friends Chōta and Karube near Tokyo's busy Shibuya Crossing, was originally supposed to be filmed inside a Starbucks. However, due to the complexity of a glass-covered set, the scene took place in front of a sign outside Shibuya Station. Furthermore, a scene taking place inside Shibuya Station, in which the main characters enter a bathroom and reemerge to an empty Tokyo, was shot in a four-minute continuous take. Extras were recruited for the series from August 9 to December 11, in various cities.[7] [8] The creator of the manga the series is based on, Haro Aso, was allowed to visit various sets.[9] Filming took place in several cities and concluded in December 2019.[10]

Filming for the second season wrapped in March 2022.[11] [12]

Visual effects

During filming, scenes focusing on the empty city of Tokyo were primarily shot using special effects and green screens, with Sato explaining that with the help of his assistant director, he would run into the middle of the intersection of Shibuya Crossing with a small camera "to figure out which parts to actually build and which parts to CGI".[13] [14] Using the Ashikaga Scramble City Studio,[14] a large set 100 kilometers from Tokyo constructed for the series and the film Detective Chinatown 3 (which was filmed during the same period),[15] scenes featuring Shibuya Crossing were filmed using mainly green screens, with "everything but the road and the ticket gate at the east entrance [being] produced with computer graphics".[6] [16] To keep the scenes "authentic", visual effects director Atsushi Doi recreated the shadows of the Tokyu Building where they would normally fall.[17] A scene in episode 4, which showed an underpass being flooded with water, was created with the help of previsualizations, allowing the crew to "experiment with different elements before the actual shoot".[6] The panther that appears in that same episode was created using visual effects developed after the crew visited multiple zoos.[14] Additionally, Academy Award winner Erik-Jan de Boer supervised the production of the tiger featured in episode 5, which was created by Anibrain, an animation studio in India.[18] Post-credit visual effects were added in with the help of Japan's Digital Frontier, who worked alongside teams from Singapore, the United States, and India in an international collaboration.[19]

Music

The score for Alice in Borderland was composed entirely by Yutaka Yamada, who had previously worked with Sato on Bleach (2018) and Kingdom (2019). Produced by Kohei Chida, the music was performed by the FILMharmonic Orchestra of Prague. The song "Good Times", by Jan Erik Nilsson, was featured various times throughout the show.[6]

Marketing and release

On September 18, 2020, Netflix released a teaser video revealing that Alice in Borderland would debut in 190 countries on the platform on December 10, 2020.[20] On October 24, 2020, six set images were released to promote the series.[21] Four days later, an official trailer was issued, along with a poster and a list of the main cast.[1] According to various critics, the first season of Alice in Borderland covered 31 chapters of the original manga, leaving 33 untouched. The first season came out on December 10, and in its first few weeks, it "ranked in the top ten most-watched shows" on the platform in nearly 40 territories, including in Malaysia, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. Overall, the series did better in countries located in Asia and Europe than those in North America. On December 24, 2020, Netflix renewed the series for a second season, two weeks after the first one had been released.[22] [23]

On October 7, 2020, Haro Aso, the creator of the original manga the series is based on, announced plans to "celebrate" and promote the Netflix series by introducing a new manga, titled Alice in Borderland Retry on Weekly Shōnen Sunday.[24] Launched on October 14 (#46, 2020 of Weekly Shōnen Sunday), the first volume of the manga tankobon was shipped out on December 11, one day after Alice in Borderland premiered. The manga series ended on January 20, 2021 (#8, 2021 of the magazine). The second and final volume of tankobon was released on February 18, 2021.[25] [26] The second season of Alice in Borderland premiered worldwide on December 22, 2022.[27]

On September 27, 2023, the series was renewed for a third season.[28]

Reception

Following its release, Alice in Borderland received mostly positive reviews from critics, who applauded its cinematography, editing, use of graphic violence, visuals, and the performances of Kento Yamazaki and Tao Tsuchiya,[29] [30] but left mixed opinions on its advancement without special focus on character development and its story in general, particularly in the second half. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the first season of the show holds an approval rating of 80% based on ten reviews, with an average rating of 6.8/10.[31] A month after its release, the first season had accumulated 18 million households in viewership.[32] On Rotten Tomatoes, the second season of Alice in Borderland holds an approval rating of 89% based on nine reviews, with an average rating of 7.1/10.[33]

From The Japan Times, James Hadfield gave praise to Sato's directing but criticized the characters, stating that "few of the cast leave much impression, though Tsuchiya makes for an effective action heroine, and Nijirô Murakami has some fun as a smirking loner."[34] Writing for Ready Steady Cut, Jonathon Wilson gave a generally positive review, lauding the series for skipping over "exposition and careful backstory-building" and "just getting straight to it". Wilson also compared the series positively to the Japanese film Battle Royale and the American horror film Saw.[35] Ars Technica journalist Jennifer Ouellette called the show "emotionally intense" and compared its games to those found in the books Ready Player One and Lord of the Flies, and the 1997 film Cube.[36] Salons Melanie McFarland compared the series to the CBS All Access miniseries The Stand, stating that Alice in Borderland "handles the mechanics of introducing its characters more effectively and it doesn't throw off the audience by leaning heavily on flashbacks [...] but unlike "The Stand," the "before" profiles aren't extensive to the point of dragging on the story's progress."[37] From Yahoo! News, Lim Yian Lu highly praised the series for its "suspenseful plot", stating that it "will keep you entertained and yearning for more despite its grisly and gory scenes."[38] Writing for the Anime News Network, Theron Martin gave the series a C+ and accorded mixed feedback to the show's production, score, general storyline, and acting, while stating that it gives a "modest amount of entertainment" for its runtime.[39] After watching the first episode and praising it for its tone, soundtrack, and ability to "shift gears so fast", the crew at Decider recommended viewers to stream the show.[40]

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominee(s)Result
3rd Asia Contents AwardsBest CreativeAlice in Borderland[41]
Creative Beyond Border
Best OTT original
Technical Achievement
Best ActressTao Tsuchiya
Asian Academy Creative AwardsBest CinematographyTaro Kawazu[42]
Best Visual or Special VFX in TV Series or Feature FilmAlice in Borderland
Best Direction (Fiction)Shinsuke Sato

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Live-Action Alice in Borderland Series' English-Subtitled Trailer Previews Battle Royale-Level Stakes. October 28, 2020. Egan . Loo. Anime News Network. https://web.archive.org/web/20201223000509/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-10-28/live-action-alice-in-borderland-series-english-subtitled-trailer-previews-battle-royale-level-stakes/.165695. December 23, 2020. live. December 23, 2020.
  2. News: Fam . Branding . January 28, 2024 . Niragi Alice in Borderland: The Game of Life And Death . January 28, 2024 . January 28, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240128173424/https://thehollywoodupdate.com/niragi-alice-in-borderland-the-game-of-life-and-death-and-netflix-season-3/ . live .
  3. Web site: Alice in Borderland: The Netflix Thriller's Biggest Changes to the Manga. December 23, 2020. Hilary . Leung. Comic Book Resources. https://web.archive.org/web/20201224195219/https://www.cbr.com/netflix-alice-in-borderland-biggest-changes-to-manga/. December 24, 2020. live. December 24, 2020.
  4. Web site: Netflix Produces Live-Action Alice in Borderland Series. July 16, 2019. Pineda. Rafael Antonio. Anime News Network. https://web.archive.org/web/20201202125558/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2019-07-16/netflix-produces-live-action-alice-in-borderland-series/.149041. December 2, 2020. live. December 22, 2020.
  5. Web site: Kento Yamazaki, Tao Tsuchiya Star in Live-Action Alice in Borderland Series for Netflix. August 4, 2019. Crystalyn . Hodgkins. Anime News Network. https://web.archive.org/web/20201222234937/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2019-08-04/kento-yamazaki-tao-tsuchiya-star-in-live-action-alice-in-borderland-series-for-netflix/.149684. December 22, 2020. live. December 22, 2020.
  6. Web site: Alice in Borderland. Robot Communications. https://web.archive.org/web/20201215170723/https://www.robot.co.jp/special/aliceinborderland/en.html. December 15, 2020. live. December 23, 2020.
  7. Web site: Netflix『今際の国のアリス』ボランティアエキストラ大募集!!. ja. Netflix "Alice in Borderland" Volunteer Extras Wanted!!!. September 20, 2019. Ashikaga Eizou. https://web.archive.org/web/20201223150447/https://www.ashikaga-eizou.jp/topics/topics.php?id=656. December 23, 2020. live. December 23, 2020.
  8. Web site: 終了 * [12/11]NETFLIX大作ドラマ「今際の国のアリス」エキストラ募集]. ja. End * [12/11] NETFLIX blockbuster drama "Alice in Borderland " extra recruitment. December 11, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201223163558/http://tokyo.mport.info/ex/n19/invite/alice_in_borderland_ex.php. December 23, 2020. live. December 23, 2020.
  9. Web site: 今際の国のアリス:原作者・麻生羽呂が撮影現場を見学 本編にも出演? 山崎賢人&佐藤信介監督との3ショットが解禁. ja. Alice in Borderland: Haro Aso, the original author, visited the shooting site and appeared in the main story? 3 shots with Kento Yamazaki & Shinsuke Sato lifted. November 14, 2020. Mantan-Web. https://web.archive.org/web/20201223144538/https://mantan-web.jp/article/20201113dog00m200115000c.html. December 23, 2020. live. December 23, 2020.
  10. Web site: 『今際の国のアリス』ロケ地&撮影場所、エキストラ募集情報まとめ!【山﨑賢人×土屋太鳳. ja. "Alice in Borderland" Location & shooting location, extra recruitment information summary! [Kento Yamazaki x Tao Tsuchiya]. January 22, 2020. Muuviii. https://web.archive.org/web/20201223151203/https://muuviii.com/movie-imawa-kuni-arisu/. December 23, 2020. live. December 23, 2020.
  11. Web site: Alice in Borderland Season 2 Cast React to Filming Wrap in New Video. March 29, 2022. Warren. Elliott. Screen Rant. March 30, 2022. June 24, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220624131933/https://screenrant.com/alice-borderland-season-2-cast-video-filming-wrap/. live.
  12. Web site: Alice in Borderland Season 2 First Look Trailer Released. June 11, 2022. Mariyam. Siddiqui. Chronicles News. June 11, 2022. June 11, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220611093558/https://chroniclesnews.com/2022/06/11/alice-in-borderland-season-2-first-look/. live.
  13. Web site: Interview: Alice in Borderland Director Sato Shinsuke on Finding Hope. December 23, 2020. Diva . Vélez. Screen Anarchy. https://web.archive.org/web/20201223210539/https://screenanarchy.com/2020/12/interview-alice-in-borderland-director-sato-shinsuke-on-finding-hope.html. December 23, 2020. live. December 23, 2020.
  14. 『今際の国のアリス』メイキング映像 – Netflix. ja. "Alice in Borderland" Making Video – Netflix. December 13, 2020. Netflix. YouTube. https://web.archive.org/web/20201222223752/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xit-ScWgtOs. December 22, 2020. live. December 22, 2020.
  15. Web site: Alice in Borderland Renewed for Season 2. December 24, 2020. 8 Days. https://web.archive.org/web/20201225014932/https://www.8days.sg/seeanddo/tvreviews/alice-in-borderland-renewed-for-season-2-13837544. December 25, 2020. live. December 25, 2020.
  16. Tao Tsuchiya on Instagram. ja. December 13, 2020. December 23, 2020. https://archive.today/20210116174417/https://www.instagram.com/p/CIvVhNkFoyS/. January 16, 2021. live.
  17. Web site: Netflix orders 2nd season of Alice in Borderland, its global hit Japanese series. December 24, 2020. Teng . Yong Ping. Yahoo!. https://web.archive.org/web/20201225020608/https://sg.style.yahoo.com/netflix-orders-2nd-season-alice-in-borderland-japanese-series-081056399.html. December 25, 2020. live. December 25, 2020.
  18. Web site: Here are 10 facts about 'Alice in Borderland' as it announces second season. December 24, 2020. ABS-CBNnews.com. https://web.archive.org/web/20201224191918/https://news.abs-cbn.com/entertainment/12/24/20/here-are-10-facts-about-alice-in-borderland-as-it-announces-second-season. December 24, 2020. live. December 24, 2020.
  19. Web site: Five things you didn't know about Netflix's 'Alice in Borderland'. January 19, 2021. Emma . Steen. Time Out. https://web.archive.org/web/20210121212732/https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/news/five-things-you-didnt-know-about-netflixs-alice-in-borderland-011921. January 21, 2021. live. January 21, 2021.
  20. Web site: Netflix's Live-Action Alice in Borderland Show's Teaser Video Reveals December 10 Premiere. September 19, 2020. Crystalyn . Hodgkins. Anime News Network. https://web.archive.org/web/20201222235404/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-09-19/netflix-live-action-alice-in-borderland-show-teaser-video-reveals-december-10-premiere/.164227. December 22, 2020. live. December 22, 2020.
  21. Web site: 今際の国のアリス:ショートヘア×タンクトップ姿の土屋太鳳 山崎賢人と森の中… 不穏な空気漂う場面写真一挙解禁. ja. Alice in Borderland: Tao Tsuchiya in short hair and tank top Kento Yamazaki and in the woods ... A scene photo with a disturbing air is lifted at once. October 24, 2020. Mantan-Web. https://web.archive.org/web/20201224210505/https://mantan-web.jp/article/20201023dog00m200123000c.html. December 24, 2020. live. December 24, 2020.
  22. Web site: Netflix Gives Second Season to Japan Thriller 'Alice in Borderland'. December 24, 2020. Patrick . Frater. Variety. https://web.archive.org/web/20201224190740/https://variety.com/2020/streaming/asia/netflix-second-season-for-japanese-alice-in-borderland-1234874802/. December 24, 2020. live. December 24, 2020.
  23. Web site: Live-Action Alice in Borderland Series Gets 2nd Season. December 24, 2020. Crystalyn . Hodgkins. Anime News Network. https://web.archive.org/web/20201224225824/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-12-24/live-action-alice-in-borderland-series-gets-2nd-season/.167813. December 24, 2020. live. December 24, 2020.
  24. Web site: Alice in Borderland Manga Returns Despite Creator's Plans to Retire. October 7, 2020. Alex . Mateo. Anime News Network. https://web.archive.org/web/20201129134427/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-10-07/alice-in-borderland-manga-returns-despite-creator-plans-to-retire/.164940. November 29, 2020. live. January 4, 2021.
  25. Web site: Haro Aso's Alice in Borderland Retry Manga Ends in 2nd Volume. January 3, 2021. Crystalyn . Hodgkins. Anime News Network. https://web.archive.org/web/20210104191919/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2021-01-03/haro-aso-alice-in-borderland-retry-manga-ends-in-2nd-volume/.168077. January 4, 2021. live. January 4, 2021.
  26. Web site: Haro Aso's Alice in Borderland Retry Manga Ends in 2 Chapters. January 12, 2021. Pineda. Rafael Antonio. Anime News Network. https://web.archive.org/web/20210116173557/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2021-01-12/haro-aso-alice-in-borderland-retry-manga-ends-in-2-chapters/.168288. January 16, 2021. live. January 16, 2021.
  27. Web site: Live-Action Alice in Borderland Season 2 Debuts on December 22. Anime News Network. Crystalyn. Hodgkins. September 24, 2022. September 25, 2022. September 25, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220925024725/https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2022-09-24/live-action-alice-in-borderland-season-2-previewed-in-new-teaser-trailer/.190132. live.
  28. News: 'Alice in Borderland' Lands Season 3 Renewal at Netflix . hollywoodreporter.com . 27 September 2023 . 28 September 2023 . September 28, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230928144619/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/alice-in-borderland-renewed-season-3-netflix-1235603012/ . live .
  29. Web site: 'Alice in Borderland': An Achievement in Hard World Building – Manga Series. December 22, 2020. Caroline . Adamec. Hollywood Insider. https://web.archive.org/web/20201225162856/https://www.hollywoodinsider.com/alice-in-borderland-review-manga-netflix/. December 25, 2020. live. December 25, 2020.
  30. Web site: Alice in Borderland: Does Netflix adaptation live up to the manga? Fans are 'totally hooked' to the J-drama. December 10, 2020. Neetha . K.. Meaww. https://web.archive.org/web/20201225163217/https://meaww.com/alice-in-borderland-netflix-adaptation-manga-comparison-keita-machida-fan-reaction-j-drama. December 25, 2020. live. December 25, 2020.
  31. alice_in_borderland. tv. 1. Alice in Borderland. November 25, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20201231164451/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/alice_in_borderland/s01. December 31, 2020. live.
  32. Web site: East Asian Series Score Global Audiences on Netflix (Exclusive). January 19, 2021. Patrick . Frater. Variety. https://web.archive.org/web/20210127233951/https://variety.com/2021/streaming/asia/asian-series-global-audiences-netflix-1234887766/. January 27, 2021. live. February 17, 2021.
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  34. Web site: 'Alice in Borderland': Deadly journey through the looking glass leaves little impression. December 3, 2020. James . Hadfield. The Japan Times. https://web.archive.org/web/20201223154524/https://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2020/12/03/films/film-reviews/alice-in-borderland/. December 23, 2020. live. December 23, 2020.
  35. Web site: Alice in Borderland review – a lean, mean modernization of the Battle Royale formula. December 10, 2020. Jonathon . Wilson. Ready Steady Cut. https://web.archive.org/web/20201223155639/https://readysteadycut.com/2020/12/10/alice-in-borderland-season-1-netflix-review/. December 23, 2020. live. December 23, 2020.
  36. Web site: Review: Alice in Borderland takes us down a deliciously bonkers rabbit hole. December 20, 2020. Jennifer . Ouellette. Ars Technica. https://web.archive.org/web/20201223160747/https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2020/12/review-alice-in-borderland-takes-us-down-a-deliciously-bonkers-rabbit-hole/. December 23, 2020. live. December 23, 2020.
  37. Web site: Forget "The Stand" – "Alice in Borderland" is the wild dystopian ride we've been waiting for. December 24, 2020. Melanie . McFarland. Salon. https://web.archive.org/web/20201224230825/https://www.salon.com/2020/12/24/alice-in-borderland-netflix-the-stand-battle-royale/. December 24, 2020. live. December 24, 2020.
  38. Web site: Review: Netflix's Alice in Borderland keeps you at the edge of your seat. December 18, 2020. Lim . Yian Lu. Yahoo! News. https://web.archive.org/web/20201225023415/https://ph.news.yahoo.com/review-netflix-alice-in-borderland-keeps-you-at-the-edge-of-your-seat-084553234.html. December 25, 2020. live. December 25, 2020.
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