Alice in Borderland was a huge hit for Netflix when it was released in December 2020.
Fans of the Japanese sci-fi thriller just couldn't get enough of Arisu (Kento Yamazaki), Usagi (Tao Tsuchiya), Chōta (Yûki Morinaga) and Karube (Keita Machida) as they battled for survival in Tokyo.
Based on the manga series of the same name by Haro Aso, Alice in Borderland is a Japanese series with a twist.
Clearly, there are elements based on Alice in Wonderland, hence the name, but mostly it feels like a mash-up of several cult classics such as Battle Royale and Cube.
If you haven't seen it or need a quick recap then here goes…
Alice in Borderland Season 1 Recap
In Tokyo, Arisu is hanging out with his friends Chōta and Karube when the trio cause a fight which results in them being chased by the police.
They quickly duck into a train station bathroom. And when the coast is clear they come out only to find that the city of Tokyo is empty.
By the time the nighttime comes, they notice a billboard leading them to a game arena and this is where things really heat up.
We learn that others have been similarly stranded and must compete in lethal games in order to survive.
Winning a game earns you a ‘visa’ of safety for a few days. If your visa runs out and you don’t enter a game, you are instantly and unavoidably killed. So too if you try to leave the arena without playing.
The games are coded with playing cards, with the suits denoting whether the challenge will be a game of strength, wits, team battles, or betrayal.
When our intrepid gamers service the first game, they soon find themselves stranded without electricity, internet, or a way to escape the abandoned city.
As such, they have to keep playing to extend their visas in order to stay alive. Always on the verge of death, defeating these games is nail-biting stuff that's what makes Alice in Borderland so compelling.
Now to tell you any more than this is an epic survival series (think Squid Game), would spoil the fun. Suffice to say that the ending did leave us all hanging. And that leads us nicely to: Alice In Borderland Season 2 – when is it coming to Netflix?
Alice in Borderland Season 2 Teaser Trailer
Alice in Borderland Season 2 Release Date On Netflix
The good news is that there will definitely be a second season of Alice in Borderland.
Two weeks after the first season was released, in December 2020, Netflix renewed the series for a second season.
Filming took place and was wrapped in late December 2021. And you know, for a show like Alice in Borderland, the post-production process takes a long time.
It took a full year for season one to hit our screens from the end of filming and it's exactly the same this time around.
So we can confirm that Alice in Borderland Season 2 will be released on Netflix on December 22nd 2022.
Alice In Borderland Season 2 Cast
There are quite a few players in Alice in Borderlandand the great news is that most of the cast is back for season 2.
Clearly, the characters that died are not coming back but they are still as popular as ever so we've included them in our list below.
Kento Yamazaki as Arisu a 24-year-old video-game obsessed man with family issues
Tao Tsuchiya as Usagi a mountain climber who was transported into the empty city of Tokyo shortly after the death of her father
Nijiro Murakami as Chishiya a mysterious and quiet player who tries to steal Hatter's deck of cards
Yuki Morinaga as Chota an IT technician and friend of Arisu and Karube
Keita Machida as Karube a bartender and friend of Arisu and Chōta
Ayaka Miyoshi as Ann, one of the key players in the final game of the first season
Dori Sakurada as Niragi, a dangerous member of “the Beach.”
Aya Asahina as Kuina, a close friend of Chishiya, whom she helps steal Hatter's deck of cards
Shuntaro Yanagi as Last Boss, a dangerous member of “the Beach,”
Yutaro Watanabe as Tatta, saved by Arisu during a game
Ayame Misaki as Shibuki, the first person Arisu and his friends encounter while in the deserted city
Mizuki Yoshida as Asahi, a member of “the Beach” and Momoka's best friend
Tsuyoshi Abe as Kuzuryu, an executive member of “the Beach.”
Nobuaki Kaneko as Hatter, leader and founder of “the Beach,” a hotel inhabited by dozens of players
Sho Aoyagi as Aguni, a strong fighter and Hatter's best friend
Riisa Naka as Mira, a mysterious woman who plays a large role in the finale
Alice in Borderland Season 2 – What Happens?
Alice in Borderland is based on the manga of the same name by Haro Aso. Because of that we know that only about half of the story was covered in the first season.
In fact, the original Haro Aso story was serialised weekly between 2015 and 2016, eventually turning into 18 books.
The Netflix series was pretty faithful to the original manga, largely because Haro Aso was allowed on set and probably kept an eye on things!
As the characters, plot and sequencing of events are all similar, we expect that season two will do the same.
There are 12 final games and all are more difficult than anything our survivors faced in the first season.
Expect to see a battle royale, the relationship between Arisu and Asagi deepening and really being tested and of course, some of our favourite characters have to die. But which ones??
Mira plays a huge role and is far more important to the games than we think and then comes the big reveal…what is Borderland?
We will just have to watch to find out.
Again, no confirmation that this is the direction the Netflix show will go in but then again, following the manga books is a way to end the show.
