Do you love science fiction with deadly stakes and a gamified twist?
What about mysterious worlds where characters are pushed to their limits? If so, you may already have seen Seasons 1 and 2 of Alice in Borderland, a Netflix sci-fi survival thriller adapted from Haro Aso’s manga.
If you haven’t, now’s your chance — and if you have, you’ll want to see where Arisu and Usagi go next. Season 3 premiered September 25, 2025, with six intense episodes of danger, mystery and emotional confrontation.
Here’s why the Watch With Us team thinks the new season is worth checking out.
The Premise Remains as Fascinating as Ever
In Seasons 1 and 2, Arisu (Kento Yamazaki) and Usagi (Tao Tsuchiya) were forced into a twisted alternate Tokyo called the Borderland, where survival meant competing in deadly games tied to playing cards. After clearing the deck and defeating the gamemasters, the survivors were given a choice — return to the real world with their memories erased, or remain behind. Arisu and Usagi chose to go back, waking up from comas in a Tokyo devastated by a meteorite strike.
Season 3 opens with the pair trying to rebuild their lives together — married, healing, and with no concrete memories of what they experienced in Borderland. But the peace doesn’t last. When Usagi disappears, Arisu realizes that his journey is far from over, and he’s soon drawn back into the deadly world he thought he’d escaped.
Season 3 Is Brand New, So Manga Readers Can’t Skip Ahead
While the first two seasons largely followed Haro Aso’s original Alice in Borderland manga, Season 3 departs somewhat from the source. It incorporates some plot points and characters from the sequel manga Alice in Borderland: Retry, but also introduces original storyline elements not found in the manga.
In addition to Kento Yamazaki and Tao Tsuchiya returning as Arisu and Usagi, fan favorites like Chishiya (Nijiro Murakami) and Kuina (Aya Asahina) also reappear, ensuring plenty of continuity with the earlier seasons even as the story breaks new ground.
The Central Love Story Is More Complex Than Ever
Arisu and Usagi’s relationship has always been one of the most important through lines of the series. In season 3, fans get to see them interact as a married couple in the real world, and it’s fascinating to see which elements of their dynamic have changed and which have remained stronger than ever.
When Usagi and Arisu are separated, they both have to work to be reunited, but they’re also confronted with a question: Is their love stronger in the mundane real world? Or the exciting world of the Borderland? Their love is no longer just about survival, but whether it can endure when normal life and nightmare collide.
Watch all three seasons of Alice in Borderland on Netflix.
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