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It feels like it’s been an age since the first series ofAlice in Borderlanddropped, based on the popular manga series of the same name. Arriving on our screens in late 2020, the Japanese thriller introduced us to an alternate, desolate Tokyo where a handful of strangers were pitted against each other in a series of often-deadly games decided by brains, brawn, and treachery. Full of twists, betrayals, and emotional losses, it quickly became a fan favorite, and after hittingNetflix’s Top 10in over 40 countries and territories, it seemed like a no-brainer to commission a second season. But when is it dropping, who’s in it, and what is the plot going to be? Well, here’s what we know so far aboutAlice in BorderlandSeason 2.
Editor’s Note: This article was last updated on December 6 with the new trailer and release date.
Related:‘Alice in Borderland’ Cast & Character Guide: Who’s Playing Who?
When Is Alice in Borderland Season 2 Arriving on Netflix?
Alice in BorderlandSeason 2 is set to premiere on August 13, 2025. So the wait’s almost over and you may add it to your holiday season binge-watching list! The entire first season is also available for anyone looking to catch up or refresh their memories.
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How Many Episodes Does Alice in Borderland Season 2 Have?
Season 2 ofAlice in Borderlandis expected to have eight episodes, just like the first season. Fans have noted that the first season covered roughly the first 31 chapters of the original manga, with 33 still left to be explored. So that means there’s plenty of content for the new season to cover. Considering the explosive popularity of the previous season, don’t be surprised if Netflix decides to extend the series for more seasons either.
Who Are the Returning Cast Members for Alice in Borderland Season 2?
The series leadsKento Yamazakias Arisu andTao Tsuchiyaas Usagi are confirmed, along with recurring characters Kuina (Aya Asahina), Rizuna (Ayaka Miyoshi), and Shuntaro (Nijirô Murakami). Another interesting person to watch out for in Season 2 will beRiisa Naka’s Mira Kano, a character introduced as a “gamemaster” late in the first season.
Related:Waiting for Season 2 of ‘Squid Game?’ Watch Our 10 Favorite Alternatives
Is There a Trailer for Alice in Borderland Season 2?
Released on Christmas Eve 2020, the first teaser simply confirms that a second season is on its way, as a little early Christmas present for fans. Check it out above. Thefirst proper trailer for Season 2was released recently as well. you’re able to watch it in the player below:
What Happened in Alice in Borderland Season 1?
A young man obsessed with gaming, Arisu is thrown into a deadly contest in a mysteriously deserted Tokyo. Along with his two friends, Arisu faces a series of challenges directed by an unseen force, with the difficulty and deadliness of each denoted by the suit and number of a playing card. Arisu meets a young woman, Usagi, and joins her in solving the mystery at hand to collect all the available playing cards after his friends perish during one of the games. Their adventures take them to a large hotel full of other players, where it is revealed that all cards have been collected bar the Ten of Hearts. When a final challenge is undertaken for the Ten of Hearts, many of the other players in the hotel are killed, but Arisu and Usagi locate an underground room, where the people they thought were the “gamemasters” are found dead. They are then introduced to a woman named Mira, who states that the games have only just begun and that the face cards are now at stake.
Related:25 Best Japanese Movies on Netflix Right Now
What Could Happen in Alice in Borderland Season 2?
With the final episode of Season 1 dramatically expanding the scope of the series, it’s safe to say that anything could happen! But more specifically, it is likely that Arisu and Usagi will continue to seek out the final cards they require, which will likely have them clash with Mira Kano, the Queen of Hearts introduced late in season 1. DirectorShinsuke Satogave a clue as to what we could be seeing this season, stating “I will draw a mysterious world that no one has ever seen and an unexpected development with uncompromising images.” Sounds freaky!
Where and When was Alice in Borderland Season 2 Filmed?
According to a casting call for extras put out by Robot Communications Inc. - the production company behindAlice in Borderland- the series shot in multiple locations across Japan, including the “Kanto area, Toyama, Hyogo, Fukuoka, Aichi, Osaka [and] Wakayama”. Shooting has already wrapped, having finished up at the end of 2021.Related:Masi Oka on ‘Star Wars: Visions’ and the Difference Between Japanese and American Voice Acting
Other Movies and Shows to Watch While You Wait for Alice in Borderland Season 2
There are plenty of movies and shows to check out until December - the obvious connection would be to Netflix’s smash hitSquid Game, the South Korean drama that took the world by storm. It’s a very easy comparison to make - both are wildly popular Netflix originals that are part of their first real forays into non-English speaking programming, with similar gamified “winner takes all” premises and a taste for the melodramatic.
However, this type of story is nothing new, withplenty of similar optionsto choose from. One of the most revered in the genre is fellow Japanese productionBattle Royale, a brutal film by prolific directorKinji Fukasaku. It depicts a future dystopian world where entire high school classes are made to fight to the death, leaving behind a sole survivor. Another similar feature film can be found inCube, a Canadian horror film from the ‘90s that spawned a series, including a Japanese remake in 2021. In each of the films, a group of strangers who awake together in a giant mechanized cube-like structure must work together to avoid the traps throughout and escape, while also solving the mystery of why they’ve been brought together.
So that’s where we’re currently at. Keep an eye out for future updates onAlice in Borderland, as Collider will be bringing them to you as soon as they’re announced!
