In the show’s final game, Arisu and his crew could face the most ruthless villain of all.
Alice in Borderland fans need not wait longer for another round of gory, thrilling action as the hit sci-fi thriller is finally returning for a third season on Netflix in September 2025.
No doubt one of—if not already—the most popular Japanese titles on the streaming app, Alice in Borderland has kept us eagerly waiting for its threequel after its second season was released in December 2022—and topped the charts in over 90 countries shortly after.
Its high-stakes survival games, deep character development, and plot twists you didn’t even see coming have kept us on the edge of our seats since the show debuted in December 2020. Now, fans can thank their lucky stars, or rather, lucky cards, as Netflix has released a first look at the thriller and confirmed its release window at last.
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On Wednesday, Netflix shared a photo on social media showing the show’s two lead characters, Arisu and Usagi, plus a mysterious character in a wheelchair gazing at an apocalyptic Tokyo skyline. “You’re not ready for the final game. Alice in Borderland Season 3 premieres in 2025,” it wrote in the caption.
Meanwhile, the streaming giant’s X account updated its bio with a banner of a Joker card and a description that reads, “Alice in Borderland. September 2025.”
Just hours before Netflix announced the big news, the streaming giant’s Japanese arm shared a video of its content slate on YouTube, which shows scenes from Alice in Borderland’s upcoming season.
In the two-minute clip, you’ll see Kento Yamazaki and Tao Tsuchiya reprising their roles as Arisu and Usagi, with a mysterious voice telling the pair, “Won’t you return to the beautiful world?” as translated by CNA Lifestyle.
The video later shows the pair participating in a series of games, made more thrilling (for the fans, that is) with explosions and a runaway train. A Joker card continues to appear multiple times in the video, hinting at the presence of a secret character. “We’ve cleared all the games of the card suits, but we haven’t fought the Joker yet,” says Arisu.
Based on the suspense manga series by Haro Aso, Alice in Borderland follows Arisu—a university dropout who has the potential to be an amazing analyzer—as he is transported to a parallel universe where he has to play and win games to remain alive. The games are divided into four categories represented by suits on a deck of cards.
Its plot references Lewis Carroll’s 1865 children’s book, Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland, with Arisu playing the role of Alice, navigating a strange, dangerous world with bizarre characters, in the same way she encounters peculiar creatures in the classic tale.
Among these strange characters is Takeru Danma, or Haro’s version of the Mad Hatter, with whom Arisu formed a complex alliance to navigate “The Beach” in season 1. There’s also Miro Kono, or the show’s “Queen of Hearts,” whom Arisu ultimately defeated in the final game in season 2.
While season 2’s final episode seemingly resolved all major plot points, its cliffhanger showed that there’s more to be excited about—or feared for—in season 3. Below is everything we know so far.
Who are the characters set to return in ‘Alice in Borderland’ season 3?
Spoiler alert!
While Netflix has kept the specifics of Alice in Borderland season 3 under wraps, the previous chapters, especially season 2’s finale, has a slew of hints on what’s to come in season 3. As for the characters, there are two who we thought had died in season 1 but made their surprise comeback in season 2: Niragi (Dori Sakurada) and Aguni (Shô Aoyagi).
They, like the rest of Aguni’s crew—Usagi, Kuina, Ann, and Heiya—were left for dead in their battle with the King of Spades in season 2. That was until Arisu won the final game against the Queen of Hearts, giving his teammates a chance to decide if they really do want to return home.
With all of them surviving explosions, stab wounds, gunshots, and various other life-or-death situations, it’s quite telling that Arisu and the rest of his gang are here to join us for more in season 3. Netflix particularly confirmed the return of the two leads in a press release in September 2023.
It states, “With Kento Yamazaki and Tao Tsuchiya reprising their roles as Arisua and Usagi in season three, fans can look forward to witnessing the evolution of their characters in the ever-dangerous landscape of Borderland.”
Besides the duo, Netflix announced that the show’s director, Shiusuke Sato, will be back at the helm. “His continued direction will also ensure that the series maintains its trademark intensity and cinematic excellence,” the streaming giant wrote.
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What to expect in the new season
Alice in Borderland season 2, in true fashion, left viewers with a mix of relief, confusion, and uncertainty. Arisu and co. escaped the deadly games in Borderland but with no memory of their experiences. It also revealed what seems to be the truth—that Borderland is another realm where people on the brink of death are transported and given a chance to live again if they survive the deadly games.
Despite returning to what they believe is the “real world,” the appearance of the Joker card hints at the continuation of the games and the mystery of whether they truly escaped or not. The Joker is also a bit of a surprise for fans, as it isn’t depicted the way it actually is in the manga series. There, the Joker is just a ferryman of Borderland, while in the Netflix series, he looks to be something more capable of taking the story’s thrill and excitement to greater heights.
Another point to take note of is that, throughout the series, the games continue to increase in intensity and severity as the players reach the face cards level. This could mean that the Joker now has the potential to be the most ruthless one of all. If it also adopts the characteristics of its name, the Joker is likely to execute sinister tricks and manipulations to keep Arisu and his gang from surviving the games.
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