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Alice’s Battle Royale

Alice In Borderland

By sandra pikePublished 3 years ago 3 min read
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Battle Royale is a movie in which 42 9th graders are pitted against each other in a battle to the death, a similar plot to the show Sword Art Online, as well as the much newer and live action; Alice in Borderland. Although both Battle Royale and Alice in Borderland are of Japanese origin, the movie was made in 2000 and the show came out 20 years later just last year in 2020. If there’s one country you can count on for epic thrillers it’s Japan. Produced in Japan are such masterpieces as Death Note, Suicide Club and The Grudge, and this show does not disappoint. Alice in Borderland stars three friends, Arisu, Karube and Chota. Arisu is a heavy gamer and unfortunately his lifestyle has become burdensome on his father and brother, until an unpleasant conversation leads him to leave his home. Karube works at a bar with a girl he’s involved with romantically. The two of them are kissing passionately when his boss, who is also the girl's boyfriend, shows up and starts a fight. After their scrap he fires Karube, leaving him with nothing to do but meet up with his friends. Chota is a soft hearted person with a draining office job he’s dying to get away from, and with the help of his friends he does just that. The three of them end up running from the police after an innocent mistake involving a great deal of laughter and a traffic jam when they’re cornered in a subway stop bathroom. Together they hide inside a stall until the lights go out and they step out to find everyone is gone. They have been transported from the bustling streets of Tokyo to an eerily empty Tokyo which, little do they know, hosts dangerous games testing strength and character. After a few hours of exploring the lifeless city the three friends discover a building with a glowing “GAME” sign on it. Upon entering they discover a handful of phones that scan their faces when used and assign a Visa to each player. Soon after two new players show up and the game begins. It isn’t long before the game has its first fatality and the group begins to realize the extremity of their situation. After the game is won they regroup to find out as much as they can about where they are. They contemplate a simulation, an apocalyptic event and question God. In the end Chota’s knowledge of IC chips tells them all they are able to find out, that new cars don’t work and neither do new electronics except the phones found in Game Center’s. The main protagonist, Arisu, is shown to have puzzle solving skills right from the start, these particular abilities are put to the test in unique and creative ways in each episode. Before the start of his second game Arisu comes across a bit of helpful information via an eccentric stranger. The stranger tells him each cards marking has a different meaning, the club symbol is revealed to be a team fight, and a diamond means a battle of wits. Arisu’s second game is a battle of spades, or strength, his third is a battle of hearts, a most difficult game of betrayal. When he meets another protagonist, Usagi, his skills are combined with her athleticism and general cleverness for the remainder of the season. For weeks our heroes fight for their lives, meeting new people and losing people in the process. Like all good shows by the end it leaves you feeling connected to the characters, sorrowful, asking questions and waiting for more. Many questions are answered, such as who is the mastermind behind the games, or the “game master”, some are left for the second season. So if you’re looking for answers you may have to wait another year!

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sandra pike

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