While they are both mostly the same, the Borderlands in Netflix's Alice in Borderland have key differences from Haro Aso's manga of the same name. Alice in Borderland follows the story of Arisu and Usagi, who are seemingly transported into a dystopian version of Tokyo where everyone needs to play deadly games to survive. At the center of the mystery in both the series and the manga is the mystery behind this alternate dimension called the Borderlands.
Despite the Queen of Hearts' continued mind games toward Arisu, Alice in Borderland's Season 2 finale shed some light on the truth behind the Borderlands. It was revealed that the Borderland is a dimension between life and death, and the players who are in this place are fighting for their lives in the real world because they are in a coma.
4 Key Differences Between the Netflix Series' Borderland vs. the Manga's Dimension
The Joker's Role
At the center of the mystery of Alice in Borderland Season 3 is the ominous Joker card that has consistently popped up in the six-episode season. In the manga, the Joker is depicted as a mysterious, shadowy figure who acts as a ferryman-like character who guides souls to the afterlife.
While Alice in Borderland Season 3, Episode 6 introduced a similar figure that seemingly assumes the role of the Joker in the series in the form of the Watchman, this entity confirmed that he is not the Joker. Instead, the true meaning of the Joker in Alice in Borderland Season 3 is the fact that it is simply a card that fills in the gaps between life and death, which essentially symbolizes the whole dimension in between those two planes of existence.
The Players' Different Experiences in Borderland
Every game in Netflix's Alice in Borderland is a dread to play for, mainly because of how one's life hangs in the balance in the real world. The intricate rules amplify the stakes, where a single misstep could prove fatal for an individual or the entire group. This meant that the series' version of the Borderlands is designed to test the will of the players and what they are willing to do in order to fight for their lives and survive.
Meanwhile, Ann told Mahiru (an original character from the book) in Chapter 64 of the original Alice in Borderland manga that some of the players experienced a different kind of Borderland, noting that others described the place as "a bright place overflowing with love," while some pointed out that everything was "pitch black." Meanwhile, other players described the experience as "an origin similar to a womb," potentially hinting at reincarnation.
The manga proves that not every player inside the Borderland has the same experience. As Ann pointed out, "perhaps the experience varies based on each person's natural tendencies." While others found despair and lost the will to live, some might have found hope in the Borderland, ultimately changing them for the better (read more on how Chishiya evolved from Season 1, including his surprise return in Season 3).
The Borderland Games' Different Structures & Format
In the original manga, the games that are set in the Borderland follow a specific order, with numbered cards going first, but not every card has a designated game or trial.
While Netflix's Alice in Borderland also didn't expand on every card's games, the face cards in the series all have designated games and are explored in Season 2, whereas there are some missing games from the face cards of the manga, such as the Jack of Clubs and the Queen of Clubs.
Alice in Borderland Season 3 Introduced the Joker Tournament
When Arisu and Usagi returned to the games in Alice in Borderland Season 3, they were met with fierce competition due to the looming challenge of the Joker tournament. This said tournament is a unique addition to the Netflix series since the manga didn't have this kind of structure for the players in the Borderlands.
In a nutshell, the Joker tournament in Season 3 requires all players to participate in various games as they split off into different teams. It has multiple starting games, a semi-final, and an eventual final game that rounds out the survivors of each round. The players are killed instantly upon failing to follow the rules or losing fair and square, leading to some gruesome deaths in Alice in Borderland Season 3.
While the original manga didn't have this Joker tournament, the spin-off, Alice in Border Road, featured 12 players participating in one big game. It is unknown if this format will be explored in potential future seasons or a spin-off of the Netflix show, but this interesting structure could be a jumping-off point for later stories.
