Discussion Alice in Borderland

LOL Idk it was some weird shit as the focus, but I think it was really the battle with Kuzuryu. Honestly, the whole Arisu not fighting thing was so damn pointless. It was literally a repeat of the first despair but it just lasted longer.

Chapter 56 was good. The game Chishiya had with Kuzuryu did seem to hit him hard. It was on a whim he decided to "change" and do something like save Usagi. Chishiya and Niragi both don't have long left. Instead of himself making the decision, Arisu asked Usagi what she wanted to do and she wanted to continue fighting and maybe save Chishiya and Niragi if it works out. It made Arisu realised Kyuma's words were different than what he interpreted.

The King of Spades has been defeated now too, so there's a single face card remaining the Queen of Hearts. Arisu has finally decided to fight again, for the people lost along the way and those still alive.

 

Yeah, was certainly a reunion lol. Bit nostalgic seeing the familiar faces.

One person? It said unlimited, unless translation differs?

Yeah, wonder how this will go.

Chapter 57 was good. Usagi had been scoping out the blimps, so had an idea of where to go for the last game. It was a happy reunion with the rest of their group. This game has unlimited participants with no time limit. Weapons are also allowed in the arena.

There was some deliberation about who would go in, and Arisu volunteered to go in alone to try and get some answers. Usagi also requested to go in as a partner. Slowly everyone else kind of volunteered. Now they'll play Roshambo to pick the two that enter and it ended up being Arisu and Usagi.

The game takes place in a rose garden and is Croquet.

 

From what I understand, it seems like she is from the future? But the way she was talking made it almost seem like not. But seems like she is saying that humans 1000 years in the future are bored so have decided on borderland for entertainment?

Chapter 58 was good. Interesting the game is set on a roof top. Kanou, just like all of the others, is ever evasive about answering any questions. Wow, Kanou set up interesting win/lose stipulations. They just need to play three complete sets of croquet with her and they win. If they withdraw in the middle of the game, they forfeit and thus lose. It's a singles game so only Kanou and Arisu play, but Usagi's life depends on Arisu not forfeiting.

One set was down with Kanou winning. She really seems to be enjoying herself. They opt for a "tea party" break. Usagi wants Arisu to stop prying into the answer and to just finish the game. Arisu doesn't want to give up on getting answers for his dead friends. Now Kanou is going to apparently tell him the story about "a world called Borderland". It was pretty ominous she reminded Arisu that he wanted to hear about it of his own volition.

Kanou goes on to explain that humans have evolved a lot over 1000 years. The development of the cloud kicked things off. Within 30 years, developing nations economics and living standards improved. 50 years later, the human lifespan was lengthened and higher intelligence and euphorias was achieved. Over time they will basically eliminate all "bad" things like violence, natural disasters, sickness/illness, seemingly AGI and "eliminating" death and become immortal. It seems like Borderland is just because they're bored? LMAO wild.

 

Yeah, I was like there's no way this is too unbelievable. But it could also be one of these options given, who really knows at this point. I think there can't be a satisfying conclusion.

Chapter 59 was good. LMAO there's no way. So the big tech that someone that was bored "discovered" to reuse was virtual reality. This is apparently a life-like VR thriller game. Their memories are erased temporarily on entry and replaced with artificial memories of their avatar to fully immerse themselves in Borderland. Once they return to the real world, they gain the memories from Borderland.

Arisu tried to challenge Kanou's claim to knowledge and she reveals that apparently she's the one who started this whole game and manages the system, but apparently has grown bored. But, can she be trusted? NO!! She made it all up, apparently LMAO. She just goes on about how the answer is "whatever she wants it to be".

Kanou continued making up answers, next was an alien attack, then a dreamlike illusion, a black hole, nuclear war aftermath, etc. Arisu should've just listened to Usagi, he regrets trying to get answers from her. Mira's constant goading of Arisu apparently has him figure out her goal.

 

Yeah, I don't know if this is a mindfuck or actually the explanation. Like, sure if he had a mental breakdown and falsified events surrounding the death of his friends, but isn't this whole entire world too details for that? Like there's too many people for it. Idk.

Chapter 60 was good. So Arisu hypothesises that Kanou wants Arisu to kill her so the game never ends, and the players have to wait for their visas to expire, which seemed to be her goal based on the reaction. But, Arisu still hasn't given up on an answer.

The next claim is they were involved in a traumatic accident that has caused them to believe this fantasy world is reality. Arisu tried to rebut it as ridiculous, but them it seemed that reality was blurring and distorting around him. Apparently he's in the final stage of his treatment and Kanou is a neuroscientist specializing in hallucinations and is his attending physician??

It seems like it does cut to the real world with Arisu in a counselling room of an inpatient ward, but is that really reality? I don't know what to believe now, but if this is correct, then Shibuki tried to jump in front of a train in the real world and Chouta and Karube tried to help her while Arisu ignored it. Arisu reached out too late and they all ended up killed by a train, which caused him to create a false reality. But I don't think a false reality can really explain all of the detail of the individual characters, can it? there's too many.

 

I don't think she's the final boss, there's still the Joker? Also, why even try and get answers from them, I thought they knew there was a Joker? Maybe they didn't.

I'm getting kind of tired of this constant "actually I know this person better than themselves and everyone else" like everything is trying way too hard to be deep. The answer he was constantly seeking didn't actually have anything to do with the games... He just wanted to know why he existed!! LMAO give me a ******* break. Every other character pulls a reason or their own interpretation as to why x or y character did x or y thing or fell for x or y thing out of their ass.

Chapter 61 was good. Ok, so that was another fake explanation, and she drugged the tea, which explains why it was all distorting. I feel bad for Usagi, she can do nothing here. I don't think this is over, but Kanou sure is gloating about her "win" and apparently knowing that Arisu's downfall would be him seeking the answer, which apparently was actually the reason for his own existence. Ok, how did she even get this stupidly convoluted drug in Borderland?

Usagi is prepared to take drastic measures to ensure Arisu lives.

 

I feel like she should've tried slapping him/punching his arm, etc before hurting herself. I mean, seems like a dumb solution to self harm yourself when someone else is hallucinating isn't the whole idea using pain to snap them out of it, not like he feels her pain... Also, this is the third time we've had the whole "Arisu gives up" only for him to not.

Chapter 62 was good. Jesus Usagi just slit her wrist to try and get Arisu to come back. Why not just, idk shake him or punch him or something else? I don't see how hurting yourself would pull him back lol. Somehow it worked because while the drug was apparently supressing his survival instincts, his protective instinct won.

 

Now I don't know if that whole world really was just a hallucination while Arisu was basically dead from the meteors? Or if something larger was at play here.

Chapter 63 was good. So the only lie Kanou told Arisu was the "truth" about Borderland. Her words to him were simply "life is a game, enjoy it". After, they enjoyed their game without any further discussion on that topic. The game was finally finished, and Kanou died via the laser.

So, their "reward" is a choice of either accepting permanent residency, or refusing it. There is no elaboration on what refusing it entails. Yaba and Bando accept the residency, but the rest refuse it. Arisu gets a glimpse of the Joker who rules Borderland. The Joker questions if he looks like a God or a Devil.

So Arisu seemed to wake up in the real world, and the "fireworks" were meteorites that struck and destroyed a huge amount of the city. Damn.

 

I think Joker was basically "god" or whatever. It seems like the whole thing was just a massive shared near death experience. It was the trials and tribulations representing their will to live. Notice how all of the ones who died in borderland unfortunately died in the real world too? I presume that those who chose to "become residents" of borderland also died. They basically gave up on fighting for their lives. The rest of them all survived. BUT, An's talk did mention about their neath death experience "showing" them an "alternate reality" so there COULD be something more to it, but I really do think it that it was all basically just some weird simulated thing showing their will to survive. To be honest, I think I'm okay with this end, it's honestly better than the scenarios that Kanou was rattling off and our theories. A little anti-climactic maybe, but not entirely shit.

Chapter 64 was good. So the news confirms that it was a massive meteorite strike which unleashed unprecedented catastrophe. 2,000 are dead and 25,000 injured. This is two days after a meteorite exploded in mid air wreaking havoc in all 23 wards of Tokyo. The meteorite was 25 meters in diameter and weighed over 15,000 tons.

It seems that Chota and Karube died in the impact. Even Arisu was dead for a full minute. His heart stopped. He's also been unconscious for two days. His brother is very glad that he survived. Apparently his father waited in front of Arisu's room for two days without sleeping, but when he woke up, he fled to work.

It seems that this whole experience was a massive joint near death experience, but none of them remember it. All of the people from borderland that chose to not remain as residents are in care and recovering from their injuries. The ones who died did in fact die in the disaster. I am assuming the ones that "chose" to be "residents" also died. It was nice to see them all reuniting, even if they didn't remember each other.

Now the medical staff is talking to Arisu about his mental health and survivors guilt, to try and make sure he copes with everything.

Arisu asked for his brother to help him study so he could get into colleague. Wow, Arisu and Usagi finally met and although they have no memories, she agreed to a date with him!

 

Chapter 65 (FINAL CHAPTER W00T!!) was good. This takes place two years since the Tokyo meteorite disaster. There is very little progress on reconstruction and they also haven't economically recovered. The reporter seems to be Shiga(?) who Yaba had a thing with. In remembrance of the disaster, they are taking to the streets in a special feature to interview passers-by why they're alive.

The answers given are pretty varied from decent, to a bit morbid. Shame we didn't hear Arisu's answer. But he is doing well, it seems like he's dating Usagi and they are going Hiking in the mountains. He's also going for Clinical Psychology.

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I don't really have much in the way of closing thoughts. It was a bit of a wild ride. It's hard to believe it was a bit of a nothing burger ending. At the same time, I am not really dissatisfied with it. Easily could've been a trainwreck. I think I give it a 7 or an 8 somewhere in there. A little to think about it terms of what I means to live. I enjoyed it for what it was. I will settle on 8.

 

It was better than it could've been, but yeah pretty safe.