warning: might contain a lil spoiler but not too much

The show is definitely not for everyone if you cannot sit through some violence, blood, or some racy scenes, but Alice in Borderland will have you at the edge of your seat and for good reasons!

I first watched the show cause I had nothing better to do and the season only contained 8 episodes that are all shorter than an hour, so the show is very binge-able within one day. It is a good time killer, but also the kind that will have you keep wondering what's going to happen next (if you haven't read the manga, which I haven't).

AIB follows Arisu (who's pretty much the equivalent of Alice) who falls into the story's own version of "Wonderland" which is "Borderland" an empty out version of Tokyo where the only way to survive is through competing in deadly games at the risk of your sanity, friendship and all kinds of shit that will have you mind fucked. It thrives off human's selfish nature and how one will go to such an extent just to survive at the cost of others. Just when you think have something figured out, the show does a 180 and literally insult your IQ... and I kind of like that? Lol.

Our hero at first, seems like a lazy good for nothing bum who has all the right materials but isn't willing to do anything productive with his life. Even then I liked him because I felt for him in a strange way since emotionally and mentally, I knew something much deeper was going on. He hangs out with his 2 other friends who are pretty much just freestyling through life in the dark but gets to experience what happiness is when they're together. Their friendship is executed beautifully and it will make you cry ugly tears. Truly the perfect epitome of why you should not judge a book by its cover because inside, everyone is fighting their own demons. As the story progresses, you see exactly why Arisu is the protagonist. He has his heart in all the right places. He's intelligent, kind and selfless. Not once can you not see in his face that he felt guilty about surviving at the cost of others. Amazing character!

Our heroine is equally as great. She may seem a bit cold at first probably due to the fact that she's been on her own for a while and regarding her past, you kind of just grow to become numb. But even then you can tell she's a good person. As the story plays out, she learns to trust and rely on another person again and slowly, her mentality of you can only trust yourself disappears when she meets Arisu. She becomes Arisu's will to live and Arisu becomes someone she deeply care about, knowing in this fucked up place, they only have each other to rely on. I love how she's a mountain climber which really plays into her skills (it was satisfying watching her climb lol). Also love the bus scene because homegirl literally outran everyone. Kickass character.

I honestly love their chemistry. There's little to no romance in here, but even then you can tell they have that spark around each other and I love how the directors/producers doesn't force anything. You can just tell that they're starting to grow fond of each other. I hope in S2 they get together or at least hook up lmaoo.

Though if I have to complain about something, it'll have to be how Saori's character was executed. Like I said, I haven't read the manga (though I heard she was better in there) but I just hated how her character was so sexually objectified from start to finish and although she definitely wasn't an angel, girl was done so dirty. But that's for you to decide when you watch it.

but if you like a good looking cast, great storyline, great characters, intense scenes that will have you biting your nails and a couple mind fucks, what are you waiting for :)