Alice in Borderland: Original manga series ending explained

Haro Aso’s Alice in Borderland is one of the most popular sci-fi thriller manga series, with over 1.3 million copies in circulation worldwide as of March 2016. As per the Weekly Oricon manga charts of June 22, 2014, the series earned 48th place, selling 21,496 copies. Haro Aso’s manga series also inspired a Netflix live-action adaptation under the direction of Shinsuke Sato.

The live-action series garnered a surprising 7.6 IMDB rating after receiving a positive reception from around the world for its cinematography, use of graphic violence, striking visuals, and enthralling performances by the main cast. As Netflix’s Alice in Borderland concluded its second season, fans wondered if the manga had ended.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for Alice in Borderland manga and live-adaptation spoilers.

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Alice in Borderland Netflix’s live adaptation ending is not very different from the original manga series

Alice in Borderland manga ending:

By playing three rounds of croquet with Mira, the Queen of Hearts, Arisu Wins, and everyone is offered the choice of whether to stay in Borderland or refuse. Arisu, Usagi, Heiya, Aguni, Chishiya, Kiuna, and Niragi declined the offer of permanent residency. However, Banda and Yaba, the Jack of Hearts participants seen in the early chapters, chose to stay.

Later, Arisu had an audience with a mysterious being who appeared with his signature Joker Card. Later, Arisu was transported to the real world, where he woke up amidst the devastating meteor disaster which blew up Tokyo city to smithereens. Arisu met Usagi, but since they had no recollection of each other, it was all deja vu for both of them. Regardless, they tried to get to know each other.

Arisu meets Joker in Borderland (Image via Shogakukan/Haro Aso)

The final chapter of Alice in the Borderland, titled the 731st Day of Restitution, takes place two years after the return to the real world and the Tokyo meteorite disaster. A reporter interviewed random people in the streets by asking them, “what do you live for?” The reporter received genuine to strange answers to her questions from the folks.

The last person the reporter interviewed was Arisu, who didn’t answer the question as he got interrupted by his phone. After picking up the call, Arisu was talking to someone who wasn’t revealed in the manga chapters, but most fans presume it to be Usagi. On the phone, Arisu talked about his career in clinical psychology, the professor praising his reports, and planning a hiking trip that was more tailored for beginners.

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Alice in Borderland Netflix’s adaption has just slightly altered the ending

In the live-action series, the grand finale of season 2 remained loyal to the original source material of Haro Aso’s Alice in Borderland until the last minute. However, the adaptation discarded Joker and Arisu’s interaction, one of the most intriguing scenes from the manga chapters that fans eagerly awaited.

Instead of the physical manifestation of the mysterious Joker, the series just showed his signature card, which appeared after the wind blew through a scattered deck of cards on a table at the end of the episode.

It is hard to anticipate the renewal of the series since season 2 covers the remaining chapters of the manga, and there is no source material left to adapt for season 3.

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Will Haro Aso continue Alice in Borderland?

Haro Aso’s Alice in Borderland was serialized in Shogakukan’s Sunday S magazine from November 5, 2010, to March 25, 2015. The 65 individual chapters (precisely 87 chapters, including subchapters) were collected into 18 tankobon volumes, which were released between April 2011 and April 2016.

After completing the original manga series, Haro intended to retire from drawing. However, he later came out of retirement to draw two spinoff stories: Alice on Border Road, released in eight tankobon volumes between January 18, 2016, and March 19, 2017, and Alice in Borderland: Retry, released in two volumes between December 11, 2020, and February 18, 2021.

The original manga series has ended, and Haro does not intend to continue the story. However, as he comes out of retirement, fans can expect more spinoff series in the near future.