“Alice in Borderland” : Two reluctant allies must compete in brutal games in a parallel version of Tokyo, which is the main focus of the popular Japanese series. Each game is represented by the suits of playing cards to indicate its difficulty and how much time players can stay in Borderlands.
The third season of “Alice in Borderland” will dramatically shake up the main cast, with several new stars joining in confirmed and undisclosed roles. However, lead Kento Yamazaki will be back as gamer Ryohei Arisu as well as Tao Tsuchiya as his love interest and ally in the Borderlands, mountain climber Yuzuha Usagi. Also returning will be Hayato Isomura as Banda, Katsuya Maiguma as Yaba and Ayaka Miyoshi as Ann.
Netflix’s official synopsis for the new season reads: “After Usagi is abducted and left unconscious by a mysterious scholar obsessed with the afterlife, Arisu returns to the perilous Borderland to save her. “Teaming up with new players, they must face the yet-unseen Joker stage in a desperate bid to find a way back to their original world.”
©Courtesy of Netflix
Exclusive interview with Actress Tao Tsuchiya
Q: This “Alice in Borderland” series offers a variety of ways to expand on the game’s concept, human conflict, psychological warfare, camaraderie, and hostility which also have been repeated throughout our history as well. What is your personal opinion on what attracts so many fans around the world to this series?
Tao Tsuchiya : “Alice in Borderland”, including the original work, is a depiction of something that could exist in any world. The sense of crisis is always present in both my entertainment industry and acting world that if you don’t keep improving your performance, you never know how long your work will last. I think that kind of feeling exists everywhere, whether you’re a salaryman in society, in school, or anywhere else.
I believe that its relatability is the reason why so many people watched it. I’m not certain if it’s a unique Japanese thing, but the idea of prioritizing others was the one that resonated the most, surprised people the most, and even shocked them the most.
Q: As the series progresses, some characters lose their will to live and commit suicide. Ms. Tsuchiya, have you experienced any change in your understanding of the meaning of living your life, your values, or your awareness of them during this series?
Tao Tsuchiya : Well, yes, this time there’s a scene with a muddy torrent. For that, we had teams that creating the wave, the wave splash and the water flow—each with their own professionals handling the muddy torrent scene. Plus, there was a significant amount of water involved, so it was dangerous to perform the scene.
The action team went through multiple tests and made sure the environment was ready for me to take on the filming challenge. When you’re underwater, there are moments when your own senses become incredibly clear and refined. (The meaning of life) becomes clearer. During that shoot, it became a profound opportunity for me to think deeply about what kind of future I wanted to walk toward, and how I wished for the people around me to live their lives.
Therefore, Usagi’s unyielding spirit also had a profound impact on me personally. It was a role that prompted me to reflect deeply on the story, and I feel truly fortunate to have encountered the character of Usagi.
Q: Usagi and Arise’s bond deepens as they save each other from danger, share food, and hunt prey together. What are the developments of their relationship that are most captivating to you this season?
Tao Tsuchiya : In Season 3, Arise and Usagi marry and become a couple, while also participating in the game “Alice in Borderland“. However, after their wedding, they are faced with obstacles they must overcome as a married couple. The crucial final game revolves around how they overcome challenges as a family, which I find particularly compelling.
©Courtesy of Netflix
Q: In Season 1, there’s a scene where Arise, after being punched by the ex-militant fighter Aguni, stands up to him, shouting, “Don’t you dare look down on living people!” From that moment, I felt like a true leader(Arise) was born. Ms. Tsuchiya, how do you see Alice’s growth throughout the series so far?
Tao Tsuchiya : Honestly, Season 3 was one where Arise’s warmth, or rather his humanity, really came through in the visuals. Arise always had so many charms that Usagi doesn’t possess, which drew me(Tsuchiya) in personally, but this season I felt an even greater sense of her mature appeal.
Q: You play the role of Usagi, but among the other characters appearing in this series besides Usagi that you play, is there any character you feel resembles you or that you can relate to?
Tao Tsuchiya : If I were to select the character I most identify with, I believe it would be Usagi, since I’ve spent so much time facing her.
her determination to “definitely protect them, I’ll show them I can protect them!”—that kind of all-out attitude really inspired me. Plus, I often live my own life with that same mindset, so I think it’s Usagi.
Q: Throughout the series, the story about Usagi’s father has been gradually revealed. Currently, he is set as missing. Do you think future developments in the series will reveal the father’s whereabouts and further clarify the relationship between him and Usagi?
Tao Tsuchiya : Well, Usagi herself doesn’t really know what happened to her father either, so I truly hope Usagi gets to meet his father someday. But Usagi has overcome that (her father’s disappearance) and is trying to grasp happiness as a family. So rather than focusing on that, I’d like to really emphasize overcoming that sadness. Usagi always thought she was completely alone, but now her family has grown again. I’d love to feature that family much more. I hope a story develops where Alice and Usagi’s child grows a little older, and next, Arise and Usagi take action to protect their child.
©Courtesy of Netflix
Q: Within the series, various differences emerge in that world(Imawa no Kuni)—like how people arrived at different times, plants grow faster, only old-model cars work, and food spoils quickly. This season, is there any new information or interesting points we learn about that world?
Tao Tsuchiya : Interesting points, hmm… Well, Season 1 and Season 2 had more sets that felt closer to reality, like tunnels, thermal power plants, or the ruins of Shibuya’s scramble intersection—they actually built those decaying scenes as sets in Yokohama. But this time, the VFX, or CG, has become much more intricate, resulting in visuals on a scale we couldn’t have imagined. That was something that really surprised us when we saw the finished product.
Q: While the series is available worldwide on Netflix, I imagine it receives a lot of global feedback. Among the comments you’ve received from overseas or other countries, Tsuchiya-san, were there any particularly memorable comments or reactions?
Tao Tsuchiya : I receive a lot of comments on Instagram like ‘Usagi is the best!’ or ‘Arise is the best!’, along with reactions to Chishiya, Kuina, Ann, and all the others. It brings me a great deal of happiness. However, since we don’t travel much ourselves, even during promotions, I don’t really feel like it’s actually reaching people overseas.
But just the other day, around July I think, when I was playing with my daughter in the park, there was a foreigner who had come to Japan on a four-month business trip. When I got to talk with that foreigner and their family, they said, “In Japan, “Alice in Borderland” is my favorite series in Japan!“ I was like, ”Wow, I’m in “Alice in Borderland!“ They said, ”Oh my gosh!” and were really thrilled. That was the moment I felt it most tangibly.
Tao Tsuchiya : Thank you so much. Have a wonderful day.
©Courtesy of Netflix
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Here’s the trailer for the season 3.