Alice in Borderland Returns for Season 3 on Netflix

The wait is finally over for fans of the thrilling Japanese survival drama, Alice in Borderland. Season 3 of the hit series has premiered globally on Netflix on Thursday, September 25, 2025, marking a highly anticipated return after nearly three years since the second season.

Original Storyline Beyond the Manga

While the first two seasons closely followed Haro Aso’s original manga, the story for Season 3 takes a new direction. With the core manga material having been covered, Director Shinsuke Sato and his team have developed an original storyline to continue the harrowing narrative. The continuation aims to delve deeper into the psychological and philosophical underpinnings of the Borderland, exploring how the experience has impacted the survivors.

Plot and Episode Count

The new season plunges the lead characters, gamer Ryōhei Arisu (Kento Yamazaki) and mountain climber Yuzuha Usagi (Tao Tsuchiya), back into the deadly world they thought they had escaped. The last scene of Season 2, which ominously focused on the Joker card, hinted that their ordeal was far from over.

The official synopsis for Season 3 reveals that after returning to a seemingly normal life, which includes Arisu and Usagi being married, their peace is shattered when Usagi is abducted and taken back to the Borderland. Arisu quickly follows to save her, and the two are separated, forcing them to team up with new players to confront the final, terrifying “Joker” stage.

Season 3 will consist of six episodes, two fewer than the previous seasons, but promises to be packed with intense and high-stakes survival challenges.

Key Cast Returns and New Faces

Fans will be pleased to see the return of the lead duo, Kento Yamazaki as Arisu and Tao Tsuchiya as Usagi, reprising their central roles. Other confirmed returning cast members include Ayaka Miyoshi (Rizuna Ann), Hayato Isomura (Sunato Banda), and Katsuya Maiguma (Oki Yaba), the latter two being among the few who elected to remain in the Borderland at the end of Season 2.

The new season also introduces several fresh faces, including Kento Kaku as Ryuji, a character tied to the new plot’s focus on the afterlife and Usagi’s disappearance. These new characters will undoubtedly play crucial roles in the treacherous games that await.

The third season is expected to be the final chapter of the series, providing a definitive conclusion to Arisu and Usagi’s desperate fight for survival and a true understanding of the mysterious Borderland.