Perfect Sci-Fi Fantasy Shows Are Rare, But This 10/10 Netflix Series Deserves The Hype

February 11, 2026

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The Japanese sci-fi series Alice in Borderland was an immediate success, with its audience giving season one a 92% positive Rotten Tomatoes rating. Alice in Borderland is an adaptation of Haro Aso’s manga series of the same name, and it has attracted extremely positive reviews. The show is great and gory, following a video game-obsessed young man in a dystopian future Tokyo.

The show centers on a series of games that the main characters must play to survive, and this plot has drawn comparisons between Alice in Borderland and Squid Game. However, Alice in Borderland has a much more expansive world compared to Squid Game‘s claustrophobic setting. Alice in Borderland has ended after three seasons, which can now be streamed on Netflix.

Alice In Borderland Combines Science Fiction And Fantasy

Alice in Borderland might be set in an alternative future, but it combines several genres rather than being a typical dystopian sci-fi. The visuals and set-up for the games often have a cyberpunk aesthetic, with many of the characters wearing cyberpunk staples like techwear and brightly-colored hair. However, as the show continues, Alice in Borderland perfectly blends sci-fi and fantasy.

The show’s mysterious “Borderland” feels like a fantasy staple more commonly found in great fantasy works like The Chronicles of Narnia and Alice in Wonderland, which was an inspiration for the plot. Many Alice in Borderland characters have Alice in Wonderland counterparts, and the story bends reality in a similar way to Lewis Carroll’s novel, often feeling surreal and dreamlike.

Alice In Borderland Is One Of The Best Live-Action Manga Adaptations

Alice in Borderland characters in front of a burning shrine

Anime and manga adaptations are not always popular, regularly disappointing fans by diverging from the source material. However, Alice in Borderland‘s first two seasons were extremely faithful to the original in both storyline and visuals, making it one of the best live-action anime shows on Netflix. The show captured the dark and ominous tone of the source material while developing the characters.

The first two seasons of Alice in Borderland covered the entirety of the story, and while the third season went in a different direction, it is still a great show to binge. The visuals are excellent, with the empty Tokyo translating well onscreen, and the action scenes are gritty and violent, perfectly conveying the high stakes the characters are fighting against.

Why Alice In Borderland Ended With Season 3

Arisu and Usagi in Alice in Borderland season 2.

The ending to Alice in Borderland was polarizing, with some believing that it was unnecessary as the original story had already been covered by the end of season 2. Season 3 was not as well-received as the first two, with fans giving it a 56% positive Rotten Tomatoes score, and with the story concluding, it made little sense to continue with a fourth season.

Alice in Borderland‘s final season incorporated elements from the epilogue manga, Retry, but it too had a satisfying conclusion without the need for expansion. That said, the show teased the story continuing in America. An American spinoff of Alice in Borderland makes sense, as it could keep the elements that worked in Alice in Borderland, but introduce surprises for a new audience.