Netflix’s Squid Game and Alice in Borderland are frequently compared for having the same high-stakes survival ideas—but with both series having grown in the process, the Japanese series has appeared to leave the competition in the dust, particularly after the emotional end of its season three on September 25, 2025.
AIB, adapted from Haro Aso’s manga and helmed by Shinsuke Sato, launched in December 2020 on Netflix. It depicts Arisu, a jobless gamer who is thrown into a different Tokyo in which individuals must play deadly games. He becomes fast friends with fellow player Usagi, and both characters gradually develop, discovering purpose, love, and finally peace. Unlike Squid Game, Alice in Borderland is a manga adaptation, but its final season took creative liberties while still delivering a satisfying and hopeful ending.
Squid Game, the brainchild of Hwang Dong-hyuk, premiered in 2021 and took the world by storm. It is the story of Gi-hun, a financially strapped man who wins a deadly competition, but is left tormented by survivor’s guilt. Although Squid Game began as a scathing commentary on capitalism, fans say that its message lost intensity as time went on, particularly with Season 3, which concluded on a pessimistic note and previewed a U.S. spin-off rather than closure.
In both Squid Game and Alice in Borderland, a unique plot device is employed. The manga version of Alice in Borderland features a pregnant character, Usagi, and in the final game, her unborn baby becomes a contestant, aiding the players in achieving victory. Similarly, in the Korean show Squid Game, an unnamed baby takes her deceased mother’s place, influencing the storyline
#INHUN — you couldn’t save me but you can let me go
— squid #1 Hwang In-ho hater (@su_cr3tte) October 5, 2025
Very lazy edit but its been a while so yay hi how are you guys ???#squidgame #456×001 pic.twitter.com/Fh3x9Rli5y
Unsurprisingly, both series finished on scenes filmed in California—Squid Game launched a new iteration of the games with Cate Blanchett, while AIB suggested global upheaval and an enigmatic waitress called Alice, opening doors for future tales.
Also Read: The Battle Within! Squid Game Season 3’s Most Haunting Dialogues as Seong Gi-hun Faces His Demons
Fan reactions make the distinction even more evident. Alice in Borderland was lauded for providing closure and emotional resonance, while Squid Game was bashed for putting franchise potential ahead of story. As one fan described, “AIB healed a wound Squid Game left behind.”
alice in borderland you will always be THAT SERIES#AliceInBorderland3 pic.twitter.com/uUf8LBj2oS
— (@trainslaa) September 25, 2025
Although both shows can proceed in different mediums, Alice in Borderland stands on firmer ground today—providing a thorough, emotional story fans won’t soon forget.
