Alice in Borderland, Vol. 8

Alice in Borderland 2-in-1 Omnibus #8

by Haro Aso, Valerio Pinos (Translator)

"Arisu, un ex studente disoccupato e appassionato dei videogiochi, si ritrova improvvisamente catapultato nella Tokyo alternativa di una “Terra di confine” identica in tutto e per tutto a quella reale, ma deserta e di roccata. In compagnia di due amici, il duro Karube e l’erotomane Chota, Arisu sarà costretto ad affrontare in quello scenario desolato un vero e proprio survival game, nella forma di una sequenza di giochi dalla difficoltà potenzialmente... mortale. Riusciranno i tre ragazzi a sopravvivere a questo nuovo, pericoloso mondo? Chi ha creato tutto questo? Ma, soprattutto, c’è un modo, per loro, di tornare alle loro vite originali? Dalla mente del creatore di Zombie 100 e Hyde & Closer, Haro Aso, arriva il manga di culto che ha ispirato i popolari adattamenti anime e live action!"

Genres: Manga, Horror, Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Thriller, Dystopia, Fiction

384 pages, Paperback

First published March 2, 2023

About the author

AKA 麻生羽呂

Reviews

[Rod Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

This series might have been amazing if it focused on it's main character, but here's another volume that's mostly side story filler tales. They're not bad, though the logic game between two very unbalanced brainiacs went on way too long. But the final chapters started gathering the important survivors together for the finale. Here's hoping for a strong finish.

[Igel :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 🌟

[Silvia ❄️]

Sempre più (psicologicamente) devastante ♣️

Viene approfondito il passato di molti personaggi, anche quelli considerati secondari. Ho molto apprezzato la cura che Haro Haso ripone in questo aspetto della storia.

[Toby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chishiya miiiight be the inventor of mansplain, manipulate, manwhore

[Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uno dei game che più mi hanno fatto arrovellare il cervello: il re di ♦️. Ma non solo, Aso mostra anche dei retroscena unici, che la serie TV ha gravemente missato, ovvero il gruppo delle figure che si era creato 60 giorni prima. E anche la scena in cui - finalmente - Arisu esce dal tunnel e decide di partecipare all'ultimo game, molto intensa, molto commuovente.
Peccato sia rovinata dalla presenza irritante di Niragi... Ci avviamo all'ultimo volume, con molta tristezza, perché abbiamo davanti una storia unica.

[Marie H.D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Freedom from daily life. Escapism. Eighth grader syndrome. Peter Pan syndrome. It doest matter what you call it. Haven't you ever wanted ... to be swept away somewhere—anywhere—as long as it's someplace else?

Volume 8 of 'Alice in Borderland' is perhaps one of the best in the series in mirroring the real world by raising ethical questions and criticize the imbalance of power inherent in societal structures and highlighting the complexities of moral decision-making.

For what exactly is the value of a life? And how do you measure the value of a life? The manga critiques societal norms regarding resource allocation and the prioritization of certain individuals or groups over others. It highlights the moral complexities inherent in decisions about who deserves access to life-saving resources.

I love how the story touches upon themes of existential ennui and the search for meaning or excitement beyond the mundane: society's tendency towards escapism and the longing to break free from the monotony of everyday life. It reflects on the existential alienation experienced by individuals who feel disconnected from society and seek refuge in fantasy or alternate realities.

'The law exists for the benefit of those strong enough to exercise political power and pressure. It's a system built for the strong to exploit the weak.

This volume focuses on subplots involving the character Chishiya and the King of Diamonds game.
The King of Diamonds game prompts characters to confront moral dilemmas and challenges their perspectives on survival and justice. Through the experiences of Chishiya and others, we witness the impact of the game on their personal growth and development. Meanwhile, another subplot involving camera footage and glimpses into the lives of Borderland's citizens makes the plot mysterious and quite claustrophobic, hinting at secrets and mysteries within the world of Borderland.

I was fascinated by the backstory of the King of Diamonds; it was captivating to delve into the events that molded his character. Watching Chishiya's evolution throughout the plot was equally enthralling, as I believe he experiences substantial growth. What really grabbed my attention was the profound introspection displayed by the characters during the game. It offered a glimpse into their complex calculations and the moral dilemmas they grappled with. Despite the intricate nature of the game, these internal reflections illuminated the motivations and decisions of each character, enriching the narrative experience.

The way 'Alice in Borderland' reflects a distorted version of reality in this volume is both intriguing and unsettling. The dystopian world it presents serves as a warped, distorted mirror of our own society, reflecting the darker aspects of human nature and systemic flaws. My favourite manga of all time!

'What if ... we're all just rotten to our core? The system, the judiciary, the nation ... what if it's been corrupt from the very beginning?'

[Leen Gilis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably my favorite volume within this manga series so far. It really took my breath away. The main focus of this volume is the King of Diamonds, which is actually a side story, but very important for when it comes to character development. In this side story we mainly follow Chishiya. The main character Arisu does not appaer much in this volume.

What impressed me the most, is how well this volume mirrors the real world and society. During the King of Diamonds game you really start thinking about the value of life, as well as about how society deals with people who are poor and have less money. It was interesting to learn more about the past of the King of Diamonds and to see why he became the way he is. We also see that this game affects Chishiya in a certain way and that he really grows as a character. Besides the moral value of the story, it was also impressive to follow the thoughts of all characters during the game. Although the game is very complex these thoughts really help you understand all the calculations.

Besides the King of Diamonds, we also follow a short camera footage, in which the camera operator tries to discover the secrets of Borderland. This was very interesting to see, and I'm curious whether we are going to discover more in the next volume. Furthermore, there is a short chapter about the life of the citizens, which also shows you the beautifull side of Borderland. I think this was a beautiful chapter to read, and it made me even a bit emotional.

So in general, I enjoyed this volume very much. It also ends with a cliffhanger, so I can't wait already for the next one to come out in English!

[Violet ♡]

The way this volume mirrored the real world is so intense! 😱

[Liam · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

[Xfi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Penúltimo volumen y la historia sigue subiendo. De comenzar siendo un shonen demasiado juvenil se ha convertido en todo un librazo.
Tengo la ventaja de que no vi la segunda temporada de la serie, así que no tengo ni idea de como puede terminar esto...y que nadie me haga spoilers jeje.
La forma espectacular de como se cruzan todos los personajes que han ido apareciendo a lo largo de la historia me hace esperar con impaciencia el final...Además Arisu sigue sin salir mucho lo que es una ventaja, sobre todo ahora que los supuestos secundarios han resultado ser de lo mejor de la historia.

[bookswithlexie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favorite of the series omg

[Tom Garback · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️
Critical Score: B
Personal Score: C+

This one is almost good, but the intellectual games are just too long and boring. They’re overly intellectual, as in not worth the mental effort. Meanwhile the scenes outside the games are getting to be overly philosophical. If the ideas weren’t so elementary and repetitive, I might be invested.

I’m ready to just wrap up the series and be done with it.

[DonutKnow · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are many layers to this series- I’ve come to love it ❤️

[Sheepy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This volume has been such a good build up to this last one! That final panel as well!!! Lest go!

[Raneem · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chishiya’s intelligence scratches my brain,adored the side story.

[Walindor · Rating 5 out of 5]

✔️8/9

[Kesa · Rating 4 out of 5]

We're getting closer to the truth of Borderland.

[Chesney Infalt · Rating 5 out of 5]

While the main story didn’t move forward a lot, I appreciated the extra side stories and the backstory to those running the games.

Contains:
-Violence
-Language
-Trauma

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know I have mentioned this before, numerous times, but my gosh, I love Chishiya. I was so happy to have a side story for the King Of Diamonds, which featured him. I also enjoyed the some backstories of the Borderland Citizens, how they got to where they are.
Another great volume, now I'm on the last one... I am so excited to see how it plays out, see the Queen Of Hearts game and beyond, but also sad that it is coming to an end!
Well, here we go, final all in one volume...

[Ana Horiuchi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The beauty contest is something else. I love Chishiya so much

[cami · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

so much chishiya in this one 😭😭😭🙏🏾 MY GOAT

[Ellie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Manifesting Chishiyas wellbeing for my own wellbeing

[Estibaliz · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

I was really enjoying this series up to volume 7, but things seem to be getting a bit tired as of lately.

I have to say the Mahjong game went completely over my head, which didn't make it that enjoyable. The number games was better, with all the logic tramps and so economic theories in the mix, but lagged a bit too much.

The rest of the volume is a mix bag, and didn't really get much anywhere till the very end. And, sadly enough, I have to say I'm not liking Chishiya as much as I used to (not to mention he feels much more interesting in the TV show).

To think there's only one more volume to reach the end... but with that Arisu's dark moment at least the author makes undeniably clear what this whole thing is about: lack of purpose and search of meaning.

[Lucía · Rating 5 out of 5]

El juego de Chisiya y Yuzuryuu es de los más intensos y reflexivos de todos los juegos pasados hasta ahora. Tocan temas realistas por muy duros que sean de admitir, el personaje de Yuzuryuu es realista y te hace cuestionar varias cosas durante el final del juego. También hablan más sobre el pasado de los ciudadanos de Borderlands y puedes llegar a comprender un poco más el porqué de sus acciones, se vuelven más humanos. Chisiya deja un poco de lado esa faceta egocéntrica que tiene durante toda la saga y me gusta que demuestren que incluso personajes como él pueden llegar a cuestionar su existencia y todo lo que han hecho hasta ahora. Sin duda de mis favoritos.

[Akio . · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oramai siamo quasi alla fine di questa storia, in questo volume abbiamo visto un game spettacolare (re di quadri), scoperto altre backstories molto interessanti che non erano presenti nella serie e abbiamo visto un incontro non del tutto positivo, chissà come andrà a finire

[AB · Rating 5 out of 5]

Felt really dumb in the mahjong game!

Loved the king of diamonds!

And getting to know the citizens was very interesting and give a very good insight into their lives and why they are the way they are.

I hate Nigari forever!

[Jaella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just want to point out, Mr. Aso, that you’re contemplating what life is worth and have very sexist views too. Something to think about.

All manga is sexist though, and at least this one I’m also invested in the plot,, so,,,,,,,,

[Can✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ame demasiado, mi fav después del 5 por Chishiya y Kyuuma COMO LO AMO A ESE SEÑOR TAMBIÉN, quiero ser como él (sin la desnudez gracias jsjsjs)

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good study of the human condition to see how people act in very stressful and dangerous situations. Some parts are just too intellectual for me or are not interesting to read because I don't know the rules of Mahjong.

[Mia Heaphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bit of a filler book, still good back stories