What do you think?
Rate this book
Alice in Borderland 2-in-1 Omnibus #2
Alice in Borderland, Vol. 2
EIGHTEEN-YEAR-OLD RYOHEI ARISU IS SICK OF HIS LIFE.
School sucks, his love life is a joke, and his future weighs on him like impending doom. As he struggles to exist in a world that can’t be bothered with him, Ryohei feels like everything would be better if he were anywhere else. When a strange fireworks show transports him and his friends to a parallel world, Ryohei thinks all his wishes have come true. But this new world isn’t an empty paradise, it’s a vicious game. And the only way to survive is to play.
Life in Borderland can be grim, but after completing two games Arisu feels like he might be getting a handle on how his new world works. Chota and Shibuki’s visas are expiring soon, however, so the group doesn’t have time to be picky about their next match. And the arena they stumble upon is a lesson in just how treacherous the rules in Borderland can be.
School sucks, his love life is a joke, and his future weighs on him like impending doom. As he struggles to exist in a world that can’t be bothered with him, Ryohei feels like everything would be better if he were anywhere else. When a strange fireworks show transports him and his friends to a parallel world, Ryohei thinks all his wishes have come true. But this new world isn’t an empty paradise, it’s a vicious game. And the only way to survive is to play.
Life in Borderland can be grim, but after completing two games Arisu feels like he might be getting a handle on how his new world works. Chota and Shibuki’s visas are expiring soon, however, so the group doesn’t have time to be picky about their next match. And the arena they stumble upon is a lesson in just how treacherous the rules in Borderland can be.
344 pages, Paperback
First published December 30, 2021
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 475 reviews
August 2, 2026
Were you getting excited about Arisu's (murderous adventures) in Borderland? Perhaps looking forward to some beginner's luck?
Too bad. This series is all about subverting expectations. So keep your tissues on hand.
If you've been getting cautiously optimistic about the type of story this manga aims to tell... you might have to rethink your reading material. The three boys find out that teamwork and physically challenging quests are the least of their worries. Especially when they learn about the heart games (a.k.a. the psychological ones) that take advantage of people's natural suspicion and tendency to act alone.
Even so, Arisu is determined to make the most of this new beginning, while Karube throws himself into problem-solving mode, and Chota resorts to a somewhat questionable coping mechanism. But it's difficult to blame any of them: after all, the following game could easily be their last one.
As much as I enjoy the odd bloody scene or two, I was quite excited to leave the body horror behind and get into psychological thriller territory. Turns out that psychological horror can be just as scary as the graphically explicit one. Or well, depending on one's imagination, even more so. I will, however, note that the series' tendency to constantly up the tension was a bit tiring for me. I need the occasional happy interlude, or I start stressing more than the actual protagonists.
For someone coming to the manga after watching the Netflix series, seeing Chota and Shibuki's past was very interesting. The former, especially, because up until now the boy seemed to be set up as the idiotic comic relief, so finding out about his generous nature comes as both an intriguing and pitiful revelation. Shibuki's adventures in the psychological heart games also made for a thoughtful side-story. Especially as a way of setting up more characters as competent game players. The Netflix TV series did have a tendency to attribute most wins to Arisu, which made things fairly predictable.
Score: 4/5 stars
My enthusiasm has waned a bit after the initial hype, but that's mostly due to how closely the Netflix adaptation follows the manga. While we do have some manga-specific side stories, I recognized most of the games from later TV plot points in Arisu's gameplay. Even so, I can't deny that the character introspections are a nice addition, as they help flesh out the world-building.
===========================
Review of Omnibus Vol 1: Alice in Borderland, Vol. 1
Too bad. This series is all about subverting expectations. So keep your tissues on hand.
If you've been getting cautiously optimistic about the type of story this manga aims to tell... you might have to rethink your reading material. The three boys find out that teamwork and physically challenging quests are the least of their worries. Especially when they learn about the heart games (a.k.a. the psychological ones) that take advantage of people's natural suspicion and tendency to act alone.
Even so, Arisu is determined to make the most of this new beginning, while Karube throws himself into problem-solving mode, and Chota resorts to a somewhat questionable coping mechanism. But it's difficult to blame any of them: after all, the following game could easily be their last one.
As much as I enjoy the odd bloody scene or two, I was quite excited to leave the body horror behind and get into psychological thriller territory. Turns out that psychological horror can be just as scary as the graphically explicit one. Or well, depending on one's imagination, even more so. I will, however, note that the series' tendency to constantly up the tension was a bit tiring for me. I need the occasional happy interlude, or I start stressing more than the actual protagonists.
For someone coming to the manga after watching the Netflix series, seeing Chota and Shibuki's past was very interesting. The former, especially, because up until now the boy seemed to be set up as the idiotic comic relief, so finding out about his generous nature comes as both an intriguing and pitiful revelation. Shibuki's adventures in the psychological heart games also made for a thoughtful side-story. Especially as a way of setting up more characters as competent game players. The Netflix TV series did have a tendency to attribute most wins to Arisu, which made things fairly predictable.
Score: 4/5 stars
My enthusiasm has waned a bit after the initial hype, but that's mostly due to how closely the Netflix adaptation follows the manga. While we do have some manga-specific side stories, I recognized most of the games from later TV plot points in Arisu's gameplay. Even so, I can't deny that the character introspections are a nice addition, as they help flesh out the world-building.
===========================
Review of Omnibus Vol 1: Alice in Borderland, Vol. 1
November 3, 2022
The group remain stuck in the deathtrap-laden Borderland but they’re also slowly figuring the world out and might’ve even discovered a way to escape once and for all. All roads lead to the mysterious Beach - will Arisu and co. find the answers they’re looking for there?
Most mangas that have cracking first volumes tend to fall apart by the second book and, unfortunately, Alice in Borderland follows the same pattern with a very lacklustre follow-up (although these new editions are two-in-one omnibuses so I suppose this would be the case for Vols 3 and 4, collected in this book).
What I loved the most about the first book were the great death games - the temple and the apartment complex - which were so exciting to read. The games included in this book were either convoluted, nonsensical, unimaginative or a combo of those things.
Shibuki’s flashback game with the train carriages didn’t make sense to me. She’s stuck on a train with four carriages, one of which is filled with poison gas, and she has only three oxygen canisters, each with a limited amount of oxygen, meaning she has to guess which one contains the gas.
Considering the doors between the carriages had see-through glass windows and the carriages had flowers in each so you could see which ones were ok and which one was the poisoned one - the flowers were wilted in that carriage - then couldn’t you just look through the window beforehand? Or, if the flowers are hidden away from view, why not hold your breath, go into the carriage to see the flowers, then, if it’s the poisoned carriage, put on your mask and use the oxygen then?
I like the idea of the game but it wasn’t explained very well. It’s also, disappointingly, the only half-decent game in this book. The next one is the group going into an arboretum to play hide and seek where three of them are sheep and one of them is a wolf. They have these DBZ-style scouters and, if they look at someone long enough, they become the wolf. At the end of ten minutes, if you’re a sheep, the neck thing you’re wearing explodes, so only the wolf lives.
I didn’t think it was a very well-conceived game and just seemed like an easy way to whittle the cast down now that the story didn’t seem to need them anymore.
Usagi (“rabbit” in Japanese) makes a reappearance with a rather melodramatic backstory and then we’re pretty much done with the games as Haro Aso focuses on The Beach instead. I can understand why he’s done this - after a certain point, you should try to explain and build up the world some more - I just didn’t like what the Beach was.
A new character calling himself Hatter for no reason is also introduced - so our main character is Arisu (“Alice”), another character is Usagi (“Rabbit” like the White Rabbit) and now there’s Hatter (like “The Mad Hatter”) in a place called Borderland (like Wonderland), just to keep the Lewis Carroll theme going? That’s a bit contrived.
The train game wasn’t bad and the arboretum game was at least unpredictable, and I appreciated learning more about what Borderland is, but overall I found most of the games and the world-building in general lacking in both excitement and imagination. Alice in Borderland, Volume 2 is an underwhelming continuation of the series - if you liked the first book like me, don’t expect the same fun ride from the second.
Most mangas that have cracking first volumes tend to fall apart by the second book and, unfortunately, Alice in Borderland follows the same pattern with a very lacklustre follow-up (although these new editions are two-in-one omnibuses so I suppose this would be the case for Vols 3 and 4, collected in this book).
What I loved the most about the first book were the great death games - the temple and the apartment complex - which were so exciting to read. The games included in this book were either convoluted, nonsensical, unimaginative or a combo of those things.
Shibuki’s flashback game with the train carriages didn’t make sense to me. She’s stuck on a train with four carriages, one of which is filled with poison gas, and she has only three oxygen canisters, each with a limited amount of oxygen, meaning she has to guess which one contains the gas.
Considering the doors between the carriages had see-through glass windows and the carriages had flowers in each so you could see which ones were ok and which one was the poisoned one - the flowers were wilted in that carriage - then couldn’t you just look through the window beforehand? Or, if the flowers are hidden away from view, why not hold your breath, go into the carriage to see the flowers, then, if it’s the poisoned carriage, put on your mask and use the oxygen then?
I like the idea of the game but it wasn’t explained very well. It’s also, disappointingly, the only half-decent game in this book. The next one is the group going into an arboretum to play hide and seek where three of them are sheep and one of them is a wolf. They have these DBZ-style scouters and, if they look at someone long enough, they become the wolf. At the end of ten minutes, if you’re a sheep, the neck thing you’re wearing explodes, so only the wolf lives.
I didn’t think it was a very well-conceived game and just seemed like an easy way to whittle the cast down now that the story didn’t seem to need them anymore.
Usagi (“rabbit” in Japanese) makes a reappearance with a rather melodramatic backstory and then we’re pretty much done with the games as Haro Aso focuses on The Beach instead. I can understand why he’s done this - after a certain point, you should try to explain and build up the world some more - I just didn’t like what the Beach was.
A new character calling himself Hatter for no reason is also introduced - so our main character is Arisu (“Alice”), another character is Usagi (“Rabbit” like the White Rabbit) and now there’s Hatter (like “The Mad Hatter”) in a place called Borderland (like Wonderland), just to keep the Lewis Carroll theme going? That’s a bit contrived.
The train game wasn’t bad and the arboretum game was at least unpredictable, and I appreciated learning more about what Borderland is, but overall I found most of the games and the world-building in general lacking in both excitement and imagination. Alice in Borderland, Volume 2 is an underwhelming continuation of the series - if you liked the first book like me, don’t expect the same fun ride from the second.
May 28, 2026
4.5 ⭐
Reliving the deaths of Arisu's friends completely devastated me, but I still loved seeing how faithful the manga is to the Netflix series.
Reliving the deaths of Arisu's friends completely devastated me, but I still loved seeing how faithful the manga is to the Netflix series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 15, 2022
Whoa, this one took me by surprise.
The first half is our group of people going to their next game together. After barely making it through the last game you'd think this one wouldn't be too bad. But you'd guess wrong...very fucking wrong. The ending to this arc isn't only shocking but hits hard.
The second half deals with "The Beach" arc. This is a interesting arc though I'll admit the pacing slowed down a bit too much for me. But I do love the backstabbing in this arc and plenty of "oh shit moments."
Overall a great followup to the last book. A 4 out of 5.
The first half is our group of people going to their next game together. After barely making it through the last game you'd think this one wouldn't be too bad. But you'd guess wrong...very fucking wrong. The ending to this arc isn't only shocking but hits hard.
The second half deals with "The Beach" arc. This is a interesting arc though I'll admit the pacing slowed down a bit too much for me. But I do love the backstabbing in this arc and plenty of "oh shit moments."
Overall a great followup to the last book. A 4 out of 5.
June 24, 2026
PT Os nossos protagonistas continuam a ser desafiados pela Borderland e, logo no desafio seguinte, as coisas atingem uma dimensão crítica, típica dos momentos mais sombrios a que George R. R. Martin já nos habituou nas suas obras.
Ficamos também a conhecer um pouco mais sobre a Borderland e, como é habitual em cenários distópicos, surge inevitavelmente um grupo de vândalos que se aproveita do colapso da sociedade e da ausência de regras para impor o seu próprio modo de vida pela força.
Um volume tão entusiasmante quanto o anterior, deixando ainda muito por revelar.
--
EN Our protagonists continue to be challenged by the Borderland, and in the very next game, events reach a critical scale, reminiscent of the darkest moments George R. R. Martin has accustomed readers to in his works.
We also learn more about the Borderland and, as is often the case in dystopian settings, an inevitable group of vandals emerges, taking advantage of society's collapse and the absence of rules to impose their own way of life through force.
A volume every bit as thrilling as the previous one, while still leaving much more to be revealed.
Ficamos também a conhecer um pouco mais sobre a Borderland e, como é habitual em cenários distópicos, surge inevitavelmente um grupo de vândalos que se aproveita do colapso da sociedade e da ausência de regras para impor o seu próprio modo de vida pela força.
Um volume tão entusiasmante quanto o anterior, deixando ainda muito por revelar.
--
EN Our protagonists continue to be challenged by the Borderland, and in the very next game, events reach a critical scale, reminiscent of the darkest moments George R. R. Martin has accustomed readers to in his works.
We also learn more about the Borderland and, as is often the case in dystopian settings, an inevitable group of vandals emerges, taking advantage of society's collapse and the absence of rules to impose their own way of life through force.
A volume every bit as thrilling as the previous one, while still leaving much more to be revealed.
August 14, 2022
Fast paced horror manga
A fantastic read. Loved it even more than vol 1. Just wish vol 3 was here quicker. 100% recommend this series.
A fantastic read. Loved it even more than vol 1. Just wish vol 3 was here quicker. 100% recommend this series.
April 19, 2023
Devo dire che la serie tv è davvero molto fedele, ma ovviamente il manga la supera di gran lunga.
Niente da dire, se non che non vedo l’ora di passare ai prossimi volumi.
Niente da dire, se non che non vedo l’ora di passare ai prossimi volumi.
November 11, 2025
нормальні 🎵 🚌 🚌
December 6, 2023
Similar opinion to the first volume. Once again, I will recommend the live action show over the manga volumes.
November 16, 2025
yes... I like this... real...
January 3, 2023
chishiya is so problematic but i love him
Read
July 8, 2023💔
April 5, 2024
Kocham to ... ale wydajcie też proszę Liar Game ... plis xD
July 13, 2026
ZAJEBISTEEE
- lepsze niz 1 tom
- ta kreacja świata i hierarchii hello?
- pomysły na gry
- wybitnie moja książka
- przezajebista rozrywka
- czyta się jak film
KOCHAM 😝🙏🏼
- lepsze niz 1 tom
- ta kreacja świata i hierarchii hello?
- pomysły na gry
- wybitnie moja książka
- przezajebista rozrywka
- czyta się jak film
KOCHAM 😝🙏🏼
Read
May 30, 2024think I will be stopping with this series here
April 7, 2023
7 of ♡
Bellissimo, la morte di Chota e Karube così presto è assolutamente raggelante, perché il lettore pensa che i tre amici andranno per sempre avanti insieme... Invece Arisu si trova a dover sopportare il peso di vivere, di vendicarsi e trovare risposte a questi dannati game. Mi è piaciuto anche che hanno mostrato un altro game di cuori, quello sul treno, veramente impietoso.
Bellissimo l'arrivo alla Spiaggia... Non vedo l'ora di assistere al gioco della strega.
Peccato che non ci sia il game Distance, che era presente invece nella serie TV, ma effettivamente aveva un effetto più scenico a livello televisivo.
Bellissimo, la morte di Chota e Karube così presto è assolutamente raggelante, perché il lettore pensa che i tre amici andranno per sempre avanti insieme... Invece Arisu si trova a dover sopportare il peso di vivere, di vendicarsi e trovare risposte a questi dannati game. Mi è piaciuto anche che hanno mostrato un altro game di cuori, quello sul treno, veramente impietoso.
Bellissimo l'arrivo alla Spiaggia... Non vedo l'ora di assistere al gioco della strega.
Peccato che non ci sia il game Distance, che era presente invece nella serie TV, ma effettivamente aveva un effetto più scenico a livello televisivo.
January 18, 2023
Oh my God. This trumped the first book by miles. I could not put it down at all. It really caught me by surprise. The first half of this was emotionally devastating, but in the best way possible. And the second half really got me turning the pages. The cliffhanger at the end just left me wanting more. Can’t wait to see what happens in volume 3
October 27, 2025
gdyby nie ten niekończący się shounenowy fanservice byłoby 5/5, szybkie tempo służy fabule i nie ma się czasu by zauważyć dziury logiczne, opisy gier są bardzo interesujące, bohaterowie lekko płytcy poza przejawem osobowości w grze siódemka kier, zamiarem tej mangi było trafić do nastoletnich chłopców, więc czego się tu spodziewać, i tak jest bardzo dobrze
August 31, 2022
Madre mía, es que me parece una historia tan brutal y fantástica... Estoy deseando llegar al momento en el que aparecen cosas que no salieron en la serie. Ahora sí, tengo que decir que el diseño de las ilustraciones me parece poco bonito (estoy acostumbrada a otros estilos, como Yona o Sakura, y se nota).
October 8, 2024
4.75/5 ⭐
Co się tutaj stało 😱😱😱
Potrzebuje kolejny tom
Co się tutaj stało 😱😱😱
Potrzebuje kolejny tom
April 17, 2023
The losses in this book are more poignant than the anime. The challenges are simplified but still interesting.
April 18, 2022
Siguen las aventuras en Borderland y este tomo es un poco de transición. Si habéis visto la serie os daréis cuenta que que la adaptación ya casi está completa lo que quiere decir que la lectura del cómic dará mucho más de si que la serie.
La trama de la Playa es bastante floja aunque sirve para darle un poco más de profundidad a los personajes.
No es una historia buenísima ni original, de hecho es demasiado shonen para mi gusto, pero si que es un manga muy entretenido y adictivo.
Un buen entretenimiento.
La trama de la Playa es bastante floja aunque sirve para darle un poco más de profundidad a los personajes.
No es una historia buenísima ni original, de hecho es demasiado shonen para mi gusto, pero si que es un manga muy entretenido y adictivo.
Un buen entretenimiento.
November 3, 2022
Seven of Hearts.
We're getting nearer to where the Netflix adaption left off. Piercing man Niragi is .. disgusting.
The quality of the VIZ prints isn't the best, we know, but there are also issues with the translation. There were a few grammatical mistakes in this one. I don't remember if there were in the previous volume. Makes it seem that VIZ is kind of in a hurry in releasing these even though only one volume gets released every three months.
We're getting nearer to where the Netflix adaption left off. Piercing man Niragi is .. disgusting.
The quality of the VIZ prints isn't the best, we know, but there are also issues with the translation. There were a few grammatical mistakes in this one. I don't remember if there were in the previous volume. Makes it seem that VIZ is kind of in a hurry in releasing these even though only one volume gets released every three months.
September 13, 2022
The first half has an emotionally brutal deadly challenge, but the second half gets mired in court politics as the survivors find a commune where the occupants appear to be cooperating but actually are divided into factions ready to fracture. Nasty cliffhanger.
Chugging along nicely in Hunger Games/Squid Games mode.
Chugging along nicely in Hunger Games/Squid Games mode.
June 24, 2026
Oh my goodness, was the 7 of Hearts game, ironically, heart-breaking. Whereas the 5 of spades had my heart RACING. I didn't expect the manga to be this good, nor Arisu's character so developed, and so much amazing commentary on truly living, the monotony of life and appreciating the sunset 🫠
June 25, 2023
Im gonna get a tattoo of this manga idc
April 17, 2025
3,5⭐️
Displaying 1 - 30 of 475 reviews