Squid Game And Alice In Borderland Both Ended Their Series In Similar Fashion; Why Fans Prefer Manga Adaptation

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Game and Alice In Borderland, which are both Netflix series, have more similarities than differences. But the Japanese show has the upper hand after it completed its third season on September 25 after giving fans an ending to root for. Based on Haro Aso's manga, Alice in Borderland waded into uncharted territory with its last season as the story was more on original material. It still managed to nail that landing, despite being quite similar to Hwang Dong-hyuk's Squid Game which had the advantage of premiering earlier. Warning: Spoilers ahead!

Differences between Squid Game and Alice in Borderland

Alice in Borderland, directed by Shinsuke Sato, was released first on Netflix on December 10, 2020. Squid Game premiered the next year on September 17, 2021. Both involve trapped contestants competing in life-or-death games. The difference is that Alice in Borderland is a live-action adaptation of a manga, while Squid Game is an original work. Both are led by a male protagonist who is going nowhere but finds purpose through the sadistic games. Squid Game's first season ends with a reluctant winner, Gi-hun Seong (Lee Jung-jae) who wins 45.6 billion won as the last man standing after 456 contestants. The Korean survival thriller takes place in the real world on a secret island where debt-ridden players gamble their lives for money. They are playing for the amusement of some rich billionaires.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgGTVaG2UiQ

Meanwhile, Arisu (Kento Yamazaki) is an unemployed young gamer who thrives in the parallel world of Tokyo despite losing his best friends. He finds mountain climber Usagi (Tao Tsuchiya), another player who becomes his ally and confidante. The manga has several characters who are fan favourites, like Chishiya (Nijiro Murakami) and Kuina (Aya Asahina). ALSO READ:Alice In Borderland Season 3 Review: Thrilling Live-Action Adaptation Of Popular Japanese Manga Raises More Questions

Similarities between Squid Game and Alice in Borderland endings

In both series, the main characters leave the games behind and go into the real world. Except in Alice in Borderland, Arisu and Usagi are happy and settled. Gi-hu of Squid Game is not; he's obsessed with returning to the island to shut down the games. Usagi is tricked into coming back to the games by visions of her dead father, and Arisu follows her to save her. Both Gi-hun and Arisu are survivors but also self-sacrificing heroes. However, young Arisu has matured over the seasons and dreams of a future with Usagi. Gi-hun has a daughter in the real world but is torn up over his guilt at winning the games over his friends. In the end, the character ends up making the ultimate sacrifice to let a baby win the game.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8p6YkEPVco

This is a plot device used in both shows. To be fair, the manga already had the character of Usagi as pregnant. In the final game of the Japanese series, the unborn baby becomes a contestant and helps the players to victory. In the Korean show, the unnamed baby girl takes the place of her dead mother. Coincidentally, both Netflix shows' final shots end up in California. In-ho, aka Front Man (Lee Byung-hun), travels to Los Angeles to share Gi-hun's effects and winnings with his young daughter. There he finds the games continue as Oscar winner Cate Blanchett plays the US version of The Salesman, luring new players with the game ddakji. The Alice in Borderland finale had Oscar nominee Ken Watanabe as the Watchman, who gives Arisu an important choice between life and death. He chooses life and returns home. However, news reports show earthquakes around the world; in Los Angeles, a mysterious waitress named Alice is introduced. ALSO READ: Alice In Borderland Season 3 Ending EXPLAINED: How Japanese Series Reveals Future Spinoffs, Joker Card And Epic Cameo

Fan reactions to show endings

The third season of Squid Game, especially that ending, didn't match the expectation of fans who were disappointed on many fronts. The bleak finale did not satisfy fans. One fan on X stated, "Squid game started with such meaning and as a huge anti-capitalism movement then grew as a cash cow for netflix and ended its last season promoting a squid game usa version as a way to make them even more money from a story that should’ve ended on season 1… we’ll never win." Another exclaimed, "I’ve never been this pissed, literally this man sacrificed his life, watched all of his loved ones get eliminated in front of him, didn’t get his happy ending with his daughter, just to end up dying for nothing. All he wanted was to stop the games."

The fan reactions to Alice in Borderland have been much more positive, especially since the series ended with the main characters with their futures intact and even brought back older characters who were also living their best lives. One fan wrote on X, "One of the best Netflix series of all time, I said what I said." Another fan shared, "Alice in Borderland 3 actually managed to do what Squid Game 3 couldn't. They managed to develop both the actual story/characters AND their message while giving an actual peak conclusion. I'm so happy right now, that healed a wound in me. ILY SM AIB I'M SORRY FOR DOUBTING YOU."

It is very likely that both show might continue in some form or another, either with a spinoff or an English version. Based on these reactions, it is easy to see which will have more success in the future too.