6 Japanese shows like Alice in Borderland that you will love
From deadly games to high-stakes gambles, here’s your next binge after Alice in Borderland.
Alice in Borderland recently dropped its final season on Netflix and has been topping the charts. If you’ve finished Alice in Borderland and are still craving deadly games, wild stakes, and mind-twisting strategy, Japan has plenty more where that came from. From gambling schools to death matches, here are six Japanese shows and films that bring the same adrenaline rush with their own unique twists.
Closest vibes to Alice in Borderland
1. Kaiji (2009)
Kaiji Itou, a broke young man, gets tricked into joining underground games to repay his debts. From rigged rock-paper-scissors to walking across steel beams high above the ground (Sounds familiar?), every gamble could mean death.
Why watch: Of all the titles, Kaiji is the closest in tone to Alice in Borderland. Both show desperate people trapped in cruel games where survival depends on wits and nerve. The difference is realism. Kaiji is grounded in financial despair and exploitation, not a dystopian alternate Tokyo. And if you find the lead actor familiar, he’s Tatsuya Fujiwara, who played Light in Death Note (2006).
2. Gantz (2011)
After dying in accidents, people are resurrected into a mysterious room with a black sphere called “Gantz.” Their mission: fight aliens in brutal survival battles.
Why watch: Like Alice in Borderland, it throws ordinary people into an alternate world with deadly rules. The difference is sci-fi: Expect high-tech weapons, aliens, and more action-heavy missions compared to Borderland’s puzzle-driven games. It’s also by the same director, Shinsuke Sato, and stars J-pop idol group Arashi’s Kazunari Ninomiya and Kenichi Matsuyama, known for playing L in Death Note (2006).
3. As the Gods Will (2014)
Ordinary high school students find themselves trapped in deadly versions of children’s games. From Daruma to Kokeshi dolls, they must survive the round or die a gruesome death.
Why watch: The bizarre, cruel games feel like they could exist in Borderland’s twisted universe. Unlike Alice in Borderland, which unfolds slowly with character arcs, this film is short, shocking, and more horror-comedy than emotional survival drama. Even if you don’t enjoy gore, watch it for Sota Fukushi, who starred as Ichigo in the live-action film Bleach (2018).
Darker and sleeker than Alice in Borderland
4. Usogui (2022)
Baku Madarame, nicknamed “Usogui” or “The Lie Eater,” is a genius gambler who stakes his life in underground death games where deception is the ultimate weapon.
Why watch: Like Alice in Borderland, the stakes are life-or-death with games built on logic and bluffing. But it’s a tighter, darker character study, focusing on one gambler rather than a group trying to survive together. While it may not be as adrenaline-filled as the others on this list, it features promising actors like Ryusei Yokohama and Japanese boy band M!LK’s Hayato Sano.
Where to watch: Netflix
Less bloody than Alice in Borderland but still as mind-bending
5. Liar Game (2007)
A naive college girl accidentally gets dragged into a mysterious tournament where contestants must outwit each other in high-stakes deception games. She teams up with a genius swindler to survive rounds of manipulation.
Why watch: Like Alice in Borderland, the games force players to balance trust, betrayal, and strategy under intense pressure. But failure here costs you money and dignity, not your life, making it more psychological than physical. Plus, it stars Erika Toda, who played Misa in Death Note (2006), and Shota Matsuda, who was part of the F4 in Boys Over Flowers (2005).
6. Kakegurui (2018)
At Hyakkaou Academy, students rise or fall based on gambling. Yumeko Jabami, a fearless new transfer, lives for the thrill of high-stakes bets, shaking up the academy’s hierarchy.
Why watch: The twisted game mechanics and power struggles are as tense as Borderland’s, but the difference is tone. Kakegurui is theatrical and campy, with exaggerated reactions and stylish flair. No one dies in this show, but reputations and futures are destroyed. Minami Hamabe takes on the lead role, who is one of the up-and-coming Japanese actresses.
Where to watch: Netflix
If you’re chasing the same rush as Alice in Borderland, there’s a whole spectrum of Japanese dramas and films to dive into. Together, these titles prove that Japan’s “death game” genre is as varied as it is addictive. Some of these titles used to be on streaming sites like Netflix and Prime Video – there’s no saying when they will be back, so better bookmark this for future reference!