Alice in Borderland: Retry is the action-packed sequel to the original manga. Created by Haro Aso, the gripping manga was published in Shogakukan’s Weekly Shōnen Sunday magazine from October 2020 to January 2021. The story of Retry spans 13 chapters, collected into two tankōbon volumes. Unlike Alice on Border Road, Retry is the direct continuation of the main storyline. It follows Arisu and Usagi, who are now married and are leading a happy life, until one incident brings the former back to the deadly world that they escaped two years ago. Now that Alice in Borderland Season 3 is available to stream, is it based on Retry?
Spoiler Alert: This post contains spoilers from Alice in Borderland: Retry. So, read at your own risk.
Alice in Borderland: Retry – A Thrilling Manga Sequel
Alice in Borderland: Retry takes place two years after Arisu, Usagi, and the other survivors of the meteorite disaster returned to the real world from the deserted world of Borderlands. Ryohei Arisu, who appeared at the start of the original manga, has changed. Arisu and Usagi get married and are now expecting their first child. Arisu also left his aimless life behind and has taken on the role of a psychological counselor at a school, spending his days guiding students with psychological issues.
One day, after getting the news of Usagi’s labour, Arisu rushes back to Tokyo from a seminar, and that’s when his car gets crushed by a billboard. Besides him, five strangers are also hit by the fallen billboard. So, altogether, they travel to the Borderland to participate in the brutal games. It wasn’t the first time Arisu was entangled in this situation, so he regained the memories of the time when he and Usagi were stuck in the Borderlands, two years back.
Retry Is Indeed a Love-Letter to Alice in Borderland Fans
As I stated earlier, Alice in Borderland: Retry isn’t similar to the action-packed thriller storyline of Alice on Border Road. In fact, it tries harder to captivate fans with the elements they loved about the original manga. It’s particularly about the Nine of Hearts game, which consists of the psychological complications that every Alice in Borderland would expect from any story of the franchise.
Retry doesn’t attempt to solve the mystery that Alice in Borderland’s main storyline crafts; instead, it tries to make the Nine of Hearts game a quintessential “Hearts” challenge to create a unique identity. Hence, to fans, Retry might look like a story that focuses more on themes like love, duty, and the lengths that one can go to protect their loved ones.
Should You Read Alice in Borderland: Retry?
Yes, if you are an avid fan of Alice in Borderland, Retry is a must-read for you. Although the sequel doesn’t feature many fan-favorite characters from the original manga, it offers a well-crafted, character-driven story. It introduces us to a mature Arisu, who would do anything to protect his family. It may not expand the ‘Alice in Borderland’ lore significantly, but it surely features the elements that a worthy sequel requires.
Unlike its successor, Retry doesn’t come with a plethora of games, but it does capture the attention of every reader with its strategic gameplay, emotional depth, and the unbreakable bond between Usagi and Arisu.
Is Alice in Borderland Season 3 Based on Retry?
No, Alice in Borderland Season 3 is not entirely based on Alice in Borderland: Retry, the sequel. While Season 3 shows Arisu and Usagi married, similar to Retry, the plot of Season 3 still revolves around deadly games, which is not the case with Retry. One can say that Alice in Borderland Season 3 carries forward the story of Arisu and Usagi like Retry, but the season is not based on the Manga sequel.
