Nearly two years after a cryptic billboard featuring a cipher in the guise of playing cards stirred commuters in Tokyo’s ever-busy Shibuya station, Netflix finally released the highly anticipated first teaser of Alice in Borderland Season 3 on Tuesday, 8 July, exciting avid viewers from all over the world.

Set to conclude the record-breaking Netflix Japan offering, the third installment is packed with thrills that fans (and new viewers, too) wouldn’t want to miss. Here’s what we know about the series finale of Alice in Borderland so far:

It’s going to be an original story

While the first two seasons of Alice in Borderland are a live-action adaptation of Haro Aso’s manga of the same name, the third season will be treading uncharted territory.

Netflix Japan confirmed in a statement last February that the final season will be following a completely new story that “no one has ever seen before.” Just like the previous seasons, the screenplay of Season 3 is the joint work of Yasuko Kuramitsu and Shinsuke Sato, who is also helming the project for the third time as director.

Arisu and Usagi are married

The third season of Alice in Borderland picks up after the events of the previous season, and the teaser gives us a quick glimpse of Arisu and Usagi in marital bliss—but just.

While the two have established a happy life together, they are still haunted by dreams and hallucinations of their time in Borderland, despite their memories getting erased upon choosing to return to the “real” world. So the question remains: Have they truly broken free from the strange limbo they once escaped?

Actors Kento Yamazaki and Tao Tsuchiya are set to reprise their roles as Arisu and Usagi, respectively, marking their fifth project together—much to the delight of fans.

An afterlife researcher shakes things up

This season, we’ll be introduced to a new key character named Ryuji (Kento Kaku)—a researcher whose studies focus on the afterlife. In pursuit of getting answers to the mysteries of life after death, he guides Usagi back to Borderland.

Arisu returns to Borderland

In the midst of Usagi’s sudden disappearance, Banda (Hayato Isomura)—now a resident of Borderland—reveals to a devastated Arisu his wife’s whereabouts. Determined to save Usagi’s life, Arisu steps back into Borderland and takes on the challenge of facing the death games orchestrated by the elusive Joker.

The games are bigger than ever

Watching the teaser alone, one could already tell that the games in Alice in Borderland Season 3 are looking as thrilling and as action-packed as the previous seasons’ if not better.

Avid fans were also quick to point out that games in the manga that were not played in the first two installments seem to be featured in the series finale, including the fiery Three of Clubs game that involved flaming arrows striking players who presented wrong answers.

Familiar faces make a comeback

Aside from Kento Yamazaki, Tao Tsuchiya, and Hayato Isomura, Ayaka Miyoshi, who plays the role of forensic scientist Ann, is making a comeback in the third season of Alice in Borderland. Katsuya Maiguma is also returning as Yaba, who, like Banda, chose to become a Borderland citizen.

As for fan favorites Chishiya (Nijiro Murakami) and Kuina (Aya Asahina), no word has been released whether or not they will make an appearance in the series finale. In 2023, Murakami took an indefinite leave to address mental health concerns. Meanwhile, Asahina welcomed her first child and second child with husband Kenjiro Yamashita in March 2024 and June 2025.

There are new characters to keep an eye on

Intrigue runs high as the trailer gives us a sneak peek of new characters, who will either be allies or enemies of Arisu and Usagi. Fresh faces include Koji Ohkura, Risa Sudou, Hiroyuki Ikeuchi, Tina Tamashiro, Kotaro Daigo, Hyunri, and Sakura Kiryu.

Alice in Borderland Season 3 is slated for a 25 September 2025 release

In just a little over two months from now, we’ll finally get to watch the series finale of Alice in Borderland. BRB—marking our calendars and setting our alarms!

Watch the first teaser of Alice in Borderland Season 3 here:

What are you most excited about in the series finale of Alice in Borderland? Let us know in the comments!