Although Diamond Games are notorious for their intricate puzzles and mind-bending trickery, having a keen intellect is a crucial component of any event inNetflix’sAlice in Borderland. Those with a broader set of skills excel in these death-defying contests, and while the sheep still have a chance of survival, it’s the leaders of the pack who dominate in, and out of, the arena.
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While Aguni certainly dominates the playing field,his incredible skillset is rather combat-heavy,and he often allows his emotions to cloud crucial decision-making, to his, and others' detriment (while his inability to prioritize self-preservation doesn’t count in his favor either). The following content, therefore, focuses on players who have somehow outsmarted the system or displayed a high level of intellect and wisdom while knocking on death’s door.
10The Astute Architect: Hatter
Takeru Danma miraculously manages to find a silver lining in this dystopian death race and takes the first opportunity tore-establish the power dynamicsbetween the haphazard players. Providing a utopian “safe haven,” Hatter plays with people’s desperation by conceptualizing an escape route and encourages all Beach residents to follow him down the rabbit hole, threatening death to any who oppose him.
Clearly incapable of being “The Muscle” of his new empire, Hatter manipulates his closest companion to amp up the intimidation factor and participate in a fake feud to keep everyone on their toes. Unfortunately for both Takeru and Aguni, the Hatter becomes drunk with power and slowly loses his mind, leaving poor Mori-chan to put him out of his misery.
9The Smartest Survavalist: Akane Heiya
Somehow, Heiya manages to survive the games, solo, with only her archery skills, keen intuition in her arsenal, and a newfound thirst for life.This angsty teen is the first to fleecenter field during the Boiling Death game, and worms her way out of countless near-death situations, one-footed and all!
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Although selling her body in exchange for a lifesaving operation is not the top choice, it is the smartest, although whether the lustful doctor lived to tell the tale afterward is debatable. Staying close to Aguni’s side and sapping up all the wisdom he has to offer is a sensible strategy (while their adorable relationship is an added bonus).
8The Man On A Mission: Ōki Yaba
Viewers have only gotten a taste of Ōki’s potential, as he evidently has great plans in mind for future endeavors with his new B.F.F.This manipulative mastermind appearsto have a firm grasp on the dynamics of the jailhouse even before the great Chishiya does and secures a faithful companion in advance. Worrying about the trustworthiness of a teammate is often the catalyst for disaster, but Ōki even plans ahead just in case her loyalty wavers.
Similar to Ann, Ōki seeks a broader perspective of this strange new world and sees vast potential in its mechanics, and is unwilling to allow silly emotions to deter his pursuit of power. Watch this space closely, because this sly fox is now officially a citizen of the Borderland, and is bound to climb whatever ranks the Joker has to offer.
7The King Of Clubs: Ginji Kyūma
Music may be Kyūma’s specialty. However, he has certainly racked up a substantial amount of life experience, sending out intense wise owl vibes. Arisu cannot help but admire his foe and matures considerably after his deep-and-meaningful conversations with the King of Clubs, who seemingly discovered the meaning of life a while back already.
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True, the enlightened enemy gets outsmarted by Tatta in the end (but who could’ve predictedthatstrategy?) and is much too overconfident for his own good. Nevertheless,his leadership skills are on point,which is a testament to his EQ and ability to read the crowd (figuratively, and literally). Kyūma is one of the few villains that nobody wanted to see die.
6Brains, Brawn, And Beauty: Hikari Kuina
The resourceful human weapon rarely hesitates when in a crunch and can come up with an alternate game plan the moment things don’t go according to plan (which is always, in the Borderland!) Kuina’s speedy wits are put on full display against Final Boss and the King of Spades in particular, as she causes some serious damage with whatever is available whileher pain threshold is disregardedcompletely.
Much like her partner in crime, Kuina will often take a step back to assess the situation and is quite proficient at reading people, although, unlike Chishiya, her people skills are much more effective. Kuina also quits smoking simply to improve her chances of surviving fitness challenges and can solo games when necessary, even though Club games are initially her specialty.
5The Queen Of The Mountain: Yuzuha Usagi
Like the rabbit she represents, this quick-footed powerhouse can maneuver her way out of many situationswhile modifying her mountain climbing experienceto best suit this deathly cityscape. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle seems like a strange priority in current circumstances, but the benefits of consistent exercise and routine evidently pay off, as Usagi is one of the fittest contestants of the lot.
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Usagi is rightfully paranoid of traps and trickery, her caution saving more lives than just her own, although she is also quite capable of making coldhearted decisions for the sake of her own survival. She has a keen mind for strategy and is often on the same page as Arisu, sometimes even one step ahead. Usagi is the voice of reason to her paramour’s optimism, weighing facts against hopes with a relatively clear mind, and often knows just what to say to convince other players to cooperate.
4The Gaming Genius: Ryohei Arisu
Arisu may be considered “useless” in the real world. However, in the Borderland, his extensivegaming skills become invaluable problem-solving toolsthat regularly defy the system. If given enough time, Arisu could arguably think his way out of any game while causing the least amount of deaths possible; surviving at the cost of others is a concept he does not welcome.
Arisu’s saving grace is his ability to put himself in the shoes of other players and think like a game master, essentially envisioning their predictions, and working from there. His intuitive playing style may require a great deal of trust in “maybes.” Nevertheless, they are almost guaranteed to pay off in the end.
3The CSI Queen: Rizuna Ann
For many players, Diamond games should be avoided at all costs. However,most of these mind-boggling puzzlesare child’s play for the admirable Ann. With her background in forensic science, this bombshell tries to understand the fundamental workings of this bizarre land and attempts to locate the GPS chip of death, observing the unnatural passage of time, and assessing the boundaries of the Borderlands' reach.
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Mathematical equations and chemical formulae are a breeze for Ann, and creative problem-solving is her forte (not to mention, her impeccable aim and remarkable driving skills!) She is also broad-minded enough not to refute the possibility of a God’s existence, despite her scientific background, as there are no definitive facts to state they are opposing ideologies.
2The King Of Diamonds: Keiichi Kuzuryū
Eager to learn as much as possibleduring his Isekai experience, Kuzuryū inserts himself into the Beach as an undercover agent of sorts and attempts to assume authority after Hatter’s death, considering he is third in command (and not a gunslinger). Formerly a lawyer forced into corruption, discerning the value of human life is now his only goal while maintaining justice at all times is his top priority.
The King of Diamonds game is the most intellectually stimulating death match of the lot, forcing most viewers to take out their calculators, just to keep up. While it is unclear how many times Kuzuryū has participated in his mathematical poker context, he evidently has a sound strategy for predicting people’s next moves and consistently chooses the closest number (until Chishiya arrives and throws all logic out the window).
1The Clever Cheshire Cat:Shuntaro Chishiya
It takes Chishiya about a split second to figure out the catch of each game and he usually has a winning formula before the timer even begins. He is not quick to share his findings with others, which arguably aids his self-preservation, and, although an exceptionally efficient solo player, this bomb-making aficionado sees the value in teamwork as is not above helping out when needed (just don’t expect him to run!)
The fact that Chishiya is a doctor in reality proves that he has a good head on his shoulders, even if his moral compass is slightly askew. Even when forced to leave things to chance,the Cheshire Cat representativedominates in every division and makes some groundbreaking discoveries of his own, which he thankfully holds onto in the aftermath.
