Alice in Borderland Cast Guide: All Season 3 Characters Explained

Alice in Borderland is a Japanese sci-fi thriller on Netflix based on Haro Aso’s manga. The story follows amateur gamer Arisu and his friends trapped in a sadistic parallel Tokyo (“Borderland”) where they must play deadly games to survive. Kento Yamazaki stars as Ryouhei Arisu and Tao Tsuchiya plays Yuzuha “Usagi” Usagi – the young couple at the center of the saga. Both survived Season 2’s trials and are suddenly drawn back into the Alice in Borderland at the start of Season 3. Alongside them return characters like Banda (Hayato Isomura), Ann (Ayaka Miyoshi) and Yaba (Katsuya Maiguma).

Season 3 also introduces several new players, expanding the cast with unique roles and backgrounds. Notable new cast members include Ryuji Matsuyama (Kento Kaku), Kazuya (Hiroyuki Ikeuchi), Nobu (Kotaro Daigo) and Rei Morikage (Tina Tamashiro), among others.

The sections below detail each major character’s role in the story and the actors who portray them.

Arisu (Kento Yamazaki) & Usagi (Tao Tsuchiya)

Kento Yamazaki leads as Ryouhei Arisu, the gifted but aimless gamer who becomes the Alice in Borderland’s reluctant hero. Tao Tsuchiya is Usagi, a mountain climber and Arisu’s loyal wife. The Netflix cast list confirms Yamazaki and Tsuchiya as the returning leads. Arisu and Usagi cleared all games in Season 2 and returned to normal life – until Season 3’s meteorological crisis pulls Usagi back into the Alice in Borderland. A distraught Arisu follows her, re-entering the games to save his partner.

Arisu (center, in tan jacket) and Usagi (right) face a deadly challenge in the Alice in Borderland. Yamazaki and Tsuchiya lead the series’ cast as the married heroes. In Season 3’s finale, Arisu survives and chooses life. Facing the final game against the mysterious “Joker,” Arisu and Usagi return to reality together. He must draw a dice to decide who lives; Arisu draws a losing number (seven) and stays behind so that Usagi and the others can escape.

However, a final encounter with the Hat Man gives Arisu one last choice – life or death – and he opts to live to be with Usagi and their unborn child. In other words, Arisu does not die in Season 3. Both The Direct and Sportskeeda recap that Arisu “decided to choose to live” and returns to the real world with Usagi. The couple awaken in a hospital, expecting their baby, even as strange events (like a new quake and the appearance of an American “Alice”) hint at more to come.

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Ryuji Matsuyama – The Wheelchair Professor

Ryuji Matsuyama (sometimes romanized “Matsumaya”) is a new major character in Season 3, played by Kento Kaku. He is introduced as an assistant professor studying near-death experiences and shared dreams triggered by the Shibuya meteorite event. Ryuji is wheelchair-bound – the result of a tragic past. A flashback explains that a failed lab experiment on the afterlife led to a student’s death, and Ryuji’s subsequent suicide attempt caused a crash that left him paralyzed.

Despite this, Ryuji is intelligent and driven, convinced that Arisu’s descriptions of the Alice in Borderland are real. He therefore kidnaps Usagi back to the game world, intent on uncovering the truth about the afterlife. The “wheelchair guy” label became a mystery for viewers, which is explained: this wheelchair-bound professor is Ryuji Matsuyama.

Ryuji Matsuyama (right, in wheelchair) appears in one of Season 3’s games. Kaku portrays this brilliant but guilt-ridden professor, who pushes others (and himself) into the Alice in Borderland. Ryuji’s character arc is central to Season 3’s plot: he enters the Alice in Borderland’s early games alongside the others, proving that he can survive the challenges despite his disability. He eventually allies himself (unwittingly) with Bandit leader Banda and others.

In interviews and recaps, Ryuji is noted as a “major character in Season 3”, and his academic background sets him apart from the other players. His research and guilt over his past mistakes make him a catalyst for the season’s events.

Kazuya (Hiroyuki Ikeuchi) – The Tattooed Yakuza

Kazuya is another new Season 3 character. He’s portrayed by Hiroyuki Ikeuchi. Kazuya is a gruff, middle-aged former yakuza (gangster) with heavy tattoos and a mustachioed face. He receives a Joker card (the key to entering the Alice in Borderland’s 10th level games) from Banda after surviving a near-death experience. Although initially standoffish, Kazuya becomes part of Arisu’s team when they reunite in the Alice in Borderland’s second stage games.

Citing the fan Wiki: “Kazuya… is a supporting character in Season 3 of Alice in Borderland. He is part of Arisu’s team. He is portrayed by Hiroyuki Ikeuchi”. In the show, Kazuya proves to be observant and decisive, unhesitant to do whatever it takes to survive. He helps Arisu’s group through critical moments (for example during the “Sacred Fortunes” card game) even though he has a dark past as a gangster.

(Interestingly, Kazuya is an original creation for the live-action series – he never appears in the manga.) His tough exterior hides a survival instinct and a growing loyalty to his new teammates.

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Nobu (Kotaro Daigo) – The Timid Survivor

Kotaro Daigo plays Nobuaki “Nobu” Hida, a new character in Season 3. Nobu is an unemployed young man who appears shy and unremarkable. The Netflix wiki describes him as “a timid young man” with dark hair and track suit clothing. His backstory is tragic: he attempted suicide by slitting his wrists and survived a near-death experience. During that ordeal he met Banda (who gave him a Joker card), which allowed him entry into the Alice in Borderland games.

Nobu joins Arisu’s team early in the season. In Episode 2’s “Sacred Fortunes” game, he panics at math questions and causes flames to shoot out in the arena, but ultimately helps the group escape via a hidden tunnel. Afterward, he quietly cares for the group (finding food and supplies) once safe.

In summary, Nobu is a gentle, haunted newcomer whose courage grows through the deadly games. As one source notes, “Nobuaki Hida… is a supporting character in Season 3… He is portrayed by Kotaro Daigo”. (Like Kazuya, Nobu is an original role for the Netflix series and did not appear in the manga.) His journey from suicidal loner to team player adds heart to Season 3’s ensemble.

Rei Morikage (Tina Tamashiro) – The Anime-Loving Student

Rei Morikage, played by Tina Tamashiro, is introduced in Season 3 Episode 2. She is a mysterious young college student who loves anime and art. Rei Morikage appears as a supporting character in Season 3… a college student with a love for anime. She first joins the series’ plot during the Zombie Hunt game in Episode 2.

Arisu’s team initially finds her strange and untrustworthy, but she quickly becomes invaluable. In the Zombie Hunt game, Rei devises a nonviolent strategy (using the game’s rules to the team’s advantage) and helps Arisu and his friends survive. By the end of Season 3, it’s clear she is a true ally – Tamashiro’s Rei uses her intelligence to solve puzzles in the Train and Kick the Can games as well.

Beebom’s recap notes that Rei “makes her first appearance in the Zombie game, where she helps Arisu come up with a strategy” and ultimately proves “to be a great help in every game she participates in”. She remains upbeat and somewhat quirky, and by the finale she’s revealed to have landed a job creating anime – fulfilling her passion. Off-screen, Rei’s introduction has been a fan favorite.

As cited above, she was “quickly drawn attention” and became one of the most talked-about new characters. Tina Tamashiro’s portrayal earned praise for adding fresh energy to Arisu’s team.

Other Season 3 Cast Highlights

Besides the characters above, Season 3’s cast includes additional players and show originals. For example, Koji Ohkura plays Tetsu and Risa Sudou plays Sachiko, both of whom join the game’s second stage as fighters on Arisu’s team. Hyunri appears as Shion and Sakura Kiryu as Natsu (members of Usagi’s team).

All told, the large ensemble of Season 3 mixes returning favorites with new faces, most of whom have one thing in common: each received a Joker card after a near-death experience. Many of the new names are Netflix originals (none of Kazuya, Nobu, Rei, Ryuji, etc., appear in Haro Aso’s manga), giving the live-action series a fresh twist.

Will There Be a Season 4?

As of late 2025, Netflix has not officially announced a fourth season of Alice in Borderland. However, both the creators and stars are hopeful. Director Shinsuke Sato said in a RadioTimes interview, “If you’re asking me whether I’d be interested [in Season 4] or not, I would certainly say yes”.

Likewise, Yamazaki (Arisu) and Tsuchiya (Usagi) have expressed excitement about returning to the Alice in Borderland. Given the show’s popularity (often compared to Squid Game), many fans expect more. Industry watchers speculate that if Alice in Borderland Season 4 is greenlit, it might not arrive before 2027 (past seasons have had 2–3 year gaps).

What might Season 4 involve? The finale of Season 3 introduces a twist: a mysterious American waitress named “Alice” suggesting a possible spin-off storyline. Some reports suggest Netflix may explore this new character rather than continue Arisu/Usagi’s saga directly. For now, the future remains uncertain. As one article notes, “Netflix has yet to confirm whether Alice in Borderland will return for season 4”.

Fans are left speculating – some hope Arisu and Usagi’s story isn’t over. RadioTimes’ Sato and Tao Tsuchiya have even pitched ideas (e.g. their child getting pulled into the games). In any case, no official renewal has been announced by Netflix, but interest is high.

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Does Arisu Die in Season 3?

A frequent question is whether the protagonist Arisu dies in the third season. The answer is no – Arisu survives. Both recaps and the series itself confirm he returns with Usagi to real life. As The Direct summarizes, “In the end, Arisu decided to choose to live… meaning that he ended up surviving the chaos”. Sportskeeda similarly explains that “Arisu and Usagi return to reality after Arisu opts for life over death”.

In short, Arisu does not die in Season 3 – he chooses life, reunites with Usagi and their unborn child, and exits the Alice in Borderland alive.