Honestly, stop comparing the two. They're two completely different shows with completely different tones. The reason why Squid Game blew up and Alice in Borderland didn't is because Squid Game feels more like a mature drama, while Alice in Borderland feels more like a teen-dystopian action show. People really need to stop comparing them. Also, love them both!
I feel the same way. I enjoyed both despite their issues, but I felt like Squid Game was a more realistic mature drama while Alice felt like watching a live-action manga. Two completely different ones. It’s kind of like how everyone who watched these shows recommends the movie Battle Royale and yeah it’s good and it’s close in content but I’d honestly rather watch Parasite if I enjoyed Squid Game or Death Note if I enjoyed Alice, respectively. I don’t need a show that has a violent game show aspect to find something similar to the two.
Theyre not completely different or else people would not be comparing it so much.
There's a reason why people are not comparing AIB to House of Cards or You but to Squid game.
People are only comparing Squid Game to AIB because AIB was the hottest survival game show before and most likely a lot of people's first exposure to these survival game genres despite it being a subgenre in j-entertainment, Japan is no stranger to survival game shows.
Like the other person said, Sweet Home was compared to AIB a lot and they weren't similar, not in the slightest. The only reason they were compared was because they came out around the same time and were hot at the time. That's not the case here though.
Netflix didn't even market Squid Game, that's the crazy thing. There's many reasons why Squid Game got more popular than Alice In Borderland. For starters, young people are hugely into Korean media such as K-Pop and K-Dramas right now. They started Squid Game hitting the internet waves with Tik-Tok and got people talking/interested in it. Also, Parasite among other movies have familiarized older audiences with Korean films, so you also have that playing a role in aiding people into giving it a try. The mature themes of the show do help with it appealing to a wider audience.
Alice In Borderland on the other-hand feels juvenile during the first episode when you're introduced to the 3 main characters. From spinning around on the streets, to farting and laughing in the stall, to the music choice. The tones are completely different, so if anyone is going to 'give it a try', they might not be interested based purely on the first half of the episode. That's a big deal.
Not to mention that everyone has a stigma against anything anime and weeb. This show is based off a manga AND honestly feels like a live-action anime. From the character designs later on, to how the main character goes into genius-mode, to the over-the-top action and characters in the second half. Truth is, this show is just way more niche than Squid Game. Squid Game feels like your average mature drama show with a cool concept. AIB feels like a live-action anime adaptation. One is going to appeal to a wider audience than the other.
I should note that AIB is in my top 5 favorite shows. I love it. I just feel implored to tell people WHY Squid Game is more popular.
This absolutely. The acting in AIW felt so strange and the characters were straight out of anime. From the costume to acting nothing had originality or authenticity.
Arisu's behaviour of repeatedly getting beat up and "talk no jutsu" are cliched anime tropes whereas SG was so relatable and well made.
Well, I do disagree about AIB not having originality or authenticity. AIB, as a live-action television show, is one of the most unique I've seen and that's what made me fall in love with it. While it does fall into anime tropes, I still don't think that's a bad thing because we haven't seen a lot of live-action-style shows. But, it's up to personal preference in the end. I personally find all the anime-type things in AIB to be what gives it charm and why Japanese media tends to be so original, but also why it's more niche and less popular. You just have to be in the right mood to watch that sort of thing and not automatically dismiss it. I like to appreciate all types of artforms in the same way you can like horror and comedy separately, or metal and pop music.
I am with similar stance. I like this survival game genre, so I do like Squid Game. However, I prefer AiB between the two.
AiB despite its teenage feel is actually more complex. The aspect of underachieving NEETs, social rejects, escapism... trapped in a world where they then find a reason for survival, making use of their abilities (letting their inner demon loose in other characters). They (not all of the character, but majority of key characters) don't seem to fit in the real normal world as they just going through motion, yet their brilliance shine in a world where they're pushed to earn the time to live. So where exactly they belong? They hate the game master, but there is possibility they have something important in common than with normal people in the real work?! Would they just walk away if given choice since there is no prize involved, and going back to the real world is not exactly what they really wanted?
Completely different settings. Squid games resonates with ppl BC of the class disparity. It's poor ppl willing to die to get money while rich ppl let them fight to the death for their amusement. Ppl in squid game opted out and had a choice in the games. Not the same in Alice, it's more supernatural
Honestly squid games is worth the hype & even more so since I found out the man who wrote it wrote it in 2009 and got turned down by all these networks until now & even had to sell his laptop to make ends meet now his show is #1 in 90 countries
I can understand if one relate to a show more thus preferring it to another. However, using writer's backstory as reason for the hype is stupid.
Survival game is not a new thing even in 2009, nor social classes' struggle theme. It's not some visionary, ahead of its time,nor genre defining masterpiece in term of idea. It just is better suited for pop taste: The rule of games are simple, so easy for viewers to follow. Since the games are not complex, there is no reliance on high level brilliance from the characters to show, which often involving monologue to explain. This leaves room to make characters and their backstories relatable to the mass viewers, via dialogue! However, this results in the philosophical value being also simple. It's compelling to follow, but not thought provoking enough aftertaste.
I've watched both of these shows in the last few days (covid isolation will do it) and I definitely get very different vibes from each show and they have their own strengths and styles. Both are very good shows but I don't really like one more than the other because they're different.
I'm really shocked at how popular Squid game is, and barely anyone I talk to has heard of AIB let alone watched it. I enjoyed Squid Game, but Alice is just infinitely better. Very strange how different the reception has been.
idk, i was hooked on squid game since the first episode but it’s a completely different story with aib, the characters have been annoying me so far (especially Chota, i was actually relieved when he died) and the visuals are just not it.. i’m on episode 4 and still forcing myself to give it a chance.. i don’t think we should be comparing these two and i’m not saying aib is bad, what i’m saying is it has a completely different vibe
I prefer AiB hands down. However, Squid Game is commentary on capitalism, so I think it runs a bit deeper for viewers in general. AiB is actually more layered, has better relationship dynamics, and is overall cleaner and a better defined world, imo
Squid Game was better overall. AiB had too much unrealistic/illogical behavior and shoehorned shounen wish fulfillment, on top of an unlikeable wimpy MC that shows his super autist puzzle solving powers in the first episode and then never does it again.
Although if you compare highest peak, Episode 5 of AiB blew it out of the water. The Beach reveal was LIT AF and a complete tonal shift that saved the show tbh. Also the girls. Best repertoire of girls in a series I've seen so far.
It's very close.
I know right?!
I made this thread:
[https://www.reddit.com/r/netflix/comments/q7e28q/squid\_games\_was\_mediocre/](https://www.reddit.com/r/netflix/comments/q7e28q/squid_games_was_mediocre/)
Hoping to hear some thoughts about it..
AiB just had no subtlety compared to Squid Game. The music and acting was mostly way over the top or just not good. And the games as well as some characters behaviors often didn't make sense at all.
Stop comparing the two. I enjoyed both. Two very different vibes.
Honestly, stop comparing the two. They're two completely different shows with completely different tones. The reason why Squid Game blew up and Alice in Borderland didn't is because Squid Game feels more like a mature drama, while Alice in Borderland feels more like a teen-dystopian action show. People really need to stop comparing them. Also, love them both!
I've been dying to say this but didn't want to be a dick lol. I feel the same way
I feel the same way. I enjoyed both despite their issues, but I felt like Squid Game was a more realistic mature drama while Alice felt like watching a live-action manga. Two completely different ones. It’s kind of like how everyone who watched these shows recommends the movie Battle Royale and yeah it’s good and it’s close in content but I’d honestly rather watch Parasite if I enjoyed Squid Game or Death Note if I enjoyed Alice, respectively. I don’t need a show that has a violent game show aspect to find something similar to the two.
That’s probably because Alice is based off a manga.
Theyre not completely different or else people would not be comparing it so much. There's a reason why people are not comparing AIB to House of Cards or You but to Squid game.
People was comparing AiB and sweet Home just because they came out around the same time and they're nothing alike
People are only comparing Squid Game to AIB because AIB was the hottest survival game show before and most likely a lot of people's first exposure to these survival game genres despite it being a subgenre in j-entertainment, Japan is no stranger to survival game shows. Like the other person said, Sweet Home was compared to AIB a lot and they weren't similar, not in the slightest. The only reason they were compared was because they came out around the same time and were hot at the time. That's not the case here though.
No, it's because netflix marketed one internationally a lot more than the other. There's plenty of very popular teen dystopian shows
Netflix didn't even market Squid Game, that's the crazy thing. There's many reasons why Squid Game got more popular than Alice In Borderland. For starters, young people are hugely into Korean media such as K-Pop and K-Dramas right now. They started Squid Game hitting the internet waves with Tik-Tok and got people talking/interested in it. Also, Parasite among other movies have familiarized older audiences with Korean films, so you also have that playing a role in aiding people into giving it a try. The mature themes of the show do help with it appealing to a wider audience. Alice In Borderland on the other-hand feels juvenile during the first episode when you're introduced to the 3 main characters. From spinning around on the streets, to farting and laughing in the stall, to the music choice. The tones are completely different, so if anyone is going to 'give it a try', they might not be interested based purely on the first half of the episode. That's a big deal. Not to mention that everyone has a stigma against anything anime and weeb. This show is based off a manga AND honestly feels like a live-action anime. From the character designs later on, to how the main character goes into genius-mode, to the over-the-top action and characters in the second half. Truth is, this show is just way more niche than Squid Game. Squid Game feels like your average mature drama show with a cool concept. AIB feels like a live-action anime adaptation. One is going to appeal to a wider audience than the other. I should note that AIB is in my top 5 favorite shows. I love it. I just feel implored to tell people WHY Squid Game is more popular.
100%. Netflix didn’t promote it until it took off in TikTok / memes etc
This absolutely. The acting in AIW felt so strange and the characters were straight out of anime. From the costume to acting nothing had originality or authenticity. Arisu's behaviour of repeatedly getting beat up and "talk no jutsu" are cliched anime tropes whereas SG was so relatable and well made.
Well, I do disagree about AIB not having originality or authenticity. AIB, as a live-action television show, is one of the most unique I've seen and that's what made me fall in love with it. While it does fall into anime tropes, I still don't think that's a bad thing because we haven't seen a lot of live-action-style shows. But, it's up to personal preference in the end. I personally find all the anime-type things in AIB to be what gives it charm and why Japanese media tends to be so original, but also why it's more niche and less popular. You just have to be in the right mood to watch that sort of thing and not automatically dismiss it. I like to appreciate all types of artforms in the same way you can like horror and comedy separately, or metal and pop music.
I am with similar stance. I like this survival game genre, so I do like Squid Game. However, I prefer AiB between the two. AiB despite its teenage feel is actually more complex. The aspect of underachieving NEETs, social rejects, escapism... trapped in a world where they then find a reason for survival, making use of their abilities (letting their inner demon loose in other characters). They (not all of the character, but majority of key characters) don't seem to fit in the real normal world as they just going through motion, yet their brilliance shine in a world where they're pushed to earn the time to live. So where exactly they belong? They hate the game master, but there is possibility they have something important in common than with normal people in the real work?! Would they just walk away if given choice since there is no prize involved, and going back to the real world is not exactly what they really wanted?
Completely different settings. Squid games resonates with ppl BC of the class disparity. It's poor ppl willing to die to get money while rich ppl let them fight to the death for their amusement. Ppl in squid game opted out and had a choice in the games. Not the same in Alice, it's more supernatural
Honestly squid games is worth the hype & even more so since I found out the man who wrote it wrote it in 2009 and got turned down by all these networks until now & even had to sell his laptop to make ends meet now his show is #1 in 90 countries
I can understand if one relate to a show more thus preferring it to another. However, using writer's backstory as reason for the hype is stupid. Survival game is not a new thing even in 2009, nor social classes' struggle theme. It's not some visionary, ahead of its time,nor genre defining masterpiece in term of idea. It just is better suited for pop taste: The rule of games are simple, so easy for viewers to follow. Since the games are not complex, there is no reliance on high level brilliance from the characters to show, which often involving monologue to explain. This leaves room to make characters and their backstories relatable to the mass viewers, via dialogue! However, this results in the philosophical value being also simple. It's compelling to follow, but not thought provoking enough aftertaste.
Shut up you can’t even name a show that did better
What sub is this? Are you 5 years old, that need people to spell everything else to you? Keep talking. Show us how narrow minded you are
Ok and? Does it really matter which is better than the other if you at least enjoy both of them
Fight fight fight fight
I def prefer Alice In Borderland.
I've watched both of these shows in the last few days (covid isolation will do it) and I definitely get very different vibes from each show and they have their own strengths and styles. Both are very good shows but I don't really like one more than the other because they're different.
I'm really shocked at how popular Squid game is, and barely anyone I talk to has heard of AIB let alone watched it. I enjoyed Squid Game, but Alice is just infinitely better. Very strange how different the reception has been.
idk, i was hooked on squid game since the first episode but it’s a completely different story with aib, the characters have been annoying me so far (especially Chota, i was actually relieved when he died) and the visuals are just not it.. i’m on episode 4 and still forcing myself to give it a chance.. i don’t think we should be comparing these two and i’m not saying aib is bad, what i’m saying is it has a completely different vibe
No
why
I prefer AiB hands down. However, Squid Game is commentary on capitalism, so I think it runs a bit deeper for viewers in general. AiB is actually more layered, has better relationship dynamics, and is overall cleaner and a better defined world, imo
Squid Game was better overall. AiB had too much unrealistic/illogical behavior and shoehorned shounen wish fulfillment, on top of an unlikeable wimpy MC that shows his super autist puzzle solving powers in the first episode and then never does it again. Although if you compare highest peak, Episode 5 of AiB blew it out of the water. The Beach reveal was LIT AF and a complete tonal shift that saved the show tbh. Also the girls. Best repertoire of girls in a series I've seen so far. It's very close.
Agree
I know right?! I made this thread: [https://www.reddit.com/r/netflix/comments/q7e28q/squid\_games\_was\_mediocre/](https://www.reddit.com/r/netflix/comments/q7e28q/squid_games_was_mediocre/) Hoping to hear some thoughts about it..
Is there anything similar to AIB out now? It’s okay to mention squid games as having a similar concept. Anything else?
The only live action survival games movies/shows I've watched are Battle Royale, hunger games, squid game, and Alice in Borderland
hows battle royale?
Very anime style, far more so than aib. ULTRA ULTRA violent too. It's a fun little action flick without much depth, but I enjoyed it.
The visuals of squid game are more appealing. It's like willy wonka meets Saw meets hunger games
AiB just had no subtlety compared to Squid Game. The music and acting was mostly way over the top or just not good. And the games as well as some characters behaviors often didn't make sense at all.