Survival thrillers weren’t even a genre. Until back-to-back blockbusters like Backwater Horizon, Snowpiercer, Bird Box, etc came. People started expecting more of them. But unfortunately, this Netflix Japanese drama season 1 was so underrated. It received immense fandom and popularity only when people started looking for alternatives after Squid Game. Yes, and now it’s one of the most anticipated premieres of 2025.
Storyline
Arisu and his friends got transported into an unknown game world, where they have to participate in games to win living days. In the process, he meets Usagi, who is his only love interest and another main contender in the series. After winning a rare five-heart red suit card, they are kidnapped to the beach. They believe collecting all the number cards can get them out of this hell. But it’s otherwise.
The members surviving the number card levels are sent into more deadly levels, i.e., face cards. The second installment is more challenging, and storywise, it comes with a larger twist. All the members in Shibuya town were struck by an earthquake and are transported into a game world, which is like a mid-world between heaven and reality.
Why so special
The entire story is built on universal phenomena, i.e., Face cards. Yes, the ones from 2 to King and Ace that you have at home are the grand props. The red and black suits depict different levels of hardness, and each symbol, Hearts, Diamonds, Spades, and Clubs, represents different genres of activity like strength, survival, betrayal, and group.
The web series might seem like any other video game survival type, but it’s above par. Both seasons 1 and 2 have brought grand challenges and countless sacrifices. So, first of all, the series’ theme of gambling is relatable, and further, every episode is nail-biting with good character development of the protagonists. Likewise, graphics are also top-notch.
Season 3 and Next
By the end of the 2nd season, viewers are hit in the face with a solid twister. That’s completely unexpected. Then, the main characters seem to be back in the real world in the hospital. But what’s missing? They played all the face cards and survived but one. That one card that can jeopardize any other game, the wild card, is the “Joker.”
In the recent sneak peek, the makers released a burning Joker card with three protagonists in the background, with the “Bachega, JO-KER Dikhaega” tagline. It means survival of the fittest. Netflix confirmed the premiere of season 3 in September 2025. So, in just a few months, we can expect another banger of a survival thriller to binge.
Written by: Meghana Pinninti