NetflixAlice in Borderland Season 3 has finally landed on Netflix, and with it, a slew of new characters – including the controversial new player, Ryuji Matsuyama (Kento Kaku).
Since Season 2 of the Netflix series ends where the manga it’s based on does, Season 3 is entering uncharted territory, which means new characters and games. Don’t fret: Arisu (Kento Yamazaki) and Usagi (Tao Tsuchiya) are back and they’re now happily married.
But many fan favorites aren’t returning, including Chishiya and Kuina (aside from cameos). In their place, we meet a host of new faces when Arisu and Usagi are drawn back into the Borderlands to face the Joker card tournament.
Their return wouldn’t have been possible without Ryuji, a mysterious newcomer whose actions help set the stage for Alice in Borderland’s high-stakes challenges. Warning: spoilers for Episode 1 ahead!
Who is Ryuji in Alice in Borderland Season 3?
NetflixRyuji Matsuyama is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychopathology in Shushikan University, where he’s researching near-death experiences. The character, played by Kento Kaku, does not appear in Haro Aso’s Alice in Borderland manga.
As such, showrunner Shinsuke Sato and the writing team had even more creative freedom when developing his arc. He first appears in Season 3 Episode 1, where he’s leading interviews with survivors of the Tokyo meteorite disaster.
He wants to know if Arisu experienced any dreams while in a comatose state – specifically, he wants to know if he remembers the games. Following the interview, Arisu introduces Ryuji to Usagi and she agrees to speak with him at a later date about her experiences.
We soon learn Ryuji’s obsession with the afterlife is because he wants to go to the Borderlands himself (you’ll find out why later on in Alice in Borderland Season 3).
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He’s invited to play a game with a former Borderlands resident, which he wins by obtaining the Joker card. At the end, a man watching over them transforms into Banda – one of two players who decided to stay in the Borderlands after the Queen of Hearts was defeated in Season 2.
Usagi is later accosted by Ryuji and ends up back in the Borderlands, while Banda (Hayato Isomura) approaches Arisu and tells him he’ll be back there too when he remembers what happened.
Finally, Banda hands Arisu a Joker card and says, “Let’s play a new game. And by the way, your precious wife will also be playing in the new games.”
Why do you need to know this? Well, even if Banda is behind the new tournament, it’s clear Ryuji is instrumental in getting Usagi back, and wherever she goes, Arisu goes.
We also learn that Ryuji has been to the Borderlands before and cleared multiple games, despite the fact that he’s in a wheelchair due to an injury sustained in the real world. When entering for a second time, he ends up on Usagi’s team.
Ryuji is a morally ambiguous character, but there’s one reason fans were upset with him before Alice in Borderland Season 3 even premiered.
Why fans are already wary of Ryuji
On Netflix Japan’s TikTok account, fans spotted a graph showing the new characters and their connection to one another – and for Ryuji, his photo has an arrow pointed at Usagi with the words translated as “Romantic interest?”.
Whether you’re a fan of the manga, the Netflix show, or both, you’ll know that Usagi and Arisu are sacred and their relationship should never be messed with.
As such, the idea that Ryuji could get in the way of that sparked controversy, especially as Season 3 goes beyond the manga (which gave Arisu and Usagi their happily ever after).
Taking to Reddit, one said in response to the image, “Ok what the actual f**k?!? Usagi having a romantic interest could be the most stupid thing.
“They should not even be hinting as such cause the entire reason Arisu is going to jump in this hellhole is to save his beloved wife. I hope it’s just some weird thing from that guy’s side and Usagi ignores him completely.”
“I hope we don’t get a Niragi 2.0. The series is only six episodes, we really don’t need this drama,” wrote another.
A third added, “Another theory: Arisu sacrifices himself for Usagi. Then at the end, Ryuji takes Arisu’s place in the family. If this happens, there’d be two dead bodies at the end of the series. One of Arisu and another of mine.”
But don’t fret. No one is here to replace Arisu, and other fans have pointed out the fact that the arrow is only going in one direction.
Netflix“Guys, I would pay attention to the inaccuracies in this, and what is actually shown: It literally names Yaba as Kyūma, lmao,” wrote one.
“And yes, the ‘Romantic Interest?’ may look concerning, but it’s already shown that it’s unconfirmed with the ‘?’ at the end – and even then, it’s only directed from Ryuji to Usagi, not mutual.”
“If you look at the arrow between them it’s only pointing from him towards her, so I think Ryuji sees her as a romantic interest but Usagi doesn’t see him as one,” added a third.
Alice in Borderland Season 3 is streaming on Netflix now. For more on what to watch, check out the best shows of 2025 so far, the most binge-worthy series, and everything that’s coming up with our 2025 TV release calendar.