Alice in Borderland Season 2 is coming soon and we are mega excited!!! We were also lucky enough to join a roundtable interview with Tao Tsuchiya, who plays Usagi in the series. In Alice in Borderland, Tao’s character has lost her father but by meeting Arisu, her emotions become richer. She is also pretty badass in the show so obviously, we all had to know what her preparations looked like while preparing for the role.
Tao Tsuchiya Interview: Alice in Borderland Season 2
Photo by Akinori Ito / Netflix
In Season 1, Usagi is basically disappointed by society and doubts people so she’s aloof as a character. However, by meeting Arisu, she starts caring about other people and even experiences first love. “Usagi was in solitude but then she starts to show her vulnerability, her anxiety, and her doubts and I had to express that,” Tao shares. “She has this feeling of wanting to go back to the original world and then also there’s physical action too.”
Tao admits that “the balance was very difficult to work on to portray her.” On top of everything, Usagi is a character who has never experienced martial arts or combat. Because of this, Tao points out that her movements can’t look too cool when she’s in battle. “Instead of trying to accomplish cool action sequences, I always wanted to put her emotions behind her movements.”
She adds that her tone of voice is different in Season 2, as well, after Usagi “realizes the importance of living with people and caring about others”. “She’s not just a strong character, either,” she points out. “What I like about Usagi is that she also has her weakness and she has this feeling of love. Because of that, while I was playing her, I always wanted to have this sense of love.”
What Games Can We Expect from Alice in Borderland Season 2?
The games have always been some of the highlights of Alice in Borderland and we get plenty of that in the next season as well. Tao reveals that the balance is about 50-50 (half mind games and half physical games). She particularly tells us to watch out for the mind games that Chishiya takes part in.
Photo from Netflix
“There are quite a few scenes where his character is talking about how he sees the value of life so I really encourage you to take a look at that,” she says.
What Else Can We Look Forward to From Alice in Borderland Season 2?
Tao shares that her favorite episode in Season 2 is Episode 7. “I love how we all assembled and worked together. We have this camaraderie to help each other and take action.” She also adds that there’s a scene with Kuina that was quite unberable for her. Make sure to watch Season 2 to see what she means!
Overall, Tao believes that Alice in Borderland Season 2 is even more enjoyable than the first season “because the scale is bigger and the CGI and technology are bigger”. “It’s very detailed too,” she adds. “I think the whole thing is upgraded.”
Catch Alice in Borderland Season 2 on Netflix on December 22, 2022.
For now, you may watch the trailer here:
Got any movies or series you’d like us to review? Email me at angeline.wheninmanila@gmail.com or send me a direct message at When in Manila Angeline on Facebook. Interact with the team and join the WhenInManila.com Community at WIM Squad! Join our WhenInManila.com community on Viber, as well!
