ivan 🦭

"Chishiya would laugh at ppl in SG" and he'd be so emotionally and physically drained from the games he'd reluctantly keep participating bc it's better dying in there than killing himself outside of the arenas, and if he survives, he can get a massive amount of prize money in the process. it's a win-win for him.

"Chishiya would survive all of SG with his hands in his pockets" and he'd make enemies with people like Deoksu, Thanos, Namgyu, and if we're bringing AiB characters into it, Niragi or the 6◇ guys, who'd all easily overpower him during the "Special Game" if he didn't get a chance to reach out to people like Ali and Hyunju, or Kuina and Karube as his allies (aka people physically stronger than him to protect him when the fight inevitably goes down).

y'all seriously OVERestimate Chishiya's abilities in physical games. he'd take notice of the walls, sure, but even foresight might not be enough to save him when everything in Squid Game involves teamwork or physicality: aka, the two things Chishiya is the weakest at. he's not a psychopath, he's a narcissist with a very weak will to live; he'd only get far bc he thinks of himself and no one else, seeing his "allies" as pawns to move forward.

I really loved the dynamic between Niragi, Chishiya, and Arisu especially since I always find it fascinating to observe how people who come from similar backgrounds can find themselves led astray to entirely different paths than one another.

First, you have Niragi who was bullied during his adolescence (also he probably didn't have that good of a home life considering the fact that the bullying persisted his entire life and no one ever stepped in to stop it or get him help). Because of this, upon arriving to the Borderlands, he chooses to lead a life of malice and cruelty with no regard for the lives of others since he believes: "No one cared about me so I'm going to be a menace to humanity."

Then you have Chishiya who was emotionally neglected by his parents and lived a life void of the love and care that are essential for full human potential. His parents value him for performance rather than him as their son, as a human being, and even then, he isn't given affection despite the fact that he worked hard to get in the medical field like his father, hoping to achieve the approval and affection that he's lacked of his entire life. Due to this, he leads a life void of sympathy and compassion for others since he believes: "No one cared about me so I'm not going to care about anyone."

Finally, you have Arisu who was verbally and emotionally abused by his father his entire life. He too has lived a life void of affection and filled with harm at the hands of someone who should have been there for him and nourished him. However, it's obvious that his outcome of a character greatly contrasted that of both Niragi and Chishiya. He has chosen a path of benevolence despite the fact that benevolence is something he himself is more foreign to than others. Because of the lack of kindness in his own life he believes: "No one cared about me so I'm going to care about everyone."

Niragi represents the cruelty that can emit from trauma.

Chishiya represents the indifference that can emit from trauma.

Arisu represents the leniency that can emit from trauma.

All three of their characters represent a greater truth and that truth is that regardless of what we have endured, we always have the ability to choose how our roles as humans cultivate. By being maleficent or apathetic, not much change can ever be brought forward for oneself or the world around them, but by being soft-hearted and caring in spite of the wickedness bestowed upon your experience as a human being, an improved quality of life is possible.

Alice arisu.

This is the second post of me drawing the Alice in borderland main characters. I didn't say this in the last post because I think it's probably obvious but I do draw them pretty unrealistic in my style so please don't get mad at me if they don't look like they do in the show/manga. Also I both watched the show and read the manga so I'm trying to make my drawings a mix between what they look like in the different mediums.

and it works so perfectly with all players involved.

knowing it's futile to attempt to survive because the other three are so close it's not like they'd literally and metaphorically look at you

losing your closest friends in one fell swoop and having severe survivors guilt will definitely take away your will to live, which it does with arisu

not wanting to carry on because you know you'll have that survivor guilt and believe your friend will do better than you anyway, yeah, kill me, let 'em live

I think the most painful shot of that scene is when arisu finally find karube and they can't even share one last eye contact before he dies. like he can't even look at him as a final goodbye and allowing arisu to make peace with karubes sacrifice.