@roses_are_rosie in case you're interested!
I'm reading the official translated versions, so I only have the first four volumes, because the last five aren't translated into English yet. (I mean, they've only had a decade, but apparently you need a major Netflix show first.) I'll spoiler anything that might be considered a big deal, but otherwise, just kind of bullet pointing out the noticeable changes based on the fact that I've seen the Netflix show in full four times, and that I'm reading the manga fresh.
Volume 1 covers episodes 1 & 2 in the show. I'm through the first half now, and here's what's noticeably different.
I'm planning to finish the rest of volume 1 and volumes 2-4 over the next couple of weeks.
I'm reading the official translated versions, so I only have the first four volumes, because the last five aren't translated into English yet. (I mean, they've only had a decade, but apparently you need a major Netflix show first.) I'll spoiler anything that might be considered a big deal, but otherwise, just kind of bullet pointing out the noticeable changes based on the fact that I've seen the Netflix show in full four times, and that I'm reading the manga fresh.
Volume 1 covers episodes 1 & 2 in the show. I'm through the first half now, and here's what's noticeably different.
- The show aged Arisu, Chota, and Karube up slightly. In the manga, they are supposed to be senior year in high school, but I can see how that's kind of nonsensical at least from an international view to have one of them working full-time in a bar (which is the same in the manga).
- The Three of Clubs is completely different in the manga vs. the show. Spoilered below.
- Shibuki is a teeny bit more knowledgeable about Borderland in the manga, but it's not a big deal to me, because in the manga, you need someone to explain to the characters what the rules are. In the show, you can show them. So she explains that the arenas can be in any number of places, there are lots of players, etc.
- The visa is simplified a teeny bit in the show. In the manga, you literally get a printed off visa (which you don't have to take). It gives you a number of points equal to the difficulty of the game (Three of Clubs = three points), has a running total of the points, and confirms how many days your visa was extended for. In the show, the games just give you the difficulty-to-day extension (so same Three of Clubs = three days, but no point element to it). I'll keep an eye out and comment again if it turns out that the points matter, but right now, this simplification makes sense to me.
Netflix Version
In the show, the Three of Clubs consists of five characters: Arisu, Chota, and Karube plus two women (Shibuki + a high school? student) that they just meet at the game. Shibuki explains that you have to play or you die, and she throws an object outside the arena where they all see it get lasered immediately. In the game itself, they have to navigate a series of doors to find the exit to the building. Each door has a "life" or "death" poster, but that just is a way to mark the doors. If you select the wrong door, you die. If you refuse to decide or take too long to decide, your current room is set on fire. Each room gets less and less time to make a decision. They lose the high school student when she freaks tf out in the first room and blindly chooses a door. They get lucky on another door, but ultimately, they succeed at picking the correct path by Arisu being able to roughly figure out the size of the rooms and therefore, what must be an outside wall (death) vs. an inside wall (next room). The Netflix version showcases that Karube is the more aggressive of the trio, but also the braver, and Arisu is able to think under pressure.
Manga Version
In the manga, they get lured to a festival by the smells, and don't even understand that they have wandered into an arena until Shibuki shows up to play too. The game requires that you draw a fortune, and all players must draw a fortune before the time runs out, which is indicated by the festival lanterns getting extinguished. Arisu and Chota basically act like idiots who don't understand what's required, even when Shibuki does the same "you can't exit the arena" demonstration. Karube draws his fortune first (so still showcasing that he's the boldest), which marks him as a "leader." Nothing happens.
Then Chota draws a fortune, and it poses a question. The rules update to require that the person who draws the question answers the question aloud. Chota basically flippantly guesses at the answer, and he's wrong by 3 (not understandable, he has a math question; he could take his time and get to the correct answer). So three flaming arrows come out of the sky to shoot at the players. Shibuki understands the rules now, and goes to draw her fortune. She and Karube try to work out the correct answer, while Arisu and Chota have mental breakdowns. Shibuki is wrong by 420 (understandable, her question is "Milk is produced from the nutrients in a cow's blood stream. How many liters of blood does it take to produce one liter of milk?" She guesses 30.) Chota gets shot by one of the arrows, getting a similar injury to the Netflix game, and Karube showcases his bravery by saving Chota.
Then Arisu finally gets around to drawing. He is asked to state the entire Earth's population as of 2010, rounded up to the nearest 100 million. Shibuki provides a couple of educated guesses to help him out. He decides to just roll with one of them, but ultimately, he notices that it doesn't really matter. The fortunes have a question, but they also have all these other fortune cookie-like details (e.g. your lucky direction is..., your love life will...). When the arrows come, he notices that the arrows for him, Chota, and Shibuki all come from the directions on their unlucky fortunes. As Karube is the only one who got the good fortune, there must be something in that direction that will help them navigate the game. They run south, and discover a bunker, which protects them from the 100 million arrows.
My Verdict
I think the Netflix show did a lot better at putting the time pressure on them. Even though the manga has the time element to it too, it basically doesn't come up. The real issue is being surrounded by everything being on fire and suffocating in the heat. I also personally preferred that Netflix has that Chota is a bit unserious, but he doesn't come across like a complete moron.
Otherwise, I think the games basically executed on what the main objectives were: introduce Shibuki, show that Karube is the bravest of the bunch, show that Arisu is very observant, and show that Chota is kind of flippant, though Netflix reduced that to have him in just the "ladida" space rather than in the "are you sure the lights are on?" space.
In the show, the Three of Clubs consists of five characters: Arisu, Chota, and Karube plus two women (Shibuki + a high school? student) that they just meet at the game. Shibuki explains that you have to play or you die, and she throws an object outside the arena where they all see it get lasered immediately. In the game itself, they have to navigate a series of doors to find the exit to the building. Each door has a "life" or "death" poster, but that just is a way to mark the doors. If you select the wrong door, you die. If you refuse to decide or take too long to decide, your current room is set on fire. Each room gets less and less time to make a decision. They lose the high school student when she freaks tf out in the first room and blindly chooses a door. They get lucky on another door, but ultimately, they succeed at picking the correct path by Arisu being able to roughly figure out the size of the rooms and therefore, what must be an outside wall (death) vs. an inside wall (next room). The Netflix version showcases that Karube is the more aggressive of the trio, but also the braver, and Arisu is able to think under pressure.
Manga Version
In the manga, they get lured to a festival by the smells, and don't even understand that they have wandered into an arena until Shibuki shows up to play too. The game requires that you draw a fortune, and all players must draw a fortune before the time runs out, which is indicated by the festival lanterns getting extinguished. Arisu and Chota basically act like idiots who don't understand what's required, even when Shibuki does the same "you can't exit the arena" demonstration. Karube draws his fortune first (so still showcasing that he's the boldest), which marks him as a "leader." Nothing happens.
Then Chota draws a fortune, and it poses a question. The rules update to require that the person who draws the question answers the question aloud. Chota basically flippantly guesses at the answer, and he's wrong by 3 (not understandable, he has a math question; he could take his time and get to the correct answer). So three flaming arrows come out of the sky to shoot at the players. Shibuki understands the rules now, and goes to draw her fortune. She and Karube try to work out the correct answer, while Arisu and Chota have mental breakdowns. Shibuki is wrong by 420 (understandable, her question is "Milk is produced from the nutrients in a cow's blood stream. How many liters of blood does it take to produce one liter of milk?" She guesses 30.) Chota gets shot by one of the arrows, getting a similar injury to the Netflix game, and Karube showcases his bravery by saving Chota.
Then Arisu finally gets around to drawing. He is asked to state the entire Earth's population as of 2010, rounded up to the nearest 100 million. Shibuki provides a couple of educated guesses to help him out. He decides to just roll with one of them, but ultimately, he notices that it doesn't really matter. The fortunes have a question, but they also have all these other fortune cookie-like details (e.g. your lucky direction is..., your love life will...). When the arrows come, he notices that the arrows for him, Chota, and Shibuki all come from the directions on their unlucky fortunes. As Karube is the only one who got the good fortune, there must be something in that direction that will help them navigate the game. They run south, and discover a bunker, which protects them from the 100 million arrows.
My Verdict
I think the Netflix show did a lot better at putting the time pressure on them. Even though the manga has the time element to it too, it basically doesn't come up. The real issue is being surrounded by everything being on fire and suffocating in the heat. I also personally preferred that Netflix has that Chota is a bit unserious, but he doesn't come across like a complete moron.
Otherwise, I think the games basically executed on what the main objectives were: introduce Shibuki, show that Karube is the bravest of the bunch, show that Arisu is very observant, and show that Chota is kind of flippant, though Netflix reduced that to have him in just the "ladida" space rather than in the "are you sure the lights are on?" space.
I'm planning to finish the rest of volume 1 and volumes 2-4 over the next couple of weeks.
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