Alice in Borderland Season 3 Reveals the Shocking Fate of Chishiya and Hikari Kuina
Alice in Borderland season 3 is here—and it finally answers the question sparked by their trailer absence: are Chishiya and Hikari Kuina back?
So, about those fan-favorites everyone was looking for when the new season dropped. Yes, I clocked their absence in the trailer too. Here is the straight answer on Shuntaro Chishiya and Hikari Kuina in Alice in Borderland Season 3.
Are Chishiya and Kuina in Season 3?
Nope. Neither character appears in Season 3. After all that trailer speculation, the finished season confirms it: no Chishiya, no Kuina.
Why they are missing
This one is very 'behind the scenes' rather than story-driven. It came down to timing. Nijiro Murakami, who plays Chishiya, stepped back from work to focus on his mental health. He has since returned to acting, but he was not available when Season 3 was filming. Aya Asahina, who plays Kuina, was also unavailable during production because she was pregnant. So, not a creative snub — just real-life schedules colliding with a busy shoot.
Where we left them at the end of Season 2
Both characters actually got clean exits last season, which helps this make sense story-wise. After the games, they — along with Arisu and Usagi — made it back to the real world. Here is the quick refresher:
- Shuntaro Chishiya: Started out as a master manipulator, then turned the corner. After waking up in the hospital, he decides to try living better. Redemption arc locked in.
- Hikari Kuina: Took heavy damage during the games, recovered in the hospital, and ultimately went home to be with her family.
A quick bit of context
Alice in Borderland is a sci-fi psychological drama created by Haro Aso and based on his own manga. Seasons 1 and 2 adapted the entire manga run; Season 3 pushes past the source material for the lead characters. So if things feel different now, that is why — the show is officially beyond the page.
Bottom line: Chishiya and Kuina are not in Season 3, but the show did not leave them hanging. Their stories were wrapped up in Season 2, which is probably the neatest way to keep the focus on where the series is heading next.