Netflix’s ‘Alice in Borderland’ is a champion of shocking and traumatic character deaths, and no one, no matter how important or significant to the story, seems to be safe from their very possible and ever-lingering morbid mortality.
Chishiya has been an integral part of the plot and a prominent character in ‘Alice in Borderland’ ever since he first appeared with his smug-looking nonchalance.
However, with his alarmingly and surprisingly calm demeanour comes a fierce level of competence as he breezes through the deadly games and moves forward with other main characters.
In ‘Alice in Borderland’ season 2, Chishiya continues to be a clever and competent character until a shocking turn of events ends up leaving him stuck in a dire situation.
Chishiya’s tussle with morality
In the real world, Chishiya used to be a paediatrician. He was a character exhibiting a nonchalant nature similar to how he does in Borderland.
However, he was also a man who had to juggle between the inescapable immoral chain of command and his values. When the richer family deprives a poorer one of the hospital beds and facilities, Chishiya has to go with the decision.
His superior tells him that it’s part of the job and that he must abide by the command and contend with the way of the world, which is unfair.
Chishiya does just that, never letting the weight of the unfair system he takes part in crush him. That changes when he comes to Borderland, although not until the very end.
Envious of the selfless
Chishiya is clever and cunning like a fox, without all the frenetic facial expressions of the animal. A man without the desire to act on some set of morals, Chishiya is a master manipulator, using and influencing others to move forward with the games.
When he contends with the King of Diamonds (Kuzuryu) at the Supreme Court, he comes across a rival who’s very much like him.
Kuzuryu is a sly and brilliant man, like Chishiya, and the Diamond King even ends up out-witting him. However, Chishiya does stick to his manipulation technique until the very end, catalysing Kuzuryu’s decision to follow up on his morality at the end.
Impressed by Kuzuryu and overwhelmed by one deadly game after another, Chishiya finally confesses to Arisu that he’s always been jealous of selfless people.
He says the reason for his jealousy is that he never had the selflessness that other, kinder people had. However, people like Kuzuryu and Arisu finally made him commit an act of selflessness too.
Sacrifice & survival
In ‘Alice in Borderland’ season 2 episode 7, after clearing King of Diamonds, Chishiya reunites with Arisu and Usagi, but the ne’er-do-well Niragi arrives too and opens fire on Usagi and Arisu.
Chishiya jumps in front and eats the bullet meant for the other two survivors. He falls down and before what seems to be his death, confesses to Arisu and Usagi how he’s always lacked selflessness until now.
While Arisu and Usagi clear the final game, Chishiya sits at the spot he was shot at, along with Niragi who’s also shot but has survived as well.
Chishiya survives in ‘Alice in Borderland’ season 2 and makes it to the real world. When he wakes up, he’s a changed man who does recognise the kind of person he was in his past and how he’s not really proud of it, indicating that he’s going to turn a new leaf soon
Also Read: Who is Akane Heiya? Alice in Borderland character explained