The necessity to compete in deadly games has become a prevailing theme in various works, particularly in manga, where survival is at stake. The following titles explore the essence of human nature and the will to survive in dire situations.
Alice in Borderland
Alice in Borderland follows the story of high school student Arisu Ryouhei, who is disenchanted with life and uncertain about his future. His mundane existence takes a wild turn when he and his friends suddenly find themselves in a mysterious realm known as Borderlands, where they must compete in deadly games to survive.
In this eerie world, Arisu and his friends must engage in brutal survival games, where losing means death. No one can refuse to play, and the stakes are life and death.
Tomodachi Game
High school student Yuuichi Katagiri values friendship above all. However, everything changes when he and his friends are trapped in a mysterious room and forced to play a series of games to resolve a significant debt.
The only way to win at Tomodachi Game is to trust your friends, but as tensions rise, Yuuichi’s faith in his friends is tested.
Liar Game
University student Nao Kanzaki is the most honest person you could meet. One day, she receives a package worth 100 million yen and an invitation to participate in the “Liar Game.” The rules are simple: Nao must deceive other players to win, but the psychological pressure can drive anyone mad.
Initially, Nao decides not to participate, wanting to keep her money, but when she’s forced into the game, survival becomes her only option.
Darwin’s Game
When 17-year-old Kaname Sudou is invited to play a mobile game, he quickly realizes that Darwin’s Game is a deadly survival game. Forced to compete against others, Kaname must use his newfound powers to survive and uncover the identity of the Game Master.
As the Gods Will
Shun Takahata, an average high school student, finds his life turned upside down when he and his classmates are forced to participate in deadly games reminiscent of ‘Squid Game.’ The first game, a deadly red light-green light, forces students to run for their lives under the watchful eye of a giant doll.
As his classmates fall one by one, Shun becomes the sole survivor, navigating through a series of increasingly deadly challenges.
Battle Royale
The story begins with protagonist Shuuya and his classmates, who find themselves trapped in a deserted island where they must kill each other to survive. The stakes are high, and the only way to escape is to be the last one standing.
Gantz
High school students Kei Kurono and Masaru Kato lose their lives while trying to save a drunkard, only to find themselves resurrected and forced to participate in a deadly game where they must hunt alien creatures to earn points and potentially return to life.
Blue Heaven
Blue Heaven revolves around a luxurious cruise ship that encounters a stranded vessel in the ocean. Under the captain’s orders, the crew must search for survivors while facing unforeseen dangers that threaten their lives.
Life Is Money
Fukurokouji Meguru needs 100 million yen to save his sister’s life. When all hope seems lost, he is drawn into The Nightmare Game, where he must survive 10 days in a sealed environment with other participants to win the prize money.
However, if anyone dies, the remaining participants will share the reward, leading to a desperate struggle for survival.
Bokurano
A group of high school students stumbles upon a hidden cave where they are invited to play a game with Kokopelli, unaware that the stakes are their own lives as they control a giant mech to protect Earth from invaders, sacrificing their own life force in the process.
As the battles escalate, they must confront the harsh reality that they are not just fighting for survival but also for the fate of humanity.
