Review by Ian Keogh

It seemed as if Haro Aso was prolonging the tease by ending Volume 3 still not revealing to readers the identity of the person everyone was hunting. Well, ‘Ten of Hearts’ has another three chapters to run here. Aso starts by delving into the pasts of Agni and Hatter as the accusations fly, and revealing that a key point dropped earlier is actually irrelevant. Narratively, that’s a dangerous move because an author revealing too many truths later revealed as false undermines their credibility, and while the bolstering is there, this is a big reversal.

Countering that is a new disclosure, that some people are implanted among the other players, but represent a middle tier between players and organisers. Almost an entire flashback chapter reveals how the Dealers monitor the games and affect the outcomes to their advantage. Their intervention reveals a truth about the previous half dozen chapters. Readers may have suspected the games are rigged, and now all doubt is removed. The revelation is followed by rather a sweet chapter in which survivors remember the dead.

Aso makes sure his men can be distinguished one from the other, but isn’t as particular with the women, so unless in a panel when they’re named there’s sometimes some wondering which of them is Arisu’s current companion Usagi. That isn’t so much an issue by the end when the cast is reduced, temporarily at least, and the art overall is excellent.

As in the previous volume, the main events are separated by a side story more focussed on the idea of games challenging lives, as per the original theme. A group of players are trapped in a tunnel, told they’ll have to survive a trial, and that after timed intervals doors will open. Aso is creative with what can occur in a tunnel, and these two chapters are highlights despite a new cast.

When Aso returns to the main story there’s a spiritual interlude and visually at least a representation of the people who might be behind everything. The surviving cast seem to be part of a longer term plan, and the volume ends with a new game about to start.

The desperation of games has been the strength of Alice in Borderland, so to see Aso returning to smaller groups is welcome. It all kicks off in Volume 5.