The popularity of manga is constantly on the rise, and even though its roots originate in Japan, it is read by people from all parts of the world. One manga series that is a great example of that is Alice in Borderland, which was first introduced in a magazine in late 2010. And since then, the manga series has become a real household name and is a favorite among fans. People of all ages and walks of life love reading it as it has a quite special story that differs from what is out there. The medium houses multiple genres in its belt, such as science fiction, action, drama, thriller, mystery, and suspense all at once. Even though the manga has some cool characters in it, there’s one character that needs to be discussed more. And that is the character of Shuntarō Chishiya, whom we’ll talk about in this blog.
Who is Shuntarō Chishiya?
Shuntarō Chishiya is one of the main characters of the Alice in Borderland manga. He also serves as an important character in the manga’s TV series adaptation of the same name. Chishiya is a soft-spoken, introverted, and reserved person. It is fairly known that he does not like sharing things about himself. His quiet nature and mysterious personality can make him seem a bit cunning and deceitful at times. Chishiya lacked paternal love from the start. Ever since he was a child, the deepest desire in his heart was to receive the love and attention from his parents that he saw other children receiving.
And that is because his father worked in a medical department. Chishiya’s father spent most of his time working on his computer and prioritised work over his children. The same goes for his mother, who was also a workaholic. She, too, could not time enough time from work to look after her son. Chishiya believed the purpose of the marriage between his parents was only to secure a higher position in the hospital.
Going On A Dark Path
As a result of the lack of parental love, Chishiya envied all of his friends for the love they received from their parents. He wished he could receive just a fraction of that for himself. The lack in the amount of love he received had its toll on him, and it eventually shaped his personality. To distract himself from all this, Chishiya opted to take the same career path as his father. He started studying in medical school after becoming a surgical intern. Among all the other reasons, there was one hidden reason behind this move, and it was to see whether or not he truly cared about human lives.
Chishiya wanted to find some meaning in life as well as find an interest in life by saving lives. But even that could not help him out of his misery, as Chishiya still had no feelings or emotions. An example of his lack of empathy is when he was trusted with a letter of testament by a patient on his deathbed. Chishiya somehow still showed no regard or respect for the dead as he threw the letter away. He proved once again that the cold nature that he had in him is still there and will never go away.
Playing The Games in Borderland
Shuntarō Chishiya is one of the players playing the game in Borderland. In the manga, he is introduced as a player that forms a team with another player and a member of the Beach named Hikari Kuina. They intend to steal the deck of cards from the leader and founder of the Beach called “Mad Hatter.” The two believe that once they get their hands on the full deck of cards, it can get them out of the empty city.
But their partnership does not last for long as Chishiya betrays Kuina later on. However, in the TV adaptation of the manga, he does not betray her and is instead separated from her. Either way, after going on his own, he helps the two main players of the manga named Yuzuha Usagi and Ryōhei Arisu. They were finding it difficult to go through a game of “Tag,” and with Chishiya’s help, they were able to escape it. In the aftermath of this gesture, he forms a liking for the two.
Chishiya’s Personality and Philosophy of Life
Chishiya’s personality has a lot to do with his ideology which in turn is reflective of his nature, beliefs, moral values, and principles. All of this guides and determines his behavior. His characteristics are what shape his quiet and sly personality. One could be quick to judge his personality by pointing out the flaws in his character, but it is important to understand the reasons behind him being how he is. Even though it seems at first that Chisiya lacks etiquette and good moral values that make his behavior bad in general, he has his reasons. And it is mainly his troubled past that he cannot escape no matter how hard he tries to do so. And it has had its toll on his character and affected his beliefs as Chishiya, in a way, has almost lost his faith in humanity.
Chishiya is very much well aware of all this, and he, too, doesn’t like himself for who he is. And that doesn’t mean that his heart is all black, as at times in the story of Alice in Borderland, he has shown emotions over a loss. One instance where his grief was quite visible was when a player named Keiichi Kuzuryu died. It showcased that he has some humanity left to him, which is contrary to the cold heart his nature suggests otherwise. If there’s one thing that is quite remarkable about Chishiya is his ability to keep a cool and calm head in even the most heated or difficult of times. He is calm and highly intelligent. He uses his skills to analyze and plot things so that he can manipulate his way to achieving his goal. But despite all his shenanigans, he has lost his will to live.
Chishiya’s Style and Fashion Statements
Chishiya has a nice style, and his sense of dressing is second to none. His fashion choices and the clothes that he wears suit his personality well. His fashion statements are displayed the best in the TV series adaptation of Alice in Borderland as opposed to the manga, which doesn’t do justice to his style. And it makes sense because the purpose of manga comic books is to read, and there’s not enough room for visualization of the character or the context of the story. Whereas on the other hand, TV series have the ability to showcase and visually present the characters in any way possible. In the TV series, we see Chishiya wearing fashionable clothing time and time again. A few examples of his dressing sense and clothing are the outwear that he puts on top of his outfits, which we have to say are out of this world.
The White Hoodie he wore in the TV series is one of the best outwear from the entire series. And if you are wondering where to find it, then there is only one place to get it from, and it is through the online store of William Jacket. You are in luck because they have Chishiya’s hoodie available in stock. So before it gets sold out, we suggest you get going and get your hands on it right away. And just so you know, the hoodie they are offering looks exactly like the one Chishiya wore in Alice in Borderland TV series. That is because the whole team at William Jacket has carefully designed the hoodie and has paid attention to even the smallest of details. They wanted to make sure that once this hoodie is made, it bears the exact same resemblance to the one from the TV series.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Chishiya die in Alice in Borderland?
No, Chishiya does not die in Alice In Borderland, and he instead lives so that he can return to the real world. He wants to make up for the mistakes he made in the past, and he gets his wish fulfilled when he wakes up in a hospital in the real world.
Who plays Shuntarō Chishiya in Alice in Borderland?
A Japanese actor named Nijiro Murakami plays the role of Chishiya in Alice in Borderland TV series.
How old is Chishiya in Alice in Borderland?
The Chishiya birthday is not known in Alice In Borderland manga comic books. But the actor that played Chishiya in the TV series, Nijiro Murakami, was 23 years old in the first season of the Alice In Borderland TV series.
What does Chishiya mean in Japanese?
The name Chishiya has different meanings in Japanese according to different people. Some believe that Chishiya means “torch seller” in Japanese, which is true of the light he exudes in guiding others to victory. It is also quite fitting of his ambitions for a brighter world. Others think that Chishiya is of Japanese origin and it means “Destined.” But the one meaning that most people agree on is that the name Chishiya means “Cheshire Cat ” in Japanese. This meaning is reflective of his characteristics of a superfast brain and quick wit to solve puzzles and games.
How tall is Shuntarō Chishiya?
Just like above, once again, Chishiya’s height is not mentioned in Alice In Borderland manga comic books. However, we know about Chichiya’s height in Alice In Borderland TV series. And that is because the actor that played Chishiya in the TV series, Nijiro Murakami, is 5 ft 6 inch (168 cm) tall. So therefore, Chishiya is 5 ft 6 inch (168 cm) tall.
How did Chishiya and Kuina meet?
It is not exactly known how Chishiya and Kuina met, but it is understood that they first met at the Beach and formed an alliance thereafter. From the start, Chishiya’s intention of teaming up with Kuina was to get information about Arisu. He was using her all along, and once he got what he wanted, he betrayed her along with Arisu and Usagi.
Why did Shuntarō Chishiya betray Arisu?
Chishiya betrayed Arisu in Alice In Borderland manga comic books because he wanted to get the deck of all of the Number cards for himself. And the other reason why he betrayed Arisu was because of his honesty, and he hated honest people like Arisu. However, in the Alice In Borderland TV series, Arisu and Chishiya are simply separated rather than Chishiya betraying Arisu.
Is Chishiya a bad guy?
Even though Chishiya personality type is dark, he is not exactly what you would call a bad guy, and that is because he has a softer side to him.
Is Chishiya a sociopath?
No, Chishiya is not a sociopath, but he has made one or two questionable decisions in the story of Alice In Borderland that make him seem like one.
What is Shuntarō Chishiya backstory?
Chishiya was born to hardworking parents. His father worked in the medical field and was committed to his work. His father, just like his mother, prioritised work over children and neglected Chishiya growing up. The lack of attention and love that he received from his parents made Chishiya lose faith in humanity as well as his interest in life and his will to live.
