The Netflix Show so S1 only. Haven’t read the manga and haven’t blogged in a hot minute… anyways.

All characters start with 10 points that get deducted for reasons based 100% on my personal, garbage opinions.

My criteria:

• Their removal would affect the plot
• They undergo some change/character development, good or bad
• We see different sides of their personality
• They have a plot of their own that doesn’t revolve entirely around a male character. OR
• They are well-developed within the confines of the role they are written to play
• They don’t toss away every traditionally feminine trait in an attempt to be a strong, independent womyn

*Major Spoilers Ahead*

Momoka

• she’s the one with the long hair, on the left, in the background
• WITCH
• bffs with Asahi
• a dealer

Momoka’s suicide over (I guess) feeling guilty at having caused the deaths of countless others by helping set up the games (or maybe she knew she was the witch and just offed herself??), inadvertently causes like 5487543094 more deaths when she triggers the 10 Hearts Witch Hunt Game at the Beach.

What an absolute queen of chaotic evil.

Momoka Rating: 7.5/10

Asahi

• she’s the one with the short hair in the front
• smartly recorded evidence though it was lowkey all for naught
• game master
• *red laser of death*
• bffs with Momoka
• also a dealer

Asahi wisely recorded evidence of the dealers secret headquarters, which later got moved and all the dealers were killed so… Anyway, to date I’m not sure if she was faking not knowing who the witch was, or if she was in on it with Momoka, or what was up with that situation. Either way, she’s dead having sacrificed herself as a distraction so plot amour could keep Arisu alive for another episode.

Asahi Rating: 7/10

Live Door

• looks harmless but actually can lead to death
• responsible for the first on-screen demise
• general queen behavior

Live Door Rating: 10/10

Mira

• Queen of Hearts
• absolutely unhinged speech
• black outfit is on point
• actually the game master
• great hair
• one of the HBICs of the beach

It was obvious something was up with Mira because during the witch hunt all the other top executives were seen at the start except her.

As of S1, her reasoning for torturing people via games in a bizarre, alternative Tokyo is still unclear but my guess is she’s either actually unhinged, straight-up evil, or doing some weird analysis of human behavior, which I can respect. Real queens don’t care about death, especially when it’s not your own and it’s for science.

Long live the queen.

Mira Rating: 9.1/10

Dealer With the Collar

• tag, you’re it
• horse head
• dies via neck explosion

Horse Head Lady aka Dealer with the Collar haunts Arisu long after she’s dead, and she also illuminates the fact that players are made to participate in the games in more ways than one.

Dealer With the Collar Rating: 10/10

Girl Who Dies In The Water

• she’s the one in the flower shirt
• DUMB

Girl Who’s Electrocuted To Death’s Rating: -01/10

Ann

• sunglasses indoors
• sunglasses indoors during a water game
• one of the HBICs of the Beach
• white queen
• seemingly the only person actually trying to solve the witch hunt game
• outfit on point
• lipstick on point
• extremely smart and level-headed
• being a genius herself, she could obviously sense Arisu’s genius as well, hence testing him in the water game (while wearing sunglasses)

Ann was like the only person who seemed to actually be trying to figure out who the witch was and, thanks to her smarts and Arisu’s guessing skills, they were able to confirm it was indeed Momoka who killed herself, making her the witch.

Ann’s Rating: 9.5/10

Saori

• great hair
• hair, make-up, outfit, etc. is really on point for having been playing death games for like a week
• she’s wearing heels!
• slept her way to the top in the real world, only to end up in the back rooms borderlands
• really wants to survive
• wisely tries to pit Chota against his homeboys but fails

Let’s be honest, we all would’ve done what she did during the wolf game. Girly was ROBBED at her chance at life because of Arisu’s bozo friends. Her writing (which apparently differs from the manga) wasn’t that great either, especially that squicky scene with her and disabled, ill, virgin Chota who can barely walk. Like flip the genders and that wouldn’t have even made it to TV in woke Hollywood.

I would normally hate her for running away once she became the wolf, because it’s possible Arisu would’ve thought of a way to save them all, but we all know the plot wouldn’t have let that happen as it was obvious they were all gonna all die as soon as Chota got injured.

Saori’s Rating: 6.5/10

Kuina

• beat up cringe sword master dude without a weapon and in a bikini whilst mercenaries are running around and the building is on fire
• amazing hair
• tragic backstory
• was taking care of her sick mother before being phased into the borderlands
• trash father
• always with what’s-his-face-blonde-hair
• represents the caterpillar
• helps steal the playing cards from the safe

The writers really had me thinking that backstory with the martial arts was cringe sword dude. It was actually Kuina, who is a straight thug and learned how to deal a final blow from her garbage dad. Not sure why she’s hanging out with skeevy blonde dude who’s name I can’t remember but I’m gonna be mad if she’s dies in Season 2.

Kuina Rating: 9.5/10

Usagi

• really good at climbing
• only reason Arisu is alive x2
• represents the white rabbit
• excellent survival skills (can hunt, start a fire, set up a camp)
• in incredible shape
• tragic backstory: father committed suicide after being accused of lying about a hike

Usagi was the daughter of a famous mountain climber who often took her along, hence where she got her awesome, climbing abilities from.

Anyway, I will always love the fact that she not only bit Niragi’s tongue, but also ignored Arisu the first time she saw him wallowing on the ground and left him there to die until pity-saving him later. While I lowkey ship her with Arisu, I’m glad she wasn’t just sidelined as his love interest as soon as she was introduced.

Usagi Rating: 9.5/10

Girl Who Died During Doors Game

• chose the obviously wrong door
• dies just to show the main characters and audience that these games are dead serious. Literally

GWDDDG Rating: Karube, Chota & Saori’s Collars Exploding/10