Shuntarō Chishiya (苣屋駿太郎, Chishiya Shuntarou) is a major character in Alice in Borderland. His specialty is not clearly stated in the show, however, the promotional poster hints at Hearts (♥️), even though the original version of the character specialized in Diamonds (♦️). He is portrayed by Nijiro Murakami.

Personality

Chishiya is portrayed as a highly intelligent individual, whose observation skills prove advantageous in most situations, enabling him to survive all types of games. His complete disregard for human life and manipulative nature allow him to use others for his own benefit, which he justifies with his wish to stay alive. He remains calm in any circumstances and analyzes his predicament with a smirk on his face, trying to find a solution, even if everyone else around him starts panicking. Despite his preference to operate in the shadows, he tends to have a sharp tongue and display rude manners in his interactions with others, and he has openly admitted being clever on multiple occasions. Niragi once mentioned that Chishiya's eyes are "irritatingly condescending".

Appearance

Chishiya is a young man with dyed platinum blond hair that reaches his shoulders, and a tiny mole under his left eye, usually hidden behind his long bangs. He is notably shorter than most people around him, so he often wears platform sneakers. His outfit always includes white colored parts, mainly a white hoody with pockets to hide his hands in.

When first encountered, Chishiya is dressed in a printed T-shirt with a white zip-up hoodie on top, dark-gray loose-fitting joggers, and black and white sneakers. While at the Beach, Chishiya wears the hoodie on bare skin, white board shorts with a blue pattern, and flip-flops. At the beginning of the Second Stage, Chishiya changes his clothes to white loose-fitting joggers, a dark-gray T-shirt, and a long two-tone open-front cardigan. For the rest of Season 2, he appears wearing a black T-shirt with a thick white hoodie on top, and black loose-fitting joggers.

History

Prior to his arrival in the Borderlands, Chishiya worked as a junior doctor with a job at Sakurazawa University Hospital (unlike in the manga, where he was revealed to be a medical student), his practice being within pediatric cardiovascular surgery. It was shown through a flashback that he had a patient named Hayato. Chishiya was seen comforting the boy and then reassuring his mother that his condition was more stable and his surgery would be happening the following week.

Afterwards, a superior took Chishiya aside to inform him that Hayato's surgery would have to be postponed, because the organ transplant waiting list order had changed. Handing Chishiya an envelope containing a patient referral, the other doctor explained that the transplant (originally intended for Hayato) would instead go to the grandson of a friend of the hospital director, a major financial donor. When Chishiya asked about Hayato, his superior said that the boy would get a transplant later, and that Chishiya would have to deliver this news to Hayato and his family.

After Hayato's death, Chishiya's superior attempted to justify the decision by claiming that, even if the surgery had proceeded as scheduled, there was no guarantee it would have been effective. He further stated that doctors cannot always work by their own ideals, and that money, power, and connections often affect the outcome. That was a moment that sent Chishiya down the path of becoming cynical and disillusioned by the injustices within the medical system. He realized that he would not always be permitted to live up to his own ideals, and that his most vulnerable patients would pay the price. The brief flashback also showed a softer, caring side of Chishiya, as he was once hopeful of helping other people.