REVIEW: ‘Great Pretender’ is Perfect for People Looking for a Con

With over the top schemes in the name of “justice” on the bad guys, Great Pretender, from Wit Studio is a blast to watch. Licensed by Netflix in the United States – making it a Netflix Original anime, Great Pretender, focuses on the notion, “Nothing is too grand in the realm of a successful con.” In this anime, if you’re a corrupt person – from drug lord to art dealer – you are not safe. This anime gives you the warning, “be careful who you cross” because you know not who they are.

Great Pretender, which is based on the manga of the same name written by, Ryota Kosawa, follows the footsteps of a lowly Japanese conman named, Mokota Edamura, as he wars with himself in deciding to either continue the life of a swindler or try and live a proper life. Yet due to sad circumstances which thrust him further into the underworld, but doesn’t stop him from trying to find the light at the end of the road. Though part of me wants him to succeed in getting there, I can’t deny his abilities and the different perspective he brings to the group as a whole. 

The premise of the show focuses on an Edamura and a group of more experienced swindlers as they pull off rather dramatic and elaborate cons. These cons are focused on the super-rich who are also corrupt, and these “missions” are focused on exposing the evils and either saving someone or just making an insane amount of profit. The plot of Great Pretender is quite enjoyable because it has its moments of comedy and more serious moments that address more pressing matters of the crew. This balance kept me on the edge of my seat to see whom they shall talk about and who is the next target.

The pacing of the show moves along quite well as each con takes place over 3-4 episodes, with each episode focusing on a section of the con. First, they locate their target, examine their target, and then execute the heist. Though they make it seem so simple, I can only imagine how much planning really goes on in the background that isn’t shown in the show, and part of me is sad because I would love to know more details of each con.

Though Edamura is the main protagonist, there is a lively cast of characters that make themselves just as prominent. First would be, Laurent Thierry, a suave Frenchman who’s a far more experienced conman who ends up taking Edamura under his wings and introduces him to the more elaborate world of “the con”. Next, is Abbie, Laurent’s right-hand man, but she has quite a bit of a traumatic past that lends to her rather cold demeanor. We also have the beautiful Cynthia who uses her acting skills and beauty to help the crew. Lastly, we have Kudo who was Edamura’s first boss, who happens to join in on the action from time to time.

Great Pretender flows like a fine wine, rushing to overwhelm the palate but coming off with a beautiful finish, and wanting you craving more. I’m usually not a binge-watcher, but this anime captivated me and held me in my seat until I got to the end, and I still want more.

Great Pretender is a solid anime, that I personally put in my Top 10. From the way, they show many of the characters’ backgrounds, allows you to relate more to the characters on a personal level. My favorite character in the show would be Abbie. She has the most mystery and when you learn about her, you see that she’s literally fighting day to day, but doesn’t stop her from sticking to Laurent’s side. I would also have to say my picking a favorite con is hard because all three are done some masterfully and made me feel good when they were successful.

Overall, Great Pretender, is a solid show. From the introduction song to the outro, which is a song of the same name sung by the Legendary Freddie Mercury, this show has the capability to be a long-running anime. The three cons in the first season has me wanting more to come sooner than later. Honestly, if this anime is successful I can see many more seasons, more people to con, and moreover the top awesomeness that is shown in this anime. I would highly recommend this anime to anyone who is looking for a fun anime with some deep story building, comedy, and seeing the bad guys go down without even knowing what truly even happened to them until it’s too late. Great Pretender is for fans who are interested in thieves, comedy, crime, drama, and deep backstories.

Great Pretender is currently available to stream on Netflix.