REVIEW: ‘Liar Game’ Episode 1 — “The Legendary Con Artist”

Liar Game Episode 1, “The Legendary Con Artist,” introduces Noa (Saya Hitomi, The Invisible Man and his Soon-To-Be Wife), a woman most commonly referred to as “stupidly honest.” This honesty will come to hurt her after she receives a mysterious package informing her she’s entered Liar Game. Before long, she is 100 million yen in debt, unless she can get the money back with the help of a fresh-out-of-jail con artist named Shinichi Akiyama (Takeo Otsuka, Oshi No Ko).

The setup established in this opening episode is excellently handled. Noa is instantly likable, even if she is honest to a fault. A likely candidate for a “Must Be Protected At All Costs” award, it is instantly evident how out of her depth she is once her involvement in the game is laid out.

Fujisawa is a necessarily cartoonish villain for Noa to encounter.

When she is quickly swindled by her known opponent, former teacher Kazuo Fujisawa (Nobuo Tobita, Train ot the End of the World), it firmly drives home the point of just how trusting Noa truly is. Though it won’t be the last time we see this trait highlighted.

How she is swindled by a person she believes to be trustworthy is upsetting, even though anyone watching will instantly know it is happening. The abuse of trust, especially given how blatantly naive Noa is, makes Fujisawa instantly loathed. Something Liar Game Episode 1 wholeheartedly leans into. 

There is a time for antagonists to be complicated, and there is a time for them to be hated. Given how doing anything underhanded is against Noa’s nature, the series rightly decides to push Fujisawa’s personality clear into villainy, so Noa’s resolve can be believable. If her opponent were at his wits’ end with no other way out of a terrible situation, she’d never be able to take the necessary steps to win. This push toward cartoonish villainy feels necessary for Noa’s resolve to form.

How far Akiyama will push Noa is the most intriguing part of Liar Game Episode 1.

Existing between the two extremes is the con man, Akiyama. When Noa learns of him, it is through an article about him conning a corrupt corporation. This sets him up as a more Robin Hood-like figure than an out-and-out con man. His inability to set Noa adrift when she comes asking for his help, even after he’s just been released from prison, reinforces the idea that the character is unlikely to be all bad. 

How far Akiyama will push Noa to accomplish their agreed-upon goal is the most intriguing aspect that Liar Game Episode 1 set up. How much Akiyama will struggle with the pressure he applies to Noa, as well as the potential for Noa to go over the deep end once she starts doing underhanded things, provides a compelling narrative to see play out. 

The visual presentation that brings the narrative to life leans into the key emotional moments with gusto. From broken sobbing to manic screaming, the animation by MADHOUSE pushes the story’s emotions to its fullest. The emotional intensity it delivers reinforces the expectation that these sorts of struggles will be central to the plot, even more than Noa’s actual efforts to win the game. 

Liar Game Episode 1 delivers a strong setup for its narrative.

While the emotional depictions in Liar Game Episode 1 are strong, the overall design itself is fairly forgettable. Characters, costumes, and locations never stand out, creating a largely forgettable world. Hopefully, as the story unfolds, more memorable elements will be introduced to help it stick in viewers’ minds more. 

Liar Game Episode 1 delivers a strong setup for its narrative. Its introduction of Noa, as well as the struggle she faces and the personalities that surround her, feels ripe for some great, emotionally explorative storytelling. If it can land these elements in the coming episodes, it should bring a quality experience, even if some of the visuals lack punch.

Liar Game Episode 1 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.