'Great Pretender' Preview: Japanese swindler gets thrown into the deep end when he tries to con a French crook
If you want a change from the romcoms or the slew of relentless action films dropping across streaming platforms, we do have a solution for you. A wacky and quirky anime series titled 'Great Pretender' is coming to Netflix and promises to hold your attention. The series chronicles the story of international con artists and the scams they pull on the rich and the gullible. 'Great Pretender' premiered on July 8, 2020, on Fuji TV's +Ultra anime programming block in Japan. The first part of the series will be released globally on Netflix on August 20 and comprises of fourteen episodes. It is not based on any known manga. However, now there is a manga that's available to read if fans are still keen on it.
'Great Pretender' tells the tale of a Japanese con artist, who is thrown into the deep end, when he tries to defraud an international scammer who takes him under his wing. Makoto Edamura is a professional swindler touted to be the best in Japan. Along with his partner in crime Kudo, he tries to deceive a Frenchmen in Asakusa, only to be cheated in return. The man is Laurent Thierry, one of the world’s best swindlers and leader of the Mafia. Edamura’s fate hangs in the balance, as he engages in the Frenchman’s dirty jobs. Here's the official synopsis from Netflix: "Supposedly Japan's greatest swindler, Makoto Edamura gets more than he bargained for when he tries to con Laurent Thierry, a real world-class crook."
Makoto Edamura will be voiced by Chaiki Kobayashi and Laurent Thierry by Junichi Suwabe. The voice cast also includes Natsumi Fujiwara, Mie Sonozaki, Fuminori Komatsu, and Ryouta Takeuchi. Part two of 'The Great Pretender' will be arriving on Netflix in 2021 in all probability. As of now, three cases comprising of fourteen episodes have aired in Japan so far, and more are on the way. Two more cases have been announced, which takes the total episode count to 23. The Japanese broadcast date is yet to be announced.
'Great Pretender' will begin streaming on Netflix, August 20.