Sommerleigh Pollonais, Senior Writer
Plot: Makoto Edamura, supposedly Japan’s greatest swindler, gets more than he bargained for when he tries to con world-class crook Laurent Thierry.
Review: Playing catch up with all the world of anime has to offer is no easy task, but you know what they say, the only way to do it is to do it!
Working my way through my back catalogue of shows to watch I came across Great Pretender (2020), this Japanese ONA (original net animation) was released on Netflix in June 2020 with multiple episodes covering four cases in total; (Los Angeles Connection, Singapore Sky, Snow of London and finally Wizard of the Far East). Simply put, it’s the type of show where two or three episodes cover one story arc (think Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba).
The story feels like a blend of Lupin meets Ocean’s 11 where our protagonist Makoto Edamura is a small-time con man who aspires to greater things. Edamura doesn’t want to live the con artist life and initially aspires to find honest work, but due to his father’s criminal past and his own past arrest he decides to embrace the lifestyle, but with his own twist. Teaming up with a gang of similarly minded crooks like Robin Hood and his Merry Men but on a globe-trotting scale, Edamura and his friends target the ultra-wealthy of the world (usually criminals) and through a series of over-the-top schemes, try to take them for every dime they’re worth.
With a sharp, colorful and dynamic art style, great musical choices and a host of characters all of whom carry trauma that have shaped them into the people we see, Great Pretender is never boring to watch. Fans of heist films will especially enjoy watching and figuring out the cons at play here. And even with one plot taking place over multiple episodes, the pacing never drags. This comes from someone who usually doesn’t enjoy stories structured like this. Some of my favorite anime like Black Clover and The Seven Deadly Sins struggled when they dragged one narrative out too long. Then again, shows like Demon Slayer and Great Pretender show that it can be done, with style!
Another aspect of this show that was very surprising was how it tackled darker subject themes. Considering the comedic and lighthearted tones of the heists being pulled off, I was genuinely surprised by how dark the backstories for the characters tended to be. From those who survived actual war zones to murdered parents and even child trafficking, Great Pretender doesn’t shy away from actual real-life traumas. Yet the heavier dramatic elements are never jarring and only work to make the characters more lifelike, quite a feat considering the over-the-top nature of the cons they pull off.
So, if you missed this one when it first released and you’re looking for something “new” I highly recommend checking this show out. With gorgeous fluid animations, a banger of a soundtrack and a great balance between the varying genres of drama action and comedy, Great Pretender is one of those anime shows that threw everything at the wall and somehow managed to make it all stick. A sequel, Great Pretender: Razbliuto, is set to premiere in February 2024.
Sommer’s Score: 8 out of 10
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Sommerleigh of the House Pollonais. First of Her Name. Sushi Lover, Queen of Horror Movies, Comic Books and Binge-Watching Netflix. Mother of two beautiful black cats named Vader and Kylo. I think eating Popcorn at the movies should be mandatory, PS4 makes the best games ever, and I’ll be talking about movies until the zombie apocalypse comes. Double Tap Baby! Read More