Great Pretender
Summary: A series of unfortunate events has led Makoto Edamura to adopt the life of crime—pickpocketing and scamming others for a living. However, after swindling a seemingly clueless tourist, Makoto discovers that he was the one tricked and, to make matters worse, that the police are now after him.
While making his escape, he runs into the tourist once again, who turns out to be a fellow con man named Laurent Thierry, and ends up following him to Los Angeles. In an attempt to defend his self-proclaimed title of "Japan's Greatest Swindler," Makoto challenges his rival to determine the better scammer. Accepting the competition, Laurent drops them off outside a huge mansion and claims that their target will be the biggest mafia boss on the West Coast.
As Makoto becomes increasingly involved with the cunning Laurent, his colorful associates, and the world of international high-stakes fraud, he soon realizes that he got more than what he bargained for as his self-declared skills are continually put to the test.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
Description
A series of unfortunate events has led Makoto Edamura to adopt the life of crime—pickpocketing and scamming others for a living. However, after swindling a seemingly clueless tourist, Makoto discovers that he was the one tricked and, to make matters worse, that the police are now after him.
While making his escape, he runs into the tourist once again, who turns out to be a fellow con man named Laurent Thierry, and ends up following him to Los Angeles. In an attempt to defend his self-proclaimed title of "Japan's Greatest Swindler," Makoto challenges his rival to determine the better scammer. Accepting the competition, Laurent drops them off outside a huge mansion and claims that their target will be the biggest mafia boss on the West Coast.
As Makoto becomes increasingly involved with the cunning Laurent, his colorful associates, and the world of international high-stakes fraud, he soon realizes that he got more than what he bargained for as his self-declared skills are continually put to the test.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
Available At
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Great Pretender Trailers
Great Pretender Pictures
Great Pretender Review
Great Pretender — A series of unfortunate events has led Makoto Edamura to adopt the life of crime—pickpocketing and scamming others for a living. This overview is intentionally spoiler-free and focuses on tone and intent rather than plot specifics.
Thematically, It sits firmly within Action, Adventure, Mystery conventions as a TV work and has garnered attention (MAL score: 8.19). This work explores character dynamics, tonal shifts, and the interplay between narrative ambition and execution. The story's pacing and tonal choices are crafted to complement the central ideas, often emphasizing atmosphere and emotional truth over explicit exposition. The show's ability to evoke a consistent mood — whether melancholic, exuberant, or contemplative — is a recurring strength, and the scenes are constructed so viewers can infer stakes without needing explicit spoilers.
Characterization is a core pillar here. Protagonists and supporting figures are written with distinct motivations and narrative roles; even when archetypal, the series invests in small behavioral details that make choices feel earned. Character arcs are handled with an eye for gradualism: development often arrives through incremental beats rather than abrupt, expository shifts. The interactions between characters create texture, and relationships are used to illuminate both personal flaws and larger thematic concerns.
On the visual front, production values play a significant role. The animation quality varies by sequence but frequently showcases thoughtful direction and composition. Background art, framing, and color palettes are used deliberately to support tone — quieter scenes favor muted palettes while action or heightened emotional beats employ brighter, more kinetic visuals. Direction choices, such as camera movement and shot selection, often elevate scenes beyond their raw script, creating moments that linger in the viewer's mind.
The soundscape — score, incidental music, and sound design — complements the visual language. Music cues are placed to maximize emotional resonance without manipulating the audience with melodrama; this restraint often leads to more authentic emotional payoff. Sound design punctuates key moments, and when the series leans on silence, those quieter moments are given weight by measured audio choices.
Pacing and structure are handled with craft. Episodes are arranged to build tension and release methodically, and the narrative rarely rushes through important emotional beats. That said, the deliberate pacing may feel slow to viewers who prefer faster plot turnover; the reward is greater nuance and an accumulation of meaning across the series. Accessibility is generally good — one can appreciate surface-level pleasures, while repeat or attentive viewing reveals additional layers.
No title is without flaws. Occasional unevenness in subplots or variable animation across episodes can be distracting. Some tonal shifts might feel abrupt if you expect uniformity; others will argue that those shifts are purposeful. These are worth noting, but they seldom undercut the larger achievements of the work.
In sum, Great Pretender offers a rich experience for viewers who value character-driven storytelling, considered visual design, and a soundtrack that supports rather than overwhelms. For fans of Action, Adventure, Mystery, this is an especially rewarding watch. It's recommended for those who appreciate layered narratives and artistry in animation, and best approached with patience and attention to nuance.
Characters & Voice Actors
Edamura, Makoto
Main
Kobayashi, Chiaki
Japanese
Edamura, Makoto
Main
Lee, Alan
English
Edamura, Makoto
Main
Drummond, Eduardo
Portuguese (BR)
Edamura, Makoto
Main
Faliu, Martin
French
Edamura, Makoto
Main
Benedetti, Marco
Italian
Edamura, Makoto
Main
Chemin, Pascale
French
Edamura, Makoto
Main
Becerril, Diego
Spanish
Edamura, Makoto
Main
Mann, Marcel
German
Edamura, Makoto
Main
Faulkner, Griffin Robert
English
Edamura, Makoto
Main
Cruz, Francisco Javier
Spanish
Jones, Abigail
Main
Fujiwara, Natsumi
Japanese
Jones, Abigail
Main
Mohammed, Kausar
English
Jones, Abigail
Main
Alves, Natália
Portuguese (BR)
Jones, Abigail
Main
Tamburello, Martina
Italian
Jones, Abigail
Main
Khakhoulia, Zina
French
Jones, Abigail
Main
Chong, Cynthia
Spanish
Jones, Abigail
Main
Elßel, Laura
German
Jones, Abigail
Main
Villaverde Hernández, Andrea
Spanish
Moore, Cynthia
Main
Sonozaki, Mie
Japanese
Moore, Cynthia
Main
Post, Laura
English
Staff
Itou, Hitoshi
Producer
Okada, Maiko
Producer
Ozaki, Noriko
Producer
Saitou, Masaya
Producer
Kaburagi, Hiro
Director, Episode Director, Storyboard
Hata, Shouji
Sound Director
Abe, Yuujirou
Episode Director
Akamatsu, Yasuhiro
Episode Director
Deai, Kotomi
Episode Director, Storyboard
Hiramuki, Tomoko
Episode Director
Imai, Yukiko
Episode Director, Storyboard
Kanamori, Youko
Episode Director, Storyboard
Katagiri, Takashi
Episode Director
Masuyama, Ryouji
Episode Director, Storyboard, Assistant Director
Matsuda, Tetsuaki
Episode Director
Sakurabi, Katsushi
Episode Director, Storyboard
Shirahata, Yoshiyuki
Episode Director, Storyboard
Suzuki, Takaaki
Episode Director
Teshima, Mai
Episode Director, Assistant Animation Director, Animation Director
Kosawa, Ryouta
Script, Series Composition