Self-styled “Japan's greatest swindler” Makoto Edamura is mainly targeting elder people and occasional
foreign travelers. But when he tries to scam an apparently clueless French tourist in Tokyo, he can't
possibly imagine that what looked like just another ordinary job is going to take him all the way to
Los Angeles, tied upside-down on the famous Hollywood sign… And he is yet to find out what fate awaits
him!
(Source: Crunchyroll)
~~~ img100%(https://www.kotaku.com.au/content/uploads/sites/3/2020/07/18/xdssltozb6q8ekf8orok-1280x702.png) ~~~ # ~~~ Ever ran into the problem of sharing anime with people who don’t watch anime? I did too. ~~~ If you can’t tell by my stupid username, I’m a pretty big fan of these cartoons. However, there are some localized quirks and tropes that would turn potential weeblets from giving anime a shot. How do I introduce friends to this cool catalogue of shows without them getting too big of a shock to their system and distancing themselves from me? Unless you grew up watching Pokémon or a “Big 3” show, I wouldn’t know many titles that would make for a good entry point into the medium. But ask me that same question today and there will be one name, right on the tip of my tongue. Spoiler-free coverage of both halves of the show, skip ahead to my **Tl;Dr** if you prefer to go in blind. *** ~~~ img100%(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ef5B1MXXkAkh0h6.jpg) ~~~ # ~~~ *Great Pretender* (GP) begins *in medias res* with our main character’s world literally turned upside down ~~~ as he dangles off the Hollywood Sign, tethered by his feet. Such an opening is probably one of the more memorable ones I’ve seen recently, yet that’s not even the most ambitious of this story’s intentions. Director Hiro Kaburagi previously demonstrated his Western sensibilities with *91 Days.* But with GP, he trades that grimy noir tale for a homage to heist films. He’s playing a wildly different ball game, like a traveling team playing Away at the home of a foreign sport. There’s no falling back on familiar *shounen* tropes or localized references; the show is decidedly a Western, and an underdog at that. Yet, GP punches far above its weight and proves itself more-than-capable to sit right up there with the very best in the genre. Against insurmountable odds, not unlike those Laurent and his crew face, GP cooks a perfect plan for success rooted in style and confidence. ~~~ img100%(https://lostinanime.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Great-Pretender-04-05-65.jpg) ~~~ # ~~~ The series’ structure mirrors the tightly-wound cons themselves – there’s more to this show than meets the eye. ~~~ As to be expected with your caper story, the show has tricks and twists aplenty. Laurent’s Band of Merry Men (and Laughing Ladies) take money from the rich by turning their own weapons against them. With millions of dollars on the line, there is no room for error; >One mistake and you’re gone. ~~~ img100%(https://lostinanime.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Great-Pretender-02-03-47_thumb_thumb.jpg) ~~~ # ~~~ Anticipate ingenious ideas, enigmatic escapes and gambits galore on this wild journey. ~~~ I’ll leave to your imagination the wacky plays our misfits come up with, as it’s an absolute joy to discover the many ways GP pulls the rug out from under you. Really respectable is how the show actually explains the secrets behind the many illusions, while adhering to the tropes it commits itself to and common sense. Shows along a similar vein, like *No Game No Life* for example, do this only when its convenient (still liked it quite a lot, DW.) GP plays by the rules but still carries a plethora of tricks up its sleeve. What’s fun is that on the off-chance you see the outcome a mile away, putting two-and-two together is still an engaging exercise likely to leave you with a goofy grin on your face. ~~~ img100%(https://media2.giphy.com/media/H6Elj2c13TWEdAPMNy/giphy.gif) ~~~ # ~~~ Controlled chaos is GP’s MO. ~~~ The show teeters on a tight-rope walk between the improvised and the calculated. A frantic energy dominates adrenaline-pumping action, ranging from car chases to dogfights. But the show never gets distracted with insane antics, instead meticulously building towards cathartic climaxes that cumulate in further excitement. There’s hardly a dull moment throughout the show, with a measured momentum that few stories can effectively match. Each episode provides a substantial sense of progression that I’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere else. GP achieves this with its brilliant use of parallels, foreshadowing and motifs. Elements throughout the show can both hint at how the various cons will work, while depicting a deeper picture of our characters – a story nested within a story. Be it the small capsule toys Makoto picks up or the fiendish criminals Laurent’s Merry Men (and Laughing Ladies) encounter, every detail in the plot says something about the direction our story is headed. As such almost all the scenes feel weighty and purposeful in a way, as if every step is going according to *keikaku.* ~~~ img100%(https://lostinanime.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Great-Pretender-20-24.jpg) ~~~ # ~~~ Set dressing is also a strength, akin to the many “fronts” set-up. ~~~ The music is memorable stuff. Its OP is the second coming of *TANK!*, and few shows can brag about the great Freddy-frickin’-Mercury name-dropping the series title as their ending theme. Also notable are the specific music choices for each arc, which fit nicely^ as the story progresses. GP art style is easy on the eyes while showing more love for the genres it emulates. The show doesn’t shoot for hyper-realistic composition or lighting effects, choosing instead to derive its distinct look from clear straight lines and a diverse color palette. Neon-like backgrounds hammer home the vibrant pulp aesthetic its going for, and it makes sense. GP isn’t the most grounded of shows, with its globe-trotting escapades and zany twists. Such an off-kilter atmosphere revels in that playful tone and looks fantastic. GP maintains its creative liberties while being flexible in its approach; ~~~ img100%(https://lostinanime.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Great-Pretender-13-14-03.jpg) ~~~ # ~~~ Much like the costume changes our cast pull on a regular basis, GP puts on a new skin with each of its arcs. ~~~ "L.A. Connection" introduces Makato Edamura, the self-proclaimed best conman in all of Japan, as he steps into the City of Dreams – and the world of crime. In "Singapore Sky" Abby, the *de facto* muscle of the crew, risks everything the clouds and is asked why she welcomes danger with open arms. "Snow of London" sees the sophisticated Cynthia return to the titular town and the love she left behind. GP’s episodic storytelling is takes on different appearances as a crafty chameleon would, with each arc as tightly-constructed as the cons themselves. It’s not dissimilar to the “Watanabe” approach, with the key difference being that *Bebop* and *Champloo* prefer to go all-in with its stylistic influences. GP may not display that level of versatility but balances that out by giving its themes and characters just enough room to grow. The series places a great deal of narrative confidence in its confidence men/women, compounding the stakes of their elaborate high-wire acts. ~~~ img100%(https://lostinanime.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Great-Pretender-16-17-66.jpg) ~~~ # ~~~ All these components – thrills, style, twists and shock – come crashing together in a jaw-dropping final act. ~~~ “Wizard of Far East” was both the strongest arc in some aspects and the weakest in others. The few "cons" (pardon the pun) throughout the series rear their head in its last leg. It’s the story arc that stretches believability the most and is built around the uncomfortable recurring gag of Makoto getting manipulated by his friends. But although GP looks the closest its ever been to falling completely off the rails, it’s in these same conditions where the series performs its best. One might say the show takes on a “fake it ‘till you make it” attitude, but isn’t that exactly how cons are meant to work? The series as a whole **is** the master plan, and we’re its dumbfounded marks. GP’s ambition lies not just in scamming rich crooks, but in playing tricks on the audience as well. Every arc strives to surprise, and this last arc is more of the shocking same. The schemes, more intricate than we’ve ever seen; the stakes, as high as ever; the buildup, deliberately paying off thematic threads introduced within the arc and revisiting story beats from prior cases; the presentation, well-handled, the central conflict; dark and compelling – all culminating in an explosive conclusion, an Abby-*esque* middle finger to anybody expecting any less. ~~~ img100%(https://64.media.tumblr.com/5757b9942bae9a49a931970d9ccb9002/8463da9026838026-7c/s500x750/0b84ab43d9a325db338abee2d52f6ccf878ba9fa.gifv) ~~~ # ~~~ **Tl;Dr**: ~~~ *Great Pretender* is masterful in execution. With the chips stacked against it, GP effortlessly translates Western story conventions over to anime in convincing fashion. A pastiche of the caper pulled off with panache, GP pays faithful homage to Hollywood. The team behind the project make their love for these Westerns known, while creating a fantastic piece of fiction of their own. Expect countless surprises and much more in store; effective storytelling, themes and pacing make this 2020 offering a must-watch. GP, my hands are up. *You got me.* ***Oh yes…*** **9/10**~ # ~~~ STRAY RAMBLINGS (**SPOILERS**): ~~~ - ^Exception being the rap track reused for Case 1. WIT just couldn’t get the rap right, it was just cringe that I was sad to revisit when they replayed it in Case 4. - I expected something more complex for the final act, like pitting Makoto against Laurent. I think the show had time to get to that point, given that Laurent went a step too far by forcing Makoto to literally fall in his father’s footsteps. The direction they went with instead doesn’t ask too many questions about its morality, again speaking to the “fake it ‘till you make it” writing. It sure worked on me though, heh. ~~~ img100%(https://lostinanime.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Great-Pretender-06-07-64.jpg) ~~~ - I can attest that no event as the “Pathfinder Air-race” will ever take place in a place as conservative as Singapore. I’d be surprised to find anyone crazy enough to sign off on the idea of having planes zooming so low above the ground and dangerously close to tourist attractions and infrastructure. Also, there were like 20 more “Supertrees” in the show than in real life, that scene with the planes weaving around that fake forest had me laughing the first time I saw it. Other than that, props for nailing the look of the city, cool stuff! ~~~ img100%(https://lostinanime.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Great-Pretender-13-14-02.jpg) ~~~ - In “Snow of London,” Cynthia’s tin box is labelled “Farrah’s Toffee.” James Coleman, the art appraiser, manipulates a wealthy lady named Farrah Brown into building up his private art collection. In short, it is reasonable to infer that our boi James literally had a sugar mommy. - Let’s talk about the English: I know y’all found it pretty grating in the pilot episode, but I thought it was a rather neat concept. It got overbearing in “Wizards” though, all the linguistic switch-ups were embarrassing at times. I will say they got the Chinese VAs spot-on, really captured that “Hong Kong police show” vibe. ~~~ img100%(https://lostinanime.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Great-Pretender-08-05_thumb.jpg) ~~~ - **BEST GIRL**: Cynthia. *Cyn-thee-UH*. Plenty of idiots in the show give her flak for being an “old hag” but she’s **SMOKIN’**. Also, her role in “Snow of London” made the Case closely edge out the other arcs as my favorite throughout GP (cheesy pick, I know.) ~~~ ~! img100%(https://media3.giphy.com/media/fRhiAKpWwW8UTdlSDW/giphy.gif) !~ ~~~ *** ~~~ img100%(https://i.ibb.co/V9q1DkW/Great-Pretender-S01-E23-Case-4-9-Wizard-of-Far-East-1080p-WEB-DL-AAC2-0-H-264-a-Kraa-mkv-2020-10-02.jpg) *Well played.* ~~~ And that's a wrap! Calling this a little early, but I'm pretty confident we have a *great contender* for AOTY in *Great Pretender.* Here's a fun idea: take a shot for every time I used alliteration in this article. I'll send you two cups of coffee and a hug once your hangover's over. If you happen to like my verbose rants, feel free to check out my other [reviews](https://anilist.co/user/AnimeDweeb/reviews) for seasons past and present, peace~
Great Pretender could have easily been a 10/10 anime for me if it weren't for the fact that at it's worst it was so frustrating I wanted to rip my hair out. Unfortunately, the very last arc and conclusion of this anime really let down what was in the running to be an all-time favourite show. __Story__ This anime is divided into four arcs and unfortunately, the story for the very last arc -- which takes up 9 episodes -- was an absolute shit show that did wrong by the characters and threw away the moral compass guiding most of the cons just for some unearned grand finale. The last arc had some characters doing things for the plot that just soured me completely on them, and it really felt like the anime had lost all consideration it had for consistency and development just so it could throw zany flat plot twists at us. It was so disappointing because when Great Pretender was good it was GREAT!! The show explores some extremely heavy themes like war and human trafficking, yet it also does not seem to realise the implications these horrendous acts actually have. That when people commit them they're not just being regular B-Side bad guys. It's meant to be a fun heist story so I don't expect an in-depth study into the horrors of these crimes, but if you're going to use it then show some respect for the seriousness of the subject matter. __Art__ Absolute outstanding. A visual feast. Gorgeous to look at. __Sound__ Even with some corny OST choices, I loved it, honestly. __Character__ Looking back the only thing I'm sure of is that despite my frustrations for the last arc, for the large majority of the show, the vibrancy of the ensemble cast served as the beating heart of the show. Makoto, the main character, is wholesome and someone you always want to root for. Abby is tragic and brave and so compelling! Cynthia is fun and flirty! Laurent... is Complicated lol. The relationship between all of them is fizzy and delightful and they have wonderful chemistry. IT'S TOO BAD THEY SAID, "FUCK ALL" TO ALL THAT IN THE LAST ARC!! __Enjoyment__ I was counting down the days until the last case was released, because I enjoyed so much of this anime when it didn't let me down. I had a great time with the characters and I wanted to know more about them and I cared about them! And the cons were ridiculous but it was just fun seeing this gang we ended up caring so much about executing them. __Overall__ Despite my bitter feelings for how it ended I really don't think I can discount how much I enjoyed the majority of my viewing, which is why I'd give it an 8/10 overall. What this anime gets right it really gets right. It's fast-paced, enjoyable, with great chemistry between the characters. It's a shame about some of the extremely poor choices it made.
What happens when you take a little bit of Ocean's 11, Catch Me If You Can ,and a huge dose of The Brothers Bloom? Well to put it bluntly you get Great Pretender. I had almost settled on the show being perfect but there are some glaringly minor nitpicks that bring this shown down a notch. However, Great Pretender was the biggest and best anime surprise this year besides Dorohedoro. It's a straightforward premise of the con-man, or in this case a group of con artists that's made exceptionally well with plenty of style and satisfaction within each character arc. These story arcs might be disguised as side adventures, but they really explore the backstory of each character of the team while also making it exceptionally entertaining in the process. It's as if each arc takes upon a series of "cons" a kin to what you'd get to watch in a heist movie. One may be favourable over the other, but that's what makes each arc so entertaining and accessible for everyone of varying tastes. The entire cast including the protagonist Edamura is just a breath of fresh air in a sea of generic, stoic main characters found in recent modern shows that pride themselves as viewer self-inserts more than anything. The amount of care establishing each personality, and how they form closer bonds makes each episode feel like it counts. I've never seen an animated cast with so much chemistry, every one just plays off each other so well making for some great faux-sophisticated double crosses. Even the stories themselves give each character a chance to shine in their actions and their backstory. Although each arc is usually limited to 4-6 episodes and it does so much with the time its given to feel like a complete journey that makes you think its part of a separate season itself. More importantly dividing each storyline into these smaller focused arcs means that they don't overstay their welcome, and can move on to the next part of the plot with ease. Even the visuals take on a character of their own as the plot hops from place to place to explore different cultures and sceneries that get their chance to shine. Great Pretender just oozes style, flare, and gravitas that almost dances around with how passionate it is about itself. Even the soundtrack is absolutely fantastic, from the opening credits that really feel like the Catch me if you can sequence, to the spot-on use of Freddy Mercury's Great Pretender; loved the hidden reference to his cats. Even some of the vocal tracks really hit hard at the right time, and although certain music (such as the theme) can sometimes feel overused, it all comes together to create something truly fun to watch. Even many of the "cons" work out perfectly most of the time, even when they don't at first, and those who have seen movies like The Brothers Bloom will understand the bait-and-switch style of pacing. This is a show where you'll have to suspend your feelings of disbelief as you witness the failed con devolve into a con of cons. The whole idea of the show is to go along for the ride and just enjoy it, and although it can seem "clever", it's best not to think too hard about its plausibility because we're served the (almost) perfect anime on a silver platter. The amount effort put into the show's visuals is stunning and desktop-material. The bold shot composition just screams perfection and a huge understanding of artistic composure that feels fully realized. Studio WIT still manages to find ways to impress me with their attention to detail as seen in high octane hits like Attack on Titan, Vinland Saga or Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress. Although they dropped their usual grittier art style of action shows like the ones mentioned above, don't let that fool you because there is some hard hitting emotional moments and a much darker side that you are guaranteed to choke up on as you learn more about the story. It's hard to find a show like this that feels so genuine about its presentation, and it absolutely knows when to laugh and when to take itself seriously. __HOWEVER __we need to talk about something I mentioned earlier. Call it thematic theatrics for a show that double crosses your expectations at the last moment. Remember when I said you should suspend you're disbelief? Well do I have news for you who might've got frustrated with Great Pretenders lack of stakes. Sure, it's easy to accept each "con" as part of something that moves the plot along, and without getting into heavy spoilers, the latter half of the final arc blows it with some heavy emotional dissonance. I know the show prides itself as being sophisticated, but there is a huge difference between that and self-entitled arrogance that tries so hard to "fool" the viewer. Let's just say on the record that it absolutely fails to capture any meaningful emotion because the plot gets way too ahead of itself for its own good. I felt cheated of deserved emotional payoff, no wait, I was conned. It was the kind of expectational subversion that would make any Rian Johnson fan giddy with bewilderment. Great Pretender builds up a heap of emotions that then fall through the cracks because they can't commit to something legitimate in its finale that gave me a reason to keep caring. The emotional disconnect and suspension of disbelief kills the weightiness of the story as it tries its best to wrap up in a neat little box with just enough threads to be left open. The last two episode tried so hard to have its cake and eat it as it dances around with over-the-top theatrics that become more animeme than anime. If there was one thing Great Pretender did exceedingly well it was taking advantage of its setting to impress its viewer, but I was neither impressed nor satisfied with what they did for the final con or its resolution because they strayed so far from that. It's as if the writers said "look ma' no logic", and expected you to swallow this massive pill to forget its leaps in believability. At this point the story stock market just crashed and I lost all my emotional investments right then and there. The show could've forgot a lot of the previous cons in favour of pursuing a cohesive finish, but I'd be lying in saying I didn't feel robbed of an explanation that didn't feel pretentious. Every little plot detail doesn't have to connect with Edamura's life to be conclusive, in fact shoehorning every minor detail at the last moment kills a lot of my nostalgic goodwill towards the ending. The show isn't perfect even as is, however it doesn't detract from the enjoyment I had despite becoming an emotionally battered viewer. I love it, but I really don't know if I want a second season because of its consistent use of a plot-driven safety net for its characters. This is a one-and-done plot in the best possible way that almost could've been perfection had they stuck to it being one series. Great Pretender is not talked about enough, and it's available right now on Netflix. I'm surprised a show of this caliber is getting so little attention, and I'd say it's safe to say its sorely underrated. This might have been anime of the year for me if it hadn't jumped the shark. With shallow low-brow shows like Uzaki-chan wants to hang out (ugh we see these kinds of show every year, don't get me started), it's nice to know that the industry still has enough passion and originality to really knock it out of the park with a charming show such as this. Besides the ending being a cop-out, Great Pretender was such a fun ride all the way through. This is a show that deserves all the praise and enjoyment it can muster, and it will most certainly be re-watched in the years to come.
Quando venni a sapere che WIT STUDIO era lo studio assegnato alla nuova opera animata di Netflix, non potevo trattenere l’hype. Reduce da un finale da pazzi per la terza stagione di Shingeki no Kyojin (Attack on Titan), che mi aveva messo i brividi come la prima volta che lessi il manga, non potevo far altro che entusiasmarmi dinanzi a una serie che portava lo stesso marchio, pur non avendo lo stesso staff (che a mesi sarebbe passato a MAPPA). Figuratevi la mia reazione quando venni a sapere che il concept dei personaggi era stato affidato a Yoshiyuki Sadamoto, uno dei character designer di Evangelion e l’animatore di altri anime che ho molto a cuore, come Gurren Lagann o FLCL. Ancor prima di iniziarla ero sicuro che l’opera mi sarebbe rimasta impressa, e non mi soffermai nemmeno a vedere gli altri membri dello staff, tra cui figuravano Hiro Kaburagi (91 Days, Fantastic Children) o Ryota Kosawa. Quanto mai non l’ho fatto: se fossi stato a conoscenza che colui che aveva tra le mani lo script dell’opera fosse un novellino alle prime armi, forse le mie aspettative e conseguenti delusioni non sarebbero state così grandi. Ma cos’è Great Pretender? I più vecchi di voi ricorderanno benissimo l’omonima canzone, la cui fama è in parte dovuta al fenomenale Freddie Mercury, che ne fece la cover. Con questo titolo l’autore va a identificare la figura di Makoto Edamura, protagonista dell’opera, che si vanta di essere il più grande truffatore del Giappone. Vanto di poco conto, dato che da lì a poco vediamo uno straniero di nome Laurent ingannarlo e successivamente prenderlo sotto la sua ala, portandolo con sé durante le sue truffe in giro per il mondo. L’anime si divide in un totale di 4 truffe, organizzate nei quattro angoli del globo, le quali avranno come protagonista un membro differente della banda: Los Angeles per Makoto, Singapore per Abigail, Londra per Cynthia e Asia per Laurent e il membro “segreto”, e come antagonisti dei classici cattivoni che in un modo o nell’altro vanno a relazionarsi col passato della nostra crew. img220(https://danbooru.donmai.us/data/sample/__kanbe_daisuke_abigail_jones_katou_haru_edamura_makoto_laurent_thierry_and_2_more_fugou_keiji_balance_unlimited_and_1_more_drawn_by_ash_starmy__sample-c1531351fb2840ca55b77667bb4cb3a3.jpg) La serie animata si presenta molto bene ma al tempo stesso molto male; da una parte difatti abbiamo un design unico per i personaggi, una buona seppur scontata caratterizzazione e un’ottima visione: la palette di colori è molto accesa e l’animazione si presenta fluida e frenetica. Tuttavia il rovescio della medaglia si presenta nelle parti logiche della narrazione, vittime forse della mano inesperta dell’autore o di un velato, ma malriuscito, labirinto. Pur di coprire i buchi di trama vengono utilizzate delle forzature enormi o piani tanto elaborati quanto inutili, con uno schema che è sempre il solito. Spesso essi sono così scontati o così impossibili da far ribrezzo per quante volte li vediamo accadere; “Grandi Piani” che potrebbero crollare su loro stessi con una piccola spinta. Senza contare l’eccessiva teatralità impiegata dai membri della banda, che potrebbe far nascondere Lelouch (Code Geass) in un angolino per l’imbarazzo. Musicalmente parlando invece, l’opera è molto particolare. L’opening è un tema Jazz molto presente nell’opera, composta appositamente da Yutaka Yamada, e andrà a fare da sottofondo nelle scene finali più frenetiche per ogni cour.Un piacere ascoltare ogni volta la cover di GP, un occhiolino molto gradito a vari fan. Ma quindi? Perché recensire un’opera che sembra così mediocre? La risposta è semplice: seppur la trama e il contesto sia molto fragile, la vera forza sta nella banale ma perfetta costruzione dei personaggi (seppur con un piccolo scivolone nel finale). Sia i protagonisti che gli antagonisti sono ben fatti, la loro storia parla da sola e non c’è bisogno di alcun approfondimento o spiegazione per capire quello che fanno. Inoltre un pregio della regia è quello di riuscire a dedicare la calma necessaria per mostrare i vari passati dei personaggi, trattando temi molto attuali come le guerre in medio-oriente, l’amore o il legame padre-figlio. Per concludere, direi che è il momento di parlare delle mie considerazioni personali: essendo io uno che privilegia lo sviluppo della trama, è intuibile che sotto questo aspetto boccio del tutto la serie. Fin da piccolo venivo imboccato dai miei con pane e Clooney (Ocean’s Series) e quindi vedere una serie simile trattata con così svago per quanto riguardava essere uno dei suoi temi principali (le rapine) mi ha fatto talmente storcere il naso fino a spezzarlo; aggiungendo inoltre la mia poca passione per le commedie i pochi momenti “volutamente esagerati e spensierati” sono pesati e non poco durante la visione di questa serie, complice anche un doppiaggio che era tutto fuorchè perfetto, seppur con molte lodi. Ho fatto fatica a empatizzare e affezionarmi ai vari personaggi, fatta eccezione forse per Abigail (Tomboy girlfriend for life), che ha trattato degli argomenti che mi stanno un attimo più a cuore, complice anche il fatto che sto approfondendo molto il tema tramite Mobile Suit Gundam negli ultimi tempi. Tuttavia è una serie che nonostante tutto mi ha intrattenuto e che fa il suo sporco lavoro, e non faccio altro che augurare il meglio a Kosawa. L’amaro in bocca è stato tanto, e se gestito un attimo meglio sarebbe potuto esser tranquillamente l’anime della stagione. Ma si sa, ai “jappo” piace giocare facile sotto certi punti di vista e molto spesso la narrazione è una di queste. La scena finale è quella che probabilmente mi ha trasmesso più rabbia, come se forzatamente si cercasse di aprire un finale chiuso.
Great Pretender is a show that does nothing inherently new but does work quite well because of strong side characters and storytelling. Its arc system is also a strong point. It helps to tell the stories of different characters without ever feeling preachy or boring.
At the risk of sounding like an ass, there’s an almost unbearable mediocrity to the visual direction to a lot of anime (and all other artforms for the record). Not to sound reductive, however, I find it hard to be compelled by the aesthetic of most seasonal shows that come and go, not to name any names. And I bring this up because I think it is frustrating to see what can be done through art, only to see the same thing over and over again. The value of “the artstyle” can often be overlooked in certain analytical circles, which I think is foolish in a medium defined by moving pictures. The color direction, cinematography, and such of films and series like ‘Her’ (2013), ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ (2018), ‘Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken’ (2020), just to name a few, are timeless, and add an immeasurable amount of value to my experience. And if there’s anything to applaud shows like ‘Blend S’ for (no offense), they certainly make the best all the more striking. In the 2020 Netflix series ‘Great Pretender’, the greatest con-artist of Japan, Makoto “Edamame” Edamura, accidentally starts working for “confidence man” Laurent Thierry after unsuccessfully trying to scam them, leading to a series of ‘Oceans Eleven’-like heists. And with one of the most diverse cast and equally exceptional productions I’ve seen in a minute, the Hiro Kaburagi and Ryota Kosawa made series packs a real punch. Seeing the poster should make you understand well enough _Mild spoilers ahead_ And it delivers for sure, my reaction to watching the first couple of episodes was that of pure excitement. “Fuck this is good” to quote my exact comment. From the angular and triangular character-design to the variety of personalities, this was uncannily refreshing. The first five episodes follow the main cast as they try to scam one of the biggest “film producers”, but more importantly drug traffickers, in the industry, and although certainly not a screenplay achievement by any means, feels perfectly made to introduce us to the tone and major characters of the series. What else is there to say about the presentation of the series but “truly professional”, and in that sense, I think the first storyline is kind of incredible in its simplicity. This kind of story works at its best when there’s a great sense of energy in the characters who follow the narrative instead of the other way around, and this combined with the fantastic design work, and oh man did I mention the background illustrations, makes for a very engaging series. And if it turned to shit after this point, I would’ve honestly been fine for how much it has already given. And although shit might be an overstatement, the direction in which the characters in relation to the narrative are taken is one I am less fond of. After the events of the first five episodes, Edamura starts working as a mechanic which inevitably leads to working for Laurent again, and although there is no drastic shift in tone or structure, there is a clear spotlight put on the inner workings of its individual characters. This may not be an issue on paper, in fact, I think their relevance to the series’ themes on western capitalism and imperialism is another element of it that makes the series stand out amongst other “heist”-type stories. Yet I find myself almost wishing these developments to be dampened. Not necessarily because I think their arcs are insignificant, although they may be so, but because of how they detract from storylines that I would’ve found more engaging without them. Despite the idea of a heist series with a strong theme of neoliberalism and how it manifests in each of its characters being an intriguing one, I think this would’ve felt less grating if the series was set up so. And although I would’ve liked to say that the presentation held up these segments well enough, I think after a while I needed something more than that to feel engaged. If there’s a silver lining however to this, then it would be that the series finale, although sharing negative qualities with previous storylines, I think serves a narrative that better fits them. Being presented in 9 episodes instead of the usual 5, a more personal take on the genre fits, especially when its role is to say goodbye to its characters. Despite lacking some of the cohesiveness and energy I would’ve liked, there are many moments that I still have on my mind, including scenes in which Laurent is given some very interesting background that I felt fit the story more than I did before. And everything culminating in a striking final episode featuring twists and a reference to the beginning of the series was exactly what I needed, especially after I had been blue-balled to such a level. __Strong 7/10__
>Everyone lies... That simple and that simple is one of the most uncomfortable truths that human beings can have. Because no matter how we see it, there will be times when pretending is the best option (or perhaps the only one) and the series to which I dedicate this post does nothing more than remind us of it in a great way. And yes, I mean Wit Studio's latest gem: Great Pretender. img(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IPtYQwWgP1M/X9TSWhSXQ4I/AAAAAAAAFPc/IpoykeeDA5MtMmKJgZMHhKk9dROcHhXUQCLcBGAsYHQ/s16000/Caratula%2B%25281%2529.png) Yes, only the bad guys are our target, so brace yourselves because you will be scammed. That is the main line on which Great Pretender moves, and for this the story puts us in the footsteps of Makoto Edamura (Edamame for easy) supposedly the best con man in Japan, or at least that is what he believes until he meets Laurent Thierry, another scammer (French in his case) and who, after winning a certain bet, recruited him as part of his "Confidence Man" team alongside Abigail "Abi" Jones and Cynthia Moore, making him participate in different cases in order to scam to individuals of all stripes, from drug traffickers to disgraced Arab princes, an art curator, a child trafficking organization, in short, no one will be saved. ~~~__Once upon a time, Ocean's Eleven ... __~~~ This is how Great Pretender will constantly move between adventure and to a lesser extent, drama, posing 4 different cases that will travel around the globe: Los Angeles, Singapore, London and finally Japan. Based on the above, it is not surprising that the series focuses on the group's different and well-developed plans to defraud their targets, always based on their prior knowledge and doing so not only as work but as revenge for their "misdeeds ", with which they also become the most curious antiheroes. And it is precisely thanks to this point that they are reminiscent of that Ocean's Eleven film franchise. (The Great Scam) where his team of scammers was also in charge of collecting justice. All with a narrative that despite not being so deep, it is well used, making each episode something worthy and super entertaining to watch, always managing to maintain interest in how the scams were carried out. ~~~img(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hQJe1piNLAc/X9TYWfMZcSI/AAAAAAAAFRs/EOMbonHx58odaG5mC4Az8y8kYCof0LIUACLcBGAsYHQ/w286-h400/10.png)~~~ ~~~__YES, I'M THE GREAT PRETENDER! __~~~ However, far from stagnating in a typical adventure and scam series, Great Pretender goes further and not only plays justice but also presents the fragility of its protagonists. Because as I wrote at the beginning, the human being is full of fear and that is why we pretend, that we pretend in order to protect ourselves. And the 4 protagonists are a clear example of this: Edamame, Abi, Cynthia, Laurent ... all of them swindle with a smile on their face, with phrases as false as "We are lone wolves" because they have more sense of justice than they are he would like and above all, with great pain and loss in his past. And that is why they succeed, because in each of their respective cases they are "stripped", fragile and damaged yes, but because they also end up redeemed, a little more at peace with the world and with themselves and that is where Great Pretender really shines, by showing us those who pretend to everyone, including themselves, smiling like one who has not won anything despite being on top of the world ... despite their loneliness. Because as Freddie sings in what is perhaps the best phrase (also the most significant) of the work: __I'm wearing my heart like a crown ... pretending that you're still around !!! __ In spite of everything, nothing is perfect and Great Pretender is no exception to this rule, having in its case, an ending that may or may not be liked and that does not allow the series to close with a flourish. Likewise, sometimes there is a lack of tension in the antagonists of each case, since our protagonists are never really on the verge of being discovered. Now, does this affect the viewing or the genius of the series? Well no, the truth is that Great Pretender is so round that even these errors are insufficient to take away the high level of quality and entertainment. But Great Pretender is not only adventure and action seasoned with sensitivity and pain, it is also a tremendous effort on a technical level; because yes, this work has one of the most risky, unique and effective proposals of the year. From its character design, by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto we find well-defined features and a particular aesthetic that tends little to rounding off features, also presenting us with protagonists of different ethnicities and with their own characteristics in each one, making each place shown in credible. the play. The costumes are also effective, having a wide variety according, again, to the role played by each protagonist at the time. However, the most outstanding thing comes when talking about the backgrounds and especially the work of Yuko Kobari who is in charge of the color direction and gives us scenarios full of it, stunning, attractive, aesthetic and that play with a changing palette. according to each of the cases. Even the CGI used by the series is well exploited thanks to its incorporation into the landscape. This type of animation may or may not be liked but in any case it will never leave the viewer indifferent. img(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fyteM9y-I10/X9TWxlgLVoI/AAAAAAAAFRY/pgUy8tbuhCMfculMhipMti5K304HvwcDgCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h458/2%25282%2529.png) And the series not only fulfills in terms of animation, also standing out at the sound level thanks to the work of __Yukata Yamada__ , who presents an OST full of ballads to the rhythm of jazz and pieces that perfectly enhance the sequences we see on screen. From intimate songs like "Our Love" , to some more generic and powerful like "You Know" , each piece reflects the moment of the series in question, as well as the feeling of the protagonist in turn. A separate case deserves the OP "GP" which to the rhythm of jazz traps us in the world of the work, having a base that more than remembering Cowboy Bebop has reminded me of another classic of the scam: "Guns & Roses" Baccano . In short, we are facing one of the best openings of the year. And if the OP seemed incredible to us, the ED of the series is simply amazing, because it is from nothing more and nothing less than the great Freddie Mercury: Great Pretender. Yes, the homonymous song is also in charge of closing each episode and the truth is that there could not be a better piece to do it because this is, in short, the whole essence of the work. And Wit Studio was in charge of letting us know thanks to a great montage with cats in which we can not only see kittens being ... kittens, but it is also loaded with elements of the work, from the backgrounds to the calico cat itself. stars in the sequence... and that is a reflection of Thierry himself. Simply the best closing and summary of what Great Pretender is, making us wonder how much the series was inspired by the song. ~~~................................................................................ ~~~ __The human being is an entity at least curious when exposed, almost never satisfied with what he has and almost always afraid of what he may lose. Great pretender is an excellent portrait of it and it is thanks to the way it tells its story, hooking us from the first moment. With a great plot that, without being the most complex or the flattest, perfectly exploits its charismatic characters and takes them through chaotic, exciting adventures with an amazing animation and a powerful OST (with an epic ED), delivering us one of the best works I've seen in recent times ... A work that cheats itself with a stoic smile ... __ >__If you liked this review, you can check more content on my personal review [Esp/Eng] 13 Frames: https://13fotogramas.blogspot.com/__
Great Pretender è forse l'unico anime prodotto da Netflix che considero di livello. Già dai primi episodi si capisce che non sarà il solito prodotto fatto per vendere: infatti Great Pretender ha avuto tutto il potenziale per essere eletto anime dell'anno 2020, vinto, a parer mio non meritatamente (almeno non ancora, chi legge il manga sa...), da Jujutsu Kaisen. Questa recensione sarà completamente spoiler quindi non leggetela se non avete visto l'anime. ____ STRUTTURA L'anime è composto di 23 episodi, divisi in quattro casi, ognuno incentrato su uno dei quattro protagonisti, Edamura, Laurent, Abby e Cynthia. La recensione sarà divisa in 5 parti, una per ogni caso più l'analisi delle visual e del sonoro. ____ CASO_1: Legame a Los Angeles Nel episodio ci viene mostrato un ragazzo giapponese che si autoproclama il miglior truffatore del Giappone. Dopo aver truffato una signora Makoto Edamura, il protagonista, torna a casa, e si ritrova accerchiato dalla polizia. Deve quindi scappare e per caso sale su un taxi in cui ritrova un francese al quale aveva rubato il portafogli. Da qui inizia la storia. Il francese si chiama Laurent ed è un truffatore che si fa chiamare "L'indiscusso mago del raggiro". Laurent porta Edamura a Los Angeles dove dovranno truffare un produttore cinematografico e capo di una gang mafiosa, Eddie Cassano. Dopo le vicissitudini che vengono raccontate nei 5 episodi che trattano il caso, Makoto si rende conto che ciò in cui credeva, ovvero essere nato per truffare, è in realtà una maschera che si è messo su da solo, per scappare da ciò che era la sua vita fino a d'ora. Infatti il passato di Edamura è travagliato: si vede crollare il mondo addosso quando scopre che il padre, un noto avvocato, è in realtà un truffatore e un mercante di umani (precisamente bambini), e infine gli muore la madre, malata da tempo, l'unica che credeva in lui. Dopo ciò diventa un truffatore, viene arrestato e successivamente bollato come truffatore da ogni datore di lavoro. Per questo Edamura è ciò che era fino ad adesso. Infatti dopo Los Angeles Makoto restituisce ogni yen che ha rubato truffando le persone. Questo primo caso fa da introduzione ad una storia che racconta di umani e di persone reali in un contesto pressochè realistico, ma utilizzando delle truffe al limite del ridicolo. Infatti come nella serie dei film di Steven Soderbergh, le truffe sono assurde e irrealistiche, ma riescono a scavare perfettamente nella psiche dei protagonisti. Cassano interpreta un ruolo molto interessante, perchè nonostante sia un capo mafioso classico che si gode la vita tra alcol e droghe, è anche un produttore cinematografico che, nonostante produca film spazzatura, crede veramente nei suoi lavori. Questo aspetto l'ho apprezzato particolarmente. img220(https://www.otaquest.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/28l26A2-1024x576.png) ____ CASO_2: Il Cielo di Singapore Questo caso è ambientato a Singapore e approfondisce il personaggio di Abby, o Abigail, una ragazza con un carattere molto forte ma che nasconde un passato fatto di dolore e di perdita. Il caso di Singapore si concentra su una gara di aerei acrobatici finanziata dai fratelli Ibrahim, due principi arabi che sono stati cacciati dal loro paese. Dopo essere stato in prigione per due anni Makoto esce di prigione e viene assegnato ad un officina dove impara a riparare motori di aerei. Pensando di star vivendo una vita normale Edamura è felice, fino al momento in cui scopre che in realtà assegnarlo a quella officina non è stato altro che Laurent, che aveva in mente di truffare Sam Ibrahim, il fratello maggiore, che corrompeva gli altri piloti della gara per far vincere suo fratello Clark. Abby parteciperà alla gara come pilota e verrà affiancata dal team dei "Maghi" composto da Cynthia, Laurent e Makoto. LA storia prosegue e infine Sam verrà truffato dai Maghi del Raggiro. Ciò che colpisce di questo caso però è la presenza di un personaggio secondario molto legato alle gare di aerei e anche al passato di Abby, Lewis Muller, ex pilota della Marina Militare Americana e successivamente un pilota di aerei acrobatici. Nell'edizione precedente della gara organizzata da Sam Lewis non si attiene al piano del principe e lotta fino all'ultimo con Clark, finendo per perdere l'uso delle gambe a causa di un incidente anormale. Il fascino del personaggio di Lewis è il fatto che è un personaggio molto travagliato. Sganciò la bomba che uccise la famiglia di Abby e per questo la ragazza tenta di ucciderlo. Lui però non si oppone, visto che si sente completamente inutile, e soprattutto un peso per sua moglie. Infine Abby, dopo la morte dei genitori, viene arruolata dall'esercito iracheno, e si vede morire davanti tutti i suoi compagni. Da un punto di vista prettamente narrativo questo caso è uno dei più contorti e "sgradevoli" da seguire, anche se il livello si abbassa di pochissimo. Il personaggio di Sam è perfetto, questo perchè rappresenta la mentalità arretrata e chiusa classica del medio oriente, invece trovo Clark un personaggio piatto e noioso, che non aggiunge niente alla storia. img220(https://lostinanime.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Great-Pretender-10-29.jpg) ____ CASO_3: Neve su Londra Il caso incentrato su Cynthia, la waifu migliore di tutto l'anime. Makoto dopo essersi trasferito a Nizza per cambiare vita, comincia a lavorare in sushi bar. Incontra nuovamente Laurent in compagnia di Cynthia, ma questa volta non sembra esserci intenzione di truffare qualcuno. Nel ristorante dove lavora Edamura arriva un critico, che giudica in modo pessimo la qualità del ristorante. Per questo il proprietario decide di chiudere e Makoto si ritrova in una locanda che presto chiuderà i battenti per mancanza di soldi. Makoto decide allora di truffare di nuovo di sua spontanea volontà, cercando di vendere un quadro in una galleria d'arte per 25 mila euro. Colpo di scena, il gruppo lo vende allo stesso critico che aveva fatto chiudere il suchi bar, ma si scopre che quest'ultimo è James Coleman, uno dei periti d'arte migliori al mondo, e che valuta il quadro per una somma di 20.000.000 di Euro. Edamura, pentito, chiede aiuto alla banda dei Maghi per poter truffare Coleman, che si copre essere una vecchia conoscenza di Cynthia. Infatti Coleman aveva interferito nella storia d'amore della ragazza, portando sulla cattiva strada Thomas Meyer, un artista che Cynthia aveva conosciuto nel bar dove lavorava, e che, nonostante il grande talento, non guadagna nulla. Coleman lo scopre e gli fa dipingere falsi d'autore, facendo diventare Thomas un uomo spregevole. Alla fine i Maghi truffano Coleman salvando anche Fara Brown, la compagna di Coleman che veniva usata come portafoglio dal perito d'arte per potersi accaparrare i pezzi più importanti. Da un punto di vista di profondità questo caso non tratta di un passato particolarmente travagliato ma veniamo a conoscenza di un lato di Cynthia che teneva sempre nascosto. Dietro la faccia della seduttrice che è ora c'è in realtà una donna che si è vista portar via l'uomo che amava. Il caso in sè è forse il più realistico dei 4 e per questo a parer mio uno dei migliori. Coleman, invece, è forse il peggior "antagonista" della serie, visto che è un personaggio fastidioso. Nonostante condivida con Cassano l'aspetto dell'amare il proprio lavoro e amare ciò che tratta il proprio lavoro, Coleman è all'opposto dell'antagonista del primo caso. Detto chiaramente e senza giri di parole Cassano è interessante, Coleman è uno stronzo. img220(https://occ-0-1723-1722.1.nflxso.net/dnm/api/v6/9pS1daC2n6UGc3dUogvWIPMR_OU/AAAABY011twysuySVKdix4hUUbHLcwiMKTzLwlXwAoxC3QZsZjH5tnM_Y20ry0EF5355K0lI38ZcBxrLeCeY8ntTRxvo4OGW37qBBKJCM9rScdCJlup8.jpg?r=a35) ____ CASO_4: Il Mago dell'Estremo Oriente Senza ombra di dubbio il caso migliore tra i quattro, complice anche il fatto dei 9 episodi in totale invece dei 4/5 dei precedenti casi. Makoto ora abbandona completamente la vita da truffatore e comincia a lavorare alla Scarlet Company, se non fosse che è tutto un piano di Laurent. La Scarlet fa parte del gruppo Suzaku, un gruppo facente parte della yakuza, implicata in un commercio di bambini. Il ricordo del padre implicato nel traffico di umani tocca nel profondo Edamura che ritorna a truffare. Questo caso si può tranquillamente dividere in due parti, passato e presente Infatti il piano di Laurent è un rifacimento del piano della passata squadra dei Maghi del Raggiro, capitanata dallo strabiliante Oz, che non è altro che Seiji Ozaki, padre di Edamura. Studiava piani perfetti e cercando di truffare la filiale cinese del gruppo Suzaku, un membro del gruppo, Dorothy, amata di Laurent, perde la vita. Qui la storia torna nel presente dove Makoto oramai è diventato seriamente parte del gruppo Suzaku, dopo aver incontrato nuovamente il padre ed essere stato ingannato da quest'ultimo mentre cercava di salvare i bambini trafficati dal gruppo mafioso. Da qui in poi il caso si fa difficile da comprendere appieno, questo perchè il ritorno di Oz, fa ricominciare la truffa alla Suzaku. Successivamente spiega tutto al figlio il quale accetta e comincia a collaborare di nuovo col gruppo dei Maghi. Il piano prosegue liscio ma Edamura comincia ad assomigliare sempre di più al padre: entra molto nel personaggio e si affeziona alla Presidente del gruppo, tanto che nel momento cruciale Makoto "inganna" Laurent, ingaggiando i 3 antagonisti dei precedenti casi. Laurent, nonostante sia shockato, capisce tutto e sta al gioco. La storia finisce con i due gruppi, quello di Shangai e quello di Tokyo, che dopo essere stati distrutti, si ritrovano su di un'isola deserta. Questo caso vede protagonista Laurent, ma non solo. Nonostante il passato che viene raccontato è quello del "Bastardo Biondo", i personaggi cruciali sono 3: Laurent, Oz e un magistrale Edamura, che si autoincorona miglior personaggio dell'anime. Gli antagonisti non sono di livello, sono i classici mafiosi senza nessuna sfaccettatura. Probabilmente l'unica che si "salva" e solamente Akemi Suzaku, che dopo un po' di tempo si affeziona a Edamura, considerandolo una specie di secondo figlio. Invece Xiao Liu è completamente piatto e non fornisce nessuno spunto di riflessione rispetto agli altri personaggi. img220(https://www.otaquest.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/firefox_LbifCzOsGL-1024x576.jpg) ____ AUDIO E VIDEO In questo campo Great Pretender stupisce, e non poco. Studio Wit (Ancient Magus Bride, Vinland Saga e ovviamente Attack on Titan) compie un lavoro di disegno e animazione fuori dal normale. Seppur le animazioni siano normalissime, i disegni sono su un altro livello. Ogni caso è contraddistinto da una palette di colori che rispecchia ciò che succede: nei primi due i colori sono accesi mostrando quanto siano surreali e esagerati i primi colpi, nel terzo i colori sono freddi per far capire allo spettatore che il caso parla della malinconia e nell'ultimo invece abbiamo degli sfondi e dei colori realistici e "normali", quasi a far pensare allo spettatore che il caso trattato è in realtà umano, quando in verità è il più assurdo di tutti. Per quanto riguarda il lato audio l'anime ci mostra come le OST se centrate facciano un lavoro importantissimo: le musiche in sottofondo riescono perfettamente a rappresentare il mood dell'anime, ovvero un prodotto più simile ad un film o ad una serie tv rispetto che ad un "cartone". Per non parlare della opening senza parole, perfetta anche lei per ciò che è l'anime. L'Ending invece è stata usata giusto per il nome, ma questo non vuol dire che non sia di livello, anzi, stiamo parlando di The Great Pretender, canzone del 1960 dei The Platters, riadattata nell'87 da Freddie Mercury. Una chicca che però possiamo goderci solo noi italiani è il doppiaggio, non ho mai visto un lavoro così magistrale per un doppiaggio: spesso sono rimasto a bocca aperta, soprattutto nella scena del rage di Makoto nel ventiduesimo episodio. Da guardare assolutamente in Dub. Opening: https://youtu.be/Yjv_yFgHYc0 Ending: https://youtu.be/Vk86fxEklq8 Ost: https://youtu.be/DYpvQamh13k ____ VOTI Storia: 10/10, niente da dire, ti rapisce fin da subito. Personaggi: Makoto Edamura 10/10, Laurent 9.5/10, Abby 9/10, Cynthia 8.5/10, e menzione onorevole Seiji Ozaki (Oz) 10/10, a parer mio il miglior personaggio Audio-video: 9.5/10 Consigliato?: Assolutamente si, e se qualcuno vi chiede con cosa iniziare credo che Great Pretender sia perfetto vista la sua somiglianza al mondo delle serie tv.
~~~__ THE GREAT PRETENDER __ ~~~ __I. Introduction__ ~~~img220(https://sm.ign.com/ign_fr/screenshot/default/great_deqn.jpg) ~~~ Genres : Action, adventure, comedy, drama, mystery Theme : Mafia Animation studio: Wit Studio release date: spring 2020 number of episodes : 23 __II. SYNOPSIS__ ~~~img220(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/cb/23/8f/cb238f60c5867ae3d0037e969b05f0e0.jpg) img220(https://ayther.fr/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/great-pretender-saison-1-fin.jpg) ~~~ Edamura Makoto is a crook who calls himself the biggest con artist in Japan. One day he will try to swindle a French tourist named Laurent Thierry but he gets tricked into his own game and is in turn swindled by this same tourist who turns out to be a very famous crook. Afterwards, makoto decides to collaborate with Laurent and his team in order to get back his money by making money all over the world. __III. Positive points __ - One of the main strenght of this anime it's especially the adventure side which is very nice and makes us travel with each new arc whether in the districts of Tokyo, the skyscrapers of Singapore and so on... and does not concentrate only in Japan geographically. Plus, the chara-design is really clean and beautiful. Not forgetting the color palette which is very colorful and pleasant to observe. ~~~ img220(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ef6xnRZUwAEef1V.jpg) img220(https://external-preview.redd.it/FEQ0NQXo0As0-H_CHlhyEcFt-aN3kVk7oVCXfkGx5_w.jpg?auto=webp&s=def316021b78398822b7761d53c6775f817b0135) img220(https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EqJL07YXUAALznv.jpg:large) img220(https://lostinanime.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Great-Pretender-04-05-66.jpg) ~~~ - Moreover, what I find great with this anime is that the viewer is somehow ripped off too, since the entirety of their strategy is only revealed at the end. So, prepare yourselves to be speechless more than once. ~~~img220(https://www.ecranlarge.com/uploads/image/001/345/great-pretender-photo-1345260.jpg) ~~~ - one of the others strong point of this anime is the mix of humor which is not excessive and seriousness very well balanced which makes an anime very pleasant to watch without any fuss. But despite this humorous and chill side of the anime many morals are present which is once again really good. Furthermore, the drama side of the anime contrasts the humor to avoid the heaviness that some comic anime have. ~~~img220(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/W6lyTbhK32c/maxresdefault.jpg)~~~ ~~~img220(https://lostinanime.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Great-Pretender-15-25.jpg) img220(https://lostinanime.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Great-Pretender-09-42.jpg) ~~~ - Finally, the greatest point of this anime is the realistic side where the characters actually speak in another language besides Japanese at certain times, for example in English or in French. ~~~img220(https://www.anisearch.de/images/character/screen/95/95255/full/491476.jpg)~~~ __Worth watching ? __ YES
#~~~___The Great Pretender___~~~ ~~~img520(https://c.tenor.com/l2CMiqkiimsAAAAd/great-pretender-anime.gif)~~~ ~~~___Summary___~~~ _The Great Pretender_ is a very good story about a bunch of individually unlikeable characters who come together to create a group of _slightly less unlikeable characters_. All kidding aside, I really enjoyed my time with _The Great Pretender_ after I powered through the pain that was the second arc. If you haven’t watched the show or you gave up on it, I would really encourage you either pick it up or finish watching it, as the third and fourth arcs really make this show go from a 7 to almost a 9. While I wasn’t a fan of the art direction, the style was well-executed and of high quality. All things considered, I would definitely recommend you give _The Great Pretender_ a chance. You won’t be sorry. ___SCORE: 8.8/10___ ~~~img520(https://c.tenor.com/w3R5B7ugNS8AAAAd/great-pretender.gif)~~~ ~~~___Story___~~~ _The Great Pretender_ is an ONA about a group of the world’s greatest conmen and four of their greatest cons. It is very fitting that this show is about conmen, because _holy crap do I feel like I got conned._ There are four arcs (cons) that are shown throughout the story, and somehow I was tricked by all four. It would start with them explaining the target and me saying “ok cool I know what’s gonna happen and how they’re gonna con him.” By the end of each con, they even had me tricked! I’m actually really impressed with how meticulous each plan was, and I was pleasantly tricked four times in a row. Honestly, I would say that the first con is really good because it sets the stage for the entire series and establishes the mood that continues throughout the rest of the show. The second con for me was the worst and this is actually when I originally stopped watching the show. However, last night I decided to power through it and then watch the third arc and _WOW_ the story improved. Between the second and third arcs the writers must have found some new stimulating drug or something because the writing _vastly_ improved. Each character had a background explored in pretty decent depth and there was a __lot__ of character development. Then, the fourth arc was one of the neatest storylines I’ve experienced from an anime. Seriously, this series was pretty damn good. In order, I would rate the cons as follows: 4 > 3 > 1 > 2. The show really does get better (and I mean ___MUCH___ better) as it progresses. ___SCORE: 9/10___ ~~~img520(https://66.media.tumblr.com/1fea47dac8fc85fbee1f18b397195886/50d7a289f5e27e61-2f/s500x750/520cef5db691404233d55c399baa245effd2a6e2.gifv)~~~ ~~~___Characters___~~~ I was conflicted for a while about the characters in this series. Originally I thought they were unlikeable, especially Laurent and Abigail. As the series progressed, the writers fleshed out each character and really explored their histories and the events that shaped them. For Laurent, for example, I liked him a lot in the first con and then disliked him in the second and third cons. In the final con, however, they do a deep exploration of his background and they are two _amazing_ episodes. This anime is definitely significantly above average when it comes to character development, especially for the main character. Edamura’s growth is very noticeable, and he grew in a way that was _pleasantly_ cringe-free. Even the four victims of the cons were well-developed and well-written. Characterization is where _The Great Pretender_ sticks out and really exceeds other anime I’ve seen. Still, I would have liked to see some more development for a couple of the side characters (we explore the backgrounds of a few, but they don’t really develop or change throughout the series which I felt was a missed opportunity for characters such as Abby). ___SCORE: 9/10___ ~~~img520(https://c.tenor.com/-J671n0uRjEAAAAC/great-pretender.gif)~~~ ~~~___Visuals___~~~ Visuals is probably where I’m most conflicted when it comes to _The Great Pretender_. On one hand, I say in my other reviews that I’m a huge fan of vibrant colour, and the colour palette of _The Great Pretender_ is exceedingly vibrant. However, I find myself disliking the art direction of the show as well as background design and animation methods. I can’t properly articulate why I wasn’t a fan of it, though I do think that it was pretty well done. From an actual quality standpoint, I would say the series was animated quite well, though stylistically I’m not a fan of the art/animation styles. Therefore, I will not deduct points simply because I do not like the style and it was still well-executed given its artistic direction. Also, I really liked the character designs and the faces. ___SCORE: 8/10___ ~~~img520(https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/001/890/485/b01.gif)~~~ ~~~___Music___~~~ At certain points the background music was slightly overbearing, though I’m a fan of the instruments used and appreciated the jazzy vibe so I am not deducting many points for this. As for the opening and ending, they are _fire_. ‘nuff said. ___SCORE: 9/10___ ~~~img520(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/48/43/f7/4843f7617ce2961456e1ac04f2cc7e60.gif)~~~ ~~~___Enjoyment___~~~ I enjoyed this one. I’m not sure if I would watch it again from start-to-finish, but in a year or two when I forget about it, I’ll definitely happily reminisce the great storyline and plot development while talking to @KisaDi and other anime fan friends (hopefully I make more of those!) in the future. I will definitely remember the amazing backstories explored in arcs three and four, as they were legitimately amazing plots and really well-executed. While I wasn’t a fan of the art-style, the writing was so good that it kept me hooked as soon as I got through the pain that was the second arc. I’ll describe my enjoyment trajectory using the following analogy: >~~~Watching the first arc was like entering a candy store that just opened on your block and stumbling upon a tasty new foreign candy that you were unaware existed until five seconds before you see it. You taste the candy and it was surprisingly good, so you try out the next flavour in the chain. The second arc (flavour) was bad. Painfully bad. Imagine the shopkeeper put razorblades in your new candy and it made you lose all your teeth (and die, probably?). So, you go to the hospital. While you are at the hospital, a sales representative (@KisaDi for me, in this case) for the candy visits you and begs you to give the candy (the show) another chance. So, you do. You figure, ok, I’ll watch it because this salesperson has recommended me some great candy in the past and I trust her opinion! So you try the new flavour! To your surprise, it is simply amazing. It brings you to tears because of how good it tastes. So now, you are reenergized and excited to explore the fourth and final piece of candy in this franchise line. Lo and behold, the fourth piece of candy makes you forget about your horrible razor-blade-related accident involving the second piece of candy, and instead pleasantly distracts you for the entire day while you are consuming it! In fact, the fourth piece of candy changed your mind about the entire franchise and turned an otherwise average candy into a ___really good above-average candy___ Now, you can die peacefully knowing that you didn’t give up on the candy and you were rewarded for it. Success. ~~~ There you go. That’s how I would describe my enjoyment trajectory for _The Great Pretender_. ___SCORE: 8/10___ ___P.S___ _If you enjoyed this review, please feel free to [check out my other reviews](https://anilist.co/user/dommywommy/reviews). Also, feel free to start a conversation with me about this series or any other great series you like! I’m new to anime/manga so I’m always looking for recommendations. I appreciate you reading until the end! Thanks so much and Happy New Year!_
~~~__[a major spoiler review of Great Pretender by satorublue]__~~~ ~~~img(https://otaku.mobileague.id/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Great-Pretender-banner.jpg)~~~ ~~~__My Ranking of Great Pretender (in order from most favourite to least favourite):__ ~~~~~~Case 1 - Los Angeles Connection Case 3 - Snow of London Case 2 - Singapore Sky Case 4 - Wizard of Far East~~~ __My thoughts:__ ~~~__Case 1 Los Angeles Connection__~~~ ~~~img(https://www.otaquest.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/28l26A2-1024x576.png)~~~ Great Pretender had an incredible start with Case 1, it introduced the characters perfectly and not once did I feel like I could predict what was going to happen. The arc ended so beautifully and I was left so excited to see what was going to happen next. Initially I was debating giving the number 1 spot to Case 3 but what solidified my choice in giving it to Case 1 instead was the fact that the anime itself could've easily ended with the first case if they wanted to. From start to finish, everything was so well structured, so once we reached the end I genuinely thought that it could've been the end of the entire series. ~~~__Case 3 Snow of London__~~~ ~~~img(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/74/50/51/7450519cfce5107e871d5ec24f3b85fe.jpg)~~~ Case 3 is a very close second to Case 1 in my opinion. It has the most well-written narrative out of the four arcs in the series, with the plot and Cynthia's backstory blending together so seamlessly, it's so hard not to love. It was fun watching Edamura take the lead with the con as it not only changed things up a bit but it also was just hilarious watching him find out that the painting that he sold for 20 thousand pounds was actually worth 20 million. This arc also gave us a great insight into Cynthia as a character which was deeply moving to watch. I also loved watching James Coleman lose everything the way he did. ~~~__Case 2 Singapore Sky__~~~ ~~~img(https://www.otaquest.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/firefox_NgJdBrCeKm-1024x576.png)~~~ Case 2 was ok in my opinion. Don't get me wrong, it was still enjoyable to watch and I loved getting to know more about Abigail, especially as she was the one I was the most intrigued to learn more about. I just found that this arc was a bit slow in areas and I found the con itself not as entertaining compared to the others. I did prefer Sam as the target more than I did for Eddie Cassano in Case 1. It was also nice to see Edamura's dynamic with Abigail and I found that to be a personal highlight of mine for this arc. ~~~__Case 4 Wizard of Far East__~~~ ~~~img(https://www.otaquest.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/kZKO87n3Ip-1024x575.png)~~~ Case 4 has the most episodes in the series with a total of 9 episodes. It is even presented as its own season on Netflix (for some reason idk). So of course I was quite excited to see what exactly was going to happen and assumed it was probably going to be their biggest con yet. I was definitely right in thinking it was going to be the biggest one but I think as a result, the story slightly fell apart. Case 4 to me had the most ambitious plot the series had attempted but it was also the most disappointing. ~~~__Let me explain__~~~ Case 4 opens up with an interesting and quite strong beginning as it not only ties back to Edamura's past with his father but it puts Edamura in a situation that greatly conflicts with his morals. Having him believe that he was working an honest job with a good company, only for it to end up being a hum@n tr@ff!ck!ng trading business, it was definitely hard as a viewer to watch him be put in a situation like that. It was heart breaking and surprising to see the series tackle something as serious as that as well. Edamura quickly catches on however, that this was no accident and he was put into the job as part of a con for Laurent. He is pissed, for good reason, because all he has wanted was to live an honest life but was instead tricked into something that not only was he not clued in on (__again__) but he morally could not walk away from either. It was slightly repetitive to use the same formula from case 2 but what was different this time was we saw team confidence get caught, which has not happened before. It seemed that there was no way out this time for our characters and to make matters worse, Edamura's father decides to not only betray his son but to also k!ll Abigail and Cynthia. The moment I realised how f-cked everything truly was for the team, was when Edamura was then given the chance to avenge his friends by sh--ting his father and he takes it. That very moment in my opinion was the highlight of the case and I loved __LOVED__ that it gave us a twist that had genuine consequences on the team and Edamura. ~~~img(https://i.imgur.com/VZDXDuB.png) img(https://i.imgur.com/gr4Cbf3.jpg)~~~ It was that moment on the boat that broke Edamura and left him vulnerable to the CEO Suzaku. She exploits his weak mental state and molds him into the son she's always wanted. And when I started to question if maybe, just maybe, this was all one sick joke, we see Edamura become a part of the system that was entirely against his morals earlier on in Case 4-1. ~~~img(https://i.imgur.com/voGDF3B.png) img(https://i.imgur.com/aKs5t4I.jpg)~~~ It was terrifying to see as a viewer because it really spoke to the gravity of the entire situation and how severely that moment on the boat affected Edamura. It changed him entirely. It felt like watching a whole different character to the one we were initially introduced to in the beginning of the series and I absolutely loved it. Yes, was it hard to watch? absolutely but it was amazing to see the series be willing to divert our expectations and deliver a twist that really changed the trajectory of Edamura's character and the story itself. It took away what we became so used to and instead flipped everything on its head. I seriously thought that they would succeed in the end like they always did in Case 1, 2 and 3, but they didn't. And not only did we lose two great characters in the process but Edamura lost himself in the process of it all too. Now you may be wondering why exactly I was so disappointed with Case 4 when this whole time I've just been singing its praises at how great of an arc its been so far. Well, I'll tell you... _(deep DEEP sigh)_ We find out that the entire time, THE ENTIRE TIME, it was all part of the plan conducted by Team Confidence and Oz (Edamura's dad), Abigail and Cynthia were still alive. The only issue was, Edamura had no clue this was the case. He truly believed his friends were k!lled, he genuinely thought he murd£red his dad and he had been working for Suzaku for months without any word from the team that it was fake. He had been used and lied to again. Oh and lets not forget that during this time Edamura was helping Suzaku to sell children, or are we just going to move pass that? (we do find out that the children are safe but at the time Edamura had no idea what the full details of the plan were). Not enough words, can describe the level of disappointment I felt when I found out it was all an act. I've never felt so betrayed and dumb for thinking that the series was going to follow through with a twist that had such well-written and interesting repercussions on Edamura's character and morals. But when I saw Edamura's dad show up to his door alive, I felt so gaslit omg. His dad explains to Edamura that he's been actually working with Laurent this entire time and he did not betray them. He goes on to explain Laurent's backstory, how this con has been in the making for years and the reason why he went to prison was so he could take the fall for the team. We also find out the full details of the plan and that the team are going to have Laurent and Edamura falsely translate a webcam meeting between Suzaku and Liu Xiao which ends with both CEOs bringing in large amounts of money while secretly planning to k!ll each other. When the in-person meeting inevitably does commence, both CEOs are confused on what's happening and a swarm of police (Team Confidence) raid in. Although I was disappointed with how the rest of the arc played out, something happens in that meeting that takes an interesting turn. A turn that almost makes up for all the disappointment I felt earlier on. Once the police raid in, we think team confidence are about to pull of the biggest swindle yet however, Edamura turns everything on its head and decides to betray his team instead. He brings in his own guys who ambush team confidence (who turn out to be Eddie Cassano and his guys because that makes sense i guess???). Edamura starts losing it, like literally starts maniacally laughing. It's in this very moment where we get to truly see how much of an effect being a pawn in Laurent's plan, never being clued into the full details of the job and being forced into dishonest work despite explicitly voicing that he doesn't want to be involved has had on Edamura. We even see him confront his dad for failing him and mother, lying to him his entire life and essentially being a deadbeat father. ~~~img(https://i.imgur.com/4P2gwUW.png) img(https://i.imgur.com/1aYIJL5.jpg)~~~ The reason I loved this scene so much was because it felt like a long time coming. Like everything we have seen, from the very first episode in Case 1 to this very moment in Case 4, has been a huge build up to Edamura finally snapping and we watch as he goes off at everyone who has wronged him. He turns into this bad guy who now works for the worst type of people known to mankind. He became the thing he desperately tried to run away from time and time again. It was incredible, absolutely fantastic to watch as it leads to this big crescendo where his own father, with the help of Laurent, k!lls him off. The two big perpetrators, in Edamura's eyes, to him turning out the way he did, have now taken his life. The main character of this series is now d£@d. img(https://i.imgur.com/ojKVcUi.png) img(https://i.imgur.com/M6fA7BR.png) img(https://i.imgur.com/4ToW8Ir.jpg) Do you know how excited I was to watch this play out? I was screaming at my screen because I could not believe that the series was going to commit to a story like that. That scene for me was the greatest moment of the arc until... (*and I can't believe I'm saying this for a 2nd time*) ... we find out... (*deep sigh*) that it was all... (*eye twitching*)... __AN ACT__ ~~~img(https://64.media.tumblr.com/ae019f202d109b996d142bb259dd2176/tumblr_mlayut8VK81rsf5lfo1_400.gif)~~~ yeah... so it turns out that Edamura and team confidence had created this elaborate plan to fool Suzaku, Liu Xiao and their men in the end... ~~~img(https://i.imgur.com/8kOigl2.png) img(https://i.imgur.com/RB5EFSS.png) ~~~ I didn't even feel disappointed anymore because I felt more upset that everything we had watched Edamura go through be reduced for a cheap twist like that. They could've really told a great story there for the finale act but instead decided to use the same overdone formula of "hey we're all alive and we swindled those idiots" that they've used already in the previous arcs and for what exactly? because to me, they just threw away the potential of compelling character work and an interesting story. Also what was that ending with Team Confidence celebrating on a boat with the antagonists from Case 1, 2 and 3...??? like you've got to be joking ??? ~~~img(https://i.imgur.com/32UsSxh.png)~~~ And if you think this arc couldn't have annoyed me further... this scene appears as the post credit scene... ~~~img(https://i.imgur.com/w91I34n.jpg)~~~ seriously don't piss me off right now -_- ~~~__Conclusion: __~~~ Overall, the series had such a great start but definitely felt like they cheaped out in the end. I know I said a lot for Case 4 and a bit of it was expressing my disappointment but when you look at the bigger picture, with the inclusion of Case 1, 2 and 3, overall it wasn't too bad and was still able to keep me entertained throughout. I mean I did binge the series in 2 days. So if you loved Case 4 and don't agree with my opinion, that is totally ok and your opinion is completely valid. This review was just showing you my thoughts on the series as I was watching it.
__If you're telling a story and you insert the words 'plot twist' in it, and you're friend asks you 'what does that mean?' just direct them to this anime.__ It is actually insane how well-built this anime is. I first got hooked by learning about ~!Dorothy!~ from a tiktok, and I was pretty disappointed when I learned that she wasn't mentioned till the second season, so I wasn't really focused on the anime at the beginning, as I was aloof. But I regret so BECAUSE THE FIRST CASE WAS _THE_ BEST ONE. img220(https://occ-0-2794-2219.1.nflxso.net/dnm/api/v6/9pS1daC2n6UGc3dUogvWIPMR_OU/AAAABZgg30f91-Axp4FmB0d8cGLQAwpeiSjZdMhjnSspeM94X5_H8LmOYlgH7D-OYk6_vLq_dtXJ03CIGmmLTlIn_guF6CyBK9hE40gUV1epB8eIfC3Og2PDOVyQ.jpg?r=a03) My favorite character and I mean this after watching the entire 2 seasons It is definitely my boy Salazar. img220(https://static1.cbrimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/salzaar-black-bodyguard-of-mafia.jpg) we only got to see him in that arc/case but I actually like that better. Let him live a good life with his son, away from anymore schemes. However something I didn't like and I totally need to address is, THE RACISM IN THIS SHOW. And no I'm not the sensitive type who finds a complaint in the small things, for one, I use the word nigga/nigger as an Arab.(this is normal in the middle east) and I'm homophobic. Yet even with such relax mindset, I wasn't able to rule out the stereotyping on two people: Sam Ibrahim, and Dororthy. starting of with Sam Ibrahim, the older son of the two ibrahim brothers. img220(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/8c/1c/5d/8c1c5da4cccb8a35af1eec37712cf949.jpg) Excluding the outfit and facial hair they gave him, which clears out his race through one glaze, Sam Ibrahim was portrayed as a SEXIST who believes woman cannot race or compete, and then to top it off THEY MADE HIM INTO YOUNG WOMAN. I'm not sure exactly what that was suppose to mean, but it hints into pedophilia quite obviously, especially when he said 'They're only muses until they turn 20' when talking about woman. And of course his backstory is being the prince of a country that's rich because of its OIL. Moreover, he basically bombed the airplane of the competitor, making him a TERRORIST. And yet with all those stereotypical characteristics they put for Sam, somehow he can DRINK ALCHOHOL. and somehow his last name is IBRAHIM when that is mainly used for Christian arabs (he is Muslim, the outfit gave it away) Moving on to the second person, Dorothy img220(https://i.pinimg.com/236x/2b/b0/37/2bb0371576a053c0ab4609a4277657e5.jpg) You noticed it right away, am I right? The big lips that even lipstick can't fully cover The back palms being a different color The frog eyelashes. I was quite excited for Dorothy's arc since it is what got me interested, but once she was on the screen I couldn't bare looking at her They ruined what could be a beautiful woman for some stereotypical characteristics. Moving on from this topic, let's talk about the main character: Edamura Makotoimg220(https://lostinanime.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Great-Pretender-01-14.jpg) Everytime he tried to restart his life as an honest worker, and someone with a normal life Trying to atone for his sins, and working to please his dead mother LAURENT FUCKS IT UP. Don't get me wrong I love Laurent, his confidence in his acting, his flirtatious attitude, and his inner worries that thicken his character, such as his love for Dorothy. It's all very well built, and they mix together to make this messed up refreshing character Laurent. But can he just leave my man Makoto alone FOR GOD'S SAKE. In the last arc(case 4) When Makoto came up with the ending of the planimg220(https://images.adagio.com/images2/custom_blends/174978.jpg) IT WAS SO SATISFYING SEEING HIM EXPRESS HIS FEELINGS. I FELT SO RELIEVED. like yes, thankyou! tell me! Tell me how hard it is seeing everyone act selfish, and then plan all this for some former partner(Dorothy) after all that talk about being lone wolves, and no such thing as partners. His dad, the way he left them, the way he gave himself in for Dorothy's sake Laurent, who needs him for his schemes, as if taking his dad wasn't enough HE HAD EVERY RIGHT DESPISING LAURENT. EVERY SINGLE FIBER OF THAT BODY HAD EVERY RIGHT. Later on, Abby mentions that their was reality in his acting, and he Makoto goes 'who knows, i had other reasons too' however I fully believe those were his true feelings being expressed And I'm glad they listened to them with full attention, as he DESERVES SO. img220(https://44.media.tumblr.com/e98e56c0d05505a001f11b3e56eeb7fc/042b4a3b158c2dc1-23/s640x960_f1/8bb6619ca510241044b28c7e2c31ca5267f6a985.gif) This is what I mainly wanted to express, I think the score is on point The 76 looks beautiful, ahahah Obviously you do not have to agree to this _P.S: English is not my first language so please excuse any mistakes_ As for the movie, I actually haven't checked it out yet, but I'm not very interested in doing so either Considering it does not contain any of the original cast, and not even Laurent?! That's a crime. I'd love for it to get a sequel, a proper one. A third season with the original cast Where Dorothy finds Laurent, they do a case where both Makoto and his dad scheme it And then they execute it perfectly. thank-You for reading, hope this shifts your perspective on 'Great Pretender' I didn't include much, just 3 main points I think the best way to know your opinion is to watch it yourself