Great Pretender (stylized in all caps) is a Japanese anime television series produced by Wit Studio, directed by Hiro Kaburagi and written by Ryōta Kosawa. The series' arcs are called "cases", and the first case (Los Angeles Connection) was released in June 2020 on Netflix in Japan. The series' first three cases (Los Angeles Connection, Singapore Sky, and Snow of London) were released worldwide on Netflix in August 2020, followed by its fourth case (Wizard of Far East) in November. The series also aired from July to December 2020 on Fuji TV's +Ultra anime programming block. A sequel, Great Pretender: Razbliuto, premiered in February 2024.
The protagonist, a small-time Japanese con man who aspires to greater things. Hoping to find a good job to pay his ill mother's medical bills, he starts working for a company that he is unaware is engaging in fraud, and is arrested and imprisoned for his involvement. Unable to find honest work after being paroled because of his arrest and the stigma from his father's criminal past, he decides to become a con artist instead. He ends up becoming Laurent's partner after an unsuccessful attempt to con him. He is nicknamed "Edamame" by Laurent, who has difficulty remembering his name. He has a fascination with gashapon and buys them at various points in the series. He has a thick, peculiar accent when speaking English, occasionally remarked upon by others.
An expert French con man, renowned for his persuasiveness and quick wit. He grew up in Brussels with his mother Emma Thierry, and he learned several different languages as a child as he aspired to become a diplomat, being functional in at least French, English, Japanese and Mandarin Chinese. An investor named Hugo took advantage of Emma's dyslexia, tricking her out of her life savings. One night, Laurent tried to kill Hugo, but ended up stabbing a woman named Dorothy instead whom he later fell in love with. He operates as a gentleman thief, only targeting rich, corrupt people who are a negative influence to society. He uses the scams to expose his targets for their misdeeds, while helping those who were victimized by their targets live honest and happy lives. While ruthless toward his victims, he treats his comrades and associates like a family. He has a flirtatious nature and is a reputed playboy.
An athletic, taciturn woman who is Laurent's second-in-command. Her great physical abilities come in part from her childhood ballet training. Her life changed when Baghdad was bombed, killing her parents and she became a child soldier. She carries a dented medal that she won in a ballet competition as a memento of her parents.
One of Laurent's associates who uses her feminine charms and acting skills to manipulate their targets. Her abilities came from her training to become a stage actress as a young adult.
Edamame's father. He worked as a lawyer, while secretly working with Laurent's gang. He was arrested for aiding a human trafficking network and that led to Edamame being unable to get a regular job.
Laurent's ex-lover and the leader of the original confidence gang. She was shot on a yacht and fell overboard after a failed confidence game. In the twenty-third episode, it is revealed that she is still alive in Taiwan with her memories lost, adapting the name "Li Siang-siang".
An LAPD detective who has been chasing after Cassano for years. He is corrupt and frequently lets Cassano get away in exchange for bribes. He has a daughter who attends college and studying overseas.
An aerial stunt pilot and former pilot in the United States Military. He was permanently disabled in a previous race with Clark that ended in his plane crashing.
Isabelle Mueller (イザベル・ミューラー, Izaberu Myūrā)
Voiced by: Mayumi Sako (Japanese); Lipica Shah (English)
The young head of Wang's syndicate based in Taipei. He is the adopted son of the syndicate's leader Wang. He is a playboy who likes women and has a habit of cheating on them. He has a close working relationship with Ayi. He develops a romantic interest with Dorothy, but they break up.
Yang Kun I (Ayi) (楊 崑義（アイ）, Yáng Kūnyì (Ai))
Voiced by: Yasuhiro Mamiya
A con artist working under Jay. He self-proclaims himself as Taipei's best genius grifter, but his attempt to scam Dorothy fails. He works for Jay wanting as somebody who desires money.
The head of a syndicate specializing in drug trafficking that rules Taipei's dark society. He is a cold-hearted man who is keeping a watchful eye on his adopted son Jay, and vows to get revenge on Dorothy after being scammed by her gang before getting amnesia.
Tsai (蔡, Cài)
Voiced by: Mitsuaki Kanuka
An executive of Wang's syndicate. He nicknamed the Drug Sommelier as he is an expert in dealing drugs.
The series' story is divided into blocks of episodes called "Cases". Case 1: Los Angeles Connection is episodes 1 through 5, Case 2: Singapore Sky is episodes 6 through 10, Case 3: Snow of London is episodes 11 through 14, and Case 4: Wizard of Far East is episodes 15 through 23. Case 1 began streaming on Netflix Japan on June 2, 2020, with Case 2 following on June 9. Case 3 began streaming on Netflix Japan on June 16, 2020, and Case 4 followed on September 21.[8]
The anime series aired on Fuji TV's +Ultra anime programming block and BS Fuji from July 8 to December 16, 2020.[3]
Great Pretender's first 14 episodes were released outside of Japan on Netflix on August 20, 2020, with the last 9 following on November 25.[9]
A sequel original net animation (ONA), titled Great Pretender: Razbliuto,[c] was released in four episodes (as Intermission 1: Taipei Rendezvous), from February 23 to March 15, 2024 on DMM TV, following its North America cinema screenings on January 9 and 10.[11]Crunchyroll licensed the sequel and released it in full on February 23, 2024.[12]
Manga
A manga adaptation by Daichi Marui began releasing on Mag Garden's Mag Comi and LINE Manga from June 10, 2020.[13] The manga series has been licensed in North America by Seven Seas Entertainment.[14] The series went on hiatus on September 10, 2020, due to Marui's poor health.[15]
^The series was originally released through Netflix in four batches from June to September 2020. The series also received a Japanese television broadcast on Fuji TV's +Ultra block from July 9 to December 17, 2020.
^"Razbliuto" is a long-running hoax of a Russian word, that purportedly cannot be translated into the English language. In reality this word does not exist in the Russian language.[10]
