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.
There are 4 arcs in the show and each arc focus on a different character to expand on and show their past. Each arc also has a different antagonist.
The side characters are all strong and properly flushed out. I think this is why the show is named Great Pretender instead of THE Great Pretender. Because the show focuses on a different character in each of the arcs.
What makes this show so fun is the characters. Even though they rendezvous and make a plan together as a team. But, in the end, each of the characters does what they want and the others have no other choice but to improvise their plan and move on. This dynamic keeps the show fresh and you're constantly on your toes.
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Homage to Art, Music, and Cinema
Great Pretender is an incredibly stylized show. Many times it treats itself as an art piece. It's filled with abstract shapes and colors that pop. Its psychedelic backgrounds reminded me of Andy Warhol's art. But the colors aren't as harsh as the ones in his art pieces. Instead, they have a much lighter shade and blend with other pieces in the frame.
It also very subtly changes its style distinguishing one arc from another. In another arc, you see the influence of Leonid Afremov with very vibrant and different colors in play in the night setting.
Great Pretender is severely influenced by classic heist films like Oceans 11 and The Italian Job that deals with different con men coming together to pull off a big heist. All these elements coupled with some incredible jazz and blues music in the background make for a very entertaining and fun show to watch.
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The Problem with Great Pretender
My only problem with the show is Makoto Edamura himself. I'm not sure if he is a good protagonist.
Makoto Edamura is a swindler, but he isn't as good as Laurent or his other friends. He always finds himself being very unprepared and is always being caught off guard by Laurent. So, the show often uses him to develop the other characters.
In short, he's stuck having a heart to heart conversation with people, and here's where the problem arises. Heist films in general work because they deceive the viewer by keeping certain important information from them and then later reveal it at the right time for shock value or excitement. If the protagonist himself isn't an effective con man in a heist story, then all of the reveals are less effective.
The reveals themselves are predictable if you've seen many Heist films. Once you watch the first arc, you get used to their deceptions and tricks, and the next time you see a deception happening you can guess what's going to happen.
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The Op and Ed
The Op reminds you of Saul Bass's work. It has a very abstract nature coupled with jazz music playing in the background. It shows the different scenarios that will take place in the show. While these are mild spoilers but taken out of context they don't mean much. The Ed however has Freddie Mercury's Great Pretender. It features his favorite pet cats singing and imitating people in the music video. It is a treat to watch cats perform this iteration of The Great Pretender.
