Directed and written by Hitoshi One, Tokyo Swindlers is Netflix’s latest Japanese crime thriller, with 7 episodes, and if you are planning on binge-watching this anytime soon, you are in for a ride, and we’ve warned you.
This isn’t the first time a series on the streaming platform revolves around money, scams, and swindling, but it certainly does a grand job of being unique and admirable in its own way, making it an engaging watch.
Tokyo Swindlers is the perfect Japanese series for anyone who loves a good crime thriller and stars a roster of talented cast members including Go Ayano, Etsushi Toyokawa, Kazuki Kitamura, Eiko Koike, and Pierre Taki.
In this review, we will dive into some of the highlights of this series and whether or not we believe it deserves a spot on your watchlist!
Splendid Writing Supported by a Talented Cast
Now here’s the thing, when it comes to Tokyo Swindlers, patience is key. If you are expecting the opening scene or the first ten minutes to be the reason you stick around for the whole series, in that case, you might find yourself speeding through the series on Netflix’s 1.5x feature or skipping it altogether.
But it is important to trust the process when it comes to Hitoshi One’s latest series and don’t let the bloody bear attack in the first five minutes scare you off.
Tokyo Swindlers revolves around a group of land swindlers who go around the country committing land frauds, and for those who need a brief lesson on the same, the series gets the job done so that you don’t need to open a different tab to google it. The pilot episode of the series does a wonderful job of establishing the main characters and the premise and accomplishes just enough to keep the viewers hooked.
Harrison Yamanaka played by Etsushi Toyokawa is undoubtedly the star of Tokyo Swindlers, and even though he often needs his entire team to execute large-scale land frauds, he manages to steal the show time and again.
This series does have many characters that are introduced throughout seven episodes, but it is fairly easy to keep up with them, especially when the focus remains on Harrison, Takumi, Takeshita, Reiko, and Goto.
The quality and success of Tokyo Swindlers rely heavily on the dialogues, which remain consistently good in the series, and of course, the performances by the cast are the cherry on top. There are several subplots, intricate storylines, and emotions in this series, but at no point does it appear overwhelming or dragged out. The execution of the team’s biggest land fraud is a treat to watch and offers itself as the soul of the series.
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Conclusion
On paper, Tokyo Swindlers might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but once you have actually invested some time in watching it, you will find yourself wanting more. Do let us know in the comments what you thought of the series!