Tokyo Swindlers Review 2024 Tv Show Series Cast Crew Online
High-octane crime drama shows are a rare commodity in the OTT world these days. Not many shows and films live up to expectations, and the buildup just fizzles out by the end. The brand-new Japanese crime drama on Netflix, Tokyo Swindlers, is all about a bunch of people who make money off selling land they don’t actually own. This intense crime drama could be dubbed as one of the best to come out of Netflix. The seven-part show was released on the streaming platform on July 25th, written and directed by Hitoshi One, and it is adapted from the novel of the same name by author Ko Shinjo.
Tokyo Swindlers meticulously covers the story of six members of a gang that are known to carry out land fraud by forging as many documents as possible to falsely sell a plot of land and make tons of money off it. There is a history behind the gang leader Harrison Yamanaka, who had been arrested many years ago for a similar crime, but on release he went back to committing fraud again, resorting to murder as well this time round. There are police officers from the second division who are assigned to find out more about “Tokyo Swindlers” and arrest them after having gathered enough evidence about them. Kuramochi, a young detective, joins an aging Tatsu San, who is about to retire in a few months, to get to the bottom of the growing cases of land frauds. Do the Japanese police arrest Harrison and his team? Is there a mole in the police that is on Harrison’s payroll and protecting his gang? Was there friction between the gang members about the money that is shared between them?
The best part of the show is the run time. Even though each episode fluctuates between thirty-seven minutes and slightly over one hour, not one minute of the show is wasted, as the story only gets better as the series progresses. This is the first time in a long while a crime drama has had a smooth screenplay. There are no glitches and bumps, and the audience will be on the smooth sailing ride. It is interesting to watch how the makers just through the first episode try to explain how Harrison and his team operate a fraud and get away with it as well. There is a lot of history shared about the people who are a part of his team and the reasons why they chose to lead a life of crime. These subplots only add another layer of complexity about these characters, whose only motivation is to make enough for a lifetime.
The screenplay does not try to be condescending or spoon-feeding. It allows the audience to think and be intelligent and form an opinion of every character in the show. The best subplot must be the one about the relationship shared between Kuramochi and her new partner at work, Tatsu-San. Their dynamic is interesting as colleagues, and it is easy to notice the generation gap between them. The makers do not judge either of them as both come from two different times, and somehow, they are able to find a middle ground to work on the case. It is also interesting to watch how such crimes go unnoticed until a big scam breaks out and the police are put into action after everything is done and dusted. It throws light on the fact that the law-and-order system in every country operates the same way as everyone begins to act only after a certain large crime has been committed. The writing by Hitoshi One shines like a diamond, as there are hardly any distractions from the actual plot. There are some shock elements that are pulled off with utmost ease. Even though the end was predictable and a certain connection between the two characters is obvious, it is the execution of this narrative that makes the product excellent. There is no over-the-top drama, which is usually found in a lot of Japanese and South Korean shows and movies of this genre. The makers thankfully stayed away from it, and it only benefited the show.
Writer-director Hitoshi One is in full control of the narrative and the direction. Speaking of which, the direction is excellent, to say the least. Since the writer and the director are the same person, it is easy for him to be in control of the direction as he is aware of the material he has written for the show. The show does have its own hits and misses, but these small errors can be overlooked as, in its entirety, Tokyo Swindlers only gets better as it goes on. Thankfully, Hitoshi does not glorify the crime, and the show does talk about the repercussions of it. Usually in a crime drama, the buildups are great, but the climax ends up being underwhelming. Such is not the case with Tokyo Swindlers, as the end is worth the time spent on the tension created by the makers of the show. Kudos to Hitoshi One for not losing grip even for a second throughout the run time.
Another major highlight of the show is the music used throughout, and the title credits are a well-thought-out addition. It is different and refreshing. The editing is great because the narrative feels well laid out, even though certain episodes are one hour long. The premise of the show for the Hindi-speaking audience would remind people of Ladies vs. Ricky Bahl, the Ranveer Singh film. This show is a serious drama, while the Hindi film mentioned is a romantic drama with a revenge angle. This show might also remind people of the Steven Spielberg-directed Leonardo DiCaprio starrer Catch Me If You Can, which is about the life of crime lived by a real-life character. Although this Hollywood film did glorify the life Frank Abagnale Jr. lived., Tokyo Swindlers is all about showcasing the reality of the matter, and the director does not try hard to add humor into the narrative. The show is intense, real, and dark.
The performances of the show stand out even though a lot of the characters are given stylized treatment. Go Ayano, as Takumi Tsujimoto, stands out as the guy who is on a rampage to commit land fraud, as his own family was a victim to it. It is his composed role that keeps the pacing of the show grounded for the most part. Elaiza Ikeda as Kuramochi is brilliant as a rookie police officer who makes a lot of breakthroughs since this case is assigned to her. It is her diligence to get to the bottom of this that makes the show interesting. Eiko Koike as Reiko, who helps her team find impersonators, is excellent in the crucial scenes of Tokyo Swindlers. Koji Yamamoto as the high-level real estate executive Aoyagi is brilliant as an arrogant man who is fooled by the swindlers.
Tokyo Swindlers is a simple yet effective crime drama that has all elements to keep the audience engaged till the end. Give it a watch; you won’t be disappointed.
