The Best Anime of 2020
Second Runner-up: Great Pretender
Staff Writer Ethan Anderson: Great Pretender is a Netflix Original anime series that goes above and beyond expectations in just about every way. It’s a crime comedy that follows a band of cunning tricksters as they finesse their way into gaining millions of dollars.
Makoto “Edamame” Edamura considers himself the greatest swindler in Japan. But it doesn’t take long before he’s scammed by even bigger scammers – Laurent Thierry and his group of “confidence” men and women who steal from the rich and give to themselves.
Edamura is soon pulled into Laurent’s borderline insane schemes that span the globe. Great Pretender will take you to Los Angeles, Singapore, London, and beyond, as the high-stakes cons know no borders.
Great Pretender shines both literally and figuratively with its vibrant visuals, jazzy soundtrack, and a clever plot. It also has one of the best English dubs out there, with the first episode mixing in accents and language barriers between characters.
The Ocean’s Eleven-style heists never get old, but it’s those characters that really make the show. Their moral limits, past traumas, and distinct personalities will keep you hooked through the anime’s two seasons.
If you’re looking for a crime anime with plenty of positives and then some, look no further than Netflix’s Great Pretender.
